The Predators signed Olli Jokinen to a one year, $2.5 million dollar contract yesterday, adding size and scoring ability to the middle of the Predators lineup. Jokinen enters his 17th NHL season by joining his seventh NHL team and at the age of 35, he does add another veteran presence to the forwards. Jokinen has shown the ability to put up big numbers, posting 30+ goals in four of his last five seasons with the Florida Panthers… unfortunately that was five teams and eight seasons ago. His last two full seasons saw 23 and 18 goals (not including the lockout year) and solid assist numbers as well.
Not the first option, but a reasonable one as Jokinen has been a player often mentioned as a target for Nashville. The dollars are reasonable and this move strikes me as the typical low-risk/high-reward move that we have seen pay off in the past.
The other thing coming out of the print media this morning, both in Philly and Nashville, is the “Lecavalier to Nashville… talk has something to it and that the deal being worked is not dead. You don’t have to be a brain surgeon to figure out it’s coming down to how much of Vinny’s contract Philly is willing to eat. The Flyers signed the 34 year old to a five year, $22.5 million dollar contract and now seem to have a bad case of buyer’s remorse. Philadelphia has already paid out $8 million, including a $2 million bonus paid on July 1. If the Flyers keep the max the CBA allows, the Predators would get Lecavalier for a total of 7.25 million dollars over 4 seasons and the Flyers would get the cap relief they so desperately need.
I don’t hate these moves. Think of it this way… by bringing a short term veteran and a longer term vet with a Cup under his belt, it does allow the team to continue to develop the younger skill players in the system and removes a little bit of the pressure for them to grow up immediately.
All of the above being said, the team still may not be done in free agency. General Manager David Poile stated as much in his press availability yesterday… I do expect a veteran blueliner to be added and if the Lecavalier deal falls through, a potential center add like Derek Roy.
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Random Notes
- Predators single game ticket sales begin early this season, like on July 13th. That’s after a week long event preselling to season-ticket holders and repeat groups… if you want an early jump on single game tickets, come out to the prospects scrimmage that closes out rookie camp on Saturday 7/12 at Bridgestone Arena. I’m looking forward to calling that one!
- Interesting quote from David Poile in the Canadian Press… “There’s no doubt that the second day is a lot different than the first day. There were certainly, with all due respect to other teams out there, there were really no bargains (on the first day). I participated in that last year. You pay a lot to participate in the first day.…
- Radim Vrbata signing in Vancouver puts the Arizona Coyotes in a scoring bind.
-Things really slowed down yesterday, whether GM’s had the credit cards revoked after spending over half a billion dollars on day one or if the league decided to take a collective breath, signing slowed to a trickle yesterday.
- The Predators aren’t the only one looking for a center… looks like Edmonton is looking hard at ex-Pred David Legwand. I expect Legwand might have to take a pay cut from his previous contract, but stranger things have happened.
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