The Nashville Predators have signed free-agent forward Jed Ortmeyer to a two-year contract worth $1.5-million.

Ortmeyer appeared in 41 games for the New York Rangers in 2006-07, posting 11 points. The six-foot, 197-pound forward, appeared in nine of the Rangers' ten playoff games and ranked among team post-season leaders in both hits and blocked shots.

The Omaha, Nebraska native missed the first 40 games of the 2006-07 season after being diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. Upon receiving medical clearance, Ortmeyer posted four points in eight games on a conditioning assignment with the Hartford Whalers of the American Hockey League.

Ortmeyer has recorded nine goals and 15 assists and 76 penalty minutes in 177 career NHL games with the Rangers. He was originally signed as a free agent by the Rangers on May 10, 2003 after a four-year career at the University of Michigan. He registered 51 goals and 66 assists in 145 career games at Michigan, and was honored with the Hal Downes Trophy as the club's most valuable player following both his junior and senior seasons.

Ortmeyer will be paid $750,000 in each of the two seasons of his contract.

Nashville still has some talent left but I doubt they will finish in a playoff spot. Chicago will be much better than last year along with improved St. Louis, LA and Colorado. None of the teams that made the playoffs besides Nashville have really lost much off of their rosters so I think Nashville will drop considerably in the standings this coming season.