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P.K. Subban

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/21/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is today’s list:

Colorado – Philipp Grubauer, Joonas Donskoi, Mikko Rantanen
New Jersey – P.K. Subban

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Dmitry Kulikov, Edmonton Oilers; Erik Gustafsson, Montreal Canadiens; Nick Foligno, Toronto Maple Leafs; Ben Hutton, Toronto Maple Leafs

Today’s report is about as good as the NHL could have hoped for. Just four names remain and the Avalanche did not have any further positive test results. Colorado is getting ready to return from their short shutdown, though they’ll still have to operate without three important players.

For the Maple Leafs, their trade deadline acquisitions have cleared, meaning they can use Foligno to help fill the role left by the injured Zach Hyman and Hutton to fill that left by Zach Bogosian. The team is coming off two embarrassing losses to the Canucks and will take all the help they can get.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/20/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is today’s list:

Colorado – Philipp Grubauer, Joonas Donskoi, Mikko Rantanen*
Edmonton – Dmitry Kulikov
Montreal – Erik Gustafsson
New Jersey – P.K. Subban*
Toronto – Nick Foligno, Ben Hutton

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Jon Merrill, Montreal Canadiens; Jackson Cates, Philadelphia Flyers; Riley Nash, Toronto Maple Leafs

The Avalanche had Bowen Byram come off the list yesterday and appeared on their way to clearing the board, but Rantanen’s appearance will complicate matters. The hope was that Colorado could get back to practice tomorrow after their recent postponements, but it is not clear if that plan will now be pushed. Again, it’s important to recognize that Rantanen’s appearance here does not necessarily mean he has tested positive.

*denotes new addition

Devils’ Nico Hischier Placed On Injured Reserve

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An unlucky season for newly-minted New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier continues. The Devils have announced that Hischier has been placed on the injured reserve as a result of injuries suffered when he was struck in the face with the puck in a February 27 match-up with the Washington Capitals. He is considered week-to-week.

This latest incident for Hischier occurred on Saturday when a high slap shot from teammate P.K. Subban hit Hischier square in the visor, knocking him out of the game. Hischier has not played since and the Devils have revealed that he has been in concussion protocol and will continue to undergo observation. Additionally, Hischier suffered a “sinus fracture”, a broken nose or facial bone.

This is Hischier’s third separate health issue so far this season. He got a late start to the season due to a leg injury, only to land on the NHL’s COVID Protocol Related Absences list with many of his teammates before he could even return to action. Hischier finally returned to the lineup on February 20 and, thanks to a condensed schedule, was able to play in five games before this latest injury occurred only a week later. Altogether, he has missed 13 games – or 72% – of New Jersey’s season so far and there is now out for another indefinite period of time.

The Devils will continue to have to rely on their many young players to step up in Hischier’s place as they have so far this season. One of the early highlights for New Jersey this season has been Janne Kuokkanen, who has six points in 13 games. While it may not seem like much, it is in fact tied for fifth-most among Devils forwards. Kuokkanen has been promoted back to the active roster from the taxi squad to take Hischier’s place in the lineup.

Snapshots: King Clancy Trophy, Kucherov, Bishop, Holzapfel

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Now that the NHL has reached the conference championship phase of the playoffs, so too can the NHL awards, which are expected to be handed out day-by-day over the next couple of weeks. First up is expected to be the King Clancy Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community. The trophy will be awarded this evening before the start of Game 1 between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars. The three finalists for the awards are Minnesota Wild’s Matt Dumba, New York Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist and New Jersey Devils’ P.K. Subban.

Dumba has been committed to racial and social justice and the Hockey is for Everyone initiative and helped form the Hockey Diversity Alliance with seven current and former NHL players. Lundqvist supports several different initiatives, including aid for children’s health, education, underprivileged youth, Hockey Fights Cancer and the Make a Wish Foundation. Subban also supports several groups, including initiatives for underprivileged youth, medical support and promoting racial and social injustice.

