Nashville Predators: Ryan Johansen Deserves Big Payday

You can’t just sign new players in free agency, you have to retain your core if you’re the Nashville Predators. That starts with Ryan Johansen.

With the Nashville Predators not being shy in free agency thus far, now their attention has to turn to retaining some of their stars from last season’s squad, like Ryan Johansen.

Johansen is due for a new contract and is coming off a great season that was pivotal in Nashville’s playoff surge that almost landed the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. With 13 playoff points and over 60 points in the regular season, Johansen has earned himself the right to a big payday.

The last thing you want to do with a team that came within two wins of a Stanley Cup is break up the key contributors. Johansen is certainly a top-five player on this team in terms of importance, while showing his toughness in that Anaheim Ducks series.

Negotiations have started between Johansen and General Manager David Poile, per Brooks Bratten of NHL.com:

David Poile’s Tough Decision

Earning your money as a GM really starts with holding onto your core players that are already critical to your success. That’s exactly what Johansen is as a player who moves without the puck effectively, and is outstanding as a set-up man. The drop-off was crystal clear when Johansen was lost in the playoffs to injury.

Now the question is how much is he actually worth? Of course you can’t overspend too much, but Johansen is a key component to keeping this team at the top of the Western Conference. His camp is reportedly asking for over  $8 million, per Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News:

That type of contract would make him one of the highest-paid centers in the league, and would take the Predators out of any other major signings. It’s a tough call to say if he’s really worth that. Poile has an extremely difficult decision to make, and it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Keeping Johansen pretty much guarantees that Matt Duchene won’t be another free agency splash for Nashville. Here’s a quick look at what the Nashville Predators currently have on their roster at center:

• Ryan Johansen (Restricted Free Agent)
• Nick Bonino (Just acquired from Pittsburgh)
• Mike Fisher (Considering Retirement)
• Frederick Gaudreau
• Calle Jarnkrok
• Colton Sissons

There’s young talent on that list, and the Bonino acquisition certainly helps, but losing Johansen will be a major setback. A lot of uncertainty at position if you lose Johansen. Poile might have to overpay slightly to avoid the alternative, which is being very thin at center. Not only that, but Johansen is one of the team’s best passers that keeps the offense flowing.

Next: Day 1 Recap of Free Agency for Preds

With everything Johansen brings to the table, I can’t see Poile letting him get away. Even if that means slightly overspending, Johansen has earned his right to get paid handsomely.