Arguably the most coveted free agent on the Detroit Red Wings' radar this offseason, Predators defenseman Ryan Suter met with general manager David Poile on Thursday as Nashville desperately tries to do everything possible to keep its stud defender in town.
An unrestricted free agent, Suter is able to sign elsewhere if he does not have a contract by July 1. Many are expecting him to be lured away by a rather significant offer from Detroit now that Nicklas Lidstrom has officially made the decision to hang up his skates. But with free agency still a month away, the Predators still have plenty of time to iron out a deal to keep Suter around long-term.
As far as the face-to-face talk on Thursday, Poile was confident that things are moving in proper direction, saying "we still don't have a deal, but I'm still optimistic and still going to keep constant dialogue in this process." Even though it's clear that Nashville wants to do everything in its power to keep Suter from landing in Hockeytown, Detroit still remains the early favorites to land his services if he opts for free agency.
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