UPDATE - From the Preds PR Department... more to come...
NASHVILLE PREDATORS SIGN FORSBERG TO A SIX-YEAR, $36 MILLION CONTRACT
Nashville, Tenn. (June 27, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed forward Filip Forsberg to a six-year, $36 million contract. Forsberg will make $6 million each season from 2016-17 to 2021-22.
“Filip is among the most skilled, dynamic talents we've ever had in the organization and is an integral part of our success for the next six years and beyond,” Poile said. “While we have already seen his creativity, hockey sense and puck skills, he has yet to reach the peak of his abilities. We have full confidence that he will continue to blossom into one of the top players in the world.
This is just another example of our ownership group’s commitment to the franchise, our fans and the entire community to build a team that can reach our ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup.”
Forsberg, 21 (8/13/94), led the Predators in goals (33) and points (64) for the second consecutive season during his sophomore campaign in 2015-16. His goal total tied the single-season franchise record and for 10th in the NHL, while his point total put him among the League’s Top 25. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound winger recently received two first-place nods and finished 10th in voting for the 2016 Selke Trophy – given to the NHL’s top defensive forward – while playing all 82 of Nashville’s contests for the second consecutive season.
In his first full season with the Predators in 2014-15, the Ostervala, Sweden native was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team and finished fourth in voting for the Calder Trophy after setting franchise records and finishing among the top three rookies in goals (26), assists (37) and points (63), among a host of other categories. The point total made him the fifth youngest player in NHL history to lead a playoff-bound team in scoring and one of just 12 rookies since the 2005-06 season to record 60 or more points. Forsberg also tallied two goals in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game, becoming the first Preds player to score a goal in the All-Star Game in franchise history. During the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he paced the team in points (4g-2a-6pts), and notched the first hat trick in Predators postseason history in Game Five of their Round One series.
Forsberg is also a decorated player internationally, having made his World Championship debut for Sweden in 2015, being named one of the country’s three best players of the tournament after ranking second among all skaters in goals (8), and third on Team Sweden in points (9) in eight games. He captained Sweden to silver medals at the 2013 and 2014 World Junior Championships, being named 2014 tournament MVP and Best Forward and to the 2013 tournament All-Star Team; he helped the Tre Kronor claim gold at the 2012 World Junior Championship; he captained his country to a silver medal and was named Best Forward at the 2012 Under-18 World Championship; and earned another silver medal at the 2011 Under-18 World Championship as the team’s youngest player.
For this week only, purchase 2016-17 Nashville Predators Full or Half Season Tickets and also receive an autographed Limited Edition No. 9 Filip Forsberg poster. Season tickets start as low as $20 per game and are available with great interest-free payment plans. To order season tickets, visit nashvillepredators.com/seasons or contact a ticket representative at 615-770-7800.
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A solid draft weekend for the Nashville Predators as they picked up five defensemen, two forwards and a goaltender with their eight picks in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Predators first overall pick Dante Fabbro was right where quite a few mock drafts had him. He fits well into the Predators system and I am looking forward to getting a look at him at this week’s development camp that starts today. Fabbro got most of the press (deservedly so) so let’s take a look at the Preds day two selections…
At pick 47, Nashville chose a real “under the radar” type of player, mostly because of his size. Defenseman Sam Girard was the QMJHL Defenseman of the Year, point+ per game player, elite power play quarterback and a prime setup guy from the blueline… all real positives, but at 5’9” 162 pounds, the questions abound. Girard is only 17 and will physically mature, his size is the issue, but his offensive skills are tantalizing.
Quite a few folks on Twitter noted that the Predators first third round pick at 76 would be the second player named Rem to play for Nashville should he make the big club. Rem Pitlick spent last season in the USHL with Muskegon and he tore it up… 46 goals and 43 assists in 56 games played. He is described as a highly competitive player with solid hockey smarts and good hands. Pitlick will be attending the University of Wisconsin this season and should develop well in that system.
Two picks later, the Predators selected again, going back to the blueline (and back to the QMJHL) by picking Chicoutimi D man Fredric Allard who had a breakout season with the Sagueneens. He finished tied for second in blueline scoring in the Q to Samuel Girard. This right shooting defenseman is a very strong skater, a theme of this Preds draft, and gets compared to Penguins blueliner Kris Letang. He is a solid two-way defenseman that has a very active stick when defending. He is projected to be a top four defender but does require some development. I wouldn’t expect to see him in Nashville for at least three seasons.
