Nashville Predators assign 3 to Milwaukee; Craig Smith makes the team
by Dirk Hoag on Oct 1, 2011 11:44 PM EDT
in Nashville Predators News
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After tonight's 2-1 win over Carolina, the Nashville Predators sent defenseman Tyler Sloan, and forwards Chris Mueller and Gabriel Bourque to Milwaukee of the AHL. Roman Josi will start the season injured reserve, also with Milwaukee, leaving the Preds with 27 in training camp (including Mike Fisher and Francis Bouillon, who aren't ready to play at this time). Sloan passed through waivers earlier today, while Mueller and Bourque aren't eligible yet. Check here for the list of remaining Preds who do (or do not) require waivers in order to be sent to the AHL.
As reported by Tom Callahan on Twitter, Craig Smith has indeed made the team. You couldn't really ask a guy to do much more to earn a spot, but this remains a tremendous ride that Smith has been on, from an outstanding year of college hockey, to a breakout performance at the World Championships, and now a head-turning performance over the last 3 weeks first during Rookie Camp, and now the full Training Camp.
Now we have to ask, has Smith passed Cal O'Reilly on the depth chart at center? With Fisher out of the lineup, there is presumably room for both in the lineup, but when Fish is ready to play, Barry Trotz will have another big decision on his hands.
The team's press release follows after the jump...
Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced tonight that the club has assigned forwards Gabriel Bourque and Chris Mueller, and defenseman Tyler Sloan to the American Hockey League's Milwaukee Admirals. Defenseman Roman Josi was also placed on injured reserve, and will report to Milwaukee to start the season.
The transactions leave Nashville's Training Camp roster at 27 players - 16 forwards, nine defensemen and two goaltenders. Players by position currently participating in camp are as follows:
FORWARDS (16): Niclas Bergfors, Martin Erat, Mike Fisher, Blake Geoffrion, Matt Halischuk, Patric Hornqvist, Sergei Kostitsyn, David Legwand, Cal O'Reilly, Craig Smith, Jerred Smithson, Nick Spaling, Zack Stortini, Jordin Tootoo, Colin Wilson and Kyle Wilson
DEFENSEMEN (9): Teemu Laakso, Jonathon Blum, Francis Bouillon, Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis, Jack Hillen, Kevin Klein, Ryan Suter and Shea Weber
GOALTENDERS (2): Anders Lindback and Pekka Rinne.
The Nashville Predators cloesd out their eight-game preseason with a record of 7-1-0, culminating with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Games start counting on Friday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 8 with back-to-back road contests to open the 2011-12 regular season against Central Division foes Columbus (7 p.m. CT, FOX Sports Tennessee) and St. Louis (7 p.m. CT, FOX Sports Tennessee). The Preds home opener comes the following Thursday, Oct. 13 when the Phoenix Coyotes come to Smashville (7 p.m. on SportSouth).
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our new 15, game winning goal. our old 15, nothing. I like it so far
60% of the time it works every time
Didn’t geoffrion play the last 2 games? Would seem he’s in the mix as well. All depends on whether we carry more than 20 healthy players on opening night.
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 12:02 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
To borrow from MCM...
Contributor at Music City Miracles. and On The Forecheck.
Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.
Follow @thawardasa.
by Aditya T (smashville) on Oct 1, 2011 11:59 PM EDT reply actions
With Smith seeming to be the real deal, this could make Cal a good trade chip packaged with a pick or prospect for a good winger if one becomes available. Would like the look of a 3rd line with Smith centering Wilson and Bergfors. Not sure Cal cuts it as a winger.
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 12:17 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Parise? Never heard of him! ;D
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 2:23 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
It would be amazing to have him on the Preds!
Beer... Now there's a temporary solution.-Homer Simpson
Yes it would, plus it would make me happy, which is the main reason it should be done! :D
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 2:42 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Are you nuts dude?
You obviously haven’t been going to the preseason games, cause Wilson is BY FAR our best player this preseason. Haters are gonna keep hatin’ around here, but he’s by far a first liner. yadda yadda, Craig Smith this and Jordin Tootoo that, but Wilson stands out head and shoulders above every other forward on the team.
Wilson-Legwand-HornQ
Kostitsyn-O’Reilly-Erat
Hustlechuk-Spaling-Tootoo
Smith-Smithson-Bergfors/Stortini
Death by a thousand bee stings.
Bergfors has been the invisible man out there. He’d better get his act together. Fish replaces O’reilly when he gets back. Then, who the heck knows what to do with O’Reilly. Maybe he replaces Bergfors or somebody will be injured…but that’s not important. BamBam hasn’t cut the mustard this preseason. He’d bound for Milwaukee I fear.
