Inside The Rink’s Free Agent Profile series takes a look at the NHL free agents that could potentially be available this offseason. This article takes a look at Filip Forsberg.
It’s good to be Filip Forsberg right now.
The twenty-seven-year-old left-wing (he turns twenty-eight in August) just completed his best season statistic-wise in his career. In sixty-nine games played this season, Forsberg compiled forty-two goals and forty-two assists for eighty-four points. Originally a first-round draft pick of the Washington Capitals, Forsberg became a full-time NHL player with the Nashville Predators in the 2014-15 season and has been a mainstay in their lineup ever since.
| Season | Age | Tm | Lg | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | EV | PP | SH | GW | EV | PP | SH | S | S% | TSA | TOI | ATOI | FOW | FOL | FO% | BLK | HIT | TK | GV | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 18 | NSH | NHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.0 | 23 | 77 | 15:29 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| 2013-14 | 19 | NSH | NHL | 13 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 5.0 | 38 | 148 | 11:24 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 2014-15 | 20 | NSH | NHL | 82 | 26 | 37 | 63 | 15 | 24 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 24 | 13 | 0 | 237 | 11.0 | 471 | 1421 | 17:20 | 3 | 4 | 42.9 | 28 | 108 | 50 | 57 | AR-1,Calder-4 |
| 2015-16 | 21 | NSH | NHL | 82 | 33 | 31 | 64 | 1 | 47 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 15 | 0 | 247 | 13.4 | 490 | 1562 | 19:03 | 2 | 7 | 22.2 | 41 | 114 | 72 | 52 | AS-6,Byng-56,Selke-10 |
| 2016-17 | 22 | NSH | NHL | 82 | 31 | 27 | 58 | -4 | 32 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 234 | 13.2 | 466 | 1518 | 18:31 | 5 | 13 | 27.8 | 26 | 97 | 76 | 62 | Byng-40 |
| 2017-18 | 23 | NSH | NHL | 67 | 26 | 38 | 64 | 27 | 38 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 29 | 8 | 1 | 179 | 14.5 | 349 | 1171 | 17:28 | 4 | 5 | 44.4 | 37 | 86 | 49 | 65 | |
| 2018-19 | 24 | NSH | NHL | 64 | 28 | 22 | 50 | 8 | 26 | 19 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 217 | 12.9 | 435 | 1191 | 18:37 | 1 | 6 | 14.3 | 29 | 100 | 69 | 67 | |
| 2019-20 | 25 | NSH | NHL | 63 | 21 | 27 | 48 | -7 | 29 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 198 | 10.6 | 366 | 1093 | 17:21 | 1 | 2 | 33.3 | 27 | 82 | 58 | 45 | |
| 2020-21 | 26 | NSH | NHL | 39 | 12 | 20 | 32 | -9 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 129 | 9.3 | 213 | 713 | 18:17 | 3 | 5 | 37.5 | 14 | 47 | 22 | 21 | |
| 2021-22 | 27 | NSH | NHL | 69 | 42 | 42 | 84 | 12 | 22 | 32 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 25 | 17 | 0 | 226 | 18.6 | 424 | 1249 | 18:06 | 1 | 0 | 100.0 | 48 | 112 | 53 | 56 | |
| Career | 10 yrs | NHL | 566 | 220 | 249 | 469 | 30 | 238 | 156 | 58 | 6 | 41 | 166 | 82 | 1 | 1701 | 12.9 | 3275 | 10145 | 17:55 | 20 | 43 | 31.7 | 252 | 755 | 458 | 434 |
The best season of his career couldn’t have come at a better time for Forsberg, as he is now an unrestricted free agent. He is considered to be one of the top free agents available in the National Hockey League this offseason, and he will be looking to get PAID. The team that ultimately signs Forsberg will most likely be giving him a seven-year contract in the $9-$10 million AAV range. Not every team can afford that kind of contract, so the question is, who will land Forsberg?
PHF 2022 Free Agent Signing Highlights
The Predators would, of course, love to keep their superstar winger. Although mid-season negotiations on a contract extension went nowhere, according to David Pagnotta of http://thefourthperiod.com, negotiations have started again. Both sides want a long-term contract, and the Predators have the advantage of being able to offer the eighth season (for now, anyway); Nashville will have to decide if they want a fourth high-dollar long-term deal on their books.
If the Nashville Predators and Filip Forsberg cannot work out a contract extension, he will certainly have other options. The New Jersey Devils have a lot of salary cap space available and a known desire for a top-six goal-scoring winger to go with either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier – they could easily offer the big money Forsberg is looking for. The Los Angeles Kings will be on the hunt for goal scoring from the left wing this offseason as well. They also have salary cap space available as well as having Forsberg’s good friend Viktor Arvidsson on their roster to help persuade him to come to Tinseltown. Regardless of where he signs, Filip Forsberg’s bank account is about to get a huge boost.
