NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Barry Trotz said the Predators were in a rebuild. It may just be the fastest rebuild in NHL history.
On Monday Trotz ditched his shovel for the team checkbook, signing forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchassault and defenseman Brady Skjei in the first 10 minutes of free agency.
The moves give the Preds veteran leadership, substantial offensive pop and players with Stanley Cup winning experience.
Stamkos, 34, has been one of the NHL’s top center ice forwards for much of his career. The no. 1 overall pick in 2008 he’s played his entire career in Tampa Bay, helping the Lightning win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. He also has led the league in goals on two different occasions and scored 40 times last season.
Stamkos admits he’s bummed it didn’t work out for him to re-sign in Tampa and continue his career with the Lightning, but quickly added that he’s excited about the chance to come play for the Predators on a four-year, $32 million contract and about the team Trotz is putting together. Stamkos will be reunited in Nashville with Marchessault, whom he played for a season in Tampa Bay.
Marchessault has developed into a star in Vegas, helping the Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final in their first season back in 2017-18 and then win it in 2023. Marchessault was named Conn Smythe playoff MVP for his role in the Golden Knights run and followed it up with a career-high 42 goals this past season. He ranked just behind Stamkos on most of the free agent forward rankings and signs a five-year, $27.5 million deal.
As big as those two additions up front are, Trotz says his number one priority was to fill the hole he created when he agreed to trade Ryan McDonagh back to Tampa Bay at the end of the season. Trotz told his team at that time that he would fix the situation and did with the addition of Skjei for seven years and $49 million.
Skjei is a big, physical defenseman that chipped in 13 goals last season in Carolina. Throw in the team’s re-signing of Alexandre Carrier and the Predators will feel pretty good about the defensemen they can put around captain and star Roman Josi entering training camp.
Trotz also was determined to reward Juuse Saros for his many years of excellent play. He tamped down any concerns about Saros’s future in Smashville with a new eight-year contract worth $61.9 million. When you have one of the league’s top goaltenders, it’s difficult to move on from him, and it’s clear Trotz isn’t ready to move on from Saros and take his chances with young prospect Yaroslav Askarov just yet.
Instead. he will build around Saros, Josi, now Skjei and a solid back end, and pair it with a top six that could be the best in team history. Filip Forsberg had a career year last season next to former Conn Smythe winner Ryan O’Reilly and Gus Nyquist. With no reason to break up that top line, expect to see Stamkos and Marchassault paired together on the second line perhaps with Luke Evangelista.
That will allow the team’s other veterans and young players to fight for spots on the final two lines as the Predators look to become one of the elite, four-line teams in the NHL while maintaining their hard-working, defensive mindset.
Trotz compared the day’s haul to other watershed free agency moments in the franchise’s history. They turned heads when they won the sweepstakes for future Hall of Famer Paul Kariya in 2005. They took another step when they matched the Flyers $110 million offer sheet for Shea Weber in 2012, showing they were committed financially to fielding the best possible teams.
But the Preds have never landed a free agency haul anything like what Trotz collected on Monday, and expectations around the league are quickly skyrocketing for this team that reached the playoffs ahead of schedule in Andrew Brunette’s first season as coach.
They haven’t won anything yet, but Monday’s additions makes the Predators a contender on paper. And adds the championship experience that is so valuable in potentially making them a contender on the ice.
