Poile: Preds' top offseason priority is locking up Ryan Ellis

The Nashville Predators have arguably the NHL's best defense core, and general manager David Poile intends to keep it that way beyond the 2018-19 season.

Ryan Ellis is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019, but Poile said signing him to a contract extension this summer is the team's top priority, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

LeBrun added that Poile has already been in communication with Ellis' agent Rick Curran, and the two plan to talk again at the draft in Dallas later this month.

Ellis is going into the last year of a team-friendly five-year, $12.5-million contract, and is bound to get a substantial annual raise from his $2.5-million cap hit.

The former 11th overall pick has blossomed into one of the NHL's most effective blue-liners. He missed the first half of the 2017-18 campaign after undergoing offseason knee surgery, but still recorded nine goals and 32 points in 44 games.

Poile could find himself in a similar situation next offseason, as fellow stud defenseman Roman Josi - who also carries a bargain cap hit at $4 million - will be a UFA after 2019-20.