One of the biggest free agents is off the board. The Predators re-signed star winger Filip Forsberg to an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million average annual value) on Monday that will keep Forsberg in Nashville through the 2029-30 season.
The Predators winger was slated to become an unrestricted free agent.
“We are very pleased to announce Filip’s signing today,” Predators general manager David Poile said in a press release. “As one of the best offensive players in our history, we are thrilled to have Filip as a part of our team for the next eight seasons. His talent, competitiveness and leadership are critical to our future as we continue to strive for our goal of winning a Stanley Cup.
Forsberg is coming off a season in which he registered 84 points (42 goals and 42 assists). The 27-year-old star set new career highs in goals (42), assists (42) and points (84) in just 69 games. In March, Forsberg scored his 211th goal as a Predator to pass David Legwand for the franchise lead in that category.
“I couldn’t be happier to spend the next eight years in the same city I’ve called home since my NHL career began,” Forsberg said. “My fiancée Erin and I love Nashville, but we also strongly believe in the future of our team and know we can accomplish big things moving forward.”
During his career with the Predators, Forsberg has registered 220 goals, 249 assists, 58 power-play goals and 41 game-winning goals — the latter of which is tied in franchise history with Legwand.
Forsberg was originally selected by the Washington Capitals with the No. 11 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. Two years later, he was traded to the Predators in exchange for veteran forward Martin Erat.