Predators make an All-Star swap with Canadiens
The Nashville Predators acquired P.K. Subban from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Shea Weber on Wednesday in a blockbuster swap of All-Star defensemen two days before free agency opens.
Subban won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman in 2013 and had six goals and 45 assists last season before suffering an injury. The offensive-minded, dynamic 27-year-old has 63 goals and 215 assists in 434 career games, all with the Canadiens.
He said he was not surprised by the trade because there had been so many rumors since he signed a $72 million, eight-year contract in the summer of 2014.
Weber, 30, had been with Nashville since the start of his NHL career in 2005. He signed a $110 million, 14-year offer sheet with Philadelphia as a restricted free agent in 2012, but Nashville matched it to keep him. The threetime Norris Trophy finalist was a team captain and had 20 goals and 31 assists last season. In other NHL news:
• Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is staying put in Tampa Bay. Stamkos tweeted he was “excited to be back for 8 more years.” The contract is worth $68 million.
• The New Jersey Devils have acquired former No. 1 overall draft pick Taylor Hall from the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Adam Larsson. The trade gives the goal-starved Devils an exciting young left wing, while the Oilers get a solid defenseman.
• The Columbus Blue Jackets took care of one of their biggest offseason priorities by signing defenseman Seth Jones to a $32.4 million, six-year contract.