On a very busy Monday afternoon, the Nashville Predators made two re-signings officially official.
Defenseman Alexandre Carrier has been re-signed to a 3-year, $11.25 million contract. This is $3.75 million annually. Carrier was selected in 2015 at 115th overall and played several seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals before finally making the leap to Nashville. GM Barry Trotz called Carrier an “own rental” last trade deadline, and locking up a right-handed defenseman is key for a contending team. Carrier has had some tough injury luck, so it’ll be interesting to see if he can play closer to a full season. Carrier played in 73 games in 2023-2024 and posted 20 points (4 goals, 16 assists).
Franchise goalie Juuse Saros has been locked up for 8 years on a $61.92 million contract. Saros, once Pekka Rinne’s protege, has taken on the “starting goalie” mantle in the last few seasons. Without Saros, Nashville likely would not have made it to the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. Saros is often criticized for his size (lack thereof), but he’s proven time and time again that he’s a Top 5 goalie in the NHL.
GM Barry Trotz said “This is a young man who has proven himself as one of the NHL’s best goaltenders. Just as importantly, he and his wife, Minna, have been an incredibly positive presence in our community, and we’re happy they’ve made a commitment to Nashville and Middle Tennessee for years to come. We’ve long envisioned Juuse spending his NHL career with the Predators, and this is the next step in that process. His competitiveness and work ethic will help him build even further on the success he’s already enjoyed as our starting goaltender.”
Saros is 29, and there’s obviously some concern about him playing into his late 30s. However, this is exactly the kind of deal you want your goalie to have if you’re going to compete for Cups – that’s exactly Nashville’s plan.