The Nashville Predators and defenseman Petter Granberg have avoided a pending contract arbitration date by settling on a two-year, two-way contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.
The deal pays him $575,000 at the NHL level and $175,000 in the AHL with a $300,000 guarantee in the first year, reports CBC’s Tim Wharnsby. In the second year, the NHL salary jumps to $650,000. When the 23-year-old defender’s contract expires he will again be a restricted free agent.
He was originally a 2010 4th round draft pick (116th overall) of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Last season, he entered with an injury and wasn’t ready to play until late November, when the Maple Leafs passed him through waivers. At that point the Predators claimed him, laying the groundwork for Victor Bartley to eventually be shipped out in January.
Granberg spent a little time with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, but also grabbed a career-high 27 NHL games with the Predators, working as a part of the team’s third defensive pairing. There he posted an assist and 13 penalty minutes while averaging only 13:43 of ice time per game. That fringe status is the reason he’s been put on a two-way deal, though grabbing a handful of NHLgames last year no doubt aided him getting that guarantee.