  • Despite the bad news that the Tampa Bay Lightning will have to go through the Eastern Conference Finals without Steven Stamkos, the team did get some good news, however, on the injury front. The Athletic’s Joe Smith reports that first-line forward Nikita Kucherov is expected to be available Monday for the Lightning’s first game against the New York Islanders. Kucherov was forced to leave Game 5 against the Boston Bruins with an undisclosed injury, but has had almost a week to recover. The 27-year-old has been quite effective in the playoffs so far with four goals and 16 points in 13 games.
  • The Dallas Stars will be without starting goaltender Ben Bishop once again as The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro reports that Bishop and defenseman Taylor Fedun remain “unfit to play.” Both skated today, but neither appear ready to play. The scribe did add that forwards Andrew Cogliano and Mattias Janmark are both expected to be game-time decisions today. Bishop has appeared in just three games during the playoffs and hasn’t made an appearance since Aug. 31 against Colorado when he allowed four goals in 13 minutes before being replaced. The team will rely on Anton Khudobin once again, who is 8-5 with a .909 save percentage in 14 games during the playoffs.
  • Former AHL forward Riley Holzapfel announced his retirement after spending his four years with the Vienna Capitals of the Austrian League. Holzapfel was a second-round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2006 and five season in the AHL before opting to play overseas in 2013, playing three seasons in the SHL before joining Vienna in 2016. He was never able to break into the NHL, however. The 32-year-old was still productive with Vienna, scoring 18 goals and 46 assists in 48 games.

NHL Announces 2020 King Clancy Finalists

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The NHL has announced the finalists for the 2020 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is presented “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” Last year’s winner was Jason Zucker, then of the Minnesota Wild.

This year’s finalists are Matt Dumba of the Wild, Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers and P.K. Subban of the New Jersey Devils.

The selection committee, led by Gary Bettman and Bill Daly, consider the following criteria:

  • Clear and measurable positive impact on the community
  • Investment of time and resources
  • Commitment to a particular cause or community
  • Commitment to the League’s community initiatives
  • Creativity of programming
  • Use of influence; engagement of others

2020 King Clancy Trophy Nominees Announced

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The NHL has announced the 31 nominees for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, annually presented to “the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” Last year’s winner was Jason Zucker of the Minnesota Wild.

Each team submits one nominee. This year’s are:

Anaheim: Cam Fowler

Arizona: Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Boston: Patrice Bergeron

Buffalo: Jack Eichel

Calgary: Travis Hamonic

Carolina: Jordan Staal

Chicago: Jonathan Toews

Colorado: Gabriel Landeskog

Columbus: Cam Atkinson

Dallas: Tyler Seguin

Detroit: Justin Abdelkader

Edmonton: Leon Draisaitl

Florida: Sergei Bobrovsky

Los Angeles: Trevor Lewis

Minnesota: Matt Dumba

Montreal: Carey Price

Nashville: Pekka Rinne

New Jersey: P.K. Subban

NY Islanders: Matt Martin

NY Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist

Ottawa: Brady Tkachuk

Philadelphia: Kevin Hayes

Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby

San Jose: Evander Kane

St. Louis: Ryan O’Reilly

Tampa Bay: Alex Killorn

Toronto: Mitch Marner

Vancouver: Alexander Edler

Vegas: Marc-Andre Fleury

Washington: Garnet Hathaway

Winnipeg: Blake Wheeler

Peter Laviolette Considered Favorite For Devils Head Coach

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Just yesterday it was reported that the New Jersey Devils had trimmed the list of candidates for their vacant head coach position to just four names. Given the long off-season awaiting the club, it seemed curious that they were moving quickly on the search, especially as they have yet to finalize their GM position as well. Yet, the Devils don’t seem to be slowing down. Only 24 hours later, a four-man list that included interim head coach Alain Nasreddine and three unknowns has now produced a favorite. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Peter Laviolette has emerged as the favorite for the position.

Laviolette, 55, should not come as surprise as the top candidate on the Devils’ list, as he is arguably the best coach on the open market right now. Laviolette was most recently the head coach of the Nashville Predators, fired to the surprise of many back in January despite a winning record on the year and having led the Predators to the playoffs in each of his five full seasons with the team. Should Laviolette be the selection for New Jersey, it would become the fifth NHL franchise that he has led, joining the Predators, New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, and Philadelphia Flyers. Laviolette has been a head coach in the league in 18 seasons dating all the way back to 2001-02, when he was the youngest bench boss in the league at 36. Laviolette has totaled more than 1200 games in his NHL coaching career and holds a .588 regular season points percentage, a Stanley Cup title with the Hurricanes in 2005-06, three Finals appearances, and 11 playoff appearances. The Boston native also won a Calder Cup and AHL Coach of the Year honors with the Providence Bruins, which ignited his NHL career.

Beyond the accolades, Laviolette’s style may also explain his top position among the Devils’ candidates. An intense personality, it shows in Laviolette’s fast-paced style and aggressive offensive game plans. Meanwhile, New Jersey has a young, skilled roster of players who can keep up with the taxing style that Laviolette prefers. The problem is that they have looked slow, disorganized, and unmotivated too often over the past few years. Former Predator P.K. Subban especially would likely enjoy being back in Laviolette’s system. Laviolette could help to turn the team around in a hurry, especially if his presence can also help the cap-comfortable Devils recruit some top free agents this summer.

