The extensive list of NHL roster cuts was sent out earlier today, and the Nashville Predators mae their own set of moves. Some of them were fairly obvious, but there was one that could be detrimental to the team and helpful to anyone else.
3 additional names to the list:
D Jordan Gross
D Kevin Gravel
F Jimmy Huntington
G Connor Ingram
F Mark Jankowski
D Roland McKeownAs @OnTheFutureOTF pointed out, Gross, McKeown and Gravel were already designated, just not formally waived yet.@OnTheForecheck
— Bryan Bastin (@BryanBastin) October 9, 2022
Above is the full list of players that the Predators sent down. Most of them aren’t surprising and considering the log jam at the goaltender position, it’s no surprise that Connor Ingram was cut. However, if he wasn’t going to be a part of the team’s future plans, there is no reason not to trade him and extract the value he has from his recent performances with the team. There are organizations out there that would kill for his services.
The remaining roster looks like:
Filip Forsberg – Mikael Granlund – Matt Duchene
Nino Niederreiter – Ryan Johansen – Keifer Sherwood
Yakov Trenin – Colton Sissons – Tanner Jeannot
Cole Smith – Cody Glass – Eeli Tolvanen
Juuse Saros
Kevin Lankinen
Other players: Philip Tomasino, Michael McCarron, Zach Sanford, Mark Borowiecki
Tomasino is the only player remaining on the roster that is waiver-exempt, so if the Predators felt like he should get some time in the AHL before coming back up, they could do that without punishment. However, he is the most talented player on the current chopping block. McCarron or Sanford would be the two I look at the most to be sent down, but which one is ahead in the race has yet to be seen. Both have their pros and cons. As for Borowiecki, he obviously won’t be cut.
The Ingram situation is one that continues to not make any sense. After being one of the only bright spots in the franchise’s first time on the wrong side of a sweep, the Predators chose to sign goaltender Kevin Lankinen to fill out the backup role instead of giving Ingram a full shot. It’s certainly a head-scratcher for fans that watched his performances and believed he would be the next man behind Saros.
At a minimum, it would make sense to trade Ingram, especially considering it appears as if the Milwaukee Admirals are preparing for him to not make it through the waiver wire.
As for the other cuts, I don’t see them being claimed, although Mark Jankowski would be the player that I place a bet on if it were up to me.
The opening night roster is almost set, with the Predators still having to make one more decision before the deadline on Monday the 10th. Who that will be is still up in the air, but the regular season is upon us, and with that comes challenging decisions to be made by the entire team staff.