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What Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz got for $111.5 million on opening day of free agency

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What Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz got for 1.5 million on opening day of free agency

The Nashville Predators shocked the NHL when the free agency window opened Monday, getting three of the top free agents on the market and committing more than $111 million on four new players.

General manager Barry Trotz managed to negotiate deals with forward Steven Stamkos (four years, $32 million), forward Jonathan Marchessault (five years, $27.5 million) and defenseman Brady Skjei (seven years, $49 million) in the biggest — and most expensive — free agent signing class in Predators history.

The moves come exactly one year into Trotz’s tenure as GM and demonstrate a renewed sense of commitment to winning for the franchise.

“I asked our scouts at the draft last year to get us guys that get people out of their seats,” Trotz said. “If I say that to the amateur (scouts), then I think I owe it to them to take our shots on the pro side. Let’s take our shots.”

One of those included Stamkos, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner, an elite goal scorer who is third among all active goal scorers in the NHL. He had 40 goals with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season and upgrades the Predators’ offense immediately.

But Trotz didn’t stop there.

Adding Marchessault gives the Predators another weapon. He scored 42 goals for the Vegas Golden Knights last season, one year removed from winning the Conn Smythe Trophy with Vegas during its Stanley Cup championship win.

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“To me, this is an organizational win,” Trotz said. “We don’t play the game on paper, but today our lineup looks a lot better.”

While he admitted that offense was a priority to improving the roster, he actually started the day thinking about his defense.

“I wanted to build the back end first,” Trotz said. “I told our players (at the end of the season) I was going to do that.”

He did by adding Skjei, a 30-year-old mobile defenseman with size (6-foot-3, 210 pounds). In Carolina, he was the key to the Hurricanes’ defense, scoring a career-high 47 points last season. On the defensive end of the ice, Skjei brings smart physicality, taking minimal penalties while absorbing plenty of blocks.

The Predators also added a goaltender, signing Scott Wedgewood to a two-year deal for $3 million. He will be the presumed backup to Juuse Saros, who on Monday agreed to an eight-year, $61.92 million extension.

With these moves, along with agreeing to a three-year, $11.25 million deal with current Predators defenseman Alex Carrier, the team showed it is ready to take the next step in competing for the Stanley Cup.

“It’s a statement, I think, for the rest of the league,” Trotz said. “That these players will come to Nashville. These players see what we’re doing with our franchise. We have lots to offer, and we’re very determined to win.”

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