The Nashville Predators have handed out another 2020-21 contract, signing Anthony Richard to a one-year, two-way deal. Richard was scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season when his entry-level contract expired. The new contract will carry a salary of $735K at the NHL level and $65K at the AHL level.
Richard, 23, was a fourth-round pick of the Predators back in 2015 and has played two games for the NHL club. While he’s still looking for his first point at that level, he has been a regular contributor for the Milwaukee Admirals and represents solid depth for the organization. Versatile enough to play both center and wing, he’ll likely be heading back to the minors again next season, though, with a flat cap teams may be giving more opportunities to their young players.
Signing Richard leaves just three pending restricted free agents for the Predators: Rem Pitlick, Yakov Trenin and Michael McCarron. The much more important negotiations will be with some of their unrestricted free agents, which include key roster players like Mikael Granlund, Craig Smith and Dan Hamhuis.