The last of the loose ends has been tied up, as the Predators announced this afternoon that the team has signed Taylor Beck to a one-year contract worth $550,000.
Five players need to be axed before the season opener on October 9th. Nashville has only one more preseason game left to play, so it’s entirely possible they wait until the 11th hour to make those cuts.
With Beck on a one-way deal, and Dean Evason apparently expecting on of Johan Alm or Joe Piskula to be with the big club, these last few days are going to be super interesting. Without Mike Fisher, and injuries possibly sidelining Matt Cullen and Viktor Stalberg for a few games or more, there is a little more wiggle room on the roster to keep player up. However, as soon as they get back it’s going to be a logjam and hearts will get broken.
Obviously, this doesn’t mean he’s a lock to make the team. Only that he gets paid the same amount of money regardless of where he is. The good news is the Predators have the cap space if they want to pay a minor league player half a million dollars.
Of note, the only waiver exempt forwards on the roster right now are Filip Forsberg and Calle Jarnkrok.
From the official press release:
Nashville, Tenn. (September 30, 2014) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed restricted free-agent forward Taylor Beck to a one-year, $550,000 contract.
Beck, 23 (5/13/91), has 23 career NHL games with Nashville to his credit over the past two seasons, amassing seven points (3g-4a). The 6-2, 206-pound right wing led the 2013-14 Milwaukee Admirals in assists (32) and power-play points (7g-16a-23pts), ranked second on the team in points (49), and fourth in goals (17). The St. Catharines, Ontario native also paced the Admirals in points during the 2012-13 season despite appearing in only 50 of the team’s 76 games (11g-30a-41pts), and ranked among the Top 20 AHL rookies in goals and points in 2011-12 (16g-24a-40pts).
Nashville’s fourth choice, 70th overall (third round), in the 2009 Entry Draft, Beck played 246 games for the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm from 2007-11, amassing 267 points (110g-157a). He ranked seventh in the OHL in points (95) and assists (53), and eighth in goals (42) in 2010-11, and won the 2010 Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the OHL’s top scoring right wing after tying for fourth in the OHL in points (39g-54a-93pts) in 2009-10. You can follow him on Twitter @taybeckone9.