Nashville Predators sign Ryan Parent to two-year contract

by Dirk Hoag on Jul 26, 2010 3:23 PM EDT Comment 15 comments

The Nashville Predators have signed Ryan Parent, obtained from Philadelphia in the Dan Hamhuis trade, to a two-year contract averaging just under $1 million per season. Interestingly, it's a one-way contract, which makes it much more probable that he's intended to play at the NHL level.

With 102 games of NHL experience, he would certainly seem to have the inside track on a regular job heading into training camp (a question we dug into extensively a couple weeks ago), but what remains to be seen is how well a few months' worth of recovery time has helped with his back troubles from last season (which required surgery in January). Last month we got some insight from a Flyers blogger as to what Nashville can expect from its former 1st-round draft choice. Interestingly, his ballpark estimate for a new salary is on-target (except for the incentive part, which Parent is not eligible for).

Ryan Parent

Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-3

Weight: 198

Born: Mar 17, 1987

Follow after the jump for the team's press release...

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed defenseman Ryan Parent to a two-year, $1.85 million contract. He will make $850,000 in 2010-11 and $1 million in 2011-12.

Parent, 23 (3/17/87), was reacquired from Philadelphia on June 19, 2010 in exchange for impending unrestricted free agent Dan Hamhuis; he was originally Nashville's first selection, 18^th overall (first round), in the 2005 Entry Draft and was sent to the Flyers in the trade that saw the Predators obtain Peter Forsberg on Feb. 15, 2007. The 6-3, 198-pound blueliner played 48 regular-season games for the Flyers in 2009-10, posting three points (1g-2a) and 20 penalty minutes, as well as suiting up for 17 of the club's 23 postseason contests in its run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, posting a goal and two penalty minutes. Since making his NHL debut with Philadelphia following his final junior season with Guelph (OHL) in 2006-07, the stay-at-home defenseman has posted seven points (1g-6a) and 36 penalty minutes in 102 regular-season contests, and two points (1g-1a) and eight penalty minutes in 27 playoff games.

A native of Sioux Lookout, Ont., Parent has won three gold medals and a silver medal with Canada in international competitions, claiming titles at the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships and 2004 U-18 World Championships while captaining the Canadians to a silver medal at the 2005 U-18 Worlds.

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Seems a tad pricey to me, but I guess for someone with his experience it isn’t so bad.

On the Forecheck: preaching the Predators' gospel to the unwashed masses.

by Chris Burton on Jul 26, 2010 3:25 PM EDT reply actions

Expected...

..but it makes it tougher (without a trade or injury) for someone like Blum, Josi, or Ellis (in that unlikely event) to crack line-up.

I’m fine with the salary and expect Franson to get something a little more than that.

David Singleton w/ HockeyIndependent

by David Singleton on Jul 26, 2010 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

roseyc

I think Franson will traded in a pkg along with O’Reilly. I think that Parent will be ok. I sure Poile wouldn’t have traded for him if was seriously injured

by roseyc on Jul 26, 2010 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions

On the contrary..

Poile was quite excited about him coming back. He sees something in this guy, and hopefully he’s right (again).

by DonBorvio on Jul 26, 2010 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions

one other thing

Is he actually wearing #0? I’m assuming that widget is incorrect.

On the Forecheck: preaching the Predators' gospel to the unwashed masses.

by Chris Burton on Jul 26, 2010 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions

It always gives #0 when the player’s number is not yet assigned/determined. It did that when I got a widget for Anton Volchenkov on free agency.

In Lou We Trust: The system hates us, man.
"Pfft, Wii’s where it’s at. *Swings toy plastic racquet, separates shoulder"- RudyKelly

by Kevin Sellathamby on Jul 26, 2010 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions

If the widget pulls data from the Preds website, that value is null in their list, so it’s probably the default return value for a null uniform number field.

by OddManRush on Jul 26, 2010 3:45 PM EDT reply actions

Yup

Since there isn’t a number designated yet, it pulls a zero. I’ll take that out.

