There were a lot of shake-ups in Smashville prior to the 2021-22 hockey season. Everyone’s favorite goalie, Pekka Rinne, retired; fan favorite Viktor Arvidsson was traded to the L.A. Kings; and associate captain Ryan Ellis was shipped off to Philadelphia. Further inciting uncertainty was the fact that Filip Forsberg’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season and no one knew whether or not the mustachioed forward had plans to stick around. Rumors, speculation, gossip — Forsberg’s future was all anyone could talk about, and he stayed notoriously mum, flashing that trademark smirk anytime someone asked about his plans during postgame pressers. Finally, on July 9, exactly two months after the team’s last postseason game, the Nashville Predators announced No. 9 was here to stay; Forsberg signed a $68 million eight-year contract with both a no-movement and a no-trade clause.
