NASHVILLE (Tenn.) — The Nashville PredatorsWe have extended the contracts for coach John Hynes, and his assistants through 2023-24. This was to continue building on a season that saw many individual successes for a team that ended up being swept in playoffs.
David Poile, general manager, announced Thursday that Hynes has negotiated the extension with his assistants.
Poile stated, “I believe John and his coaches are the right move for us to return into Cup contention. I will do everything possible to give him all the tools he needs to achieve that goal.”
Poile hired Hynes as Nashville's third all-time head coach in January 2020. He replaced Peter Laviolette. Hynes is a Predator's only playoff winner, and they have not won any postseason series since 2018 when they won the Presidents' Trophy together with Laviolette.
The Predators won one of the final nine games of the season, winning the remaining nine.
This is despite the fact that there was a captain in the lineup Roman JosiA finalist for the Norris Trophy, he posted the best-scoring season in goalie history, with the Norris Trophy winning team. Juuse SarosAfter scoring 38 of Nashville's 45 wins and being a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, he was named as the winner. Matt DucheneWith 43 goals, he was the franchise's highest single-season goal scorer with one more than Filip Forsberg.
Hynes stated that the Predators want to be tough to beat with an aggressive, fast style. The NHL was first in fighting majors and total penalties. Hynes stated that this is an area in which they are already working to eliminate penalties by playing with more discipline.
Hynes stated, “We all have to improve to make that series more competitive than it was.”
Poile pointed out Thursday that Nashville had worked hard to make one of the NHL’s oldest rosters one of the league’s youngest. Six Predators, including Josi (defenseman), remained from the 2018 first-round victory over Colorado. Mattias EkholmCenters Ryan Johansen Colton SissonsForsberg, Saros.
The general manager stated that the sweep at Colorado showed Nashville is more than just one or a few players away. Nashville did not reach the eighth consecutive playoff berth. It was tied for second place in the NHL, behind Washington, but Poile stated his job is to find better talent for Hynes.
Poile has been discussing the plans to make Nashville a Stanley Cup contenders for the past 10 days, with team president Sean Henry (and team chairman Herb Fritch) repeatedly.
Poile stated, “We have the whole support of the group.”
Poile had nothing to report regarding negotiations for Forsberg's extension of his contract. Forsberg was a career-high scorer with 42 goals in 69 matches this season. Poile believes Forsberg deserves to be a free agent, but wants him to stay on the team.
Poile said, “We will continue working to find the right deal that works both for both sides. We know that he could be a large piece of where we're trying to go.”
