Nashville, Tenn. (September 9, 2024) – Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz announced today that the team has signed defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level.
Del Gaizo, 24 (10/11/99), made his NHL debut in the 2023-24 season, recording an assist in each of his first three games, a +2 rating and averaged 16:28 of ice time in nine games. The 5-foot-11, 188-pound blueliner became the third Predators player to begin his NHL career with a three-game point streak (3a), joining Marek Zidlicky (2g-5a in 6 GP) in 2003-04 and Calle Jarnkrok (1g-4a in 5 GP) in 2013-14. Del Gaizo also suited up in 60 contests for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals last season, tallying 34 points (8g-26a) to lead all team defenseman in scoring and finished fifth among all skaters on the team in shots on goal with 126. In the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, he ranked tied for eighth in points by AHL defensemen, totaling seven (4g-3a) in 15 games. His four goals finished tied for the third-most among all league blueliners in the postseason.
Originally selected by Nashville in the fourth round (109th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Del Gaizo has accumulated 89 points (17g-72a), 112 penalty minutes and a +10 rating in 207 regular season games with Milwaukee and Chicago, including 19 points (8g-11a) in 40 Calder Cup Playoff contests. Prior to turning pro, the Basking Ridge, N.J., native posted 58 points (20g-38a) in 90 games at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 2018-2021 and earned Hockey East All-Rookie Team and NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team honors in 2019. In his final season at UMass Amherst, he was named an alternate captain and helped lead the team to the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament Championship.
