In a move that no one saw coming, the Nashville Predators have announced signing former KHL forward Steven Moses to a one-year, $1 million contract in 2015-2016. More on this as the details come. Until then…
UPDATE: This is a deal for the future for Nashville. Moses will not be able to play this season, as the contract is for 2015-2016. Also, the contract is a one-way deal, meaning he will have to clear waivers to go down to the AHL. In other words, he’s going to get his shot to play, and that’s exactly what he was looking for.
There are going to be question marks about how his game will translate coming from the KHL to the NHL, and they are legit. However, given how skilled he’s been through his career, it’s very possible it’s a nonfactor. He may not be an automatic to score 30 goals, but a scoring winger is something Nashville can’t have enough of right now.
Nashville, Tenn. (April 9, 2015) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Thursday that the club has signed free-agent forward Steve Moses to a one-year, $1 million contract for the 2015-16 season.
Moses, 25 (8/9/89), set the Kontinental Hockey League goal-scoring record in 2014-15, netting 36 goals in 60 games for Jokerit (Helsinki, Finland) during the club’s inaugural season in the Russia-based league. The 2015 KHL All-Star also tied for seventh in KHL points this season (36g-21a-57pts, 60gp), helping Jokerit to a 40-win campaign. The Leominster, Mass., native spent his first two professional seasons with Jokerit, then in the Finnish Elite League, in 2012-13 and 2013-14, amassing 61 points (34g-27a) in 97 games. In 2012-13, Moses led the league in game-winning goals (7), and paced all rookies in goals (22).
The 5-9, 172-pound winger played four seasons at the University of New Hampshire from 2008-12, recording 98 points (47g-51a) in 148 collegiate games, including 22 goals in 37 games as a senior in 2011-12, which ranked him among the Top 15 in the NCAA. Moses played his junior hockey with the Boston Junior Bruins of the EJHL from 2005-08.