If the Predators are going to sign defenseman Mattias Ekholm to a contract extension, it certainly seems like the deal will need to be done soon. Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported in a recent TSN Insider Trading segment that Ekholm’s camp as informed the team that they intend to stop talks on a new deal if an agreement isn’t reached by the start of the regular season. The 31-year-old hasn’t exactly hidden his desire to stick around so it may seem strange on the surface but it could simply be used as a pressure point to try to push the deal across the finish line. Ekholm is in the final season of a six-year deal with a $3.75MM AAV and will be getting a significant raise on his next contract, whenever it happens to get done.
More from Nashville:
- While Ekholm is well into discussions on his next deal, the same can’t be said for winger Filip Forsberg as his agent J.P. Barry told Adam Vingan of The Athletic (subscription link) that talks on Forsberg’s next deal have yet to begin. The 27-year-old appears to be content to play out his deal, putting Nashville in a bit of a tough spot. The Preds would undoubtedly love to keep him around but at the same time, while they’d like to remain competitive while rebuilding, his departure would probably push them in a longer-term direction so the earlier they know whether or not they can keep him, the better it would be for them.
- The team is hoping that assistant coach Todd Richards could be back behind the bench on opening night, relays Paul Skrbina of The Tennessean. Richards, who joined the Predators a year ago to coach their defense, suffered a heart attack back on October 1st.
Hope Todd Richards is recovering well.
As for Ekholm and Forsberg, it wouldn’t suprise me at all if Poile isn’t actually making legitimate offers to either of them despite his public pronouncements. Unless ownership wants salary to be cut (possible), I can’t fathom why they keep Poile around. Time to move on from Mr. Mediocrity.
I see Ekholm staying in Nashville. As for Forsberg, that is a tricky situation. I feel like he wants to wait and see how the young players on the Preds do this season before making a decision. He was openly upset about some of the Preds offseason moves, especially the Arvidsson trade. He’s skeptical about how the youngsters are going to do. He has earned the right to wait & see. If I was Poile, I would make him an offer and if Forsberg turns it down, then at least Poile can say he tried.
It feels to me like Forsberg has already decided to walk. Just my feeling.