Nashville Predators: Dan Hamhuis Signs Two-Year Contract
By Kyle Gray
The Nashville Predators surprised many by signing defenseman Dan Hamhuis. He returns to the Predators after being drafted by them 12th overall in 2001.
It’s Hammer Time in Nashville. News broke this morning that the Nashville Predators were bringing back Dan Hamhuis on a two-year deal. It’s an out of the blue signing, but one that many fans will be excited about. Hamhuis was a first-round pick for the Nashville Predators in 2001 and spent his first six seasons with the team. In his rookie year, he helped the Predators notch their first playoff birth.
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While the signing caught some off-guard, it shouldn’t be too surprising. David Poile likes to bring back former players after they leave (see Scott Hartnell, Cody Franson). At $2.5 million over two years, the Predators get another affordable, offseason signing. In essence, the defensive pairs are filled out. Hamhuis will likely anchor the third line and see time on special teams. In his career, he has 14 goals and 61 assists on the power play.
What to Expect
Hamhuis won’t score a lot of goals or lead the team in points. Assists make up most of his point totals. His most productive season was actually his second season with the Nashville Predators when he finished with 38 points. I wouldn’t expect much more than 20 points from the Hammer given his age and role.
What you can expect, though, is a veteran presence and a player not afraid to use his body to help his team. This will be Hamhuis’ 15th season. He’s already notched over 1,000 games played so he’s seen just about everything at this point. As the Stanley Cup watch for the Nashville Predators continues, you bet Dan Hamhuis has his eyes on the elusive prize too.
If Hamhuis is known for anything, it’s his hip checks. Just YouTube it and you’ll see. He’s had seasons of 100+ hits, though that number is starting to decline. He also uses his body to get in front of the puck and block shots.
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Overall, it’s a great signing even if it may be a depth piece. With the nostalgia of Scott Hartnell last year, Predators fans get to relive the old days by watching Dan Hamhuis in a gold jersey this year.