Niclas Bergfors clears waivers

by Dirk Hoag on Nov 23, 2011 12:30 PM EST in Nashville Predators News

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 01: Zac Dalpe #22 of the Carolina Hurricanes pokes the puck away from Niclas Bergfors #18 of the Nashville Predators at the Bridgestone Arena on October 1, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

After being placed on waivers yesterday, winger Niclas Bergfors has gone unclaimed, per TSN's Bob McKenzie. That clears the way for Nashville to send Bergfors to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee within a window of 10 games or 30 days. According to CapGeek, he's on a one-way contract, so he'd still make his salary of $575,000 in the AHL.

Bon Voyage, J.P. Svatos.

Niclas Bergfors

#18 / Right Wing

Height: 5-10

Weight: 194

Born: Mar 07, 1987

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG		SOG	PCT
2011 - Niclas Bergfors	11	1	1	2	-2	2	0	0	1		11	9.0

I'll be the first to admit, hopes were high that Bergfors could be the "shoot-first" type of winger who could fill a void on the Preds roster at a bargain price. In the end, however, he failed to earn his way into the Nashville lineup consistently, even though opportunity was there due to injuries to key forwards early on.

The question is, does that fault lie entirely on Bergfors, or perhaps is the "Predator Way" overly strict? Is there no room for a sniper with defensive flaws on a team loaded with hard-working checkers? As Sam wrote a while back:

"The Predator Way" is a tolerable concept and marketing slogan, as long as it means teaching forwards responsibility and developing great defensemen and goaltenders. When "The Predator Way" starts to favor acquiring hustling, defense-first forwards, instead of teaching defense to forwards with talent, we're selling jeans here. These past few years, David Poile has nearly built a team that plays perfect "Predator hockey." Now its time to build a team that just wins.

Going forward, the interesting question is what happens to this roster spot. Does it remain empty, or will a forward get called up from Milwaukee, such as Kyle Wilson or Juuso Puustinen, who lead the Ads in scoring?

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Let him sit in Milwaukee for a while. It should be a sobering time for him.

by DonBorvio on Nov 23, 2011 12:33 PM EST reply actions

Is it possible

For him to be called back up? The AHL might be just the place for him to get his game back on track.

by musamonster on Nov 23, 2011 12:47 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions

He can be called up, but he would be placed on rentry waivers and a team could claim him. He would than get half his salary paid by the team that claimed him and half by the preds.

by ThatGuy22 on Nov 23, 2011 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

Would have to th ink that some team might well take Bergfors if it only costs them about $250,000 for the full season. I’d keep an eye out for that situation to unfold.

But I’m bummed by this……we were sooo close to being #30 in the cap hit catagory! :D

Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!

by Grizzledbear on Nov 23, 2011 6:13 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Bring up Mueller!

by JBoogie22 on Nov 23, 2011 1:20 PM EST reply actions

i agree after sending down geoffirion

by predwheels on Nov 23, 2011 7:51 PM EST up reply actions

Flawed as Bergfors may be, I’d still rather see them send Geoffrion down to actually get ice time instead of sitting in the press box.

Proud owner of a fantasy hockey team named "Lonely Wristshots."

by TerryCrispisms on Nov 23, 2011 1:40 PM EST reply actions

i’d send both down

by predwheels on Nov 23, 2011 7:53 PM EST up reply actions

They never game Bergfors a chance.

He’s Kostitsyn 2.0. Remember he did squadoosh last year playing on the fourth line? Then he got promoted and was nearly a pointa game for the remainder of the year. Nobody scores on the Predators’ bottom two lines.

Nobody.

Nevertheless, I don’t really care that we kept him or got rid of him. It’s of little consequence since we have a pretty decent top 6….who needs to start shooting more.

Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is where the Stanley Cup can be found.

by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Nov 23, 2011 2:29 PM EST reply actions

I kind of felt he didn’t get a shot. Seems like he always was on the 4th line and maybe would have been better served on a one of the first three. Or if Trotz is going to take Smith off the top line, why not play Bergfors and Smith on the third line? Oh well. I never thought Bergfors would be our savior

60% of the time it works every time

by Creeping Death on Nov 23, 2011 3:15 PM EST up reply actions

correction

Then he earned a promotion and was nearly a point a game

Trotz doesn’t just randomly promote guys, but he does it when they earn it.

Keys to the game: GA<GF

by flyalder on Nov 23, 2011 7:31 PM EST up reply actions

Trotz apologist.

U still my bro though.

Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is where the Stanley Cup can be found.

by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Nov 23, 2011 7:34 PM EST up reply actions

If someone is called up...

…I figure it will probably be Kyle Wilson.

Puustinen has a lot of skill, but coach says he’s still adjusting to North America. At times, he has found himself on the wrong side of a shortened Kirk Muller bench in a game. But he’s been hot lately.

Mueller has kind of been hit or miss so far. He’s got 10 points in 15 games….but six of them came in the first 3 games. Not playing as dominantly as he did last year.

Ryan Thang has not been that great since his cup of coffee a couple weeks ago. 1 goal, no assists in his last 8 games. But leads the team in shots on goal, which may be what you’re looking for.

by Ryan B. Miller on Nov 23, 2011 6:29 PM EST reply actions

Thanks Ryan, what about on defense? I still think Laasko isn’t really cutting it here, would it be Josi or Ellis? Or maybe a dark horse like Bartley or someone else?

by DonBorvio on Nov 23, 2011 6:37 PM EST up reply actions

Right now, I think Josi would be better

Bartley has been steady too. Works hard and plays in every situation. Sloan has been fine. But Josi should be the first one up and he’s the one to be the most excited about.

Josi made an awful decision in his season debut that led to a goal, but on the whole, he looks like the Josi of last year. No panic in his game, great puck handler, great skater, and usually good decisions.

While Ellis is showing up the on the scoresheet a little more often recently, he’s still a little green in other aspects of his game. It’ll come, but I don’t think he’s ready for prime time yet.

by Ryan B. Miller on Nov 23, 2011 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

Bergfors was put on unconditional waivers yesterday

TSNBobMcKenzie Bob McKenzie
NSH puts Niclas Bergfors on unconditional ($125) waivers. If he clears, team and player can mutually agree to terminate contract.

by DonBorvio on Nov 25, 2011 8:46 AM EST reply actions

Pretty much means he’s going to Europe.

by DonBorvio on Nov 25, 2011 8:50 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t blame him.

R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - Albert Einstein

by CAustin on Nov 25, 2011 11:18 AM EST up reply actions

He hasn’t fit in very well here so far… whether he was given enough of a chance to prove himself is debatable, but either way, it didn’t seem to be working out.

Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-

by davisca on Nov 25, 2011 1:26 PM EST up reply actions