Category: NHL News

Preds sign Conor Allen

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If you are subscribed to our email notifications, you must really like us because, combined with yesterday and today, you are seeing a lot of Lady Preds. Hey, but that’s the joy of NHL Free Agency!

Right after (like as soon as I hit publish) announcing they had re-signed Gabriel Bourque to his qualifying offer, the Predators released the announcement that they had nabbed someone else today.

Enter: 25-year-old Conor Allen, a defenseman that has spent his young career within the New York Rangers organization. Here’s a little background on Allen from the Predators:

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Thursday that the club has signed free-agent defenseman Conor Allen to a one-year, two-way contract worth $575,000 at the NHL level and $80,000 at the AHL level.

Allen, 25 (1/31/90), has spent the majority of the past two-plus seasons with the New York Rangers organization, playing seven NHL contests while recording 65 points (17g-48a) and 184 penalty minutes in 145 AHL games with the Hartford Wolfpack. In 2014-15, the 6-1, 210-pounder tied for 10th among all AHL blueliners in goals (11), and was one of just two AHL defensemen to register more than 30 points (11g-23a-34pts), 100 penalty minutes (113), and post a positive plus/minus rating (+1).

A native of Chicago, Allen played three seasons at the University of Massachusetts (2010-13), registering 39 points (14g-25a) and 110 penalty minutes in 99 games, and was named to the 2012 Hockey East All-Academic Team as a sophomore. Prior to entering the NCAA ranks, he spent a season with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede (2009-10), and won a Robertson Cup with the NAHL’s St. Louis Bandits in 2008-09.

Yes, that’s Conor with one ‘N’. And don’t you dare forget it!

Bourque accepts Preds’ Qualifying Offer

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You like Bourque? We like Bourque. Well, he likes Nashville too, it seems because he has accepted his qualifying offer extended to him by the Predators. What’s that offer? A one-year, $866,250 deal, to be exact.

Gabriel Bourque was 3-10-13 last season, a wee bit off from his 9-17-26 record from the 2013-14 season. But hey, everyone is entitled to a few off seasons, right?

Bourque is just the first of eight RFAs that the Predators extended qualifying offers to on Monday to accept. That list includes the likes of Colin Wilson, Craig Smith, Calle Jarnkrok, Taylor Beck, Anthony Bitetto, and Taylor Aronson. Magnus Hellberg, the eighth RFA, was traded yesterday afternoon to the New York Rangers in return for a sixth-rounder in the 2016 Draft.

Preds acquire Max Reinhart

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The fax machine is definitely working today, am I right? In a trade with the Calgary Flames for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, the Predators acquired 23-year-old Max Reinhart, a strapping young forward. Here’s a bit about the young man from the official Preds release:

Reinhart, 23 (2/4/92), has appeared in 23 career NHL games with the Flames over the past three seasons, posting a goal and four assists. Since scoring a pair of goals in his first professional contest with the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Heat on April 15, 2012, the 6-1, 185-pound center has amassed 125 points (45g-80a) in 203 AHL contests. In 2013-14, his assist total ranked ninth in the AHL (42), while his point total tied for 11th (63).

Reinhart has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Predators worth $575,000 on the NHL level and $80,000 on the AHL level.

Preds sign Center Cody Hodgson

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In more of a “didn’t see that coming” move, the Predators organization nabbed 25-year-old Cody Hodgson from the Buffalo Sabres on a one-year, $1M deal.

Hodgson is a young, rather broad center that could be of some good use to the Predators. Of course, that one-year, $1M deal is pretty nice, too.

Preds sign Defenseman Barret Jackman

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Afraid the Predators wouldn’t do anything after re-signing Mike Ribeiro? Well, you’d be wrong. Nashville snagged a heck of a deal with former St. Louis Blues defenseman Barret Jackman for a two-year, $4M contract.

34-year-old Barret Jackman is a hard-hitting blue liner that the Predators have been searching for and hey, he’s one of those players you are going to learn to love (because you despised him with St. Louis).

Also, we have been given hockey .gif gold once again. Hopefully, he will not curse the Predators like a one Olli Jokinen did.

Preds re-sign Mike Ribeiro

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Whether you like it or not, the Predators organization and Mike Ribeiro have agreed on a two-year, $7M contract.

GM David Poile mentioned yesterday in his press conference with the media that the news of Ribeiro’s contract agreement would be made either last night or early this morning.

