Cole Smith signs contract to remain with Nashville Predators next season
Cole Smith has drawn a lot of attention from fans this season. Most of that attention has been negative. However, despite fan reactions to the forward's presence in the line up each night, the team feels confident that Smith is an asset to the team. Today, the Nashville Predators and Cole Smith agreed to a […]
Cole Smith has drawn a lot of attention from fans this season. Most of that attention has been negative. However, despite fan reactions to the forward's presence in the line up each night, the team feels confident that Smith is an asset to the team. Today, the Nashville Predators and Cole Smith agreed to a deal that will keep the forward in Nashville through next season. The team announced earlier that the contract is one-way, worth $775,000, and will last one season.
Cole Smith cames to the NHL as un undrafted free agent. He had a solid college career at the University of North Dakota and played the majority of the last two seasons in the AHL. His first season was during the COVID season where the Predators AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals opted out of the season. As a result Smith played for the Chicago Wolves. Last sesaon in Milwaukee, Smith tallied 21g-20a in 59 games.
After starting the season at the NHL level, Smith held onto his roster spot with intense physical play, aggressive forechecking, and reliable penalty killing. He scored his first NHL goal a few weeks ago.
Smith's comments about the bench going wild show that his team thinks highly of him. Teammates and coaches alike regularly refer to Smith doing all the right things on the ice, even if they don't show up on the scoresheet. Teams need players like this. Guys that play the hard minutes and get the undesirable assignments. There's certainly not as much glory in killing penalties as there is in scoring goals, but the job needs to be done just the same.
Regardless of how fans will react to this signing, the price is right. And, as Alex Daugherty points out, Nashville has a lot to figure out in the offseason in regards to their upcoming free agents:
They've managed to take care of one piece now. As the trade deadline and the end of the season approaches, it will be interesting to see how the rest of this shakes out.
–featured image via Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports–
