The Predators are going all-in at the start of NHL free agency.
Nashville is spending $108.5 million to bring Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and ex-Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei to Music City, the team announced Monday afternoon.
The Predators also announced they signed goalie Juuse Saros to an eight-year, $61.92 million contract extension.
Stamkos, the longtime Lightning star, is getting a four-year, $32 million contract, Marchessault is receiving a five-year, $27.5 million contract and Skjei is landing a seven-year, $49 million contract.
“Thank you Tampa ❤️❤️I don’t have the words yet ….. I will soon,” Stamkos wrote on X. “It’s still too early to process. Just wanted everyone to know how thankful we are for 16 years as a bolt. My family and I are excited for the next chapter.”
Stamkos, 34, has spent his entire 16-year NHL career with Tampa Bay, but after the Lightning traded for Jake Guentzel’s rights and gave him a seven-year, $63 million contract, that spelled the end of the Lightning captain’s time with the franchise.
Stamkos had 40 goals and 41 assists in 79 games last season and has 1,137 points in 1,082 career regular-season games.
He was a part of Tampa Bay’s back-to-back Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2020 and ’21, and has 50 goals and 51 assists in 128 career playoff games.
Marchessault, 33, spent the last seven seasons with the Golden Knights and is coming off a career-high 42 goals.
He had 192 goals and 225 assists during his time with Vegas and won the Conn Smythe trophy last year after scoring 13 goals and notching 12 assists in 22 playoff matches en route to the Golden Knights’ first Stanley Cup title.
Skjei, 30, has spent the last four-plus seasons with the Hurricanes after being traded by the Rangers in 2020, and he recorded a career-high 47 points this past season.
Nashville is looking to bulk up after falling in the first round of the playoffs to the Canucks.
The Predators have not won a playoff series since the first round in 2018.