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Oct 2, 2011 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions
You just haven't figured out how Trotzy roles yet, have you?
You and I would be giving Wilson top line minutes, but not Trotzy, at least not yet. If Wilson and Smith have good chemistry together, don’t break them up!
Who knows, a 3rd line that can score may open up Trotz’ to a whole new world of thinking. ;)
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 2:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Ugh!
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Oct 2, 2011 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Wilson is starting out right for sure. He could be exponentially better if he keeps up the aggressive play. He could improve scoring for 3 or 4 other guys too.
In the spirit of rolling 4 lines, I think:
Wilson-Legwand-Erat
Kostitsyn-Smith- Horny
O’Reilly-Smithson-Toots
Halischuk-Spaling/Boomer-/Bergfors/Stort (some of these guys will be looking at healthy scratches)
I think Boomer was a little off last night but I still think he stays up given his potential and ability to be one of our most physical forwards.
by Marcus Newman on Oct 2, 2011 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions
But….but……Bergfors was our star signing this summer……..he must play top line minutes! :D
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 2:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I still think Toots and O’Reilly have played great together and I love the idea of having cal and Smitty out there to split draws. Then you can demote Smith and Smithson when Fisher returns and maintain some real offensive potential on 3 of 4…
Then when Bergfors, Spaling and Halischuk start lighting it up we can leave the entire Central in our rear-view!
by Marcus Newman on Oct 2, 2011 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Someone needs to take a nap. :D
I look at all those spare parts and think how good they would look packaged with a high round draft pick/prospect/Radulov for a legit top 6 winger! It’s like taking all that change you’ve saved up during the year and taking it to the bank in exchange for a crisp $20.00 dollar bill. :)
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 2:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I’m not opposed to that at all if the deal is there to be had. The more news we get on him the more I like the idea of getting him on someone else’s radar. It would be sweet to get a return on him if we can, even if it isn’t in our lineup.
A couple injuries though and it may turn out that all those utility guys come in pretty handy.
by Marcus Newman on Oct 2, 2011 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions
We’ve got lots and lots of nickels and dimes to fill in the gaps when needed, we can afford to part with some of that change jangling around our pocket. :)
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 3:48 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
lmao
honest…lmao
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Oct 2, 2011 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions
that must be a mistake, SWFP. you realize you put Legwand on a top line?
60% of the time it works every time
by Creeping Death on Oct 2, 2011 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions
I predict he's not gonna be a lazy, goodfornuttin' piece of %&*#@*^&$ this year.....
….and become the player he was born to be.
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Oct 2, 2011 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Someone bookmark this page
so we can bring it up in December when the Leggy bashing begins. ;)
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.
If he does play like a goodfornuttin' piece of %*&#&%*......
……then I’ll be there front and center to call him out for it.
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Oct 2, 2011 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Whenever NHL.com updates this:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=73526#?navid=nav-stn-pre
And this…
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=73527#?navid=nav-sts-pre
Type in “2011 NHL preseason standings” on your browser and you’ll find lots of stuff. :)
I said before the pre-season that one of the few teams I thought actually had less offense than we did was Dallas………they had the most pre-season goals and we were 2nd, LOL!
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 3:03 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
At one point during the rookie tournament
my husband asked how the game went. I just told him, “Learn the name Craig Smith. You’ll be hearing it a lot.”
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.
Why all the O`Reilly hate?
The guy was near or on top of the point leaders until he got injured last year. If we did a poll halfway through the year last year (maybe we did) on who was the first half MVP, O`Reilly had to be one of the top choices. He finally got his chance to prove his worth last year and succeeded up until his injury.
Sure, we’re loaded at center, but Cal can easily move to the wing. If we make room for Craig Smith, O`Reilly doesn’t need to be the one to go.
"The Final Countdown" is now playing in your head. You're welcome.
What were his numbers during his last 20 games before the injury? They were pretty bad actually.
To me at least, Cal’s game doesn’t translate well as a winger. Can always give it a try though.
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 3:46 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
/
What were his numbers during his last 20 games before the injury? They were pretty bad actually.
We had several of those long losing streaks around then. Nobody was scoring. Besides, you can take any player and find a 15-20 game stretch where they disappeared.
"The Final Countdown" is now playing in your head. You're welcome.
by Michaeltastic on Oct 2, 2011 4:06 AM EDT up reply actions
That’s true, but the problem for a guy like Cal is that if he’s not scoring, there really isn’t other aspects of his game that make up for that. All our other centers, including Smith, have more versatility to their game than Cal does. That’s why I think he could end up being the odd man out.
