Predators Rumors & News

Bleacher Report "Many of the NHL's top unrestricted free agents were signed within hours of this year's free-agent market opening at noon ET on Wednesday. With the salary cap remaining at $81.5 million for the 2021-22 campaign, teams with limited salary-cap space and roster needs to..." July 30

Bleacher Report "Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and musician Drake are set to be executive producers on the upcoming documentary Black Ice, which will focus on racism in hockey throughout its history, per Etan Vlessing of The Hollywood Reporter.  The film, from..." July 30

The Athletic "The NHL free-agent frenzy was back in a big way when the market opened on Wednesday. Plummeting revenues, season uncertainty and the flat cap all conspired to restrain player valuations last offseason but those concerns seem to have taken a back seat based on the amount of money..." July 29

On The Forecheck "The moment Pekka Rinne announced his retirement from the NHL, the Nashville Predators gained an additional position of need in an already hectic offseason: backup goalie. David Poile seems to have found his guy in former Calgary Flame and Toronto Maple Leaf David Rittich. The kindred..." July 29

Sportsnet "The Boston Bruins have added forward Erik Haula on a two-year, $4.75 million deal, the team announced Wednesday. Haula, 30, spent the past season with the Nashville Predators, posting 21 points through 51 games. " July 29

On The Forecheck "This morning featured a rapid reversal on the subject of Mikael Granlund. Initially, it was reported that he'd likely be heading to the market and not returning to the Nashville Predators.   " July 28

Bleacher Report "The NHL's annual free-agent market opens this year on Wednesday, July 28 at noon ET. Most of the top free agents won't be available for long. Many are usually signed before the end of the first day. A handful of notable free agents are already off the market, the most..." July 27

The Score "Free agency is the most popular way for NHL teams to try to improve their teams, but general managers often overpay and create salary-cap issues in the process. There are appropriate deals out there for all the players listed below, but these five unrestricted free agents appear prime..." July 27

Sportsnet "General Managers will be free to offer contracts to UFAs on Wednesday and anytime there are bidding wars, there are overpays. With a flat salary cap, avoiding contracts with lots of term and money for players likely to underperform them is critical. This is difficult to do in unrestricted free..." July 27

The Score "Nobody thought twice when the Florida Panthers signed forward Carter Verhaeghe to a two-year, $2-million contract last offseason. He'd just turned 25 and only had 13 points in 52 career NHL games to that point. However, it proved to be the best signing of the summer, as Verhaeghe..." July 27

The Score "A few marquee NHL pending unrestricted free agents appear likely to re-sign with their current clubs or have already done so. But several impact players may still opt for a change of scenery. While Alex Ovechkin isn't expected to hit the market and Taylor..." July 26

Sportsnet "Thanks to the expansion draft, there has been plenty of player movement since the Tampa Bay Lightning lifted the Stanley Cup three weeks ago. There’s about to be a whole lot more once unrestricted free agency opens on Wednesday. The list of big-name, pending UFAs is long and..." July 26

The Score "On the heels of last week's theatrics - an expansion draft and the two-day entry draft amid a flurry of trades - the NHL is set to enter its free-agency period. Below, in no particular order, theScore breaks down the five most interesting teams heading into free agency, which starts..." July 26

Sportsnaut "Throughout the season and throughout his career, Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson has been involved in several altercations, resulting in a long list of fines, ejections, and suspensions. As a result, a lot of controversy and conversation surrounds..." July 26

The Athletic "This idea began to take shape, as many ideas do, at a bar. In the spring of 2016, an English friend told me he wanted to better understand the NHL. I invited him to the Monarch Tavern in Toronto to watch multiple playoff games. July 26

The Athletic "The NHL offseason is moving now. The expansion draft and the entry draft are done. We’ve seen some huge trades that have moved out significant salaries. And some of the highest-profile buyouts that we’re likely to see in the NHL’s first buyout window..." July 25

The Score "1. Dougie Hamilton True No. 1 defensemen in their prime like Hamilton rarely hit the open market. When they do, they get paid handsomely (see Pietrangelo, Alex). .psd-readMoreComponent{padding-top:15px;padding-bottom:15px;border-top:1px solid..." July 25

