The 21-year-old winger, a restricted free agent this summer, solidified his stance during locker clean-out day on Saturday, saying he intends to return to Nashville next season, and for many more to come.

“It’s the first time that I’m in that situation, but I love being here in Nashville,” Forsberg said. “I love everything about this city, and I really love what we have going on here with the team. And the fans are the best in the League as well, so there’s no other place I want to be.”

Forsberg, who set career highs with 33 goals and 64 points this season, believes the Preds will have what it takes to compete for a Stanley Cup for the foreseeable future, and wants nothing more than to be a part of that chance.

“We were a better team; we had a lot of good pieces last year and we added a lot of pieces this year,” Forsberg said. “Just coming together as a group, the Second Round is obviously a good step, but it’s just a part of what we want to do in the future.”

As Forsberg as his teammates headed their separate ways for the summer, the Swede believes the team has plenty left to give back to the city, starting next autumn. He can’t wait to get back to do so.

“It was a good year for sure,” Forsberg said. “The team has really grown, and the city has really stood behind us as well. Every time we leave to go on the road, there’s always fans at the airport. Welcoming us back, even though we didn’t win the last game, there’s still a lot of people there at the airport, and that shows how much it means. It means a lot of us as well.”