Predators Sign Paul Gaustad to Four-Year Deal

The Nashville Predators announced on Saturday that they have re-signed center Paul Gaustad to a four-year contract worth $13 million.  The deal will average out to $3.25 million per season.  Nashville acquired the 30-year-old center and a fourth round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft on February 27 from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Nashville's first round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.  In 70 games last season with Buffalo and Nashville, he had seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points and 76 penalty minutes.  He added one goal and one assist in 10 playoff games.  Not a bad move for the Predators, as Gaustad brings plenty of skill to the forward lines.  He brings lots of grit, toughness, size, defensive skill, and versatility to the checking lines and should help the Predators continue to be a competitive team in the Western Conference.

Predators Acquire Paul Gaustad from Sabres

The Nashville Predators added more offensive depth to their roster on Monday by acquiring center Paul Gaustad and a fourth round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for their first round pick in 2012. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 56 games so far this season, Gaustad has seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points and 70 penalty minutes. He missed six games this season with an upper body injury. With all of the trades the Predators have made over the past week and a half, they have made one thing absolutely clear: they are looking to go deep in the playoffs this year. Gaustad will add lots of grit, toughness, size, defensive skill, and versatility to the checking lines. Nashville did pay a premium to land him, perhaps a little too much for a player of his caliber, but his experience will be extremely valuable to the team in the playoffs. As for the Sabres, the first round pick will definitely help them retool their team with a future prospect.

Injuries Starting to Pile-up in NHL

With the NHL's 2008-09 season set to begin on October 4, a few teams are dealing with some long-term injuries to some star players. Here's a look at some of the players who will be sidelined for some time with injury:

Buffalo Sabres forward Paul Gaustad will be sidelined 3-4 four weeks after having thumb surgery on September 29. The Sabres will miss Gaustad's physical play and toughness, as well as his offensive depth, but will likely replace him with minor league talent until he returns from injury.

The Pittsburgh Penguins learned on Monday that Sergei Gonchar will miss 4-6 months after having surgery on his dislocated shoulder. The injury to Gonchar is a huge loss to the Penguins. Gonchar brings lots of offensive skills, veteran depth, and leadership to the team, especially on defense and the power play. The Penguins could be forced to find a defenseman on the trade market to replace Gonchar's skills. However, the Penguins could also elevate one of their existing defensemen to fill Gonchar's spot. Kris Letang is one possibility, as he has promising offensive skills.

The Columbus Blue Jackets lost forward Raffi Torres on Monday to a separated shoulder for the next six weeks. Torres injured his shoulder in a preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks after he fell to the ice during a fight with Ben Eager. The injury to Torres is a costly one for the rebuilding Blue Jackets, as Torres brings lots of toughness, offensive depth, and goal-scoring talent to the team. The Blue Jackets could look to their minor league ranks to replace Torres, as he will miss a little over a month of hockey. If Torres ends up missing more than six weeks, the Blue Jackets could look to make a trade.

The St. Louis Blues have suffered another injury to their defense, as Jeff Woywitka is expected to miss one month with a broken foot. Woywitka suffered the injury after blocking a shot in a preseason game against the Atlanta Thrashers last Friday. The Blues are already without Erik Johnson, who suffered a possible season ending knee injury while golfing. The injury to Woywitka is not as costly to the Blues as the injury to Johnson, but the team will miss the defensive depth that Woywitka brings to the team. With two significant injuries to their defensive corps, the Blues could be forced to look to the remaining defensemen on the free agent market, or possibly the trade market, to add depth to their blueline. However, management's commitment to rebuild the team through youth could likely mean the Blues will replace Johnson and Woywitka with their own minor league talent.