Highlights from Today’s Presser

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Nashville Predators general manager David Poile answers questions at a news conference Monday, April 14, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn. The Predators announced earlier in the day that head coach Barry Trotz's contract won't be extended and they will begin looking for a new head coach. Trotz is the only head coach the NHL hockey team has had. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Source: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Predators General Manager David Poile met with the media today regarding free agency, the recent draft, and… you know, little stuff here and there. I’ve compiled some of the thousand tweets from media and condensed them for your reading pleasure:

In case you missed it, the NHL passed the new 3-on-3 overtime. As Poile mentioned, there’s a good chance we’ll see less shootouts now.

If you needed official word on Clune and Stalberg’s departure, here it is straight from the horse’s mouth. Stalberg’s buyout will cost the Predators $4.67M over the next four years. Yay.

As you recall (or if you missed it), Austin Watson was just signed to a two-year deal yesterday. It’s been a long time coming for the 2010 draft pick and it will be interesting where he’ll mesh in as far as the lineup goes.

Again, straight from the horse’s mouth himself. Take a deep breath and remember: patience is a virtue.

Yes, the Predators and David Poile have extended an offer to Mike Ribeiro. Please also remember the whole “innocent until proven guilty” motto. You know, the law.

Not much to commentate on as this information was made known much earlier.

We should all expect to hear whether or not Ribeiro accepts the Predators’ offer by this evening or early tomorrow morning.

Okay, here’s the statement everyone should read and set down their pitchforks. The NHL is involved, along with law enforcement. Poile would not have moved forward with offering Mike Ribeiro a new deal if he felt like this was going to continue imploding. This isn’t Poile’s first rodeo as GM, my friends.

Be ready for an explosion on Twitter and the Predators’ Facebook account.

No surprise that Volchenkov will be left to wander to greener pastures.

Another no surprise, Poile mentioned that the organization is actively seeking a trade involving goaltender Magnus Hellberg. Hellberg is definitely ready to move up to the NHL (or somewhere he’ll get the chance) and Nashville is overrun with netminder potential at this point. You know, especially after signing Saros the other day.

Honestly, I forgot he was injured. Good news – he’s doing well.

And, last but not least, Adam Vingan has this statement regarding the Ribeiro civil lawsuit. Maybe it will help lower the amount of torches and pitchforks a little, yes?

So, there you have it. Trust me, this is a condensed list of tweets from today’s presser. Free Agency starts tomorrow, July 1st. It should prove for an interesting day. I hope.

 

 

Qualifying Offers extended to 8 RFAs

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Fear not, Preds fans! The Predators extended qualifying offers to eight Restricted Free Agents all before the 4PM deadline this afternoon. Those eight players? Colin Wilson, Craig Smith, Gabriel Bourque, Anthony Bitetto, Calle Jarnkrok, Taylor Beck, Taylor Aronson, and Magnus Hellberg.

In a nutshell, by extending these qualifying offers, the Predators are still given the opportunity to continue negotiations with these particular players. This doesn’t stop these players from signing other contracts, but it does give Nashville the right to match or exceed these potential competitive offers. If the Predators do not choose to match or exceed an offer, they will be compensated for the player’s departure from the organization. If the Predators had not given these RFAs qualifying offers, these players would’ve become Unrestricted Free Agents on Wednesday, July 1st.

So, who didn’t receive qualifying offers? Well, that would be Zach Budish and Josh Shalla; two players that will hit the UFA market come July 1st.

Preds sign Watson to Two-Year Contract

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Source: Frederick Breedon

Source: Frederick Breedon

Welp, free agency has begun and I may be a little busy with these posts for a while (hopefully). First to be signed is forward, Austin Watson, Nashville’s first round draft pick back in 2010. Here’s a little info from the official press release:

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Monday that the club has signed forward Austin Watson to a two-year contract. The deal is a two-way contract in 2015-16 paying him $575,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level, and a one-way, $575,000 contract in 2016-17.

Buyout Updates:

  • Sorry, Clune fans – it’s official (as of yesterday): Rich Clune’s contract will be bought out by the Predators. Clune tweeted this heartfelt thanks last night:
    https://twitter.com/richclune/status/615276388648513538
  • Also on the chopping block is Viktor Stalberg, who was just added to the unconditional waivers list along with Cody Hodgson of the Buffalo Sabres. If he clears, the Predators will also buyout his contract.

Preds ink deal with Fisher

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Source: Frederick Breedon

Speculation has been running wild about when (not if) the Predators and Mike Fisher would come to an agreement on a new deal. And boy, did Fish get a raise! This morning, news was announced that the 35-year-old forward inked a two-year, $8.8M contract to remain in Nashville. Fisher will receive $4.8M of that deal in this upcoming 2016-15 season then the remaining $4M in the 2016-17 season.

So, breathe a sigh of relief, all you Fisher fans. He’s back.