Yesterday, the Nashville Predators announced the re-signing of three defenders: Frédéric Allard, Jérémy Davies, and Ben Harpur—each to one-year extensions.
Allard and Davies were both signed to two-way contracts worth $750,000 at the NHL level and $70,000 at the AHL level. Upon expiry, both will be restricted free agents. Ben Harpur signed a one-way deal worth $800,000; Upon expiry, he will be an unrestricted free agent.
The Predators also announced that they extended qualifying offers by the league’s 5:00 pm ET deadline to the following players: Dante Fabbro, Tanner Jeannot, Mathieu Olivier, Rem Pitlick, Anthony Richard, Juuse Saros, and Eeli Tolvanen. These players cannot accept their qualifying offers until tomorrow, July 28th.
Lukas Craggs and Josh Wilkins were not sent qualifying offers, making them unrestricted free agents tomorrow.
Allard, 23-years old, played 25 games for the Chicago Wolves last season and 25 games for Villacher SV of the Austrian ICEHL. He also appeared in his first NHL game against Tampa in March. With Chicago, Allard scored three goals and 18 points, including nine primary points at even strength.
2021-22 will be a big year for Allard.
Finally earned his first NHL game last year and was largely excellent for Chicago:
52.0% Corsi at EV
55.6% Controlled Exit rate
47.4% Controlled Entries Against rate
2.68 High-Danger Shots Against/ 60
52.32 CF/60
48.21 CA/60#Preds https://t.co/PK4X5CCOlx— OTF — Preds Prospects (@OnTheFutureOTF) July 26, 2021
Davies began the season playing nine games for Chicago and recorded nine assists, but he was recalled to Nashville for the remainder of the season and skated in 16 games for Nashville, scoring one assist. During all of his even-strength ice time, Davies recorded a 48.92% Corsi and a 42.95% expected goals-for rate.
Harpur spent the entire season in Nashville, skating in 34 games and recording seven assists. The much-maligned defender was the worst possession blue-liner on the team with a 42.96% Corsi rating at even-strength; Harpur also recorded a 43.58% expected goals-for rate.
Ottawa Senators legend Ben Harpur, re-signed (in Nashville). pic.twitter.com/hkhQd9WDv1
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) July 27, 2021
Aside from the non-qualified players above, the following Nashville skaters will become unrestricted free agents tomorrow: Michael Carcone (Group 6), Mikael Granlund, Erik Haula, Sean Malone (Group 6), Brad Richardson, Erik Gudbranson, Tyler Lewington (Group 6), and Luca Sbisa.
All statistics are courtesy of eliteprospects.com, naturalstattrick.com, or hand-tracked myself.