It was barely past noon when the Nashville Predators stole the show at the opening of the free agent market.
Forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei are moving to the country city. Stamkos signed a four-year contract that will pay him an average of $8 million per season. Marchessault will earn a total of $27.5 million over the next five years ($5.5 million average). Skjei agreed to a seven-year, $49 million contract ($7 million average).
Stamkos, 34, has spent his entire 1,000-plus game career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team that drafted him first overall in 2008. He leads the franchise in goals (555) and points (1,137) and has been the team’s captain since 2014. He has won the Stanley Cup twice, in 2020 and 2021.
“When I became general manager of the Predators, I said repeatedly that I was looking to add winners to our franchise, and there may be no one who fits that definition better than Steven Stamkos,” said GM Barry Trotz.
“We are very pleased to acquire a future Hall of Famer on this important day for the future of our organization. Steven is a proven winner and leader who will make us a better team on the ice, through his production, and in the locker room, as someone our young players can look up to.”
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Steven Stamkos
The 2023-24 season was the last of an eight-year contract Stamkos signed in the summer of 2016. He had 81 points in 79 games.
His agent met with general manager Julien BriseBois after the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in late April, but negotiations quickly stalled. In recent days, the separation between Stamkos and the Lightning has been confirmed.
Moments before news broke that he would be joining the Predators, Stamkos posted a short tribute to his adopted hometown on social media. “I can’t find the words,” he wrote. “It’s too early yet. But I still want everyone to know how grateful I am for my 16 years with the Lightning.”
In an interview with Sportsnet, Stamkos answered the simple question “what happened?”: “I’ll be perfectly honest, I’m asking myself the same question. The more I talk to people, the more they seem to share the same feeling of incomprehension. Ultimately, I wanted to put all of that aside and stay in Tampa Bay. My family and I loved this city and this team, but maybe not everyone felt that way. I’m a big kid, I was able to stay focused, I think I played very well this year despite the distractions of the contract.
“I wanted to retire as a member of the Lightning, it didn’t work out, but to look at yourself in the mirror, you have to know yourself, be honest, know what loyalty and respect means to you and take the next step.”
For his part, BriseBois indicated to the Tampa media that by agreeing to Stamkos’ salary demands, his team would not be placed “in the ideal conditions to aim for a championship.”
“I know the fans are disappointed, I know Steven is disappointed and I’m disappointed.”
Marchessault and Skjei
Jonathan Marchessault, 33, is also leaving a market in which 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 the conquest of the 2023 Stanley Cup, while he won the Conn Smythe Trophy awarded to the most valuable player in the playoffs. His brilliance in the playoffs was also highlighted by his new boss as one of his trademarks.
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 felt 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.
The Predators also managed to keep defenseman Alexandre Carrier in their lineup. The Quebecer, who is coming off a season of 4 goals and 16 assists in 73 games, agreed to a 3-year, $11.25 million pact.
Finally, the Predators acquired veteran goaltender Scott Wedgewood at a low price: two years for $3 million in total. Wedgewood proved to be a quality backup in Dallas last season, with a 16-7-5 record as proof. He will have the same role with Juuse Saros, whose contract extension was made official on Monday: eight years for $61.92 million, a deal that will take effect in 2025-26.