Nashville Predators sign Luke Schenn to three-year contract with $2.75 million AAV

The Nashville Predators have signed defenseman Luke Schenn to a three-year contract with a $2.75 million cap hit.

Schenn, 33, was an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of his two-year contract with an $850,000 cap hit, one he originally signed with the Vancouver Canucks. He spent most of that deal with the Canucks, and then was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023 as a trade deadline.

Schenn’s deal is the highest cap hit he’s had in his career since he made $3.6 million from 2011 to 2016. His closest cap hit comparables on the blueline are Andrew Peeke, Zach Whitecloud, Ilya Lyubushkin, Jan Rutta, and Brett Kulak, all at $2.75 million as well.

Schenn is coming off a career year in terms of points per game, as he had 4 goals, 18 assists, and 22 points in just 70 games in the regular season, although he had just one goal in 15 games with the Leafs. It’s the third time his hit his career-high of 22 points, doing so in 2010-11 and 2011-12 during his first stint with the Leafs. He also had an assist in 11 playoff games for the Leafs as they won their first playoff series in 19 years.

Schenn was a former fifth-overall pick of the Leafs in 2008, spending four years in the organization before he was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in a trade for James van Riemsdyk. He spent four seasons with the Flyers before becoming a bit of a journeyman, playing for the Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Canucks, and Tampa Bay Lightning before returning to both Vancouver and Toronto in the past two seasons. He won two Stanley Cups with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.

The Predators have been making several moves to clear cap space, trading Ryan Johansen to the Colorado Avalanche and buying out Matt Duchene, and have added Ryan O’Reilly in free agency in addition to Schenn. They still have almost $17 million in cap space, with only Cody Glass and Alexandre Carrier to sign as restricted free agents.