Nashville Predators recall Cal O'Reilly, assign Mike Santorelli to Milwaukee

by Dirk Hoag on Dec 4, 2009 12:45 PM EST Comment 1 comment

Outside of his 3-for-3 performance in shootout attempts, Mike Santorelli has struggled to make an impact for Nashville.

From the Nashville Predators:

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.

O'Reilly, 23 (9/30/86), started the season in Milwaukee before being recalled to Nashville on Oct. 15. He was pointless in six games, and was reassigned on Oct. 30. In 17 games at the AHL level, the Toronto, Ont., native leads the Admirals in points (21) and is tied for fifth in the league in assists (17).

Santorelli, 23 (12/14/85), has suited up for 21 of Nashville's 27 games this season, posting three points (2g-1a). The Vancouver, B.C., native scored his first NHL goal on Oct. 28 at Minnesota, and collected his first career assist two games later on Oct. 31 vs. Dallas. He is also 3-for-3 in shootouts for the Predators this season. This is Santorelli's second trip to Milwaukee, as he amassed eight points (4g-4a) in four games with the club from Oct. 16-24

It's interesting to see Cal O'Reilly as the callup instead of Colin Wilson, who by all reports has been pretty ordinary during his stint in Milwaukee the last couple weeks.

Santo's ice time has dwindled in recent days, and it is a bit of a surprise that with another line shuffle in the works, Barry Trotz isn't going to give him a chance alongside David Legwand and Martin Erat, a combo that worked well in the pre-season. The chart below shows how both his total Time On Ice, and power play Time On Ice, have tracked as the season has progressed. The last time he went to the AHL, he lit up the scoreboard. Can he regain that touch once again?

Mike Santorelli's ice time with Nashville