"Would be an honor to play with a guy like that": Jonathan Marchessault excited to be linemate of $32,000,000 veteran forward at Nashville 

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified Jul 06, 2024 02:13 GMT

Predators forward Jonathan Marchessault is honored to join fellow free-agent acquisition Steven Stamkos in Nashville. One of the newest members of the Preds, Marchessault is on the heels of signing a massive five-year, $27.5 million contract on July 1.

The former Vegas Golden Knight had this to say about playing with Stamkos in Nashville (via NHL.com):

“It would be an honor to play with a guy like that, for sure.”

Jonathan Marchessault’s words underscore the respect that he holds for the former Tampa Bay Lightning captain.

He continued:

"I was able to play with a lot of good players in my career. Steven has definitely got to be up there. Steven was there for [16 years] and I was [in Vegas] for seven. He achieved a lot of things with the Lightning. He's done a lot, and it's quite impressive, the player that he is today.”

Stamkos won two Stanley Cups in Tampa Bay, but after nearly two decades with the organization, the time had come to move on, with Stamkos signing a $32 million contract with Nashville this offseason.

Marchessault concluded:

“He's definitely a game-changer, and I think Nashville should be happy to have him on their side."

The Nashville Predators will consider themselves fortunate to have two high-quality scorers on their roster. Whether or not Stamkos and Marchessault play on the same line remains to be seen. Regardless, both players have a lot to offer and should become significant factors in the Preds’ quest to win a Stanley Cup.

Predators’ style fits Jonathan Marchessault perfectly

When asked about the Predators’ playing style, Marchessault had nothing but praise for the system coach Andrew Brunette has set up (via NHL.com):

“I think it just fits the way I like to play.”

In essence, Brunette preaches a tough playing style that requires forwards to drive the puck on the forecheck, and that style of play suits Marchessault just fine.

He added:

"I'm a hard-working kind of guy, and I want to help my team win some hockey games. It's something that I take a lot of pride doing. With the lineup that they had last year, I thought they did amazing.”

Now, Marchessault has an opportunity to contribute to that success:

“The future is promising. I just want to go help the Preds achieve their goal," he concluded.

Jonathan Marchessault will get his opportunity to help the Preds build on their success from last year. Nashville finished with 99 points last season, with a 47-30 overall record. Following their offseason acquisitions, the Preds could be one of the most dangerous teams in the Western Conference.