Nashville Predators Sign Marek Zidlicky to Four-Year Deal
Nashville, Tenn. - Nashville Predators Executive Vice President/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed defenseman Marek Zidlicky (MAIR-ehk zhihd-LIHTS-kee) to a four-year contract.
Zidlicky, 29 (2/3/77), has notched 102 points (26g-76a) in 149 games with Nashville over the past two NHL seasons. This past year, the 5-11, 190-pound native of Most, Czech Republic ranked second among team defensemen and 14th among NHL defensemen with 49 points (12g-37a), including a career-high 10 power-play goals. He also tied for third on the club in assists and ranked third in average time on ice per game (20:03). In 2003-04, Zidlicky established a Nashville franchise record for points by a defenseman (14g-39a-53pts).
At the 2005 World Championships, Zidlicky captured a gold medal as a member of the Czech Republic national team and was selected to the tournament All-Star Team. He led tournament defensemen in goals (four) and earned a bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games and represented the Czechs at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
Zidlicky was acquired by Nashville from the New York Rangers (with Rem Murray and Tomas Kloucek) for Mike Dunham on December 12, 2002. He was originally drafted with the Rangers’ sixth choice (sixth round), 176th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
