Nashville locks up forward Erat with seven-year, $31.5M deal

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Nashville Predators have signed forward Martin Erat to a seven-year, $31.5 million contract.

Erat ranks third on the team in career scoring (253). He joined Nashville in the 2001-02 season after being selected in the 1999 draft.

The 26-year-old Czech Republic native has averaged 53 points over the past four seasons with Nashville and had a career-high 23 goals in the 2007-08 season.

Erat has played more than 400 NHL games, all with Nashville, including 20 of the club's 22 playoff games.