Predators Sign Rocco Grimaldi to One-Year Contract

Nashville, Tenn. (August 6, 2019) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/GM David Poile announced Tuesday that the team has signed forward Rocco Grimaldi to a one-year, $1 million contract. The terms of the contract were based on the award of an independent arbitrator who heard the case on August 4.
Grimaldi, 26 (2/8/93), established career highs in games played (53), goals (5), assists (8) and points (13) this season with the Predators, his first with the club. He skated in 33 more games than his previous career high of 20, set in 2015-16 with the Florida Panthers. The 5-foot-6, 180-pound right wing averaged 10:00 of ice time and added two multi-point games this season on Dec. 31 at Washington (1g-1a) and March 5 vs. Minnesota (2a). He also recorded a career-best four-game point streak from Dec. 31, 2018-Jan. 5, 2019 in which he tallied two goals and two assists. Grimaldi skated in five of Nashville's Stanley Cup Playoff games and led the team in goals with three, his first career postseason points. Additionally, he appeared in 10 games for the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, tallying four goals and 11 points.
Originally drafted in the second round (33rd overall) by the Panthers in the 2011 NHL Draft, Grimaldi has played in 90 career NHL games with Florida, Colorado and Nashville, logging 23 points (10g-13a). He's also a veteran of 247 career AHL games, recording 172 points (80g-92a) across parts of five seasons with Milwaukee, San Antonio and Portland. Prior to enrolling at the University of North Dakota, the Anaheim, Calif., native starred for the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2009-11. He sits 10th in the U.S. NTDP record books in points with 136 (60g-76a) and won four gold medals with the United States, including the 2013 World Junior Championship in Russia. Grimaldi's three seasons at North Dakota came from 2011-14, where he posted 77 points (31g-46a) in 86 games. He led North Dakota in points with 39 (17g-22a) during his third and final season with the school.