Predators Sign Filip Forsberg to Eight-Year, $68 Million Contract

Nashville, Tenn. (July 11, 2022) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the team has signed forward Filip Forsberg to an eight-year, $68 million contract. The deal will keep the Predators' all-time leading goal scorer in Nashville through the 2029-30 season and carries an annual average value (AAV) of $8.5 million.

"We are very pleased to announce Filip's signing today," Poile said. "As one of the best offensive players in our history, we are thrilled to have Filip as a part of our team for the next eight seasons. His talent, competitiveness and leadership are critical to our future as we continue to strive for our goal of winning a Stanley Cup. We believe that Filip, like Pekka Rinne before him and like our captain, Roman Josi, is doing now, will write a legacy with the Predators that fans will remember forever. Additionally, we'd like to wish Filip and his fiancée Erin all the best as they get married later this month. We appreciate having them both in our SMASHVILLE family for the next eight years."
"I couldn't be happier to spend the next eight years in the same city I've called home since my NHL career began," Forsberg said. "My fiancée Erin and I love Nashville, but we also strongly believe in the future of our team and know we can accomplish big things moving forward. I'd like to thank the Predators organization and David Poile for helping us get this deal done. Now, it's time to work toward our ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup home to Nashville and the best fans in sports."
Forsberg, 27 (8/13/94), posted the best statistical season of his eight-year NHL career in 2021-22, establishing career highs in goals (42), assists (42) and points (84) in 69 games. In addition to finishing second on the Predators and tied for ninth in the NHL in goals, Forsberg also tallied his 211th career goal on March 19 vs. Toronto to pass David Legwand for the most in franchise history. One game later, he scored his 34th and 35th goals of the season on March 21 at Anaheim, eclipsing Viktor Arvidsson (34 in 2018-19) for the most in a single season in team history; the record was eventually set by Matt Duchene (43). It was his third career 30-goal season, a feat no other Predators player has ever accomplished, and he hit the mark in just 46 individual games, the fewest required to do so in franchise history. Among NHL skaters who played in at least 41 games in 2021-22, Forsberg was second in goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (1.67) and fifth in goals per game (0.61), both of which stood as career highs. On Nov. 30 vs. Columbus, Forsberg tied another franchise record when he scored a career-high four times, becoming the third player in Predators history to do so.
Originally drafted by Washington in the first round (11th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Forsberg has played all of his 566 career NHL games with the Predators after being acquired from the Capitals on April 3, 2013. In addition to his 220 career goals, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound left wing also ranks among the franchise's all-time leaders with 41 game-winning goals (tied for first); 58 power-play goals (second); 469 points (fourth); and 249 assists (fifth). Forsberg appears at the top of the Predators' record books in several other categories, including hat tricks (7), 20-goal seasons (7), multi-goal games (32), three-point games (30) and consecutive games played, a 283-game run that spanned parts of four seasons from 2014-17. Since making his NHL debut on April 14, 2013, he has represented Nashville in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game, earned a spot on the 2015 NHL All-Rookie Team and has twice been named one of the NHL's Three Stars of the Month. Forsberg was the first player in Predators history to record consecutive 30-goal campaigns in 2015-16 and 2016-17, and this season, he became the first Nashville player to record multiple five-point games in his career.
Forsberg owns multiple team Stanley Cup Playoff records, including most goals (29) and points (53). His 75 career postseason games are tied for the second-most in Predators history, and he achieved two other franchise postseason records during Nashville's run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final - most goals (9) and most points (16, which he matched in 2018) in a single postseason. Forsberg, who has led or shared the team lead in postseason points four times, also recorded the first-ever playoff hat trick in franchise history in Game 5 of the 2015 Western Conference First Round against Chicago.
The Leksand, Sweden, native has represented his country on the international stage several times, claiming gold on two occasions at the 2012 World Junior Championship and 2018 World Championship. In addition to a 2016 World Cup of Hockey appearance, he captained Sweden to silver medals at the 2013 and 2014 World Junior Championships, being named 2014 tournament MVP and best forward and to the 2013 tournament All-Star Team; he captained his country to a silver medal and was named best forward at the 2012 Under-18 World Championship; and earned another silver medal at the 2011 Under-18 World Championship as the team's youngest player.