Veteran defenseman Luke Schenn has had a wild career in the NHL thus far. However, he seems to be peaking at just the right time, and he has taken full advantage. He signed a three-year contract with the Nashville Predators in NHL Free Agency on July 1.

Whether Schenn can maintain the form he's found recently remains to be seen. He has experienced a fair few ups and downs throughout his time in the league. And that experience certainly cannot be understated when discussing this contract.

But as it stands now, is Schenn a good fit for the Predators? And did the Predators do well in signing this contract? Let's take a look at Luke Schenn's three-year contract with the Nashville Predators in NHL Free Agency.

Luke Schenn history

Schenn entered the NHL with a ton of fanfare. The Toronto Maple Leafs made him the fifth overall pick of the 2008 NHL Draft. He made his debut in the league that season, but things didn't exactly work as envisioned.

In 2012, the Maple Leafs decided to move on. Toronto traded Schenn to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for James van Riemsdyk. He played three-and-a-half seasons with the Flyers before being traded to the Los Angeles Kings.

From there, he became a bit of a journeyman. Schenn had stops with the Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, and Tampa Bay Lightning. His time with the Lightning yielded two Stanley Cup rings for the veteran defenseman.

Last summer, Schenn returned to the Canucks in free agency. He turned in an incredibly solid performance and emerged as a desirable trade deadline target. Things came full circle when the Canucks dealt the 33-year-old to the Maple Leafs in March.

Schenn's return to Toronto worked out much better than his first stint. He emerged as one of the team's better options on the blueline, both down the stretch and in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Luke Schenn signs with Predators

For the first time since 2011, Schenn has earned a contract longer than two seasons. Furthermore, he has earned a salary worth more than $1.25 million for the first time since 2016.

Any way you slice this, it's a great deal for Schenn. And it's incredible to see a player that had all the potential in the world finally hit his stride. Even if that stride is coming later than many anticipated.

Schenn looks to have some sort of stability, and he has a home on Nashville's third pairing. He had an impressive season in 2022-23 and cashed in as a result. You can't hate a player for doing that.

Predators sign Luke Schenn

As for the Predators, this is a fine signing. The one thing to take in with this contract is the term. Three years for a 33-year-old defenseman is a bit eye-opening. However, it's the ramifications in year one that are most interesting to me.

This contract seems to signal an organizational lack of confidence in Dante Fabbro. Fabbro, a right-shot like Schenn, is eight years younger and signed for one more season. And after adding Schenn, it's hard to see where Fabbro fits in the lineup.

In any event, Schenn is a fine presence to have on the bottom pairing. He could find time with Jeremy Lauzon there. Schenn could play solid minutes on the second pairing next to Ryan McDonaugh in a pinch, as well.

Overall, it's a solid signing, if a bit surprising. It may be a bit of an overpay, but the long-term risk is rather low. If Fabbro is traded ahead of the season, this certainly makes a bit more sense for Nashville.

Grades and final thoughts

Luke Schenn earns high marks for cashing in on a great season. After a long and winding career, Schenn gets a decent pay day at the back end of his career. As I said earlier, it's hard to hate a player getting this type of contract in Schenn's situation.

For the Predators, they receive a slightly lower mark. This is a fine addition on their part. However, Schenn is not a needle mover, especially at this point in his career. In Nashville's defense, they don't exactly need him to move the needle. They just need a reliable presence on the back end, and Schenn provides that.

Luke Schenn grade: A+

Nashville Predators grade: B+