This isn’t the most surprising of roster moves given how the Milwaukee Admirals games this weekend played out. The Admirals team captain Colton Sissons has been recalled by the Nashville Predators ahead of their upcoming four-game road trip in Western Canada. Sissons was a healthy scratch for the Admirals in both games this weekend as a preventative measure with this move in mind.

Press Release via Nashville Predators:

Nashville, Tenn. (March 7, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Monday that the club has recalled forward Colton Sissons from Milwaukee (AHL).

Sissons, 22 (11/5/93), has appeared in 19 games for the Predators in 2015-16, notching a pair of points (1g-1a) and a 59 percent success rate in the face-off circle, best among all NHLers taking at least 100 draws. He has also served as the youngest captain in Milwaukee Admirals history this season, amassing 19 points (8g-11a) in 38 games. Now in his third professional season, the North Vancouver, B.C., native has six points (2g-4a) in 36 career NHL games.

The Nashville Predators will look to extend their franchise-record point streak to 13 games on Tuesday night when they play the Winnipeg Jets at 7 p.m. (TV: FOX Sports Tennessee; Radio: 102.5 The Game). The team is on the second game of a five-game road trip that sees them playing the Colorado Avalanche (5-2 win on Saturday), Winnipeg Jets (Tuesday), Calgary Flames (Wednesday), Vancouver Canucks (Saturday) and Edmonton Oilers (March 14). The team returns to Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, March 17 against the New York Islanders, when fans can take advantage of the team’s March to the Playoffs ticket plan. Through the Johansen or Neal pack, fans can buy three games and get a complimentary fourth game, saving up to 40 percent off of the gate rate. For more information click here or call 615-770-7800.

Sissons has played 19 games at the NHL level with the Predators this season. During that time he has produced 2 points (1 goal, 1 assists) while going 58.5% in face-off dot. That last stat is an important one because the man Sissons is likely going up to fill in for is Paul Gaustad whom missed a decent chunk of the Predators last game.

Since Sissons last time up with the Predators he has logged 26 games with the Admirals and has 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists). I had given him the nod for Admirals Roundtable’s Admiral of the Month award for his contributions in February due to his high level work rate and raising the performances of those playing alongside of him. He’s been sharp. So he rejoined the Predators at a great time for not only that team but for himself personally. Sissons is a British Columbia native so this upcoming road swing for the Predators is ideal for him. Should he remain up with the team long enough I’d expect a good family contingent for the game against the Vancouver Canucks this coming Saturday.

UPDATE: In a fun uniform related note, Sissons has officially ditched rookie numeral of #84 and been given the #10 to wear for the Predators. I assume this comes as added reward considering the Predators recently penned the Admirals captain to a new three-year contract two weeks ago.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

Once again the Milwaukee Admirals are in the roster move business with the team recalling Joe Pendenza from their ECHL affiliate the Cincinnati Cyclones this morning.

Press Release via Cincinnati Cyclones:

Moline, IL- The Cincinnati Cyclones have announced that forward Joe Pendenza has been recalled by the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL), while forward Andrew Yogan has signed a pro tryout (PTO) with the St. Johns Ice Caps of the AHL.

Pendenza has skated in six games since rejoining the Cyclones from the Admirals on February 19, accounting for four goals and two assists in that time. Prior to his most recent Cyclones stint, Pendenza suited up in 27 games for the Admirals, registering three goals and two assists.

Overall, the Wilmington, MA, native has appeared in 21 games this season with Cincinnati, totaling 10 goals and nine assists.

This will be the fourth AHL call-up of the season for Yogan, who has already seen two separate stints with the Syracuse Crunch, and one with the Iowa Wild. Yogan has been one of the offensive leaders for the Cyclones this season, tallying 14 goals and dishing out 26 assists for 40 points in 32 games played, which places him third on the team.

The 24-year-old has seen action in 24 AHL games this season, accounting for five goals and eight assists.

