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Fisher: Preds want guys that want to win, ‘wasn’t the case’ with Erat

MikeFisher

It appears there’s little love lost between the Predators and Martin Erat.

A day after Nashville GM David Poile expressed disappointment over Erat’s trade demand -- which landed the 31-year-old winger in Washington -- Preds forward Mike Fisher threw in his two cents.

“I think when a guy wants out and he wants to leave … we want guys here that want to play and want to be a part of this team, want to win,” Fisher told John Glennon of The Tennessean. “That wasn’t the case with Marty. So you just kind of move on.”

Fisher also added it was “a little surprising” to learn of the trade demand.

It’s starting to sound as though Erat ruffled more than a few feathers upon leaving the club.

Poile said he wouldn’t try to “sugarcoat” anything when it came to Erat’s departure, stating he noticed an uptick in performance and production from the Czech winger shortly after making his trade request.

Here’s more on that, from Fox Sports Tennessee’s John Manasso:

Sometimes, Poile said, a player needs a change of scenery.

It certainly seemed to be that way with Erat, who, after an outburst of eight points in four games — which apparently coincided with his request; perhaps Erat was doing his best to showcase himself — sank back into a lack of productivity.

Over the last three games, he went without a point (minus-2 ).

As for Erat’s future -- well, he’s getting thrown into the fire pretty quickly in Washington.

He arrived in D.C. early Thursday morning to practice in anticipation of his Caps debut -- which will happen tonight, at the Verizon Center, against the Islanders.

Erat will reportedly skate on a line with Mathieu Perreault and former Preds teammate Joel Ward, and Caps head coach Adam Oates said there’ll be no easing Erat in.

“Very important, a guy who can play in all situations,” Oates told the Washington Post. “It’s why he’s an upper echelon player.

“He’s a smart guy, can handle the responsibilities of playing in some of the different types of situations.”