Predators Should Target Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion Center in Free Agency

The Nashville Predators have already been linked to several pending free agents who could address their various needs this summer, but there is one under-the-radar candidate in particular who could be deserving of their attention.

Related: Timing is Perfect for Nashville Predators to Find Ideal UFA to Sign

If he remains unsigned by the start of free agency on July 1, the Predators should take a serious look at 30-year-old center Chandler Stephenson . A two-time Stanley Cup champion and a pending unrestricted free agent with the Vegas Golden Knights, Stephenson packs a scoring punch and provides the depth down the middle that Nashville needs.

Vegas Likely Can't Afford to Keep Stephenson

Stephenson has developed into a reliable two-way, second-line forward. He's finishing a four-year deal in Vegas with a cap hit of $2.75 million. He played a key role in the Golden Knights' march to the 2023 Stanley Cup and will likely be seeking a pay raise as a result of his contributions.

Meanwhile, Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon enters the offseason in a cap crunch, facing difficult decisions about Stephenson and fellow pending UFA forward Jonathan Marchessault, who has been with the Golden Knights since their inaugural season and just finished a six-year, $30 million contract . The Golden Knights' limited cap space will complicate McCrimmon's efforts to retain either player, as the team currently carries a projected cap space of just $1.797 million with 20 active roster players under contract for next season .

It's reasonable to assume that Vegas will prioritize re-signing Marchessault, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during the Golden Knights' 2023 Stanley Cup run. He has scored 25 or more goals every year for Vegas, and his career high previously sat at 30 goals until he exploded for 42 goals and 27 assists in 2023-24 at age 33.

If the Golden Knights focus their resources on keeping Marchessault in Vegas, this would send Stephenson to the free-agent market, giving other NHL teams the opportunity to sign him to a contract beginning July 1. Given their need for a reliable second-line center with a winning pedigree, the Predators should be first in what is likely to be a long line of suitors for Stephenson when free agency opens.

Stephenson is a Serial Winner

Stephenson was selected by the Washington Capitals in the third round of the 2012 NHL Draft (No. 77 overall) and made his NHL debut with the Capitals in 2015. In 2019, he was traded to the Golden Knights, where he experienced a breakout, setting career highs in goals (21 in 2021-22) and points (65 in 2022-23) en route to his second career Stanley Cup in 2023.

Stephenson has 95 games of Stanley Cup Playoff experience over six seasons – two with Washington and four with Vegas. He has recorded 15 goals and 39 points in the postseason, including 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 22 games during Vegas' march to the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Stephenson already has some unique ties to the Predators organization as well. He was in the same draft class as current Predators forward Filip Forsberg, who was also selected by the Capitals in the 2012 NHL Draft (No. 11 overall). While Forsberg was traded to Nashville in 2013, Stephenson remained with the Capitals organization and went on to win his first Stanley Cup with Washington in 2018 – coached by none other than current Predators general manager Barry Trotz.

Stephenson's Fit in Nashville

The Predators need a legitimate second-line center who can help the team build a winning culture, and Stephenson fits the bill. Over the past three seasons in Vegas, he has been a consistent 50-65 point scorer while averaging more than 18 minutes of ice time per game during the regular season.

While Trotz has said that one of his goals for the Predators is to get younger, adding 30-year-old Stephenson for the right term at the right price wouldn't block Nashville's younger forwards from moving up the roster. In fact, players like Luke Evangelista, Tommy Novak and Cody Glass could see their offensive numbers skyrocket while playing on the wing with an experienced, playmaking center like Stephenson.

The Predators have nearly $26 million in available cap space for next season after trading defenseman Ryan McDonagh and his $6.75 million annual salary back to the Tampa Bay Lightning. With Stephenson likely seeking a raise over his current annual valie – potentially around the $4 million mark – the Predators could afford to potentially sign both him and another free agent with the money previously allotted to McDonagh alone over the next two seasons.