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 achieve an settlement on a contract. An authentic member of the Golden Knights, the 33-year-old mentioned he was dissatisfied 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 targets, 27 assists) in 82 video games final season and 4 factors (two targets, two assists) in seven playoff video games. He has 487 factors (230 targets, 257 assists) in 638 regular-season video games for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Lightning, Florida Panthers and Golden Knights, and 76 factors (36 targets, 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 appears to be like higher, however we’ve obtained to be a greater crew. Plain and easy. You noticed final yr it took a while. This yr it would take a while for some guys. We’ve obtained gamers from totally different organizations that don’t fairly play the identical manner, however I believe their DNA permits them to play the best way we would like them to play. We’ve obtained to present them a bit time, after which hopefully we are able to 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 do this.”
The Predators imagine 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 targets, 34 assists) in 80 video games for the Carolina Hurricanes final season and 9 factors (one objective, 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 targets, 179 assists) in 609 regular-season video games for the Hurricanes and Rangers, and 25 factors (seven targets, 18 assists) in 76 playoff video games.
The Predators additionally re-signed defenseman Alexandre Carrier 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 may 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 targets, 16 assists) in 73 video games final season and three factors (one objective, 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 choose (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 choose within the 2020 NHL Draft, can even vie for the backup function at coaching camp. He has performed three NHL video games.
The Predators imagine their additions in free company have given them the required elements to compete within the playoffs.
“I’ve been on championship-winning groups prior to now in Tampa,” Stamkos mentioned. “You see these groups which have gained just lately, there’s all the time a mixture of a extremely good goaltender, an elite defenseman and a few elite forwards. Even earlier than immediately with the signings, Nashville checked these containers. Clearly, an awesome goalie. (Defenseman) Roman Josi, he speaks for himself. You’ve obtained [forwards Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist], that line was dynamic final yr. They usually’ve obtained an awesome 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 possible 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 a number of the different signings. A fantastic day to be a Nashville Predators fan. Very, very excited to be a part of that.”
