Nashville center Ryan Johansen

Ryan Johansen knew it. As did David Poile.

It was only a matter of time before it all came together. And when it did, Nashville’s top center signed on the dotted line to complete one of most significant contracts in franchise history.

Just before the work week came to a close, Johansen inked an eight-year, $64 million deal with the Predators to remain with the team and the city that the 24-year-old, soon-to-be 25 on Monday, has fallen in love with in just 18 months – more than enough time to realize Nashville is right where he wants to be.

“This is where I belong,” Johansen said Friday afternoon from Bridgestone Arena. “This is where I want to play. There’s no better staff, management team, group of guys, friends, place to live, city, fans… there’s no better place to be right now.”

“A year and a half ago, we made a deal with Columbus to pick up Ryan, and I think everyone would agree that was somewhat of… a turning point in our franchise,” Poile said. “In [these contract] negotiations, his agent used a line that ‘Ryan’s a driver of our team,’ and I totally concur with that. I really feel in these next eight years, we’re going to do really well, and when we do really well, Ryan Johansen’s going to be a big, big factor in all of our winning.”

Johansen, who set a career-high with 47 assists during the 2016-17 season and tied for the team lead in scoring with 61 points, helped to make up one of the more dominant lines in hockey, centering wingers Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson. Forsberg has five years remaining on his current deal, and Arvidsson just inked a seven-year contract last week, all part of the general manager’s plan to keep as much of his roster intact as possible. A roster that was two wins shy of winning a championship last month.

Nashville, TN – February 2: Ryan Johansen #92 of the Nashville Predators celebrates his goal against Leon Draisaitl #29 of the Edmonton Oilers during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on February 2, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashville, TN – February 2: Ryan Johansen #92 of the Nashville Predators celebrates his goal against Leon Draisaitl #29 of the Edmonton Oilers during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on February 2, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. John Russell

“We have our whole core signed up, and for a lot of guys, for a lot of years,” Poile said. “I hope we’ve chosen correctly, and I believe we’ve chosen correctly… I think our room is a very close room, so I thought it was in my best interests, and in our team’s best interests, if I could get the bulk of our team locked up for a long time so they could play together for a long time. So here we go.”

After suffering a thigh injury in the Western Conference Final that sidelined him for the remainder of the team’s run, Johansen began his rehabilitation in Nashville before heading home to British Columbia for the summer and says everything has gone according to plan.

Before the injury occurred, Johansen added four goals and 13 points through two-plus rounds, asserting his dominance as one of the top centers in the game, performing when it mattered most. And for those efforts and commitment, the Predators have returned the favor.

Nashville, TN – June 2: Ryan Johansen #92 of the Nashville Predators watches his teammates practice from the bench prior to Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final at Bridgestone Arena on June 2, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashville, TN – June 2: Ryan Johansen #92 of the Nashville Predators watches his teammates practice from the bench prior to Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final at Bridgestone Arena on June 2, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. John Russell

“The class that they’ve shown with me and committing and trusting me and believing in me for these next eight years, it’s just so humbling,” Johansen said. “I’m so excited for the next chapter, which is coming up fast with the short summer, but this is probably one the best days of my life right now.”

The hope is that Johansen will be able to make some additions to that statement in the coming years, and for a 6-foot-3 centerman just coming into his prime, the odds are in his favor.

That’s exactly why Poile and the Preds wanted to lock Johansen in for the foreseeable future – a wish that became reality with the stroke of an ink pen and belief in what’s to come.

“There’s no better place to play in the NHL right now than Nashville,” Johansen said. “For myself, just as David and management believing and trusting in me to be the No. 1 center… there’s no better opportunity for me.”

The game began with Freddy Galvis making a backhanded stab in the hole and cutting down a runner at home. It ended with Galvis on first base, mobbed by his teammates after his walk-off single gave the Phillies a 2-1 win over the Braves on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.

It was the Phils’ second straight walk-off win and fourth straight overall.
Both starters, Philadelphia’s Vince Velasquez and Atlanta’s R.A. Dickey, tied season highs by throwing seven innings. Velasquez reached seven for the second time, but allowed six runs to the Nationals the last time he finished seven. It was Dickey’s eighth time finishing seven this season, and his second doing so without allowing a run.
Braves catcher Kurt Suzuki struggled catching Dickey, with the pair combining for four wild pitches and two passed balls, the most crucial of which coming with two outs in the fourth, allowing Odubel Herrera to score and give the Phillies an early lead. Herrera nearly scored again in the sixth on an identical play, but Dickey blocked home and tagged him out after getting the throw from behind home plate from Suzuki.

A 10-run top of the sixth inning led the Salt Lake Bees to a 12-6 win over the Nashville Sounds in front of 9,868 fans at First Tennessee Park Sunday night.
Salt Lake sent 13 batters to the plate in the gigantic inning, 10 of which came away with hits. Rey Navarro and Sherman Johnson both scored twice in the frame. The 10 runs is the largest inning any opposing team has had against Sounds pitching in 2017. Patrick Schuster was the primary victim of the Salt Lake onslaught as he was touched for a career-high tying nine runs in his 1/3 of an inning.
Prior to the outburst, it was all Sounds as the home team raced out to a 6-0 lead thanks to a five-run first inning. With the bases loaded and one down in the bottom of the first, Joey Wendle was hit by a pitch to force in the game’s first run.
They stayed loaded for Mark Canha who launched an opposite-field grand slam into the right field seats. It was Canha’s 12th home run of the season and the third grand slam hit by a Sounds player this year.
Ben Bracewell was the benefactor of the early offense as he cruised through the first three innings without a hitch. The right-hander retired the first nine batters he faced before the Bees plated a pair of runs in the fourth to cut Nashville’s lead to 6-2.
Renato Nuñez added to his minor league leading home run total with a solo blast in the ninth inning for his 27th of the season.
The 6-run lead the Sounds once held was the largest blown lead of the season. For Salt Lake it was the Bees’ largest come-from-behind victory.
Nashville is now 4-13 on Sundays this season.
Game three of the four-game series is set for Monday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Jesse Hahn (1-0, 5.50) starts for Nashville against left-hander Tyler Skaggs (0-1, 10.13) for Salt Lake. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.