The Nashville Predators have re-signed goaltender Juuse Saros to a three-year contract worth $4.5 million or $1.5 million per season AAV. This contract carries him through the 2020-21 season.

The #Preds have signed goaltender Juuse Saros to a three-year, $4.5 million contract >> https://t.co/7bL9OouzLM

— Nashville Preds PR (@PredsPR) July 16, 2018

Juuse Saros Re-Signs with the Nashville Predators

Juuse Saros has spent his entire three-year NHL career with the Nashville Predators. He is 21-14-10 with a career 2.42 goals against average and a .923 save percentage in 48 games played. He also has four career shutouts. Saros was originally drafted in the fourth round, 99th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators.

Saros had his best year so far this year going 11-5-7 with a 2.45 goals against average and a .925 save percentage in 26 games. He also recorded three shutouts. Saros appeared in four Stanley Cup Playoff games in relief of Pekka Rinne. In those four games, he stopped 40 of 42 shots he faced. Saros is coming out of the final year of his three-year entry-level contract worth $2.775 million with an AAV of $925,000.

What This Means for the Future

Saros had an excellent year as the Nashville back-up this year. Three of his four career shutouts came this year and once again he made an appearance during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the four games that Saros appeared in during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he seemed to give his team a boost of energy after Rinne was pulled.

Expect Saros to get a few more starts next year for the Preds after proving himself this year. Saros getting more starts will be a benefit not only to the Predators team but will also give Rinne more nights off. If he continues his strong play, he could even challenge Rinne for the number one job in Nashville. He has long been seen as the Predators goalie of the future, the question now becomes when does that future begin?

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