The Nashville Predators acquired defenseman Petter Granberg from the Toronto Maple Leafs organization off of waivers this morning. The Swedish defenseman was teammates at Skellefteå with current Milwaukee Admirals players Viktor Arvidsson and Johan Alm. Granberg has been on injured reserve the entire 2015-16 season to date so no other reactionary roster moves are expected all that soon.
Press Release via Nashville Predators:
Nashville, Tenn. (November 22, 2015) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Sunday that the club has claimed defenseman Petter Granberg on waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Granberg, 23 (8/27/92), has yet to suit up in 2015-16 due to offseason surgery, but has eight NHL games to his credit with Maple Leafs (0 points, 6 penalty minutes) and 126 AHL games with the Toronto Marlies (3g-19a-22pts, 58 penalty minutes) since his first North American professional season in 2013-14. Prior to crossing the Atlantic, the 6-3, 201-pound blueliner split time between Skelleftea’s Swedish Hockey League and Junior League teams, winning an SHL title in 2013, and earning silver medals in 2011 and 2012.
Toronto’s fourth selection, 116th overall (fourth round), in the 2010 Entry Draft, Granberg helped team Sweden win the 2013 World Championship (along with Predators forward Calle Jarnkrok) and the 2012 World Junior Championship (along with Predators forward Filip Forsberg), as well as earning a silver medal at the 2010 World Under-18 Championship.
When looking at Granberg’s career path to this point he was a fourth round draft pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2010 NHL Draft. He has played 8 games at the NHL level but has mainly spent his time in his North American professional playing career in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies: 126 games, 22 points (3 goals, 19 assists), 58 penalty minutes, and a plus/minus rating of +33.
Honestly, this move stumps me a little bit. The Predators are already carrying an -extra- extra defenseman right now with both Victor Bartley and Anthony Bitetto on the roster. When I think of Bartley and Bitetto I’m starting to think they’ve collected more healthy scratches at the NHL level than games played. So, where does Granberg fit in and what is Nashville going to be doing roster wise? That’s going to be a wait and see storyline that will develop once Granberg is healthy enough to be taken off injured reserve.
Thoughts on this move by the Nashville Predators? Is there a reason why this acquisition happened you think? Who is the most likely candidate to be sent through the waiver wire in the attempts to clear them and assign them to the Admirals: Bartley, Bitetto, or Granberg?
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
Admirals Roundtable 
Unless they are working on a trade of some sort, I’m assuming he’ll be sent to Milwaukee for two weeks on a conditioning assignment. From there, they’ll need to keep him on their roster since he was claimed on waivers. Maybe they plan to send down Barley or Bitetto to get more ice time and will keep Granberg as the guy who sits out?
more depth i guess
Maybe its time to trade Shea Weber.
Perhaps a trade is on the horizon that includes a Bitteto or Bartley as a part of the deal. Not sure but don’t any of these three have to clear waivers to make back down anyways? Id image a Bartley and draft picks for a decent backup goalie or another depth forward. If there’s no additional move this pick up does seem rather odd.