Nashville Predators may not have money to keep Dan Hamhuis

Predators defenseman Dan Hamhuis left Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday wondering whether he'll be back in a Nashville uniform next season.

Hamhuis is the most significant potential unrestricted free agent on the Nashville roster. The blueliner's contract expires on June 30. He made $2.5 million this past season, but will likely be able to command somewhere in the neighborhood of a $4 million average on his next deal.

It's uncertain whether the Predators will be able to re-sign Hamhuis, who just finished his sixth season in Nashville. He's the only Predator to have played in all of Nashville's postseason games.

Asked if he thought there was a possibility of returning, Hamhuis said: "I think so. I've enjoyed playing with a great group of guys and the community — my wife and family really enjoy it. There are a lot of great things in Nashville we enjoy.

"At the same time, there are options out there, too. So we'll take some time to think about it. We're certainly not clawing out the door to leave. That's for sure.''

Hamhuis said there weren't any negotiations between the two sides since the trade deadline, but expects talks to resume in the near future.

"If I had to guess, I'd think they want to get my situation in order,'' Hamhuis said. "If I'm here, I'm here. If not, they can think about their budget for July 1, whether they want to re-sign another defenseman or do something at the draft. I think they probably want to have me sorted out to be more certain."

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