Sunday, the Nashville Predators assigned ten players to the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League. Sent to the team’s top developmental affiliate were: forwards Hugh Jessiman, Ryan Maki, Ian McKenzie and Mark Santorelli, defensemen Robert Dietrich, Scott Ford, Mark Matheson and Russ Sinkewich and goaltenders Chet Pickard and Jeremy Smith.
After Sunday’s thinning of the roster, there are 34 players left in camp. Prior to the start of the season, the team’s active roster can contain no more than 23 players..jpg)
The players remaining in camp (listed by position):
Center (9)
Jason Arnott
Ben Eaves
Marcel Goc
Ben Guite
David Legwand
Cal O'Reilly
Mike Santorelli
Jerred Smithson
Colin Wilson
Left Wing (5)
Triston Grant
Ryan Jones
Peter Olvecky
Nick Spaling
Steve Sullivan
Right Wing (7)
Wade Belak
J.P. Dumont
Martin Erat
Patric Hornqvist
Andreas Thuresson
Jordin Tootoo
Joel Ward
Defense (10)
Jonathon Blum
Cody Franson
Dan Hamhuis
Kevin Klein
Teemu Laakso
Alexander Sulzer
Ryan Suter
Shea Weber
Ryan Ellis
Nolan Yonkman
Goaltender (3)
Mark Dekanich
Dan Ellis
Pekka Rinne
Barring any potential trades, free agent signings, or injuries that would require a player being put on the injured reserve list, it appears that half of the 34 players remaining in camp will be present when the team’s starting roster is finalized. Those 17 players are:
Center (3)
Jason Arnott
David Legwand
Jerred Smithson
Left Wing (2)
Ryan Jones
Steve Sullivan
Right Wing (5)
Wade Belak
J.P. Dumont
Martin Erat
Jordin Tootoo
Joel Ward
Defense (5)
Dan Hamhuis
Kevin Klein
Alexander Sulzer
Ryan Suter
Shea Weber
Goaltender (2)
Dan Ellis
Pekka Rinne
That leaves 17 players fighting for a maximum of six remaining spots on the team. They will not carry three goaltenders, so in reality there are 16 players vying for the six available slots.
Following Saturday’s preseason game against Columbus, Predators head coach Barry Trotz indicated that the team will look at cutting the roster further this week following Wednesday’s game in Atlanta and Thursday’s team-building trip to Ft. Campbell.
It will be interesting to see what players dress for Wednesday’s game. With several players battling groin injuries (Sullivan, Belak, Ward, Eaves, and Wilson), the team may choose to sit some of them as a precaution. Some of the players who play in Atlanta may have their last opportunity to stake their claim to a roster spot.
Since a lot of the players who will start the season in Milwaukee will likely see time in Nashville as call-ups this season, Trotz stressed the importance of having a lot of players participate in the team-building activities and making cuts prior to the team’s last two preseason games Saturday and Sunday.
Comments