On Sunday, the Nashville Predators got a little better. They signed free agent center, Jason Arnott. The deal is worth $22.5 million over five years. Jason Arnott is now 31 years old. He played for the Dallas Stars last season and had a career-high 44 assists. He’s a cagey veteran who will bring solid experience to the team. Arnott has played in 91 career Stanley Cup games and two Stanley Cup Finals over his 14 year career.

When asked why he signed with the Predators, Arnott said, “Nashville was where I wanted to be. It is the time in my career to move on. I want to be the go-to guy. I want to be the horse on the ice. I am going to try to do everything I can to help bring a Stanley Cup to Nashville.” He’s not the only one who’s happy about the signing. Predators Coach Barry Trotz said, “I was surprised and thrilled. What a great way to wake up. It put a lot of jump in our steps. It is a high-energy time in Nashville.”

Nashville has had trouble getting out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. In fact, they have only made it to the playoffs twice in franchise history. Perhaps Arnott will be one of the big factors that propels them further in the playoffs. It’s a great day in Nashville for Predators fans. We will see what other moves Nashville takes to sure up the team and get ready for a playoff type season.