Marchessault signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Predators ($5.5 million AAV) after he and the Vegas Golden Knights have been unable to succeed in an settlement on a contract. An unique member of the Golden Knights, the 33-year-old mentioned he was upset he couldn’t re-sign with Vegas, however instructed TSN, “I turned the web page an hour in the past. We transfer on. A brand new chapter, a brand new problem for me and my household.”
Marchessault, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in 2023, when he helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, had 69 factors (42 objectives, 27 assists) in 82 video games final season and 4 factors (two objectives, two assists) in seven playoff video games. He has 487 factors (230 objectives, 257 assists) in 638 regular-season video games for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Lightning, Florida Panthers and Golden Knights, and 76 factors (36 objectives, 40 assists) in 102 playoff video games.
“To me, it’s an organizational win for immediately,” Trotz mentioned. “However we don’t play the sport on paper. Our lineup seems to be higher, however we’ve acquired to be a greater staff. Plain and easy. You noticed final 12 months it took a while. This 12 months it’ll take a while for some guys. We’ve acquired gamers from totally different organizations that don’t fairly play the identical manner, however I believe their DNA permits them to play the way in which we wish them to play. We’ve acquired to offer them somewhat time, after which hopefully we will get our toes off the bottom and into coaching camp. I’m actually enthusiastic about that.”
Trotz mentioned his largest precedence heading into free company was to deal with the void within the lineup left after Nashville traded defenseman Ryan McDonagh to Tampa Bay on Could 21.
“A, he’s a great defender, and B, he’s a management man,” Trotz mentioned of McDonagh. “If I needed to prioritize, I mentioned I wanted to repair the again finish as a result of I instructed our gamers I used to be going to try this.”
The Predators consider they did that with Skjei, whom they signed to a seven-year, $49 million contract ($7 million AAV). The 30-year-old had an NHL career-high 47 factors (13 objectives, 34 assists) in 80 video games for the Carolina Hurricanes final season and 9 factors (one purpose, eight assists) in 11 playoff video games.
Chosen by the New York Rangers within the first spherical (No. 28) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Skjei has 247 factors (68 objectives, 179 assists) in 609 regular-season video games for the Hurricanes and Rangers, and 25 factors (seven objectives, 18 assists) in 76 playoff video games.
The Predators additionally re-signed defenseman Alexandre Service to a three-year, $11.25 million contract ($3.75 million AAV) and signed goaltender Juuse Saros to an eight-year, $61.92 million contract ($7.74 million AAV) that can start with the 2025-26 season.
Saros, 29, has one season remaining on a four-year, $20 million contract ($5 million AAV) he signed with Nashville on Aug. 16, 2021. He was 35-24-5 with a 2.86 goals-against common and a .906 save proportion in 64 video games final season and 2-4 with a 2.02 GAA and .900 save proportion in six playoff video games.
Service, 27, had 20 factors (4 objectives, 16 assists) in 73 video games final season and three factors (one purpose, two assists) in three playoff video games.
Wedgewood signed a two-year, $3 million contract ($1.5 million AAV) to compete to be Saros’ backup. He was 16-7-5 with a 2.85 GAA and .899 save proportion in 32 regular-season video games (28 begins) for the Dallas Stars final season and had a 2.28 GAA and .862 save proportion in three video games off the bench within the playoffs (no selections) — his solely NHL postseason expertise.
A 3rd-round decide (No. 84) by the New Jersey Devils within the 2010 NHL Draft, the 31-year-old is 48-48-22 with a 2.98 GAA and .899 save proportion in 130 NHL regular-season video games (114 begins) for the Devils, Arizona Coyotes and Stars.
Goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, chosen by Nashville with the No. 11 decide within the 2020 NHL Draft, may also vie for the backup position at coaching camp. He has performed three NHL video games.
The Predators consider their additions in free company have given them the mandatory elements to compete within the playoffs.
“I’ve been on championship-winning groups up to now in Tampa,” Stamkos mentioned. “You see these groups which have received not too long ago, there’s all the time a mixture of a very good goaltender, an elite defenseman and a few elite forwards. Even earlier than immediately with the signings, Nashville checked these containers. Clearly, an excellent goalie. (Defenseman) Roman Josi, he speaks for himself. You’ve acquired [forwards Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist], that line was dynamic final 12 months. And so they’ve acquired an excellent mixture of youthful gamers, too.”
The Predators haven’t but decided the place Stamkos, Marchessault and Skjei will match into the lineup, however Stamkos and Marchessault will seemingly be top-six forwards. Skjei may play with Josi on Nashville’s high pair.
“We’re so excited to be a part of this superb franchise,” Stamkos mentioned. “We noticed what occurred immediately with among the different signings. An incredible day to be a Nashville Predators fan. Very, very excited to be a part of that.”