Ice hockey | Juuse Saros gets a giant contract in the NHL – “I’m bad at lying”

The lions the first selections for next winter’s NHL four-nation tournament were published on Friday.

The selection of the six players required by the NHL’s marketing machinery was allowed to be done as they wished. Finland ended up choosing the one on the field: the attackers Sebastian Ahon, Alexander Barkov and Mikko Rantanen and defenders Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen.

As expected, among those selected was also Juuse Saros. The Nashville Predators’ number one defenseman has been among the league’s elite for years.

Journalists get their information from the inside of the NHL Elliotte Friedman, Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston are reporting that Saros has agreed to an eight-year contract extension with the Predators.

Johnston said the average salary per season in the new deal will be $7.74 million. In this way, Saros’ game number 74 is included in the average value. The total value is just under 62 million dollars.

Media information of this level is practically always correct in the NHL.

However, Saros still had to comment on the matter a bit tongue-in-cheek, because the deal can officially be concluded only on July 1, when the NHL’s free agent market opens and the Finnish guard’s contract has a year left.

“The names are not on paper yet. But I’m bad at lying and you can say that things have been tentatively agreed upon. The paperwork still needs to be done,” says Saros.

Saros has long said he wants to stay with the Predators. The transfer was speculated at regular intervals, especially again at last spring’s transfer deadline, but GM Barry Trotzky for a long time seemed unwilling to trade Saros away without a motti-like offer.

“It’s been good that both have had the same goal,” says Saros.

Nashville played their new head coach by Andrew Brunette with a strong spring season. In the opening round of the playoffs, it put the Vancouver Canucks in a tight spot, but the Canucks were better, winning 4–2.

“An upbeat season. Systems changed a lot, and when everyone got on the same page, it worked well. I was very hungry. It felt like we had the guts to go even further. The game was so good at its best. “

“Everybody likes him. He has also played a long career and understands the players very well”, Saros describes Brunette.

Tommi Koivunen

Men’s in the national team, Saros’ balance is perfect for now. He was part of the World Cup teams in 2014-16 and kept a clean sheet in the three matches he played.

“I got a few games in those games. Quite a funny statistic.”

In addition, Saros repelled Nuoret Leijonat to the World Cup gold in 2014 with his top shots.

Saros, who moved to Helsinki three years ago, has been in Finland for a month and trained Kevin Lankinen and Ville Husson with.

“This week I returned to the ice,” says Saros.

Heiskanen is in the same training group.

Video: nhl.com.

Antti Pennanen was not present at the Lions’ first media conference of his time as head coach.

Saros went out into the world from HPK, just like Pennanen.

“I haven’t been in the same team with him. When he was in Club B and A, I was even younger. When he came back to the Club, I had already left. I trained with them from time to time and that’s how I know him.”

“A really passionate hockey player. I’ve heard a lot of good things about him when there are so many guys” who have played under his coaching.