Five 2024 Free Agent Forwards Nashville Predators should target on July 1

Tyler Bertuzzi

Bertuzzi has bounced around quite a bit throughout the past year and a half, as he has played most of his career in Detroit but was traded to Boston at last year's deadline. He once again finds himself hitting free agency after a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and would honestly be a very sensible acquisition for a team like the Predators.

For starters, he has a physical edge to his game that stands out and can be very tough for other teams to play against. That has still proved to be important even in an Andrew Brunette system that is predicated on new age offensive tactics, as tenacity and high effort are still a requirement for him and Trotz.

He has a nose for the net, always getting to the front and battling there, and that is where he scores most of his goals. He is by no means known as a sniper, but his shot is not half bad, as he has shown ability to score from the high slot and weird angles near the net front.

He has also scored several goals finishing plays that started off the rush, which fits well for a Predators team that wants to be able to execute with things such as speed and stretch passes. He plays hard and has offensive skill, and there is a good chance that he has yet to truly reach his ceiling.

Bertuzzi has had two relatively down years since recording 62 points in 68 games in 2021-22, a year in which he hit the 30-goal mark. That year, he averaged almost 20 minutes of ice time per game and did not even reach the 16:30 mark in the past two seasons, and could increase his production again if he is given more ice time.

He is 29 years old, which is not exactly young, but plenty young enough to where he should have several years of juice left in the tank. Lots of players even hit their primes at age 30, so it is plausible to believe that the same could happen to Bertuzzi.

With how the past two years have gone for him, he will almost certainly not command a ton of money or term, which is perfect for the Predators. If he were to stay the way he has recently been, it would not be a big deal, but if he broke out, the Predators would reap the rewards big time.

He is exactly the kind of player that can help out in the present and be a serious contributor for the future, so he should absolutely be on Trotz's radar.

Chandler Stephenson

Stephenson on the surface might not seem like the most appealing option, as he is the oldest player on this list (granted, not by much) and has only cracked the 20-goal mark once in his career. But two things alone make him a must-watch for the Predators: his Stanley Cup history and familiarity with Trotz.

Stephenson has won the Cup twice with two different teams -- the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights -- and was a heavy contributor during the run with Vegas. He was also not only coached by Trotz in Washington, but was with them when they won the Cup and he played every game during that run.

We have seen how much Trotz values both things, especially the Cup pedigree, and his style of play would make him a good fit for Brunette's system.

He is primarily a playmaking forward who gets so many goals off the rush and in transition, and once again, a major part of Brunette's system is strength in the transition game. He also is not afraid to go to the net to score and can play a physical game.

He is coming off of a down-year production wise, and with him hitting the 30-year old mark before July 1, he is unlikely to receive an outrageous contract. It will probably be more expensive than what it would be to sign Bertuzzi, but certainly nothing you would give to an elite player.

And with how uniquely made his resume is for the Predators, it would not be surprising if Trotz was actively looking to make this move. With how he and Brunette talk, they seem to value culture and intangibles above all else, and a Stephenson signing might mean they see that in him.

Jake DeBrusk

If there is any free agent forward this year who checks every box as a fit for the Predators, it is DeBrusk. He is the youngest player on this list at 27 years old, and has every quality that Trotz and Brunette want in their guys.

He works hard in front of the net to make plays and is physical, while also being speedy and effective in transition. He has a decent shot and is also analytically inclined, which is great news for his potential because he has never averaged over 16:50 per game in a season, and very likely would eclipse that on the Predators.

DeBrusk's contract situation has been murky for a few years and at one point, he had requested a trade from the Boston Bruins.

He would later re-sign on a bridge deal as a restricted free agent and rescind his trade request, but there has been no indication that the two sides are nearing a resolution. DeBrusk and the Bruins will almost certainly part ways this offseason, and the Predators could take advantage of his availability.

