Nashville Predators News & Notes
For those looking for updates on Filip Forsberg’s contract, the tidbit in this week’s DFO Rundown Podcast with Frank Seravalli and Jason Gregor is a doozy, and not in a good way.
According to Daily Faceoff’s @frank_seravalli, Filip Forsberg is asking the #Preds for a contract well below Roman Josi’s $9.059 mil per season.
“They didn’t ask for 9, I can tell you that,” he said on his latest DFO Rundown podcast. “…I think they’re somewhere in the low 8s.” pic.twitter.com/RXr6NfQ1GP
— Nick Cole (@NickColeSports) June 27, 2022
For those unable to listen to the clip, here’s a portion:
Gregor: “I’m not sure what [Forsberg] is asking for, Frank… but if you’re the Nashville Predators, man, I don’t see how you wouldn’t sign him. Like… he’s your best forward. To me, it’s not close. Is he a $9 million player? Yeah probably…”
Seravalli: “They didn’t ask for [$9 million], I can tell you that. They were asking for, what I’m told, well south of what Roman Josi makes…. I think they’re somewhere in the low 8’s.”
Gregor: “Well I don’t understand why that would even be a hesitation in Nashville. That seems odd. Something’s…. that’s the one that doesn’t make sense to me… If that’s what you’re signing for, if that’s the going rate, you’re not going to bring in anyone on a better contract that’s going to bring you what Filip Forsberg does.”
If there’s any level of truth to any of that, I only have one question.
How in the absolute flaming flying f*** has David Poile not locked this up yet?
You have Filip Forsberg — a 42-goal scorer, one of the top scorers in the NHL, hands-down the best homegrown forward your team has EVER produced, a top five player in your team’s history who’s still IN HIS PRIME — willing to come back for a sizable discount. And you’re dragging your feet on a contract because… what… a few fewer years on the deal? Disagreement over a no-trade clause?
Poile made it clear last week he’s not signing Forsberg for “anything less than eight years,” adding that he wants to see a “buy in” from Forsberg.
I don’t know about you, but taking a million dollars a year less than your market value to play for a team you want to play for seems like a pretty decent “buy in” to me.
Obviously, there are two sides to every story, and we may not get to see the full scope of how negotiations are going. But the fact is that the pressure to get a deal done is completely on Poile at this point. Filip Forsberg should be a cornerstone of the Predators’ next handful of seasons, and the Predators need to do whatever it takes to get him back in the fold. I get it, hockey’s a business, and Poile’s job is do what he thinks is the best business decision for the team in both the short and long term.
#Preds GM David Poile discusses the Filip Forsberg contract situation in terms of confidence, business, and what’s best for the franchise and the player. pic.twitter.com/XS7Hb2kO2h
— Shaun C Smith (@SCSOTF) June 23, 2022
But make no mistake, re-signing Filip Forsberg is what’s best for the Nashville Predators’ business. Failure to do so at this point could have catastrophic consequences. And if the Preds end next season like they did this season, I don’t foresee Poile having a lot of leeway to fix the situation.
Other Hockey Happenings
The Colorado Avalanche are building something special | Mile High Hockey
Sunday’s win may just be the first of many Stanley Cups we see this Avalanche team win over the next decade or so. The big question they’ll face for the next few years is can they keep rebuilding their supporting cast on the fly.
Bednar appreciates patience shown by Avalanche along bumpy road to Cup | NHL.com
In a time where fans and executives expect immediate results, sometimes it pays to have a little patience.
Tampa Bay Lightning denied three-peat by Colorado Avalanche but adamant ‘it’s not the end of our run’ | ESPN
On the other side, the Lightning still have an elite roster despite the loss to Colorado. A few more tweaks, and they’ll be right back.
NHL Power Rankings: Top performances from 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs | NBC Sports
No surprise who’s number one on this list. What may be interesting is that the fifth-ranked player on this list comes from a team that was eliminated in Round One.
Luongo, Sedin brothers lead Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2022 | NHL.com
Certainly a great day for fans of the early 2010’s Canucks.
Riikka Sallinen named to 2022 HHOF Class | The Ice Garden
Also included in this year’s Hall of Fame class is Riikka Sallinen. If you’re unfamiliar with her career, I suggest going back and checking out some of her highlights. She’s one of the best women’s hockey players of this generation.
Bulldogs beat Cataractes in OT, move on to Memorial Cup Final | TSN.ca
It’ll be Hamilton vs. Saint John in this year’s Memorial Cup Final.
Luke Richardson officially named Chicago Blackhawks head coach | Second City Hockey
Richardson’s a pretty good hire for a Blackhawks team that’s going to be riding the struggle bus for the foreseeable future. He has the playing experience to mentor Chicago’s younger players while gaining some experience himself.
Bruins officially announce Don Sweeney’s contract extension | Stanley Cup of Chowder
This is going over swimmingly in Boston, I’m sure.
Top NHL prospects take lie detector test | Bardown
Shane Wright with the elite poker face after being asked where he wants to get drafted.