sports
Predators Sign Mavrik Bourque to Six-Year, $33 Million Contract
The Nashville Predators signed center Mavrik Bourque to a six-year, $33 million deal three days after acquiring him from the Dallas Stars. The 24-year-old posted 20 goals and 21 assists last season.
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The Nashville Predators signed center Mavrik Bourque to a six-year, $33 million contract on Saturday, three days after acquiring his negotiating rights from Dallas in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick. Bourque, 24, will carry a $5.5 million salary cap hit through the 2031-32 season. He becomes an unrestricted free agent after that contract expires.
He earned $950,000 on a one-year deal with Dallas last season. Nashville acquired the negotiating rights to Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Stars in exchange for its own 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick previously obtained from the Vegas Golden Knights. Lyubushkin carries a $3.25 million cap hit.
Bourque recorded 20 goals and 21 assists in 82 games during his second full NHL season while averaging 15:29 of ice time per game. The Stars drafted him 30th overall in 2020. Dallas general manager Jim Nill said the team would have liked to keep Bourque but could not fit the contract under the salary cap.
"He bet on himself last year," Nill said. "Where his contract was going, it was something that we wouldn't be able to fit in. " Bourque now shares the third-highest cap hit among Nashville forwards with Jonathan Marchessault.
The signing marks the largest move to date by new Predators general manager Chris MacFarland, who replaced Barry Trotz after arriving from the Colorado Avalanche.
