Predators Sign Juuse Saros To Three-Year, $4.5 Million Contract

Juuse Saros! Has been signed to a three-year deal! And it’s not a ton of money! Whoo hoo!

The Predators made it official earlier today on Twitter:

From the Preds:

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Monday that the team has signed restricted free-agent goaltender Juuse Saros to a three-year, $4.5 million contract. Saros will make $1.5 million in each of the three seasons.

Saros, 23 (4/19/95), was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team after posting an 11-5-7 record with a 2.44 goals-against average, .925 save percentage and three shutouts in 2017-18. The 5-foot-11 goaltender closed out the regular season with the third-best save percentage in franchise history, trailing only Pekka Rinne’s .927 in 2017-18 and .930 in 2010-11. From Nov. 4 to the end of the regular season, Saros led NHL goaltenders in save percentage (.935) and was fourth in goals-against average (2.19). He set the Predators record for most saves in a shutout with 46 on Dec. 14 at Edmonton and became the first goalie in team history to tally multiple 40-plus save shutouts in the same season. Saros started the second half of all 11 of Nashville’s back-to-backs this season and went 8-1-2, with five of those victories coming on the road. He appeared in four playoff games for the Predators last season, allowing only two goals on 42 shots faced for a 1.05 goals-against average and .952 save percentage.

This is a great contract for the Predators. It solidifies the transition from Pekka Rinne to Saros, and it gives even more stability to the back end of the Predators roster through the bulk of its Cup contending window. It also keeps Saros under RFA status for when the contract runs out in 2021.

And a $1.5 million AAV? For the numbers that Saros put up last year? I don’t think you’ll find better value in the NHL. This gives the team even more money to hurl at Ryan Ellis (they signed Ryan Hartman to a team friendly deal on Sunday as well).

By the way, this is also a great contract for Saros. Not only does it guarantee him a solid paycheck, but it shows him how much the organization believes in his ability to take the reins after Rinne’s time is up.

This is a win-win.