Predators, Johansen agree to 8-year, $64M deal

Ryan Johansen agreed to a new eight-year, $64-million contract with the Nashville Predators on Friday, the team announced.

Johansen was a restricted free agent, but according to the centerman, there was never a doubt in his mind about where he wanted to spend his future.

"There wasn't just one moment, it was an easy decision," Johansen told the media Friday. "I believe there's no better place to play than Nashville right now."

He appeared in all 82 regular-season games last campaign and led the Predators with 47 assists. Johansen also performed when it mattered most, notching 13 points in 14 playoff contests before suffering a season-ending thigh injury in the Western Conference Final.

The Predators first landed Johansen in a blockbuster trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets that sent defenseman Seth Jones the other way in January 2016.

Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson, and Johansen formed one of the NHL's most productive lines in 2016-17, helping Nashville reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.

Johansen's new contract carries an AAV of $8 million, and leaves the Predators with $5.4 million remaining in cap space for the 2017-18 season. The deal is the biggest contract ever handed out by the Predators.

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