Nashville Predators: Free Agents Forwards to Track this Offseason

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Free agency opens up in less than three weeks, and the Nashville Predators are one of those teams that figure to be rather busy in retaining its own players and adding some newcomers as well.

Before free agency gets going on July 28, the Expansion Draft and the 2021 NHL Entry Draft have to occur. Who the Nashville Predators lose in the expansion draft to the Seattle Kraken will really affect how free agency goes, and they have some players they absolutely have to protect first and foremost.

When it comes to free agency, the Predators are expected to have some voids to fill once we get to free agency. The Predators have three unrestricted free agents and three restricted free agents among their forwards this offseason.

We’ve already covered the free agency defensemen and goaltenders for the Predators to keep on their radars:

Free Agent Goaltenders for Predators to Target. light. Related Story

Related Story. Free Agent Defensemen for Predators to Look At. light

Nashville Predators will have voids to fill

The Predators have some unrestricted free agents of their own they might end up losing from their group of forwards:

Mikael Granlund
Brad Richardson
Erik Haula

For the sake of everyone, I’m going to leave off the heavyweight free agent forwards off the list. Star players that will be extremely expensive like Alex Ovechkin, Taylor Hall and Gabriel Landeskog don’t need introductions, and probably aren’t ending up with the Predators. If they do, then I’ll gladly admit I was wrong.

With that said, the Predators could end up finding themselves in need of a free agent forward or two a couple weeks from now, so let’s take a look at some that stick out on the open market.

Ottawa Senators left wing Ryan Dzingel (10)Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports /

Ryan Dzingel, Ottawa Senators, 2020-21 Cap Hit: $3.375M

I’m all about finding moderately cheap and low-risk free agents this offseason for the Nashville Predators. They can’t take on anymore massive contracts that are full of risk that could blow up in their face.

I like Ryan Dzingel as a possible options if the Senators don’t bring him back. He had somewhat of a down year this past season splitting time with the Hurricanes and Senators, and only managing 13 points in 40 games.

So was Dzingel’s 2018-19 season when he put up 56 points just a flash in the pan? He’s just 29-years-old and his ice time really evaporated to under 13 minutes per game last season.

Dzingel can contribute bottom-six scoring, which is something the Predators are going to be in search of. His career shooting percentage sits at a respectable 14 percent.

Maybe a change in scenery could ramp back up Dzingel’s career, and he’s not going to be expensive on the open market. I’d take a flyer on him if the Predators end up being in need for a free agent forward after losing some free agents of their own.

Mattias Janmark, Vegas Golden Knights, 2020-21 Cap Hit: $2.25M

In regards to free agent forwards who are realistic and fairly priced that are due to hit the open market, Mattias Janmark is one that really interests me.

Janmark’s time with the Chicago Blackhawks last season was brief after spending his entire NHL career with the Dallas Stars. He eventually landed with the Vegas Golden Knights to finish out the 2020-21 season.

The Blackhawks probably didn’t want to part ways with Janmark, but they took that strategy as they were fading out of the playoff picture, and Vegas scooped him up.

I’m not entirely convinced that Vegas will keep Janmark. He underproduced for them, but it doesn’t mean his career is a dud. He’s a player that can play a vital role in a team’s depth chart, and also hit his peak in the next year or two.

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Janmark would be a great fit for the Predators as a versatile player who can score, help the power play and easily become a 30 to 40-point scorer in an 82-game season. He’s also entering the prime of his career at age 28, so the best could definitely still be to come for him.

If the Predators end up losing a forward in expansion, and also lose someone like Erik Haula in free agency, then there will be a need for a free agent forward. I like Janmark to fill in for a lost player, and you can argue he’d even be an upgrade to the bottom-six.

Alexander Wennberg, Florida Panthers, 2020-21 Cap Hit: $2.25M

This would be a major offseason move for the Predators to add a relatively young centerman like Alexander Wennberg who I’m sure is expecting a decent raise from his previous contract.

The Predators certainly need an upgrade at the center position with the uncertainty surrounding Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen. This position has always been a weak on for the Predators organization.

Wennberg does a little bit of everything on the ice as a true center and performed slightly above a half point per game pace in all 56 regular season games for the Panthers last season. There’s definitely a lot to be desired from that production level.

In 2016-17 for the Blue Jackets, Wennberg came up just short of the 60-point plateau and you know there’s teams out there that will chase him on the open market hoping he can come close to that level once again.

Wennberg has fairly decent possession metrics for his career, although last season was a little disappointing at just 49.8 Corsi-for. That needs to improve as well if he’s going to return to being a top-six center.

Could Wennberg fulfill a third line center role for the Predators if the price is right? He definitely can, but other teams will be highly interested as well.

This is a player I can see the Predators showing moderate interest in if the Panthers don’t bring him back. What his price tag would be is the major question, and he’s one the Predators can’t overspend for.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Blake Coleman (20) Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports /

Blake Coleman, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2020-21 Cap Hit: $1.8M

Almost everyone is fully aware of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s cap situation that created some controversy and maneuvering that put them way over the cap in time for their run to a repeat of the Stanley Cup.

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They’re going to have to lose some key pieces, and Blake Coleman jumps out to me as one of them. I love watching this guy play, and someone will be very happy to scoop him away from the Stanley Cup champs.

How big of a pay raise did Coleman earn for being a key role player for the Lightning? He’ll definitely see a bump from his modest $1.8M annual salary he earned over the last three seasons in Tampa Bay.

The Predators have some moderate money to spend to get a player like Coleman. He put up an impressive 31 points in 55 of the 56 regular season games for the Lightning, which was well ahead of his career point pace.

In 2019-20, Coleman put up just one more point in 11 more games than he did this past season. He seems to be trending up, which will get him a decent pay raise.

Add onto his offensive production, Coleman plays a physical game with 109 hits this past season and his been in the conversation for the Selke Trophy in the past.

What’s the fair price for him in regards to the Predators? I’d explore a two or three-year deal worth around $2.5M, but no more than $3M. There could very well be a team willing to overspend for a player like Coleman.

Remember, the Viktor Arvidsson trade has freed up some room for Poile to be a little more aggressive on the open market. Coleman is a player I really hope he pursues heavily as he could be a major boost to the third line.

Don’t expect Poile to sit idly by on the free agent market. He’s looking to shake this roster up after trading Arvidsson.

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