Insider Drops Word On Juuse Saros's Next Move

Juuse Saros has been one of the top goaltenders in the NHL throughout his nine-year career. With just one year to run on his four-year, $5 million AAV pact, he's eligible for an extension this summer with the Nashville Predators. But with trade talks swirling, Saros has apparently made his own decision on any potential extension.

Insider Elliotte Friedman said this week on Nashville's 102.5 The Game, that the Preds' backstop won't make a move until he sees what the New York Rangers' Igor Shesterkin gets on a new deal—which is expected to be the richest goalie contract in NHL history.

I’m sure that Saros’ agents are going to say hey, maybe we’re not [Shesterkin], but we’re 75 to 80% of him, so we want to get in that area. I would expect Saros’ agents to wait for [Shesterkin] or to see how that goes to affect their own conversations.

Shesterkin is expected to command something in the $11M-$12M AAV range at minimum, which would blow away the current record of $10.5M held by Carey Price. At the "75-80%" range that Friedman speaks of, that would leave Saros's demands in about the $9-$9.5M range.

Before Shesterkin signs whatever massive deal he's able to get, Connor Hellebuyck reset the goaltending market with the Winnipeg Jets this past fall on a seven-year, $8.5M AAV contract signed at the beginning of this past season.

Using that as a comp, Saros would have been looking at something just below that $8.5 mark. But once Shesterkin blows everything out of the water, all bets are off. And we've already heard earlier this week that Predators GM Barry Trotz "doesn't have the appetite" for what the Saros camp has in mind.

All signs point to a trade out of Nashville for Saros. Several teams are lining up.