David Poile continued his aggressive remodel in Nashville on Thursday by buying out the remainder of Barret Jackman’s contract.
Jackman, 35, signed a two-year, $4 million deal with the Preds last summer and proved to be a useful depth defenseman for the club, appearing in 73 regular season games and all 14 playoff contests. As such, today’s move caught some by surprise.
But in the wake of yesterday’s Shea Weber-for-P.K. Subban blockbuster, it’s clear Poile is shaking things up.
With Subban’s $9M cap hit now on the books, Nashville has a pretty healthy payroll -- $63 million, per General Fanager -- and still has some business to take care of. RFA forward Calle Jarnkrok needs a new deal, and Poile said he’s already begun negotiations on a new deal for No. 1 center Ryan Johansen, who’s in the last of a three-year, $12 million contract.
It also stands to reason that, given what he’s done already, Poile could be aggressive in free agency.
Jackman’s buyout will give the Preds roughly $1.3 million in cap relief. And it’s important to remember this is Poile’s second such move of the buyout period, having previously parted ways with Eric Nystrom.