Nashville Predators sign goaltender Scott Wedgewood to two-year, $3 million deal

The Nashville Predators have agreed to terms with free agent goaltender Scott Wedgewood on a two-year, $3 million deal.

Wedgewood, 31, started 28 games for the Dallas Stars last season, backing up Jake Oettinger. He went 16-7-5 with an .899 save percentage and a 2.85 goals-allowed average.

With Juuse Saros still the ace goaltender in Nashville — and having agreed Monday to an eight-year contract extension — Wedgewood will be his backup heading into the 2024-25 season.

A third-round draft pick by New Jersey in 2010, Wedgewood has a 48-48-22 career record and a career save percentage of .906.

The big question is what this signing means for the future of Predators goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov.

The Predators were reportedly shopping Askarov during the NHL draft last week in Las Vegas, though a trade never materialized. The 22-year-old goaltender went 30-13-1 with the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League (AHL) last season. Nashville's first-round pick in the 2020 draft made his NHL debut on Jan. 12, 2023.

With Wedgewood in Nashville for at least two years, the Predators may continue to shop Askarov. As a top goaltending prospect, many teams are likely to be interested.

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