Update on Nashville Predators and Spencer Stastney arbitration negotiations

As the Nashville Predators look to keep their reputation alive of having a formidable defensive corps, a key part of that future is Spencer Stastney.

The Predators went out and signed Brady Skjei in free agency and figures to be put on the top pairing with Roman Josi. Alexandre Carrier was re-signed, somewhat unexpectedly, and will likely rejoin Jeremy Lauzon on the second pairing.

That leaves the bottom pairing looking like some combination of either Luke Schenn, Dante Fabbro and Spencer Stastney.

According to Elliotte Friedman on Saturday, the two sides have released their proposals in arbitrations. The Predators have offered Stastney a two-year, two-way deal at $775,000. Stastney's camp wants a one-year prove it deal at $950,000, and they want it to be a one-way deal which is key here.

Although Stastney is widely-regarded as having a very bright future in the NHL and has shown encouraging signs early on, he's still very much an unproven everyday NHL player.

Stastney has just 28 NHL games under his belt, putting up six points. The scoring will eventually come with his offensive skillset, but the more positive things I've seen so far from Stastney is confidence in his skating and his wise decision-making. I've never gotten the impression that he's a liability out there poised to make a bunch of back-breaking rookie mistakes.

Stastney saw the majority of his ice time with Schenn. Kind of a weird combination, but it seemed to work as they got more familiarity with each other, and it was nice having Schenn as the protector to the young Stastney who wants to push more offense.

When looking at Expected Goals % among Predators defensive pairings last season, Stastney is on three of the top-four pairings, although his time was limited playing alongside Carrier and Josi.

The point is, Stastney and the Predators will need to come to some sort of an agreement and settle this soon. There's no question in my mind that Stastney should be a opening night starter for the Predators in 2024-25. He's on a trajectory that is very promising at age 24.

Now the Predators have pretty much seen their cap space evaporated thanks to going all in on free agency with the signings of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Bardy Skjei, Scott Wedgewood and re-signing Alexandre Carrier. Every dollar counts right now, so that factors into even a small deal like this one under $1 million.

Another important note in this is Stastney is a left sided defenseman and without him in the mix on the NHL level, the Predators have few reliable options other than turning back to the prospect pool and bringing back up Marc Del Gaizo. They also just signed prospect, and left shot defenseman, Adam Wilsby to a one-year two-way deal.

Stastney was drafted by the Predators in 2018 in the fifth round. That was a quiet year in the draft for the Predators as they only had four picks, and Stastney is the only one to make it to the NHL.

They'll figure out a way to get this settled, and ultimately I think Stastney has earned himself the one-way deal worth $950,000. But to make that work, the Predators would have to do some cap maneuvering which might prove to be difficult and require a trade.