Predators' Filip Forsberg Comments On Future in Nashville

The Nashville Predators were the first team eliminated from the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, thanks to a dominant four-game performance from the Colorado Avalanche. Preds management has some major decisions to make this summer and one player to watch is pending free-agent Filip Forsberg.

The long-time Preds winger spoke to the media on Tuesday and admitted the future isn't quite clear as he'd like:

I've said that since Day 1: The goal is to come back here. The business side is completely different than the on-ice side. (We'll) just kind of have to wait and see and play it out. There's been obviously some (negotiation) progression throughout the season from where we started in September, and me and my agent and (the Predators front office) are going to be in ongoing conversation in the process. We'll just have to see where we end. I've been fortunate enough to be on this team for a long time now, and we've made the playoffs (almost) every year. But at the same time, every player plays to win the Stanley Cup. So do I. That's my biggest goal. I do believe we have a team that can make that in the future. I think that's the direction that a team has to be heading, and I think we are.

If Forsberg hits the open market there will be a massive bidding war as he'll be one of the elite players available. It's been four straight years of first-round misery in Nashville so you can't blame general manager David Poile to consider his options. The team will have roughly $25 million in cap space entering the summer so there's certainly the resources available to keep Forsberg in the mix. Whether or not that turns out to be the case, only time will tell. Interesting times in Smashville to say the least.

More than anyone else on the ice, Filip Forsberg took a really good, long look at the crowd in Nashville. #Preds #StandWithUs pic.twitter.com/fMNZGTCPwj
— Shaun C Smith (@SCSOTF) May 10, 2022