"At least one player the Predators considered signing is no longer an option.

Forward Jan Hlavac has chosen to sign with Linkoping of the Swedish elite league instead of returning to Nashville, his agent said Wednesday.

Agent Ritchie Winter said the Predators did make Hlavac a one-year offer, but for less money than what the veteran forward had hoped for after posting 13 points in 18 games with Nashville following his arrival from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline.

Winter said Hlavac was looking for a contract in the neighborhood of $1 million, but the team never offered more than the average of the recent two-year extension given to Jerred Smithson - about $740,000.

"It was hard for us to understand,'' Winter said. "Jan was prepared to take less money to come back than to sign (in Sweden). But the Predators never really got anywhere close to the kind of offer you'd expect for a player that's accomplished what he has. It's too bad because it really looked like he had good chemistry with the coaches and players there.''

Hlavac signed for about $800,000 in Sweden but the deal will be worth much more because it's a tax-free contract, Winter said.

Through a spokesman, Predators General Manager David Poile said Nashville offered Hlavac a fair contract."