NASHVILLE, TN—The Predators have Nick Bonino, a two-time consecutive Stanley Cup winner, locked in for the next 4 years. The 29 year-old center’s contract is set at $16.4 million, averaging $4.1 million per year.
Bonino stands at 6 feet and 1 inch tall and weighs 196 pounds. He was originally selected by the San Jose Sharks as a 173rd pick (sixth round) of the 2007 NHL Draft.
The Hartford, Connecticut-born forward played at the collegiate level with Boston University for three seasons. During his sophomore season, he helped the Terriers defeat Miami University to win a NCAA National Championship.
In 80 games last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins (where he won both his Stanley Cup titles), Bonino tallied 37 points (18 goals and 19 assists) and 16 penalty minutes. He made 21 playoff appearances in which he collected seven points (four goals and three assists) en route to the team’s second straight Cup win.
The Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2016. After being traded from the Vancouver Canucks on July 18, 2015, Bonino played in 63 games and attained 29 points (nine goals and 20 assists) along with 31 penalty minutes. In 24 playoff games he tallied 18 points (four goals and 14 assists). The team eliminated San Jose in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Between the Anaheim Ducks (with whom he commenced his professional career in 2009-2010), the Vancouver Canucks, and Pittsburgh Penguins, Bonino has 407 games, 187 points (75 goals 112 assists), and 117 penalty minutes under his belt.
“I’ve been in the League long enough to know how great a city Nashville is. Guys love going there. Guys love going on Broadway and watching some live music and eating all the great food, but to see that intensity that the city had for the playoffs and then to experience it in the Final, I was trying to play on a broken leg and it made me that much closer to playing, just in warmups,” Bonino said upon signing the deal with the Predators.
“I think throughout my career, in Anaheim I had a really good year. I got a lot of power play time and then I got traded away. In Vancouver, I didn’t get a lot of power-play time. I had a lot of even strength. I got traded away then and then in Pittsburgh, it’s great to be behind [Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin], but at the same time, coming from playing more minutes the two years previous, at least even strength wise, you want to do more,” added Bonino while reflecting on his NHL career.