He definitely will not be super cheap to sign, but he obviously is not a headliner, and just had a bit of a down year in terms of his base stats and analytics. Although he did just have a strong performance in the playoffs, so that may ultimately justify him getting the type of contract he is looking for.

Plus, him being over two full years out from turning 30 will help him out when it comes to how much money he could demand in the offseason. Either way, it will be nothing that Trotz and the Predators cannot afford, and DeBrusk is the type of player who would make sense to give that money to.

The team desperately needs to improve the second line and upper middle six if they want a better chance to go far in the playoffs, and of all guys on this list, DeBrusk has the best combination of being a current upgrade and having room for future improvement.

Elias Lindholm

Just two years ago, Lindholm was thought of as one of the best centers in the league and was on track to receive a true blockbuster contract when the time came. If he would have stayed that way, it does not mean he could not have fit with the Predators come the present day, but regardless, the discussion around him is very different now.

Lindholm has been steadily declining in all areas since scoring 42 goals in 2021-22, and his base production this year was the lowest it had been since his days in Carolina. He performed well in the playoffs, which will help out his chances of getting paid, but his value is unquestionably lower than it was in the recent past.

That being said, it would still be worth it for the Predators to inquire about Lindholm, because there are areas in which he could provide legitimate help. Trotz has specifically mentioned the center position as one that he wants to add more talent to, and of course, that is Lindholm's position.

He makes almost all of his offensive living at the net front and slot areas, which plays into his natural abilities to be physical and shoot the puck well. He is also known for his defensive play and was top ten in Selke Trophy voting in each of the past two years before the most recent one, and he finished second in 2021-22.

At his very best, he is a true 200-foot player, and guys like that will always be highly sought after. Of course though, the question is whether or not he will return to those levels, and that makes him one of the biggest mysteries in this free agency cycle.

He will be on the latter side of 29 heading into 2024-25, so it is not like he is at an age where his career should be almost over. It really does feel like it will be a gut thing with Lindholm where GM's will have to decide if they think he can bounce back or not, and the Predators will have to watch the market and see if it makes sense to sign him.

A recent report is that he just turned down a deal to re-sign in Vancouver for 7 years at $7M per year, and if that is actually what Trotz is up against, he should stay away. But if he has the opportunity to sign Lindholm to a bridge deal, which seems much more appropriate, then why not take a flier knowing the great player he has been in the past?

Sean Monahan

Monahan, like Lindholm, is an interesting case, as he is another center who by all accounts, is nowhere near the same as he was at his best. Ironically, both have played much of their careers for the Calgary Flames, and early on, it looked like Monahan was going to be a legitimate franchise cornerstone for them.

But after the 2018-19 season, he started to fall off, getting progressively worse until he was traded along with a 1st round pick to the Montreal Canadiens in the 2022 offseason. It seemed like it was a hail mary to revive a doomed career, but maybe the change of scenery was just what he needed.

He had a productive start to the 2022-23 season, and although that was cut short due to injury, he picked up right where he left off this past season. The acquisition went so well for the Canadiens that they flipped him at the 2024 All Star break for a 1st round pick, and he finished the season with 26 goals and 33 assists in 83 games.

Monahan had a complete turnaround from his slump in Calgary, as he finally returned to being a top six caliber forward and found his strengths as a player once again.

Like most on this list, he has several qualities that make him a fit for Brunette's system, as he can pass and shoot around the net front and slot, and is adept and quick when needed in transition. He is not a major factor in the physical game, but he is certainly not inadequate in that area, and that is just fine for what he would be expected to bring.

It is advantageous for his sake that he got his legs back under him as he hits free agency, but teams are still unlikely to give him anything more than a bridge deal at this point. This was the first season in quite some time that he has been a consistent producer, which almost never justifies receiving a contract with major money and term.

But of course, a player who has the potential and will not cost much is perfect for a team like the Predators, and Monahan is 29 years old, so it makes a lot of sense. And with him seemingly back on the upswing, it is plenty plausible that he could keep it going, which would give the Predators a huge upgrade at the center position.