Nashville Predators assign Mike Santorelli to Milwaukee, call up Cal O'Reilly
by Dirk Hoag on Oct 15, 2009 12:09 PM EDT
11 comments
From the Nashvile Predators, as first leaked via their @NHLPredsInsider Twitter account:
Obviously the team is desperate to get some offense rolling, having scored just one goal in the last 3 games. Will this make an appreciable impact? In 14:00 of ice time per game, Santorelli had 11 shots on goal so far, the 3rd-best shooting total based on ice time on the team (behind Jason Arnott and Patric Hornqvist).
What remains to be seen is the role that O'Reilly will play. Santorelli's mission in training camp was to train as a winger, but it's doubtful that the Preds would throw O'Reilly into that situation right away. Will Legwand move over to the wing, perhaps, as happened last year to shake him out of an offensive slump?
The text of the press release follows...
Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has recalled center Cal O'Reilly from Milwaukee (AHL), and reassigned forward Mike Santorelli to the Admirals. J.P. Dumont was also activated from Injured Reserve.
O'Reilly, 23 (9/30/86), amassed four assists in a 5-2 Admirals win over Peoria last night, and leads the American Hockey League in helpers with seven in three games. The Toronto, Ont., native registered five points (3g-2a) in 11 games with the Predators during the 2008-09 season, the first NHL action of his career.
Santorelli, 23 (12/14/85), suited up for each of the Predators first five games in 2009-10, posting no points while averaging 14:00 per game. A season ago, he Led Milwaukee in points (70) and goals (27) in addition to ranking second on the club in assists (43).
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Thinking about this move this morning...
Legwand will shift to wing. It gives the team more options. Santorelli simply hasn’t done what he was brought up to do – score goals. Is that all on him, heck no, but he will be better served right now playing wing in Milwaukee.
Predators Hockey: Live it, Love it...
Are they brave enough...
…to set Erat for a game.
It needs to happen. I’d be real tempted to not just reunite the SAD line.
I might be tempted to run something like this:
Legwand-Arnott-Dumont
Sullivan-Wilson-Hornqvist
Jones-O’Reilly-Ward
Guite-Goc-Smithson
My Blog @ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?author=59
by David Singleton on Oct 15, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions
I've been thinking along similar lines
Two forwards need to be scratched tonight. Belak is a given with no heavyweight in Chicago’s lineup, but that second one is a real head-scratcher. Could come down to almost anything. Could be any number of guys that have been building their case for a stint in the doghouse or it could be the guy that dared to laugh during last night’s flight home.
I don’t think you can sit Erat yet. He has to be looked upon as part of the solution moving forward. He has an NMC and is therefore pretty ingrained into the Predators future plans.
Guite would be my pick, but Jones is another possibility simply based on numbers. Jones struggled through training camp and to start the year, he has played better in stretches over the past two games, but is still not showing any consistency. Guite simply has not had any impact.
Predators Hockey: Live it, Love it...
If Erat Plays...
I put him with Sullivan. He appears to respect Sullivan a great deal and his speed would match.
In that event, I would do this:
Legwand-Arnott-Dumont
Sullivan-Wilson-Erat
Hornqvist-O’Reilly-Ward
Guite/Jones-Goc-Smithson
If Erat is part of the solution, give him a line mate that can match his speed whom he greatly respects and also a line mate that can dish the puck and drive to the net/occupy the slot.
My Blog @ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?author=59
by David Singleton on Oct 15, 2009 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Another thing...
As I mentioned in my blog, the power play units need to change.
This team has continued to play the same people, the same strategies, on the power play for an extremely long amount of time. Largely to little success.
My Blog @ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?author=59
by David Singleton on Oct 15, 2009 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Dumont demands IN, Trotz says OK
http://twitter.com/NHLPredsInsider/status/4892803456
Leadership???
Predators Hockey: Live it, Love it...
Maybe...
Perception is that Santorelli is being made a scapegoat.
That said, I agree that this is best for him right now. Unfortunately, we are replacing a shooter with a playmaker- not exactly what this team needs.
SLake, I think you were right- this team has five or so games to turn things around. If not major changes will be made.
At this point, I’m not sure they know how to turn it around. Nor do I think that Dumont or O’Reilly are going to be much help.
Now if the team changes their style with those moves, they have a chance.
BTW, I appreciated your analysis of last night’s game. Excellent, excellent work.
My Blog @ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?author=59
by David Singleton on Oct 15, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I was afraid Santorelli wouldn’t get a real shot, and it looks like he hasn’t.
While the last few games have been bad, it’s still only five games into the season. I feel like giving a rookie only a few games (with changing linemates, no less) to prove himself before being cast aside is no way to develop a quality NHL player.
Instead of panicking, as it appears the Preds are now doing, why not leave lines together for a few games? Line chemistry is often not instant.
And how about the rotating goalie scheme? That appears to have backfired as well. I think the best thing for the team now would be to coach less…let the players work it out themselves.
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Dirk Hoag is the Forechecker, churner of NHL stats and analysis.
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