The Nashville Predators begin their preseason without restricted free agent defenseman Ryan Ellis as they remain far apart in contract talks. It’s a shame, really, because Predators GM David Poile thinks new coach Peter Laviolette has a great system for the offensively gifted Ellis. If only Ellis would sign and get to camp to find out for himself.
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“This is clearly one of those cases where we want to pay him X and he wants Y,” Poile told ESPN.com. “We’ve tried to justify our position, they’ve tried to justify their position, and we just disagree.”
Ellis joins Ryan Johansen and other talented youngsters holding out for a bigger bridge contract while biding their time for arbitration rights and some day the rights to unrestricted free agency. For now though, the team holds the leverage as Ellis’ only hope of getting more money than what the Predators will pay is an offer sheet or a trade, which won’t happen per Poile.
“I mean, we’re not trading him. We want him. He really played well at the end of last year. I think with Peter Laviolette’s new system, it plays really well into Ryan’s game. The sooner we get it done, the better it will be for everybody.”
For now, both parties will have to be content with what they have: a mutual desire for Ryan Ellis to play for the Predators, but only at the right price.
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