Nashville Predators sign Scott Wedgewood to two-year contract 

While most NHL teams have been busy, nobody has been busier than the Nashville Predators on the first day of free agency. 

On Monday, among many other signings from general manager Barry Trotz, the Predators announced they have signed goaltender Scott Wedgewood to a two-year contract. 

The contract will be worth $1.5 million per year. Nashville signed starting goalie Juuse Saros to an eight-year extension last week.

Wedgewood is an excellent backup goalie. He spent the past two seasons with the Dallas Stars where he was a fan favorite and the perfect backup to Jake Oettinger. The 31-year-old played a career-high 32 games in 2023-24, both allowing Oettinger to rest and stepping in when he missed time with an injury. Wedgewood went 16-7-5 with a .899 save percentage and a 2.85 goals-against average. His effectiveness reaches further than his numbers, however. 

Wedgewood wanted to stay in Dallas, but also believed he was worthy of a raise that the Stars were not able to give him. Nashville gave him that, as he will earn $500,000 more per year than his previous contract.

ALSO READ: Leaving Dallas would be ‘heartbreaking’ for goaltender Scott Wedgewood

In six seasons with the New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes and Stars, Wedgewood has played 130 career NHL games. His best performance came in his first full season in Dallas when he went 9-8-3 with a .915 save percentage in 21 games in 2022-23. 

Wedgwood was originally drafted by New Jersey in the third round (No. 84) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut and played four games with the Devils in 2015-16. After spending 2017-18 with Arizona and some time in the American Hockey League, he returned to New Jersey from 2020 to 2022 and went back to the Coyotes in 2021-22 when he was traded to Dallas at the deadline.