Paul Skrbina|The Tennessean
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Now that P.K. Subban and his $9 million cap hit have been shipped to New Jersey, the best things in life might be free agents for the Predators and general manager David Poile.
But the cost for some much needed offensive firepower will be anything but free.
Poile said Saturday he wasn't quite ready to spend what he's saving. But he expected discussions to heat up in the coming week with unrestricted free agents.
"Today I just cleared the space," Poile joked Saturday. "I don’t feel like tonight I want to just give it back."
But he probably will have to in the near future to land at least one big-name free agent.
Teams were permitted to talk with those players beginning Sunday. At the top of the Predators' list, presumably, is Matt duch*ene, who has long been coveted by the Predators and Poile.
Here's a look at five free agents who might be good fits for the Predators:
Matt duch*ene
2019-20 season age: Turns 29 in January.
Position: Center.
Cap hit last season: $6 million.
Lowdown: Considered the best center on the free-agent market, and a longtime target of Poile's, duch*ene would offer what the Predators hoped Kyle Turris would and thought Mikael Granlund might be. He's a .75points-per-game player during his 10-year career and scored a career-best 70 points last season. He's also a threat on the power play (53 goals), which the Predators desperately need after finishing last in the league last season. He probably willcost between $8 million and $9 million per season, likely for the next seven years.
Artemi Panarin
2019-20 season age: Turns 28 in October.
Position: Left wing.
Cap hit last season: $6 million.
The lowdown: This is a long shot. First, Panarin has long been rumored to be going to somewhere near a beach (think Florida Panthers, where his coach with the Blackhawks, Joel Quenneville, is now in charge). Second, he's going to cost – coast or no coast – alot. Perhaps more than $11 million per season. That's lots of bread for the "Bread Man."But he'd be well worth it. The 27-year-old is a franchise-type player who has 169 points in the past two seasons (55 goals, 114 assists). He led the Blue Jackets with 18 power-play points.
Joe Pavelski
2019-20 season age: 35.
Position: Center/right wing.
Cap hit last season: $6 million.
The lowdown: He's no spring chicken, but he also probably wouldn't tie the team down with a long-term deal. Not a bad Plan B for the Predators. He had 38 goals, most among any potential free agent, for the Sharks last season. About as durable as they come, hehas missed only eight regular-season games in the past six seasons. He was an All-Star and captain for the Sharks. He has 355 goals (121 on the power play) and 406 assists in 963 regular-season games and 48 goals and 52 assists in 134 postseason games. He is expected to cost around $7 million per year.
Anders Lee
2019-20 season age: 29.
Position: Left wing.
Cap hit last season: $3.75 million.
The lowdown: The Islanders' captain has four 20-goal seasons in his past five and scored a career-best 40 in 2017-18. He has appeared in at least 76 games in each of the past five seasons, including 82 in each of the past two. The seven-year veteran was a sixth-round pick of the Islanders, with whom he's spent his entire career. He had three straight 50-point seasons. He had 10 power-play goals last season and 14 the year before that. He would be eligible to sign a seven-year deal with the Predators and is projected to be worth between $6 million and $7 million per year, according to hockey-graphs.com.
Gustav Nyquist
2019-20 season age:Turns 30 in September.
Position: Right wing/left wing.
Cap hit last season: $4.75 million.
The lowdown: Another Sharks free agent who can play, he had 22 goals and 38 assists last season, his first 60-point showing. But he's not a huge threat on the power play and not quite the primary scorer the Predators need.He's played 500 career regular-season games in eight seasons. His projected cap hit is between $5 million and $6 million per season.
Reach Paul Skrbina at pskrbina@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @PaulSkrbina.
SO LONG, P.K.: How will Subban trade impact the Predators?
PARTING WORDS: After Predators trade him to Devils, PK Subban thanks Nashville in Instagram video
MEMORIES: Subban's top moments in Nashville with the Predators
HARD TO SAY GOODBYE: Predators fans mostly complimentary of Subban after he's traded to New Jersey
