Predators trade Saros to the Jackets, take on the contract of Merzlikins, who may just re-invigorate his game behind Josi, McDonagh, Schenn etc... making the future an Askarov/Merzlikins tandem of sorts in a couple of years. Askarov is the guy though. The Predators get the dynamic center they have been looking for.

The Jackets get a real, real, real, real, real goaltender. He re-signs when he's eligible for an extension. They give up Johnson, but they just drafted Fantilli, so they still have Fantilli and Sillinger down the middle, plus their old guy Jenner, and they can add in future. Basically, adding a goalie of Saros' stature, and gaining the cap space from losing Merzlikins' contract, could be worth the young center.

Worth it for either side?

At first, I wanted to make a trade of Kent Johnson and Daniil Tarasov for Yaroslav Askarov and Cody Glass, but capfriendly wouldn't allow it, I got an error message of some kind, tied to Askarov's status I think.

Maybe it still requires something like Cody Glass or Thomas Novak or whatever else going to Columbus? Merzlikins had a terrible year last season, but so did the whole team, collectively.

Nashville would hang up the phone in about 4 seconds. And I think Columbus would also prefer to keep KJ.