Maybe he’s a big Phillip Phillips fan?
The Predators have announced that Craig Smith has been sent to Milwaukee on a conditioning assignment. It’ll be the first taste of the AHL for the 23 year old.
With three games in three days this weekend, and with names like Mueller, Beck, and Bartley sticking with the Preds, the reinforcements are certainly welcome!
Admirals Roundtable 
Interesting it’s a conditioning stint. That means he gets his NHL money and remains on Nashville’s roster. Wouldn’t sending him down outright send more of a message, or?? Unless I’m mistaken, he’s still on an entry level contract and can be sent down without waivers?
Also Boychuk was put on waivers again to send to Charlotte. According to rumors on Twitter, Nashville is going to reclaim him and assign him to Milwaukee!
I would leave him in Milwaukee for the rest of the season and hopefully the playoffs, put him on a line with Watson and see if they can develop a chemistry like Perry and Getzlaf did a few years ago. Then call both up next season and you may have something to build on, certainly no shame to come down and work on your weaknesses, Erat, Wilson, and Hornquist all served time in the AHL after being in Nashville. It has to be better than having Smith play fourth line with Yip and Clune. Boychuk coming? That would just be the cherry on top!
And never mind on Boychuk… “@JoshuaCooper: Poile said #Preds are not going to take Boychuk, who is back on waivers today.” way to help out Milwaukee!
Yes, Craig Smith is on a two-way contract, so he can be sent down without having to clear waivers. Next year he is on a one-way contract. I would venture a guess he’s only coming down on a conditioning stint like Halishuck did; for a weekend. Give him a kick in the pants hoping the result will be the same as Halishuck has been playing better since the weekend with Milwaukee.
One of the points Glenn made I’ve always found to be something I’d love to get an honest answer from an NHL/AHL floater on, especially considering the very small amount of ice time Mueller is getting with Nashville. I’d love to know if they’d rather play on the 4th line, getting 6 or less minutes every game with an NHL team or be on the 1st line, getting 20+ productive minutes every game with an AHL team. I know that the NHL level is the dream and you make (way) more money, but it’s got to be irritating/frustrating/annoying/etc… to ride the pine so much each game.
it is frustrating to see Mueller’s ice time. i don’t get it bring him up and give him a chance on the 2nd line for a 3 or 4 games. How much can you show playing 7 minutes a game on the 4th line. Seriously nashville you are in 11th or 12th place in the league. I never understood this
Looks like Smith will be borrowing Ben Ryan’s #16 while he’s here, if the AHL website is to be correct.