In what could be described as surprising news, NBC Sports Chicago reported yesterday that the Blackhawks did not extend a qualifying offer to pending restricted free agent Pius Suter. So, starting on Wednesday, he is free to sign with other teams, and the Nashville Predators should take full advantage of this opportunity.
I have been on record saying that the Predators should not be aggressive in free agency this year, as they are going through transition and are not expected to be Stanley Cup contenders for at least two more years. But unlike most free agents, Pius Suter is a perfect fit for the team right now and could benefit them for years to come.
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Suter is 25 years old and coming off of his rookie season, in which he recorded 14 goals and 13 assists in 55 games played. Not exactly stellar production by any means, but he was one of the better rookies for the Blackhawks this past year. You can expect him to keep going through growing pains and improve as his career goes on.
In terms of someone who will make the Predators tougher to play against, which is what they are prioritizing now, Suter is exactly that. He is someone who is best in front of the opposing goal, and he does not stop fighting and battling until he puts the puck in the back of the net.
Not only that, but nowadays, Nashville is the place to come if you are relatively unproven and want to prove yourself as legit. What better marriage could there be than the Predators and Suter.
Suter could be a player who would love to prove his former team wrong about not re-signing him and playing with a chip on his shoulder as a result. With the Blackhawks being a division rival of the Predators, you know Suter would love to stick it to them that much more.
Even with the abundance of cap space that the Predators have heading into Wednesday, they would not have to set aside much to sign Suter. He could receive a two-year deal in the $1M — $2M per year range at the absolute most.
If he does not work out in Nashville, Suter will walk in free agency yet again, and it does not hurt the team’s future in the least. But if he succeeds, the Predators would have yet another key piece and will be even scarier to play against in the future.
Signing Suter would be a very low-risk maneuver but would have just as good of, if not a better, chance of paying massive dividends. Unfortunately, opportunities like this do not come around very often, and Poile needs to be looking into it right now.