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 1:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Anyone have the preseason stats for both players?
How is smith in the shoot out? I know trotz likes O’Reilly during the shoot out.
Craig Smith will become the best offensive threat for the Preds since Radulov
I truly feel that Craig Smith will become the Predators go to guy offensively over the next couple of years. People are looking for saviors in the wrong places. As much as I love Geoffrion and appreciate the game he plays, he is not the offensive answer that the preds have been looking for. I feel like fans are looking at him to be a goal scoring powerhouse. It is by no fault of his own, the Preds do not even expect that out of him. Fisher, Spaling, Halischuk, Geoffrion, Smithson, Tootoo, and Kyle Wilson are on the team to grind and do the dirty work and play a good two way game. Out of these, Fisher obviously has the best offensive tangibles, but he is not a go to guy offensively. Over the next few years, it will be up to the likes of Craig Smith, Patric Hornqvist, Cal O’reilly, Colin Wilson, Sergei Kostitsyn, and Niclas Bergfors to elevate their game to carry the team offensively. You already know what you are going to get out of Erat and Legwand year in and year out. Out of all the players we have, Craig Smith and Colin Wilson have the best chance to be the offensive superstar the Preds have been searching for since Radulov. Fans…understand that this team is constructed to be a well oiled defensive machine. We have built the team around Peks, Weber, and Suter. We will continue to be one of the best defensive teams in the league and the offense plays a supportive role to the defense in the Preds system. Dont get impatient, Trozt and management know what they are doing and they know how to build a team. Have faith, and eventually, the offensive superstar that the fans crave will come. I wouldnt be surprised if that player is Craig Smith. Only time will tell.
Speaking of Radulov
Have you heard he wants a trade from his team? Don’t know if it has been posted on here yet (probably has), but this has me excited. Does anyone know if he could come back during the season?
Patience is a virtue........ in my case could you hurry up!!
by Clint Burkhalter on Oct 2, 2011 5:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Craig Smith Colin Wilson will become the best offensive threat for the Preds since Radulov. ever.
Fixed.
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Oct 2, 2011 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Wilson will become a good power forward but he’s far too inconsistent to carry an entire team on his back offensively. Not too mention, he has been a liability defensively when he is on the rink. I think trotzy benching him all of the playoffs and playing the likes of mueller, halischuk, and geoffrion instead really says a lot about their confidence in him. He has a lot of growing to do. Smith plays much older and smarter than he is. Wilson tends to try to force things. Don’t get me wrong, I love Colin Wilson but he has a lot of growing to do. Smith does too but I think smith has more skill and a better hockey sense. Only time will tell. Let’s hope both turn into offensive dynamos!
Wilson's play this pre-season
is nothing like anything I saw from Wilson last year. I think he’s adjusting to playing wing and he has more motivation than anyone else on the the team so this year.
by Only Fan In J.C. ? on Oct 3, 2011 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I, too, don’t understand the O’Reilly hate. Especially if we are basing our critiques on this preseason. If it’s enough to anoint Smith as the second coming, isn’t it enough to praise Cal? I also do not understand the lack of ink devoted to Mueller. Didn’t he lead, or co-lead, us in goals this preseason? His demotion does not sit well with me. Do not like it one bit.
It's not hate
It’s an honest question – with Legwand, Fisher, then Spaling/Smithson, there’s only one center spot available each game, so it’s an open question of whether O’Reilly or Smith gets it once Fisher returns to health.
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and founder of HockeyGearHQ, a site devoted to hockey equipment and accessories.
In the 21st century, hate and love are the only two available options………no grey area allowed!
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 1:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
don't know what happened to Mueller, he had a real solid preseason
i expect him to be the first forward called up for action.
OK, I can see your point on O’Reilly. But I am sticking to my guns about Mueller. I think he’s a great player that no one is talking about and I don’t understand why.
Could (and I emphasis could) have a lot to do with each players waiver eligibilty situation. Mueller can be sent down without having to pass thru waivers, where as guys like Stortini, Halischuk and K. Wilson may have to go thru waivers to be sent down.
Truth is, there was really only one spot open on the bottom two lines, maybe two if we carry an extra forward, and there was a lot of competition for those few spots. Now if we only had that competition on the top two lines………..
Belarussians play better as a family.......get AK46!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 2, 2011 1:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Cause he hasn't done squadoosh....
….for starters.
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Oct 2, 2011 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions
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