Laviolette’s hiring is not set in stone. Dreger even admits that the uncertain status of interim GM Tom Fitzgerald could keep an official hire from happening soon. However, Laviolette certainly makes sense as the Devils’ top pick and would be an exciting addition to a franchise that desperately needs to take a step forward next season.

Pressure Mounting On Devils To Make A Call On Taylor Hall

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An 0-3-2 start is not exactly what was expected of the revamped New Jersey Devils to begin the season. The team added pieces that they felt would improve the offense in Norris-trophy winning defenseman P.K. Subban, veteran power forward Wayne Simmonds, KHL superstar Nikita Gusev, and No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes. At least on paper, it was supposed to provide a major boost for the Devils, but the results on the ice have not reflected the influx of talent just yet. While the off-season investment was primarily due to the team’s disappointing 15th-place finish in the Eastern Conference last year, GM Ray Shero was also surely looking ahead to next summer and trying to convince the team’s biggest star, 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, that New Jersey is a good place to be for the next stage of his career. However, if the team continues to struggle and Hall is unconvinced of future success with the Devils, Shero and company need to make a move, and the sooner they do the better return they can command. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Devils’ win-less start to the year has others around the league wondering how patient the team will be on making a decision on Hall.

Should he reach the open market this off-season, Hall would undoubtedly be the prize of free agency. While the likes of Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Pietrangelo could potentially be available as well, Hall will be just 28 years old and already has an MVP performance on his resume. Especially if his injury issues are behind him, Hall represents an opportunity to add a player with 40-goal and 100-point upside perennially over a long-term deal. If he could produce at that level on a very shallow Devils team two years ago, there’s no limit to what he could do finally playing for a true contender for the first time in his career. The Devils would like Hall to think that they have the makings of being that true contender that can surround him with elite talent for years to come. However, if they fail to back up that assertion with continued struggles this season, the last thing that Shero can do is wait too long and allow Hall to walk away without any return.

According to Friedman’s colleague Chris Johnston, Hall’s agent Darren Ferris has had little communication yet with the Devils on an extension. While Johnston doesn’t rule out the two sides agreeing to a new deal, the outcome will grow more and more unlikely with each notch in the loss column. Even if New Jersey fails to put up points, Hall will. He has shown in the past that he can produce at a high level on losing teams and, barring another injury-riddled campaign, his market value is nearly concrete. Ferris and Hall know that New Jersey is not the only team that would be willing to give him the contract he desires and will likely hold out on extension talks until there is more sign of promise coming from the Devils’ results on the ice.

If there is no hope of such a resolution, due to the Devils’ miscues or otherwise, Hall will have to be traded. At a $6MM cap price tag, his contract is hardly an albatross that interested teams would struggle to add, especially as the season wears on. Regardless of when Shero chooses to pull the trigger, the team will get a great return for Hall’s services. Yet, the team would obviously maximize that return by making the decision to deal him before the trade deadline in late February. In fact, the earlier the better, especially in light of Hall’s recent injury concerns. But is this too early? While he reports that there are already rumblings from interested persons across the NHL, Friedman says that it is “way too soon” for the team to talk about moving Hall. He notes New Jersey’s difficult schedule to begin the year and feels that they deserve to give themselves a larger sample size of Hall playing alongside their talented new additions before making any sort of projection on how the season will turn out. Friedman admits that Shero is a bold general manager, but doesn’t expect a move at this point or in the immediate future.

So then just how soon could Hall be dealt if the Devils don’t improve? While Canada celebrates Thanksgiving today, it is American Thanksgiving in late November that is commonly used as a benchmark for the likelihood of success of a team’s season. Over the last six years, more than 70% of teams in a playoff spot at that point have earned a postseason berth. If New Jersey is not in the playoff picture or at least close and there is no alternative reason other than the team continuing to underperform relative to their talent level as they have through five games, that’s likely when the status quo could change on Hall. In the meantime, interest will continue to build in Hall as he remains unsigned and pressure will mount if the Devils don’t begin to win some games with regularity.

New Jersey Devils Sign Joe Morrow

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26-year-old Joe Morrow is set to join his sixth different NHL franchise. Or seventh if you count his recent training camp stint with the New York Rangers. The New Jersey Devils must have seen something they liked while he was in camp with their cross-town rivals, as the team has announced a one-year, two-way contract with Morrow. The deal is worth the minimum $700K at the NHL level and $250K in the AHL. He has been placed on waivers today for the purpose of reassignment to AHL Binghamton.

