Steven Stamkos, who led the NHL in scoring in 2010 and 2012, comes to Nashville from Tampa Bay.

-- Phelan Ebenhack | Ap Photo

We might never know what a top hat looks like on Predators general manager Barry Trotz, but he spent money like Milburn Pennybags – better known as the Monopoly Man – during the 2024 offseason.

Wearing a blue Predators polo shirt, not a tuxedo, to his July 1 media conference, Trotz happily discussed the new additions he made to a roster that was good, but not great in the 2023-24 season.

The major signings included unrestricted free agent forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, defenseman Brady Skjei and goaltender Scott Wedgewood. Not content with just bringing in others from outside, Trotz also re-signed goaltender Juuse Saros and defenseman Alex Carrier to new deals.

Stamkos was the biggest name catch in free agency for Trotz. The Tampa Bay Lightning made Stamkos the first-overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft, and he has been a Bolt ever since. Stamkos played 1,082 regular season games for the Lightning, scoring 555 goals. He added another 50 postseason goals, en route to two Stanley Cup wins.

The Lightning’s contract offer to keep Stamkos in Tampa wasn’t where it needed to be, so Trotz saw the opportunity to sign the kind of player that doesn’t often come onto the open market and inked him to a four-year, $32 million contract.

Nashville Predators goaltender Scott Wedgewood, left, and defenseman Brady Skjei, respond to questions during an introductory news conference at the team’s training facility in July.

-- Photo By George Walker Iv | Ap

“We want to win a Stanley Cup,” Stamkos says. “That’s why we play the game, and I think some people are sometimes afraid to say that and it heightens expectations, but at the end of the day, I’ve always been a big believer that you have to believe that you can do it in order to achieve it.”

Just a year removed from not only winning a Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights but also winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs, Marchessault signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Predators.

In stark contrast to Stamkos, Marchessault was undrafted, but once he worked his way to the NHL, he made a name for himself. In 638 regular season games, Marchessault has scored 230 goals and added 257 assists. In 102 playoff games, he has 36 goals and 40 assists.

Skjei (pronounced like Shea) signed a seven-year, $49 million contract. Like Stamkos, Skjei was a first-round draft pick, going 28th overall to the New York Rangers in 2012.

“It’s huge because I think it’s a statement, I think for the rest of the league that these players will come to Nashville,” Trotz says. “These players see what we’re doing with our franchise. We have lots to offer and we’re very determined to win.”

Priorities made clear quickly

In the news conference, Trotz referred to the new Predators as “serial winners.” Trotz too has his name on the Stanley Cup, winning it behind the bench of the Washington Capitals in 2018.

“I was looking for the offense,” Trotz says. “I was looking for how we can be a better hockey team offensively.”

Trotz answered the “will he or won’t he trade Saros” question quickly and definitively when he signed the netminder to a new eight-year, $61.92 million contract. With a year still remaining on his current deal, the new contract will begin with the 2025-26 season. July 1 was the first day Saros was eligible to sign a new contract.

Wedgewood will step into the backup role for Saros, possibly taking some games and minutes away from him to provide more rest than he’s been used to in recent seasons.

These signings are not without some risk. While the big three new free agent additions have impressive resumes, all are 30 or older. Stamkos is 34 and Marchessault 33. At 30, Skjei is the youngest of the three. Trotz is banking on there still being a lot of tread left on the tires though. Stamkos scored 40 goals last season and Marchessault 42.

“We did get a little bit older, I understand that, but I do know that age is an important factor because Father Time always catches up to you,” Trotz says. “But if you have a highly competitive nature and you’ve bought into your craft, you can play for a long time in this league and all these guys are of that DNA.”

Shuffling lines already

Looking ahead to September’s start of training camp, where each of the new players will slot into the lineup will be something to watch. Last season, the Predators’ top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly and Gus Nyquist were highly effective together. It’s a safe bet that they will remain together and it’s also likely that Stamkos and Marchessault will be on a line together. Who will center that line or who will be the third member of that line is the big question.

Stamkos played center early in his career but has played wing in recent years. He could move back to center or possibly Colton Sissons or Tommy Novak could find themselves in a position to pick up a lot of assists between wingers Stamkos and Marchessault.

Skjei could be next to Roman Josi on the Predators top defensive pair. Both are left-handed shots, so if that is the case, one will have to move to their off side on the right. Both are also very mobile while on the ice, so which side they start on may not make much of a difference.

As the head coach of the Predators for the franchise’s first 15 seasons, Trotz went through some lean years budget-wise that often saw the team filling holes several days after free agency opening with players who weren’t anywhere near the pedigree of those recent signees.

He hopes the likes of Stamkos, Marchessault and Skjei can help him lift the Stanley Cup over his head again sometime soon.

“I envision that someday we’re going to have a parade down our Broadway,” Trotz says. “Once you’ve done it, it’s addicting. You start looking at the number of guys on our team who’ve done it, they pull you along.”