The Nashville Predators have signed Rocco Grimaldi to a two-year extension worth $4 million. The contract will increase the size of Grimaldi’s cap hit from $1 million to $2 million after this season through 2021-22. He was re-signed before the current season started to his current deal. The team announced the move early Monday morning.

TWO MORE YEARS. General Manager David Poile announced today that the #Preds have signed forward @RGrimaldi23 to a two-year, $4 million contract!https://t.co/th4fQWXi9J — Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) February 24, 2020

Predators Extend Rocco Grimaldi

Grimaldi is having the best season of his career this year. The 27-year-old has 10 goals and 30 points in 58 games. This is his first season with consistent ice time and he has produced. Grimaldi is seventh on the team in scoring. He is also eighth in Corsi For with a mark of 53.8 percent. All his production has come at even strength since he averages almost no playing time on either the power play or penalty kill.

Grimaldi might finally be getting his legs under him after being underused in his first four seasons with the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche. He had never played more than 20 games before joining Nashville after the 2017-18 season. The former second-round pick was a solid player in college and the AHL but needed more playing time to prove himself. He has an opportunity to make himself even more productive on one of the NHL’s most consistent teams.

What This Means for the Future

Grimaldi could have been a casualty of today’s trade deadline. He will likely stay with Nashville through at last 2020-21 to prove this season isn’t a fluke. Grimaldi might not have top-six potential standing just 5’6″ and 180 pounds but it is great to see the undersized forward produce.

Nashville will pivot to some of their other impending free agents with Grimaldi secured. Both Mikael Granlund and Craig Smith will reach the open market after this season. Both will count over $4 million towards the salary cap. Securing Grimaldi will let the Predators free up money from other players to chase a premier free agent this summer.

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