Nashville Predators recall Miikka Salomaki and Viktor Stalberg

Ahead of last night’s Milwaukee Admirals game against the Grand Rapids Griffins, Admirals Roundtable mentioned a few missing players in the Ads roster:

Salomaki and Stalberg were recalled to Nashville.

— Admirals Roundtable (@adsroundtable) January 3, 2015

At least that’s what the Griffins broadcasters just said during the game. It’d be Salomaki’s first career call up.

— Admirals Roundtable (@adsroundtable) January 3, 2015

Well, we got our answer this morning:

Matt Cullen and Taylor Beck have been dealing with lingering injuries (in a corresponding move, Beck will head to the IR) and James Neal also left Friday’s practice after a few minutes on the ice. You get the feeling those injuries are going to be more than a game or so if they feel the need to call up reinforcements.

Miikka Salomaki has five goals and 11 points in 29 games so far this season, which is tied for fifth on the team. He could slot into the bottom six of the lineup, however both Viktor Stalberg and Mark Arcobello have NHL experience. We’ll see a little later today how the Preds decide they want to handle this.

Release via the Preds:

Nashville, Tenn. (January 3, 2015) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has recalled forwards Miikka Salomaki (MEE-kah SA-loh-MA-kee) and Viktor Stalberg from Milwaukee (AHL) and placed forward Taylor Beck on Injured Reserve.

Salomaki, 21 (3/9/93), has 16 points (5g-11a) and 26 penalty minutes in 29 games for the Admirals this season, in addition to ranking among the AHL’s Top 10 forwards in plus/minus rating (+13). In his first North American professional season in 2013-14, the 5-11, 211-pound Raahe, Finland, native led Milwaukee in points (20g-30a-50pts) while tying for fifth among AHL rookies in points, and for seventh among first-year AHLers in assists. Nashville’s second choice, 52nd overall (second round), in the 2011 Entry Draft, has yet to appear in an NHL contest.

Stalberg, 28 (1/17/86), returns to Nashville where he has appeared in five NHL contests in 2014-15. In six games with Milwaukee, he has amassed six points (2g-4a), including a three-point effort (1g-2a) last time out on Tuesday vs. Lake Erie. In 318 career NHL games with Toronto, Chicago and Nashville, the 6-3, 210-pound native of Stockholm, Sweden, has 122 points (60g-62a).

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