Hartnell says he wants to continue playing: report

Scott Hartnell said he wants to continue his NHL career after completing his 17th season this season with the Nashville Predators.
"If there's a team that's the right fit for [my family], we are 100 percent going," the 36-year-old forward told Sportsnet in remarks published Friday.

Hartnell can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. The Predators have said they do not intend to offer him a contract, and after they lost the Western Conference Final to the Winnipeg Jets, Hartnell said he was considering retirement.
"Watching these (playoff) games, I still have a fire inside me to play again," he told Sportsnet. "My first priority, over the next couple of months, is to get ready [to return]. It wasn't the way I wanted to end it. I was scratched, came back and had some good games. If there's the right fit, I believe I can still be a presence, still be effective. If I didn't believe that, I would step away."

Hartnell had 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 62 regular-season games for Nashville. He did not have a point in four Stanley Cup Playoff games, but provided Nashville with a physical presence, particularly against Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien.
"It put a smile on my face feeling very useful those games," Hartnell said. "We had a couple of chuckles at each other."
Nashville selected Hartnell in the first round (No. 6) in the 2000 NHL Draft. He has played 1,249 NHL regular-season games, with 707 points (327 goals, 380 assists) and 1,809 penalty minutes for the Predators, Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets.
"I know I'm at the twilight …," Hartnell said. "I don't know if I took it for granted, but after we lost Game 7 (to Winnipeg), I told the other guys, 'You don't know how many more chances you have. Don't let them fly by.' When you're in your mid-30s, you're 65 in the real world and out of the League."