Nashville Predators General Manager David Poile announced today that the team had signed forward Sergei Kostitsyn to a one year contract for $550,000. The Predators had acquired the rights to Kostitsyn from Montreal in exchange for the rights to forward Dustin Boyd and goaltender Dan Ellis.
Kostitsyn, a talented but troubled 23 old, has played 155 NHL games, garnering 68 points (24G-44A). Kostitsyn played in 47 contests last season for the Canadiens.
Kostitsyn's checkered past factored into the value and length of the contract from the Predators. Last season, he was sent down to Hamilton, the AHL affilate of the Candiens and refused to report to the team. He was also told to stay away from the Montreal club because of his negative influence on the squad.
The task for Kostitsyn is to return to the ice with a positive attitude and develop the skills he has flashed in his young career. If he will work and develop under the tutelage of Head Coach Barry Trotz, then the Predators will have secured a productive and potentially explosive winger, and Kostitsyn will have an pportunity to advance his career.
If not, then Kostitsyn could very well find himself out of the NHL.
For the Predators, the cost is minimal and the potential upside to a player like Kostitsyn is significant.
This could turn out to be an exceptional signing for the Predators, and kudos are to be given to GM David Poile for seeing the value in a player like Kostitsyn and getting him signed to a reasonable contract.
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