It’s barely past noon, but the Nashville Predators have already stolen the show as the free agent market opens.
Posted at 12:01 p.m.
Updated at 1:45 p.m.
According to various media, forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault as well as defenseman Brady Skjei are moving to the country town. Stamkos signed a four-year contract that will earn him an average of 8 million per season. Marchessault will earn a total of 27.5 million within 5 years (average of 5.5 million). Skjei, for his part, agreed on a contract of 7 years and 49 million (average of 7 million).
Stamkos, 34, spent his entire career of more than 1,000 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team that drafted him first overall in 2008. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in scoring goals (555) and points (1137). He has also been its captain since 2014. He has won the Stanley Cup twice, in 2020 and 2021.
The 2023-2024 season was the last of an 8-year contract that he signed during the summer of 2016. He then amassed 81 points in 79 games.
His agent met with general manager Julien BriseBois shortly after the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs at the end of April, but negotiations quickly stalled.
In recent days, the separation between Stamkos and the Lightning was confirmed, and BriseBois announced Saturday that the star center player would become an unrestricted free agent.
Moments before it was announced he would be joining the Predators, Stamkos posted a short tribute to his adopted city. “I can’t find the words,” he wrote. It’s still too early. But I still want everyone to know how grateful I am for these 16 years with the Lightning. My family and I are excited for the next chapter. »
Marchessault, Skjei
Jonathan Marchessault, 33, is also leaving a market where he had firmly established himself.
Selected by the Golden Knights in the expansion draft that saw the NHL move to Las Vegas in 2017, he has spent the last seven years in the Nevada desert. He ranks first in the franchise’s young history in goals (192), assists (225) and points (417).
PHOTO TONY GUTIERREZ, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jonathan Marchessault
He also contributed to winning the 2023 Stanley Cup, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs.
Undrafted, he has so far had three collections of at least 30 goals, including a career-high 42 he set last season.
On TVA Sports, he indicated that the Montreal Canadiens had submitted an offer worthy of interest to him, but that he felt that the Nashville Predators represented a “better option” for him. fit “. On the TSN network, he also estimated that the Golden Knights had not made “a great effort to [le] keep “.
As for Skjei, he leaves the Carolina Hurricanes after four years. He is coming off the best offensive season of his career, amassing 47 points in 80 games during the season and adding nine points in 11 playoff games.