Pro Hockey Rumors "It may not be a Tuesday in October, but it isn’t the fourth Friday in June either. The 2021 NHL Entry Draft will again be a unique event and it is about far more than just the date. With the COVID-19 pandemic restricting many draft-eligible prospects from competing in full seasons and in..." July 24

NHL.com "The first round of the 2021 NHL Draft is in the books. Thirty-one players were selected on Friday. Rounds 2-7 will be Saturday (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, SN NOW). NHL.com staff writer Adam Kimelman provides analysis of each pick from the first round. July 24

Yardbarker "After a disappointing playoff exit last season, the Boston Bruins are looking to add some reinforcements.  According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Bruins are among several teams interested in Arizona Coyotes center Christian..." July 23

Daily Faceoff "Happy NHL Draft Day 2021. There’s plenty on the move, so hurry up and dive in to read about the 30 Trade Targets in play before everything changes.   1. Jack Eichel Center, Buffalo Sabres Age:..." July 23

Sportsnet "According to several sources, Chicago and Columbus are taking another run at a Seth Jones trade. During the first attempt, the Blue Jackets discussed Kirby Dach or Alex DeBrincat as the centrepiece, but it wasn’t something the Blackhawks wished to..." July 23

SI "Gabriel Landeskog's future with the Colorado Avalanche appears uncertain with the July 28 start of NHL's free-agent market less than a week away. The 28-year-old left winger will soon become an unrestricted free agent if they fail to reach an agreement on a deal. The..." July 23

The Athletic "Weaponizing cap space. Get to know that phrase. It is likely going to be referenced quite a bit when it comes to the Seattle Kraken this offseason. Completing the expansion draft has left the Kraken with a number of questions about their roster. Kraken general manager Ron Francis and..." July 23

Total Pro Sports "As the Seattle Kraken select their first roster of players in Wednesday’s NHL expansion draft, some of the city’s most famous athletes took center stage to announce their names. In attendance was Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird, Seattle Sounders FC forward Jordan Morris,..." July 22

Seattle Times "Forget floatplane landings, star power and every other rumored possibility that preceded Wednesday’s expansion draft event at Gas Works Park, where the Kraken unveiled its first chosen NHL players. The Kraken’s expansion selections, one from each of 30 teams, consisted..." July 22

NHL.com "The Seattle Kraken have a roster of 30 players and the rest of the offseason to finalize their first opening night lineup. "We're excited about what we have right now," general manager Ron Francis said Wednesday after the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft presented by Upper Deck...." July 22

The Athletic "The Seattle Kraken will announce all 30 selections at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday night, but reports from insiders around the hockey world are already coming in of which players will be moving to the Pacific Northwest. Here is the latest: Seattle Kraken expansion draft..." July 21

On The Forecheck "Per Chris Johnston, the Seattle Kraken have reportedly taken Calle Järnkrok as their selection from the Nashville Predators in the 2021 expansion draft. The Järnkrok pick isn’t much of a surprise. He was the primary name mentioned in mock drafts and rumors..." July 21

Pro Hockey Talk "The Seattle Kraken will announce their official roster on Wednesday with their expansion draft selections. They will select 30 players, one from each NHL team excluding the Vegas Golden Knights, to build initial current roster (the rules are here). July 21

Sportsnet "Welcome to 2021, where a fish tells us who's Kraken. (It was a rehearsal, but it also may have been one of the best promo ideas in recent memory.) We’re less than 24 hours from unveiling Seattle’s expansion picks, and here’s what’s out there: •..." July 21

The Athletic "One of the topics that is always fun to debate ahead of the NHL Draft is whether a team will use their first-round pick to make a blockbuster trade. Will we see the Rangers or Blackhawks send away their picks as part of a package for Jack Eichel? Are the Flyers going to..." July 20

Philly Hockey Now "Chuck Fletcher made his first big splash of the offseason this weekend. The Philadelphia Flyers traded Philippe Myers and Nolan Patrick to the Nashville Predators for Ryan Ellis. Patrick was then swapped to the Vegas Golden Knights for Cody..." July 20

