Nashville Predators: 3 Players With Expiring Contracts

With the off-season almost completed, it feels right to take a preview into next year's. In this segment, we will be looking at three players from each team who have expiring contracts. Both restricted and unrestricted free agents are eligible for discussion.

The Nashville Predators will be discussed in this one. They are going to have some big decisions to make, as they have two very important players with expiring contracts. With the team trading away Ryan Ellis and Viktor Arvidsson this off-season, it seems that they could be in for some big changes. They also have an important RFA to extend, too.

Filip Forsberg RW (UFA): Filip Forsberg has one year left on his current deal and will have the chance to be an unrestricted free agent. Forsberg has consistently been Nashville's best forward for the last seven seasons. In 39 games this past season, he scored 12 goals and recorded 32 points. With the Predators trading away some of their core players this summer, it will be interesting to see what happens with Forsberg. Will he be willing to stay on a team that may be heading towards a rebuild? The possibility of him being traded could also be there, too.

Mattias Ekholm D (UFA): Mattias Ekholm is another key player with an expiring contract on the Predators. Like with Forsberg, one has to wonder if Ekholm would want to stay with them if they commit to a rebuild. There is no denying that he's a fantastic defenseman in this league and every team would love to have him. In 48 games this past season, he scored six goals and had 23 points. If he were to hit the open market, he would have plenty of suitors because of his solid two-way play. We will have to wait and see if the Predators end up re-signing him or shipping him out at the deadline.

Luke Kunin C/RW (RFA): Luke Kunin left a good first impression with the Nashville Predators this season. In 38 games, he scored 10 goals and recorded 19 points. The 23-year-old forward is continuing to get better, so it will be interesting to see what his next contract will be. Thankfully unlike the other two, Kunin is a restricted free agent, so Nashville will have more control over him. He should be a big part of their future because he not only produces offensively, but also can be utilized on the penalty kill.