More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.

by Dirk Hoag on Jul 26, 2010 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Decent investment

He may have lost some of his shine in Philly,
judging by how Flyers fans reacted to him throughout the year,
but injuries likely factored into his seemingly underwhelming year.
Worst case scenario, we have another Kevin Klein, one that is injury-prone,
but for cheaper, with more size.
Best case, he may develop into a suitable second-pair, shutdown and kill penalties sort of guy, over the next two years.
I do wonder, though, with high end guys like Blum and Ellis and Josi on the horizon,
why they committed two positions to guys who have stalled (Klein, Parent) for multiple years. One year extensions may have sufficed.

by DontfeedtheBelak on Jul 26, 2010 4:45 PM EDT reply actions

Watching him for the last 3 years in Philly, was the tale of 2 Ryan Parents. Initially he looked like the 2nd coming of Eric Desjardins, and expectations were set for Parent to be a top 4 d-man playing a shutdown role. Then the injuries took their toll, most serious and concerning being his back injuries requiring surgery. I think that playing with back pain probably also contributed to his other injuries. In january he had back surgery to remove disc fragments.

I think it’s fair to say that Parent never fully recovered, and was pressed back into service, and faced a lot of pressure, due to the way things went with the team, in a season full of highs and lows, and very little margin for error in the final part of the season. Parent became a goat, paired with other marginal D-Men as a 3rd pairing, he looked like a guy who lacked confidence in his own game, and in his partners, and this lead flyers fans to cringe every time the 3rd D was out on the ice.

I think it’s completely possible that Parent will be able to regain his health, and with that, his composure. But you also have to face the possibility that he’s just a guy who has sustained a series of injuries, and he may be damaged goods. I’m hoping it’s the former, and things work out for you all there, and Ryan gets a chance to redeem himself.

by Gizmoitus on Jul 27, 2010 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

To me, this is an exercise of faith in Poile. I have never seen, read, or heard anything to indicate that this kid is worth a one-way contract, but Poile obviously has. Otherwise, he would never let him take a roster spot from his beloved prospects like Josi and Ellis. I don’t get it, but I’ll trust that it’s all part of a master plan.

The real good news here is that this one less thing to dostract him from signing Hornqvist and Franson.

"Get to the Choppa!"

by PredHead on Jul 26, 2010 5:53 PM EDT reply actions

one way contract?

Wasn’t be possible to make him sign a two contract?

For having the possibility to put one of the “young” (Parent is 23 ok ^^) defenseman in the case he’s not at his best

by PatrickB on Jul 26, 2010 7:13 PM EDT reply actions

I think that they could have signed a two way deal, but it would’ve been pointless because if they sent him down he’d have to go through waivers.

On the Forecheck: preaching the Predators' gospel to the unwashed masses.

by Chris Burton on Jul 26, 2010 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Regardless...

I’m happy that we got something (or at least the potential for something) in exchange for Hammer. I’m not sure how it’ll all play out, but at least he didn’t leave for nothing.

Part of me is also glad that the Preds got back a small part of what was spent on Forsberg; it feels like they took a small step towards evening the balance. That’s worth something to me, though the bottom line is worth more.

For what it’s worth, I suspect that he’ll crack the lineup and be a regular 3rd or even 2nd pairing guy, maybe a penalty killer, for a year or two…if he can stay healthy. If not—oh well; thry didn’t pay much for him.

His main role may very well be to plug a hole and hold a spot while the younger and possibly more talented D-men mature; the Predator system seems to be somewhat focused on giving guys time to mature, and not just rushing them into the NHL at 19. On the other hand, if he’s on the roster, he’ll have at least some chance to prove himself…I’ll enjoy seeing how this all plays out.

by Smashvillain on Jul 27, 2010 6:16 AM EDT reply actions

Parent from a Philly Perspective

Hi everyone.

I’ve watched Ryan play for the past several years as a member of my beloved Philadelphia Flyers. Here’s a few things I’ve noticed about him:

He is at his best when he can “shadow” the opposition along the boards. Ryan is not big enough (or physical enough) to check players off the puck consistently. However, he does a good job of staying with them and blocking passing lanes.

Ryan’s back is, sadly, not in the best shape. Don’t expect him to be in the lineup all year.

Skill-wise, Ryan COULD be a solid second-pair D-man… but he is undersized. I would expect to see him rotate in and out of your third defensive pairing, as his health will allow.

I think the gaps in Ryan’s game will be masked somewhat by the Predators’ collective defensive efforts. If everyone backchecks, then it won’t be as big a deal when Parent gets outmuscled in the corners. Notice I said WHEN he gets outmuscled. This is not a knock on Parent’s skill or effort; it is a simple matter of his physical attributes.

I liked Ryan and wished he could have turned out better for the Flyers, but it was not meant to be. Here’s wishing him well with the Predators.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Jul 27, 2010 12:14 PM EDT reply actions