Free agency is now under a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Predators.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Luke Evangelista – The Predators have just one restricted free agent on their NHL roster. It’s forward Luke Evangelista, who appeared in 68 of Nashville’s games this season while working around a lower-body injury suffered midseason. Despite the missed games, the 23-year-old Evangelista was able to continue his hot performances in the NHL lineup. He posted 10 goals and 32 points on the year – putting him on pace to match his 39 points in 80 games last season, had he appeared in all 82 games. That’s stout consistency down Nashville’s roster, bolstered by Evangelista’s growing confidence in being the physical forward on his line. His growth marks one of the team’s few true positives from a down year. A short-term deal could carry Evangelista into the golden years of his career – and hopefully his first 40 point season – at a minimal price.
F Jesse Ylonen – Nashville acquired Ylonen ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline in a minor-league swap for Anthony Angello. Both players were impactful in their new landing spots – each netting 10 points in 19 games through the remaining regular season. But Ylonen seemed to really cement a top-six role in the AHL with four points in nine playoff games. He finished the season with 29 points in 75 games – bleak scoring, but enough of a footing to provide a solid ramp into next season. Ylonen has managed 12 goals and 29 points in 111 career games in the NHL, all coming with the Montreal Canadiens. A league-minimum deal could offer him his first chance to break out of the AHL with a new club – and could land Nashville a bottom-line winger with the ability to hit and push play.
Other RFAs: F Jordan Frasca, F Ondrej Pavel, D Luke Prokop
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Jakub Vrana – Vrana was another midseason addition in Nashville, joining the team via waivers from the Capitals in early March. He played the rest of the year in the NHL, appearing in 13 games in Nashville’s bottom-six. He posted a bleak three points and minus-10 in those appearances, again appearing to struggle with NHL responsibility. That was despite netting 11 points in 26 games with the Capitals earlier in the year. Vrana has run through the last few seasons unable to land a solid role at the NHL level, but he scored 36 points in 42 games of his most recent AHL stint (2023-24). That’s strong scoring, and could convince Nashville to bring him back as a focal piece of the Milwaukee Admirals lineup.
D Marc Del Gaizo – Of all of their pending free agents, Del Gaizo is absolutely Nashville’s most important. He played through his formal rookie season this year, appearing in 46 games and netting nine points. Those appearances were intercut with 30 games and 12 points in the AHL – then five points in 10 AHL playoff games. The stats may not jump off the page, but the former UMass standout looked more-and-more comfortable handling an NHL role. He’ll come at a low cost this summer, but could find his way into a near-permanent NHL role as soon as next season.
F Kieffer Bellows – Bellows was one of many productive veterans on the Admirals this year. He ranked sixth on the team in scoring with 15 goals and 31 points in 44 games – then posted a fantastic nine points in 10 playoff games. He also added four points in 19 NHL games. Those appearances held Bellows close to a pro role throughout the entire season, and maintained his momentum after netting 49 points in 52 games with the Toronto Marlies last year. He’s a minor-league fixture, but a certainly productive one that Nashville may struggle to replace one-for-one on the open market.
Other UFAs: F Grigori Denisenko, D Mark Friedman, D Jake Livingstone
Projected Cap Space
The Predators have little to worry about with the off-season approaching. Even after a dismal season, the team’s NHL lineup and top prospects are all signed through next season. That means that the team will be able to dedicate the vast majority of their $17.31MM in projected cap space to bringing in new additions from the open market. They’ve been one of the team’s most active teams on the transaction wire since general manager Barry Trotz took over. That should continue as Trotz handles plenty of firepower this summer.
Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia. Photo courtesy of Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports.
Doesn’t appear Trotz is going to do anything big this off-season.
Trotz should replace Brunette as coach, And then Nashville needs to find a qualified GM. That’s the Predators summer.