Filip Forsberg agreed to an eight-year contract with the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The 27-year-old forward had NHL career highs in goals (42), assists (42) and points (84) in 69 games for the Predators this season and one goal in four Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Forsberg could have become an unrestricted free agent July 13.
“I’ve said that since Day One –the goal is to come back here,” Forsberg said May 11. “And the business side is completely different than the on-ice side … and just kind of have to wait and see and play it out. There has been obviously some progression throughout the season from where we started in September, and me and my agent and [Nashville general manager] David [Poile] and [Predators assistant GM] Brian [Poile] and the management –there’s going to be an ongoing conversation in the process, and we’ll just have to see where we end up.”
Selected by the Washington Capitals with the No. 11 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, Forsberg has 469 points (220 goals, 249 assists) in 566 games, all with the Predators. He is their all-time leader in goals and ranks fourth in points. His 29 goals and 53 points in the playoffs rank first in Nashville history.
“We’re talking every day,” Nashville general manager David Poile said following the NHL General Managers’ meeting on Wednesday. “We’ve got a deadline coming up here (July 13) so obviously it’s hugely important to us and I’m sure it’s important to them. Both sides are from the beginning saying the right things that we’d like to get this done. Hopefully we just keep moving toward that.
“We’re going to have Filip or we’re going to do our best to be busy on the 13th. If it’s not done by the 12th then he’s free to go wherever he wants so on the 13th that’s our opportunity, but the first priority, still our priority, our No. 1 is to try to get him signed.”
Nashville (45-30-7) finished fifth in the Central Division and was the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference this season. They were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be on this team for a long time now and made the playoffs every year, but at the same time, every player plays to win the Stanley Cup, and so do I,” Forsberg said. “That’s my biggest goal, and I do believe that we have a team that can make that in the future. I think that’s the direction that a team has to be heading, and I think we are.”
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