The Nashville Predators have plenty of cap space to make an extra move or two as free agency starts to thin out, and Ryan Suter is one free agent that is still out there available.
Of the players left there is one name that should jump out at Predators fans, and it is one that makes a lot of sense for one last ride.
You still need one more really solid vet to anchor the defense, and only one player on the market is going to fit that bill, and he happens to be a former Nashville Predators great.
Ryan Suter should've already gotten a call and contract from Predators GM Barry Trotz, but it isn't too late. Suter is a free agent after playing last season with the St. Louis Blues, and says that he'd like to keep playing. He just needs the right situation.
Is their a potential fit between the Nashville Predators and Ryan Suter to have a reunion?
You might be thinking that employing a 40-year-old to play one of hockey's most grueling positions, especially when he'll be 41 for at least half the season, but Suter isn't an average 40-year-old. Heck, he isn't even an average NHLer, even though he's looking to play a 21st NHL season.
Suter's seven years in Nashville were incredibly productive. He played 542 games, amassing 238 points, and being a model of consistency, showing that solid positioning, great skating, and hard work can get you paid. He did, signing a 13-year $98 million deal with the Wild, and being so good that the deal made sense for nine of those years. Then he moved on to a smaller deal, but one that saw him spend 4 productive seasons in Dallas, and this last year with St. Louis.
Suter was on the veteran minimum, but still found himself playing 19 and a half minutes on average, and starting in the defensive zone 64% of the time. He was being used a lot and used in high-leverage defensive positions. His offensive game isn't what it once was, but considering his restrictions and that he only had 62 shots on goal, his 15 points weren't bad.
Perhaps the most impressive feat? Suter played 82 games. A full season at 40. He hasn't missed a game since missing two in the 2017-18 season. Suter is an absolute workhorse who keeps himself in shape and whose game has aged gracefully.
The Predators are going to be playing some younger defenseman, and their vets are more offensively oriented. With Nicolas Hague and Nick Perbix being the only "defensive" defenders, having Suter would provide you an anchor to that could solidify a tandem with players like Brady Skjei, or a younger player like Tanner Molendyk or Adam Wilsby.
Would this be pandering to the fans slightly, getting to see one of the very first real stars that the Predators produced come home for one more year? Yes, but it would mean a lot to see a really well-liked player like Suter make a return. He could also easily be traded at the deadline to a contending team that wants veteran depth. He's also only 38 games away from moving into 6th all-time in games played by an NHL defenseman (Nick Lidstrom is the guy above him) and four points away from 700 for his career, which would put him ahead of Chris Pronger. It might be a chance to watch him put the finishing touches on a borderline Hall of Fame resume.
The only downside would be him taking up a roster spot, and a young talented prospect like Tanner Molendyk or Ryan Ufko not being able to play with the big club.
But really, when it comes to bringing back one of the best players to ever skate for the Predators and watching him put a bow on his career, when both of those guys can get AHL experience, or even better, learn from Suter himself, you pick up the phone and make the call.