Predators Going to Feel Buyer's Remorse

The Predators had a huge start to free agency but could feel buyer's remorse.

Apr 27, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) warms up against the Florida Panthers in game four of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

The Nashville Predators were one of the busiest teams to begin free agency. After winning 47 games in 2023, the team failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs again. They haven't been past the first round since the 2017-2018 season.

So, it makes sense that General Manager Barry Trotz pursued improvements this offseason. He started by extending franchise goaltender Juuse Saros with an eight-year contract, locking up one of the best at the position.

Trotz also was extremely aggressive to begin free agency. He inked two former Stanley Cup champions to provide some winning pedigree to the locker room. Jonathan Marchessault signed a five-year contract that will pay him $5.5 million annually. Joining him is former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, who agreed to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $8 million. Trotz followed that up with a long-term deal for defenseman Brady Skjei and a three-year extension for middle pairing defender Alexandre Carrier.

The moves could be the ones that put the Predators over in the postseason. They could also be moves that sink this team's championship ambitions for the next few seasons.

It's an exciting time for Nashville, but that excitement could turn to regret very quickly. As impressive a career as Steven Stamkos has compiled, he's 34 years old and will be 35 during the season. The first two seasons of this contract are a steal, but after that, the Predators will be paying a 37 year old forward $8 million to be their top centerman. It's not the recipe for a Stanley Cup.

The same can be said for Marchessault. He's 33 years old and turns 34 in December, and will be on the books through the 2028-2029 season. He scored a career-high 42 goals last season and earned this deal, but he'll need to replicate that production to make the entirety of this contract worth it.

The worst decision was the Skjei signing. The 2012 first-round pick is as solid a two-way defender as you can find in the NHL. Is he a $7 million defender for the next seven seasons? He is not. He's benefitted from playing in the Carolina Hurricanes system the past few years. They encourage the defense to activate, but that is dependent on the forwards recognizing this and defending the rush in return. The Predators play a similar style to the Hurricanes, but they are a far cry from the consistency with which the Hurricanes play.

The Skjei signing screams of making concessions to get your target. He fills a need on the team's second defensive pair and can relieve some of the pressure from captain Roman Josi, there's no denying that. But he won't be able to provide the same offensive output in Nashville that earned him this deal, and the Predators will find that out very soon. Once the offense drops, the contract will become one of the biggest overpays in the league.

If the Predators manage to win a Stanley Cup in the next three seasons, then it's all worth it. Barry Trotz rewarded his team's efforts this offseason intending to get further in the playoffs. If it doesn't work in year one or two, however, then Trotz plan could be feeling more than buyer's remorse.

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