Despite the effort’s to get a long-term deal completed, Nashville Predators GM David Poile said Friday he expects star defenseman Ryan Suter to test the free agent waters come July 1st.
“Unless something changes in the near future, he’s going to take a peek at July 1,” Poile told the Tennessean newspaper Friday during a conference call. “We’re going to be in consistent contact with him, and I’m certainly hoping, as he said to me a week ago, that he’s not going to make a sudden decision … and we’re going to have some conversations after he has talked to these different teams.”
Poile made the announcement during a conference call in which he also confirmed trading backup goaltender Anders Lindback to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Poile however doesn’t plan on trading Suter’s negotiating rights prior to July 1st.
“We’ve never entertained any offers for him,” Poile said. “He has never said he doesn’t want to play for us. He just said he wants to take a look.”
A handful of teams are expected to enter the bidding for Suter including the Detroit Red Wings who are looking to replace future hall of famer Nicklas Lidstrom who recently announced his retirement after 20 season in the NHL.
Ref: Detroit News
