Ellis signs eight-year extension with Predators

Ryan Ellis signed an eight-year, $50 million contract extension with the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

The contract has an average annual value of $6.25 million and starts with the 2019-20 NHL season. Ellis has one season remaining on a five-year, $12.5 million contract he signed Oct. 5, 2014 ($2.5 million AAV).
The 27-year-old defenseman could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2019.

"Ryan is a huge part of our team on and off the ice and we are happy to have his leadership remain in our locker room for the foreseeable future," Predators general manager David Poile said. "We have talked about wanting to keep the core of our team together, and this is another opportunity to help us do so while continuing to compete for a Stanley Cup. Ryan is entering his prime and is one of the reasons why we feel this team has a chance to win every time we step on the ice."
Ellis had 32 points (nine goals, 23 assists) in 44 games last season and tied for fifth among defensemen with a plus-26 rating. He missed the first three months of the season recovering from knee surgery after helping the Predators reach the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, which they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Selected by Nashville with the No. 11 pick of the 2009 NHL Draft, Ellis has 173 points (55 goals, 118 assists) in 396 NHL games. He is sixth all-time in scoring among Predators defensemen, two points behind Marek Zidlicky for fifth place.
Ellis has 27 points (five goals, 22 assists) in 58 Stanley Cup Playoff games.