‘Unique experience for me’ following 16 seasons with Tampa Bay; Nashville also adds Marchessault, Skjei in Cup push
© Mark LoMoglio/NHLI
NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators made an aggressive push Monday to try to compete for the Stanley Cup, adding forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, defenseman Brady Skjei and goaltender Scott Wedgewood on the first day of NHL free agency.
After the Predators (47-30-5) finished as the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference last season and lost in six games to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round, they believe they have brought in significant scoring.
“It’s huge because it’s a statement, I think, for the rest of the League that these players will come to Nashville,” general manager Barry Trotz said. “These players see what we’re doing with our franchise. We have lots to offer, and we’re very determined to win. We’re committed to that. That’s what players want.”
Stamkos, 34, signed a four-year, $32 million contract ($8 million average annual value) with the Predators. The No. 1 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, he has 1,137 points (555 goals, 582 assists) in 1,082 games over 16 seasons, all with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has 101 points (50 goals, 51 assists) in 128 playoff games.
Stamkos had 81 points (40 goals, 41 assists) in 79 games last season and six points (five goals, one assist) in five playoff games. He ranks first in team history in points, goals, games, power-play goals (214), game-winning goals (85) and overtime goals (13).
The forward won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for most goals in a season twice (51 in 2009-10, and 60 in 2011-12) and helped the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021.
“This was a unique experience for me for sure,” Stamkos said. “Something I hadn’t really done in my career. When you’re trying to navigate where you’re going to play, there’s certainly a lot of factors that go into that. One, being a competitive team. Two, going to an organization that’s committed to winning. Three, probably the most important part, is it a fit for you and your family? When you have young kids like I do, being in the right city has to make sense for them as well.
“And then it’s got to be the right fit for you as a player. You try to check those boxes off as you go along. Some teams hit a couple. Some teams hit one or two. But I felt like Nashville continually, as we went through this process, hit a lot of those boxes.”
NHL Tonight talks about the Predators additions
Marchessault signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Predators ($5.5 million AAV) after he and the Vegas Golden Knights were unable to reach an agreement on a contract. An original member of the Golden Knights, the 33-year-old said he was disappointed he could not re-sign with Vegas, but told TSN, “I turned the page an hour ago. We move on. A new chapter, a new challenge for me and my family.”
Marchessault, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in 2023, when he helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, had 69 points (42 goals, 27 assists) in 82 games last season and four points (two goals, two assists) in seven playoff games. He has 487 points (230 goals, 257 assists) in 638 regular-season games for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Lightning, Florida Panthers and Golden Knights, and 76 points (36 goals, 40 assists) in 102 playoff games.