The fourth round saw Nashville select their 4th defenseman of the draft, 6’3”, 198 lb. Swede Hardy Harman Atkell. He played in the Swedish U18 league last year, the scouting report on him shows a puck moving d-man who has very good hockey sense. The European scouts are pretty high on him and he was described as an “under the radar” selection due to a "lack of exposure."
Round five, and Nashville selected their second and final forward of the draft at pick number 138, a high schooler from Connecticut, Patrick Harper. Another Boston University commit, Harper is small but his prep numbers are impressive. The fact that he was ranked by CSS at #146 as a high school player gives an indicator that he may be another one of those picks that six years from now, appear to be brilliant. Speedy, smart, with a high degree of skill, watch this one as he develops as the Terrier’s system will either shake him out, or propel him to some next level play.
The sixth round, pick 168 and the Predators got a goaltender, Russian netminder Konstantin Volkov. He has got size at 6’3” 212 and the scouting report has him with excellent mobility and a high degree of aggressiveness. He will play for the Russian National Team at the U20’s next year which should give a good idea of his progress.
Pick 198 in round seven, the last pick for Nashville saw the Preds select their fifth defenseman, Adam Smith from Bowling Green University. A definite project, but shows some skill and an overall solid game as he made the transition to NCAA hockey.
After the draft, David Poile was quoted, calling this draft “one of the best drafts I think we’ve ever had.” Of course you don’t expect a GM to come out and say this one stunk, but you saw a real confidence in the interview. GMDP wanted to restock the farm with defensive prospects and he can check the box on that one, especially given the development needs and timeframes of the players selected. I think you could see Fabbro contend for a spot in Nashville within two years… Girard and Pitlick, maybe 3-4, the rest, at 4+ if at all…
Attention now turns to Development Camp and UFA day. Development Camp begins today with initial meetings and physicals. On ice sessions are scheduled for Tuesday from 9am to Noon, Wednesday at 10 – 1130am, Friday from 9am - Noon and the annual prospects game on Saturday at 11am. Check the Preds website for locations of the on ice workouts, the Prospect Game will be at Ford Ice Center on Saturday. The annual Preds Prospects Community Day is scheduled for Thursday.
Discussions were allowed to begin with free agents as of Saturday… there is a rather insistent rumor regarding the Predators and Steven Stamkos however I am not convinced that Stamkos is leaving Tampa.
We’ll dig in more as the week progresses.
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Random Notes
- Don’t forget to join Pete and I Wednesday night for the 8th season finale of SlapShot Radio, we will put a bow on the draft, get an update on Development Camp and take a look ahead at free agency. Join us live at 7pm on 102.5 the Game. Our guests are Jeff Marek and Preds CEO Sean Henry.
- Keep an eye out for announcements of qualifying offers today as these QO’s are due to be filed by 4pm central today. Predators RFA’s are Filip Forsberg, Calle Jarnkrok, Petter Granberg and Gabriel Bourque. In the system there are a few more, Johan Alm, Garrett Noonan, Stefan Elliott and Taylor Aronson.
- The Preds go into UFA season with $13.1 million in cap space, expect that to drop significantly after re-signing Forsberg and Jarnkrok.
- Shocking… it is shocking I tell you… Alexander Radulov is staying in the KHL because he couldn’t find an NHL team willing to pay $7.5 million and a lifetime supply of Fireball to the petulant 30 year old…
- A window opens on Tuesday where NHL teams can talk to RFA’s … could we see offer sheets for players like Columbus’ Seth Jones?
- One name was bouncing around the draft floor in Buffalo like a tennis ball, St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. He becomes a UFA at the end of the 2017 season, but that isn’t stopping the Blues from asking for a big return for the stud blueliner.
- How does Detroit get away with such clear cap circumvention in their dump of Pavel Datsyuk? The Arizona Coyotes will be allowed to count over $12 million dollars against the cap without spending a dime. Their cap number for next season as I write this is 46.5 million dollars, but actual dollars out is at $36 million. Even when the get to the floor, they will be $10 million below it…
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