Predators, Kostitsyn will avoid hearings with 1-year deal
On Thursday, GM David Poile alleviated four potential headaches for the Nashville Predators in re-signing a quartet of restricted free agents. All four players could have become unrestricted free agents had a arbitrator ruled the Predators sent them qualifying offers after an NHL-imposed deadline, with that hearing scheduled to begin on Friday.
The one player Poile didn't sign was the most important: Winger Sergei Kostitsyn, who led Nashville in goals and points last season. Poile remedied that as well, according to the team:
Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has agreed to terms with restricted free-agent forward Sergei Kostitsyn on a one-year contract worth $2.5 million.
The news was first reported by Tim Wharsnby of CBC Sports.
While that's a hefty raise for a 23-year-old player coming off his first season worth a damn in the NHL, it's also Poile betting that (a) Kostitsyn would have earned more as an unrestricted free agent if the Predators lost their arbitration case and (b) that this wage would be a fair compensation if Kostitsyn had gone to salary arbitration as an RFA, for which he had filed.
It's $2.5 million to avoid two hearings with lots of potential pitfalls for the Predators.
It's also a 1-year "show me" contract, with Kostitsyn going restricted again next summer.
From Dirk Hoag of On The Forecheck, on Poile's moves:
Is this a bit of an overpay in order to head off the risk that he'd command a bigger payday on the open market? Perhaps. SK74 had nothing to gain by signing a contract today, unless the team was offering better terms on a "this offer expires as soon as we walk into this hearing" basis.
Overall, I'm satisfied with what David Poile was able to do in bringing back this RFA class. I had pegged the trio of Nick Spaling, Cal O'Reilly, and SK74 for around $5 million total, and this deal brings the three in together at a collective $4.55 million. Even $100,000 here and there can make a big difference at the trade deadline, when the team is considering a high-priced, but short-term addition for the playoff run.
The Kostitsyn deal is a good move for Poile. Had the Predators lost the qualifying offer goof hearing and he went UFA, Garth Snow someone would have given him a nutty $3 million a year deal. This is a heck of a raise, but it's not nutty.
