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Predators Sign Bourque to Six-Year, $33 Million Deal

7/5/2026

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Summary

Predators Sign Bourque

Nashville Predators signed center Mavrik Bourque to a six-year, $33 million contract on July 5 2026.
The deal carries a $5.5 million cap hit through the 2031-32 season and makes Bourque a free agent afterward.
Nashville obtained Bourque’s rights by sending its 2027 second-round and 2028 third-round picks to Dallas, which also received defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin with a $3.25 million cap hit.

Summary

Bourque Posts 129

Bourque logged 47 goals and 82 assists for 129 points in 147 American Hockey League regular-season games.
He added four goals and 11 assists in 15 Calder Cup playoff contests.
In the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, he recorded 93 goals and 143 assists for 236 points over 172 regular-season games.
The Predators finished the 2025-26 season 38-34-10 with 86 points, sixth in the Central Division and four points short of a wildcard spot.

Summary

Lyubushkin Traded

The July 1 trade sent Ilya Lyubushkin to Nashville, marking Chris MacFarland, president of hockey operations,’s fifth acquisition since taking the role on June 2.
The deal also gave Nashville a forward and a 2027 second-round pick plus a 2028 third-round pick, originally from Vegas, to Dallas.
Adding Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Nils Hoglander and Adam Edstrom, the Predators aim to reshape their top-six forwards and boost defensive depth for 2026-27.

History

Historical Context

When the NHL added the Nashville Predators in 1998, the league held an expansion draft on June 26, selecting 26 players—one from each of the 26 existing franchises—to fill the new roster. The Predators acquired Sergei Krivokrasov from Chicago and other players in exchange for future considerations, a pattern echoed in today’s contract decisions.

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Predators Sign Bourque

Nashville Predators signed center Mavrik Bourque to a six-year, $33 million contract on July 5 2026.
The deal carries a $5.5 million cap hit through the 2031-32 season and makes Bourque a free agent afterward.
Nashville obtained Bourque’s rights by sending its 2027 second-round and 2028 third-round picks to Dallas, which also received defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin with a $3.25 million cap hit.

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