Predators re-sign Marc Del Gaizo to one-year, two-way contract

On Monday, the Nashville Predators re-signed defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal carries an NHL cap hit of $775,000 for the 2024-25 season.

Del Gaizo is coming off his entry-level contract, which had an AAV of $925,000 and an annual signing bonus of $93,000.

Del Gaizo was originally taken in the fourth round, 109th overall, by the Predators in the 2019 NHL Draft. He spent the entirety of his first two full seasons of pro hockey with the Predators’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. He finally made his NHL debut on Nov. 4, 2023 against the Edmonton Oilers, registering an assist in a 5-2 win.

The 24-year-old played nine games with Nashville last season, posting three assists, each in his first three NHL appearances. Del Gaizo had a plus/minus rating of +2 and averaged 16:28 of ice time.

With the Admirals, Del Gaizo proved to be a stable force for one of the better teams in the AHL. In 60 games, he notched eight goals and 26 assists for 34 points with a +18 rating. His play helped Milwaukee clinch the Central Division title, and his seven points in 15 Calder Cup Playoff games were crucial in the Admirals getting to the Western Conference Final, ultimately losing to the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

The former Muskegon Lumberjack has appeared in 207 AHL games, including a nine-game stint with the Chicago Wolves at the end of the 2020-21 season. He has scored 17 goals and 72 assists and has a +10 rating. In 40 playoff games, Del Gaizo has registered 19 points.

Del Gaizo was a key player in three seasons at UMass, a team that had lost Cale Makar after Del Gaizo’s freshman season. His stability on the back end was important on a team that went on to win the program’s first NCAA championship in 2021.