Morrow has quietly established himself as a capable puck-moving depth option on the blue line, despite a career in which teams have been willing to move on from him quickly. Morrow was traded twice before even making his NHL debut; first from the Pittsburgh Penguins, who current Devils GM Ray Shero selected in the first round in 2011, to the Dallas Stars, then from the Stars to the Boston Bruins. Morrow played in 65 games with Boston in his first four pro seasons, but failed to impress and the team opted not to qualify him in 2017, making him a free agent. Morrow signed with the Montreal Canadiens and finally looked like his ability had caught up to his draft billing, but the Habs dealt him to the Winnipeg Jets before the end of the season. After continuing his career-best campaign with Winnipeg, even contributing in the playoffs, the Jets held on to him last year. However, he failed to capitalize in 41 games, the most NHL action he had seen with one team in a season, and the Jets also decided not to extend a qualifying offer. Morrow received little attention in the off-season and his PTO with the Rangers didn’t pan out.

However, the Devils see a smooth skating defenseman with 162 games of NHL experience and strong AHL production and are clearly willing to take a chance. It’s likely not a coincidence that Morrow’s signing comes after New Jersey surrendered 12 goals in it’s first two games of the new season. Despite adding P.K. Subban this summer to a defense corps that also features other highly-mobile rearguards like Sami Vatanen, Damon Severson, and Will Butcher, it’s apparent that Shero is not happy with the early results and is looking to add depth. Morrow’s career production is very similar to that of Connor Carrick and superior to the likes of Mirco Mueller and Matt Tennyson, plus he brings the most playoff experience of the group. One could argue that he has a better defensive track record than the rest as well. If Morrow can find his groove in the AHL, he could easily challenge for a higher spot on the depth chart and perhaps even a regular role in New Jersey.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Nashville Predators

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Nashville Predators

Current Cap Hit: $80,165,476 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Dante Fabbro (two years, $925K)
F Rem Pitlick (one year, $925K)
F Eeli Tolvanen (two years, $894K)

Potential Bonuses

Tolvanen: $2.85MM
Fabbro: $850K

The team has a few players with entry-level contracts who could make an immediate impact. Fabbro is the obvious one, especially after the team traded away P.K. Subban to New Jersey in a cap-saving move. Fabbro, the team’s first-round pick in 2016, finally signed in late March after three seasons at Boston University, playing in four regular season games, followed by six playoff games, combining for one goal and two points in amongst those 10 games. Now with Subban gone, the team has to hope that Fabbro will be ready to immediately take over the open top-four spot in the team’s defense. If not the team could have some issues at that spot. The team also inked Pitlick, the team’s third-rounder in 2016, after three years at the University of Minnesota. After tallying 47 goals in three years, the team hopes that Pitlick can make his mark on the team immediately.

Tolvanen, who dominated in the KHL at 18 years of age, failed to make the Predators team last year and spent most of his season with the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL, scoring 15 goals and 35 points in 58 games and will try to force his way into the Predators lineup this year with a good training camp.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Mikael Granlund ($5.75MM, UFA)
F Craig Smith ($4.25MM, UFA)
D Roman Josi ($4MM, UFA)
D Dan Hamhuis ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Austin Watson ($1.1MM, UFA)
F Rocco Grimaldi ($1MM, UFA)
F Miikka Salomaki ($750K, UFA)
F Daniel Carr ($700K, UFA)
D Matt Irwin ($675K, UFA)
D Yannick Weber ($675K, UFA)
F Frederick Gaudreau ($667K, UFA)

The most well documented story is the Predators’ desire to lock up Josi to a long-term deal. The 29-year-old has proven to be an excellent defensive blueliner, but has also shown off quite a bit of offense, putting up 40 or more points for the past six seasons, including a 56-point performance last year. Josi has indicated that he wants to stay in Nashville, but evidently is waiting to see how the restricted free agent market pans out before signing any deal.

With significant cap issues coming up over the next few years, the Predators will have to make key decisions on what they want to do with Granlund and Smith. Nashville acquired Granlund at the trade deadline last year, swapping a younger Kevin Fiala for the 27-year-old, who will be a free agent at the end of the season. Granlund, who scored 47 goals in his two previous seasons, stepped back last year, scoring just 16 goals last season and only one of those in 16 games with Nashville. If Granlund can return to his 25-goal ways, the Predators are likely to find a way to keep him in the future, but another poor season could end their relationship early. Smith is a different situation. He’s been a 20-goal scorer for five of his last six seasons, but will be 31 when he signs his next deal. The question is whether the team wants to lock him up when he’s on the wrong side of 30.