A To Z Sports Nashville "A few Nashville Predator fan favorites are already out the door. Pekka Rinne, the greatest Predators Goalie of all-time, retired. Victor Arvidsson is a Los Angeles King. Ryan Ellis is a Philadelphia Flyer. Another at least somewhat notable player will be on the Seattle Kraken by the..." July 20

Bleacher Report "It's official: The Seattle Kraken are a thing. The NHL's newest team will take shape for its inaugural season this week, following submission of protected player lists Saturday by 30 of the league's other teams. July 19

Sportsnet "The protected lists have been revealed and so too has a shift in strategy by most teams when it comes to making players available for Wednesday’s expansion draft. Unlike the Vegas expansion draft of 2017, several teams have opted to protect their value contracts, young..." July 19

NHL.com "The NHL's 2021-22 regular-season schedule will include a break for the Winter Olympics in Beijing, sources with knowledge of the schedule confirmed on Monday. The Olympic break is reportedly scheduled from Feb. 5-22, 2022. The schedule, which will be released on Thursday, is..." July 19

NBC Sports Philadelphia "Chuck Fletcher said the Flyers "certainly were not looking to move" Philippe Myers or Nolan Patrick. But to negotiate and land a deal for a top-pair, righty-shot defenseman, a team must utilize its depth and make a calculated decision. July 19

NHL.com "The National Hockey League today announced the special guests taking part in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft™ presented by Upper Deck. The Seattle Kraken™ will reveal its initial roster for its 2021-22 inaugural season live from Gas Works Park in Seattle on Wednesday, July 21, at..." July 19

The Athletic "Luke Prokop was driving his car, so he couldn’t totally freak out. But man, what he was feeling at the moment. The 2020 third-round draft pick of the Nashville Predators was on a call with the NHL club’s key front office people, including..." July 19

NHL.com "The list of players protected in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft for the Seattle Kraken was released Sunday. The 30 other NHL teams (not including the Vegas Golden Knights) had the option to protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters and one goalie. All players with..." July 18

Bleacher Report "Now that the Tampa Bay Lightning have beat the Montreal Canadiens to win their second straight Stanley Cup, all eyes are focused on the NHL's impending free-agency period. But this year there is a huge plot twist: the Seattle Kraken expansion draft. July 18

Bleacher Report "No sooner had the Stanley Cup Final ended than the NHL's silly season began. Teams wasted no time in making moves to strengthen their rosters, create salary-cap space and shake up their personnel. The Ottawa Senators kicked things off when they hired former NBC Sports analyst..." July 17

Pro Hockey Rumors "Talk about going out with a bang. Just before the NHL entered a transaction freeze that lasts through Wednesday’s Expansion Draft, the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, and Vegas Golden Knights completed a trade with a slew of big names. Nashville sent career..." July 17

Bleacher Report "The NHL offseason is heating up, and speculation is running rampant. With trades taking place and rumors circulating about free agency, it hasn't taken long after the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs for teams to turn the page and start looking toward the future. Trades will be put..." July 17

Bleacher Report "With the NHL offseason now underway, most of the focus is on the Seattle Kraken expansion draft Wednesday and the annual NHL draft weekend of July 23-24. After that, the attention will turn toward the free-agent market opening July 28. Fans and pundits will be following the..." July 16

Bleacher Report "Veteran winger Gabriel Landeskog is reportedly interested in several teams if he is unable to come to terms on a new contract with the Colorado Avalanche. According to Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Maple..." July 16

TSN "The Nashville Predators and forward Erik Haula are discussing a new contract, reports The Athletic's Adam Vingan. The pending unrestricted free agent played 51 games with the Predators in 2020-21, scoring nine goals and adding 12 assists. " July 16

Pro Hockey Talk "In less than a week the Seattle Kraken will begin piecing together their roster in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. In a normal expansion year expectations would be quite low for the league’s newest team as it would historically take at least three or four seasons to build a playoff..." July 15

The Score "The dust has settled on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the NHL is rapidly approaching an avalanche of transactions, with the entry draft, expansion draft, and free agency all occurring before the end of July. With so much action on the horizon, we ask five pressing questions..." July 15