Central Division Summer: Nashville Predators Free Agency
Yesterday was a busy day with the rosters announced for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.
Over the past two days, we’ve looked at the pending free agents for the Blackhawks’ rivals in the Central Division as well. We examined the Blackhawks’ pending free agents and now have discussed the free agents of the:
As we continue our look ahead to next year, let’s move down the Central Division to the Nashville Predators.
Nashville Predators
2015-16 Regular Season: 96 points — 41-27-14 — 4th place in the Central
2015-16 Postseason: def. Anaheim in 7 games, eliminated by San Jose in 7 games
2016-17 Salary Commitments: $58,701,307 to 18 NHL players.
Unrestricted Free Agents
Paul Gaustad ($3,250,000)
Cody Bass ($575,000)
Corey Potter ($650,000)
Carter Hutton ($725,000)
Patrick Mullen
Jamie Devane
Restricted Free Agents
Filip Forsberg ($894,166)
Gabriel Bourque ($$866,250)
Calle Jarnkrok ($735,000)
Peter Granberg ($600,000)
Marek Mazanec ($575,000)
Cody Hodgson
Johan Alm
Kristian Nakyva
Garrett Noonan
Stefan Elliott
Taylor Aronson
Max Reinhart
Preds are in great shape to pay Forsberg. And they’re going to have about 11 million left for 4 players
Man,.,.they sure do not have the issues the Hawks have.
Yeah, like organizing 3 Cup parades in the last 5 years!
Just think they could have Suter and Vesey caphits.
Lots of room there for Bickell…just think how good he would look in a Preds jersey….we should send a delegation of CI’s down to Nashville to convince them.
A team that has been mentioned as one who could go after Stamkos. As stated, lots of cap room.
Nashville has an internal budget. Cap room don’t mean squat to them.
Also, I’d be very Leary of signing Stamkos. Ever since he broke his leg he hasn’t quite been the same. His PPG numbers have declined every year since 12/13.
12/13- 1.18 PPG
13/14-1.08 broken leg
14/15- .87, .69 playoffs in 26 games.
15/16- .83
Now after what’s been speculated as thoracic outlet syndrome… Damn good player, but someone is going to overpay. Teams that have been linked to Stamkos include Rangers, which led to speculation of dumping Nash. Red wings, which is why they will desperately try to dump Datsyuk’s contract. Toronto, obviously. Sabres, because they think they’re a destination. Habs, talk they’d dump Subban to Edmonton.
All these teams will wait on Stamkos, while other teams pick up other valuable assets at lower prices because so many teams are so close to the ceiling.
Yeah ST.Louis Ousted as should be…. Hawks win if stupid GM ( Stanley) grabs freebie ryan Kessler for garbage turdaveinan and few more defenseman……. Hahaha…..whose still drinking the koolaid?……. More importantly whose gunna pay these ticket prices ???? Cough it up now !!!
@Ernie Ernie, does Detroit have any mechanism for being able to somehow unload Datsyuk’s contract? I may be wrong but I thought it was pretty much a deal of he plays for them, or he goes to the KHL and they eat his cap hit. I thought it was worked so that it now is pretty much theirs to have, regardless of what he does.
As for Stamkos, I’ve also heard Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo and New York as well. As for the thoracic outlet syndrome, I’ve heard of football players that have to give up the career as soon as that diagnosis is made. It would be something if he were still playing with that. All the same though he’s said he wants to be back with TB next season.
I had that same syndrome close to 28 years ago and kept playing baseball and some pick-up hockey 6 months after–I still play pick-up hockey today at 55, 3 times a week-
(if the surgery or whatever cures the abnormal pressure on the vessel you are good to go, but I didn’t have the demands of football or 220 lb men in hockey flying at such speed ) Now is he declining somewhat in general, perhaps. He’s quite young and should be hitting his prime.
It will be interesting to see if Toronto will go after him-TB has so many young, talented parts, I can’t see them giving him near Toews/Kane money.
Josh Beckett had the same procedure. Kind of ended his career, although he did throw a no hitter before hanging em up. Adam McQuaid had it done a couple years ago, his numbers were never stellar to begin with so it’s tough to say. UFC fighter Matt Serra retired because of it. It doesn’t necessarily end careers. But it seems to happen more frequently with older players who were on their way out anyway. Adam Pelech of the isles had it this year. He returned and played in the AHL after. When your talking 10 for 8 type numbers it’s not something to completely dismiss.
Regarding Datsyuk, the red wings can trade his contract. It’s an over 35 deal so the cap hit will remain with whatever team has the contract. Their only option is to hope a team trying to get to the floor would be interested in it. Because he’d be retired and not on LTIR the acquiring team wouldnt have to pay any dollars. Arizona and Florida did it with LTIR players last year so they still paid the player his actual salary. But they’re salary and cap hit didn’t match. Arizona paid Pronger 575k to take on his nearly 5 million cap hit. Carolina is the team I’ve read most associated with such a scenario.
Booman, you probably know better than any of us. Obviously your surgery was a success. But this surgery doesn’t seem as black and white as others. Removing the rib in the hopes of increased circulation. Any chance it doesn’t work?
Autocorrect got the best of me there. Sorry noonan. Edit.
@ Ernie
Thanks for the clarification on the Datsyuk situation. My Red Wings fan work nemesis thinks there is still a chance that he will return and play for his last year of the contract and not bolt to the KHL. He is from Detroit, and claims that Datsyuk’s leaving (or threat thereof) is due to his ongoing displeasure with the GM’s lack of going after guys who can allow the team to win BIG before said contract is up. He says that Datsyuk is really tight with the ownership, but is fed up with being on decent but not great teams.
I don’t buy that. The last contract he signed was for 3 years. Datsyuk has said he’d help any way possible. I think what that means is if they can’t trade the contract he’ll play. If they can which is his preference he’s gone. He has a 13 yr old daughter that lives with his ex wife in Russia and it’s been reported numerous times thats the reason hed leave. He has numerous offers from KHL teams. One being SKA, which has both Shipachyov and Dadonov on the roster. And it’s been reported both want to cross the pond. But a contract issue won’t allow them to play until mid season. At least that’s what’s been reported. So, if winning was the only reason why is he being connected to a team that may lose its 2 best players?
Ernie-
I had the extra rib removed to take pressure off the artery and it was a success-but I do have that nagging doubt in the back of my mind-even today
Well, Ernie, one of the reasons he’s my work nemesis is that he’s always stating things that are his opinion as absolute fact, and constantly shooting down anything brought up by someone else :).
His theory was in response to my mentioning that I’d heard that the only reason Datsyuk played this past season was due to loyalty to Mr. and Mrs. Ilitch. Apparently the Ilitch family was very supportive personally of Datsyuk after he went through some fairly serious ankle surgery prior to this past season.
I knew that family issues were reportedly at the top of Datsyuk’s public statements, and I believe your assessment sounds more plausible.
Big Indian, we have a few guys here that take their opinion as fact.
Ernie, bwahahahaha!
On June 1 the Preds signed Cody Bass to a two-year extension.
On June 14 the Preds reportedly signed RFA goaltender Marek Mazanec to a one-year deal.