Most of the other players listed here are depth options, with a number of bottom-pairing forwards and defensemen.

Two Years Remaining

G Pekka Rinne ($5MM, UFA)
F Nick Bonino ($4.1MM, UFA)
G Juuse Saros ($1.5MM, UFA)
D Steven Santini ($1.42MM, RFA)

The next two years could be the final two for Rinne, who will be 38 at that time. The veteran goaltender and Vezina Trophy winner put up another impressive season last year with a 30-19-4 record and a .918 save percentage. He will likely carry the load for the next two years, but Saros, the team’s goaltender of the future, will likely see more and more games before taking over as the Predators’ No. 1 goaltender in 2021-22. Saros played 31 games last season and while posting a 2.62 GAA, he did sport a .915 save percentage and should eventually get an extension.

Bonino was brought in from Pittsburgh to be the team’s third-string center and jumpstart the team’s bottom-six. He has done that, but also has found himself dropped down to the fourth line in the meantime and at $4.1MM, that’s a lot of money to be paying a bottom-line player. The only long-term hope, is that room is made so that Bonino, who posted 17 goals and 35 points last season, can return to his third-line role eventually.

Three Years Remaining

F Filip Forsberg ($6MM, UFA)
D Mattias Ekholm ($3.75MM, UFA)
F Calle Jarnkrok ($2MM, UFA)

The team has a solid bargain going with Forsberg making just $6MM per season. The Predators have gotten impressive production out of the winger, who posted 28 goals and 50 points last season (surprisingly his worst season of his career so far) and there is still hope that the 25-year-old may take his game up another notch and return to his 30-goal, 60-point mark that he has reached twice in his career or even take his game even further. However, the skilled winger remains an impressive player at a reasonable price for the next three years.

Ekholm may be the biggest bargain of the lot as the 29-year-old is one of the most underrated players in the league, showing off great defensive skill as well as posting 40 points for the first time in his career last year. Ekholm scored eight goals and 44 points last year and at under $4MM, the team has a cheap top-four player for quite a few years to come. Jarnkrok also gives the team a discounted player as the depth winger is a solid value at just $2MM per year.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Matt Duchene ($8MM through 2025-26)
F Ryan Johansen ($8MM through 2024-25)
D Ryan Ellis ($6.25MM through 2026-27)
F Kyle Turris ($6MM through 2023-24)
F Viktor Arvidsson ($4.25MM through 2023-24)
F Colton Sissons ($2.86MM through 2025-26)

The team had to finally pay out to get themselves the No. 2 center that they desired. They thought they did that a few years ago when the traded for Turris and extended him, but so far that match hasn’t been what the team hoped for. However, after moving out Subban, the team had enough cap room to replace him on the roster with their biggest need, which will be filled by Duchene, who should be the perfect top-six center the team has coveted for year. Duchene is coming off a 31-goal, 70-point season and if he can continue to post numbers like that should be a solid value as well at $8MM per year. Turris, on the other hand, now moves down to the third-line center position and the team has high hopes that the 30-year-old will rebound from a seven-goal, 23-point disappointment last year. However, after a solid showing at the World Championships this summer, the team hopes he can rebound.

It’s hard to believe that people talk about the Nashville defense constantly, but only one of them is signed longer than three years. However, Ellis signed his long-term deal, which looks like a bargain for the team. The 28-year-old broke 40 points for the first time in his career and with his exceptional defense, is going to be a key member of their blueline for a long time.

Johansen’s goals have been down since coming over from Columbus, but he continues to be a dominant passer and put up a career high in assists this year with 50 as well as 64 points, the second-best of his career. The 27-year-old should only get better. Arvidsson is also locked up long-term as the 26-year-old scored a career-high 34 goals last season and has proven to be a top-line winger and even looks like a bargain at $4.25MM. Sissons also was just recently signed to a long-term, seven-year contract at a low price as the team believes he should be part of their bottom-six for a long time.

 

Buyouts

None

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Still To Sign

None

Best Value: Ekholm
Worst Value: Turris

Looking Ahead

The Nashville Predators have been put together impressively, using their no-tax situation to their advantage as players have made it clear that they want to stay in Nashville. The team has a solid core, but after a disappointing playoffs, the team must prove that they can return to their old dominance, especially in a challenging division like the Central, and continue to be one of the top teams in the league. Adding another top-six center should help and if they can get the most out of their players, the Predators should be a dominant team for years, but if head coach Peter Laviolette can’t get some of his players to take the next step in their development, they may be in trouble too.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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