The 2015-2016 season is underway! Your Cyclones are on the march towards another Kelly Cup Championship, and want you along for the ride! Be sure to check out one of our 2015-16 Ticket Packages, available NOW! Call 513.421.PUCK to reserve your seats. Fans can also get the latest team updates on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), Instagram, and our website, http://www.cycloneshockey.com!

Pendenza has played 27 games this season as a member of the Admirals where he has produced 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) with a plus/minus rating of -1 and 6 penalty minutes. As a member of the Cyclones in the ECHL he has played 21 games, scored 19 points (10 goals, 9 assists), has a plus/minus rating of +3, and 14 penalty minutes. His most recent spell with the Cyclones lasted the month of February where he scored 6 points (4 goals, 2 assists) in 6 games.

Why was Pendenza recalled? That’s where the speculation can simply begin. Cody Hodgson missed last night’s game against the Lake Erie Monsters which was his second absence from the last three-games. He was the lone forward scratches last night so, if there is a nagging injury, it could be that Pendenza was recalled to help keep numbers and options up for the Admirals forward group.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

The re-signing and new contract news keeps coming out of the Nashville Predators organization. First there was Colton Sissons signing a new three-year contract with the Predators. That was followed by Anthony Bitetto signing a new two-year contract with the Predators. Yesterday, the Milwaukee Admirals re-signed Jimmy Oligny for two-years. And now today the Predators have re-signed Miikka Salomäki to a new two-year contract.

Press Release via Nashville Predators:

Nashville, Tenn. (March 1, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Tuesday that the club has signed forward Miikka Salomaki (MEE-kah SA-loh-MA-kee) to a two-year, $1.225 million contract that will see him receive $575,000 in 2016-17 and $650,000 in 2017-18.

Salomaki, 22 (3/9/93), has seven points (4g-3a) in 45 games this season and eight points (5g-3a) in 46 career NHL games since scoring in his Predators debut on Jan. 8, 2015, vs. Dallas. The 5-foot-11, 208-pound left wing spent the majority of his first two North American professional seasons with the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals from 2013-15, amassing 70 points (28g-42a) in 117 games. He posted a team-leading 50 points (20g-30a) as a rookie in 2013-14, good for a tie for fifth among first-year AHLers.

Nashville’s second choice, 52nd overall (second round), in the 2011 Entry Draft, the Raahe, Finland, native has represented his country internationally on seven occasions, most recently helping the Suomi to a silver medal at the 2014 World Championship. Salomaki played for Karpat’s Under-18, Junior and Elite League teams from 2009-13, winning a junior league title and being named league rookie of the year in 2009-10.

What a difference a year makes for Salomäki. This time last year the Finn was officially labeled as out for the rest of the season due to suffering a second shoulder injury of the season that would require surgery. Now, the 22-year old finds himself nestled into his home at the NHL level with the Predators doing all the incredible things that fans in Milwaukee came to know and love him for.

This season Salomäki started out with the Admirals and played 4 games while scoring 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist). After those first two weeks of the season he would be recalled by the Predators and perform well enough where not only has he come back – he’s earned a new two-year contract. In 45 games at the NHL level this season he has produced 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) to go along with a plus/minus rating of +2 and 22 penalty minutes.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

The Nashville Predators have in fact made a trade today on NHL Trade Deadline Day. Although, the move itself isn’t so much for them as it is for the Milwaukee Admirals. The Predators have acquired defenseman Corey Potter from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for future considerations. He will be joining the Admirals at the AHL level.

This move makes a ton of sense for the Admirals. Potter is a right handed shooting defenseman and head coach Dean Evason was quick to praise the difference that balance of righties and lefties made for the defensive core. The organization added Stefan Elliott and Patrick Mullen to join Taylor Aronson to create that three right sided defensive make up. Following a particularly scary incident that saw Mullen have his right hand badly lacerated by a skate blade on 2/21/16 vs. Iowa – the Admirals have needed to revert back to a left-left pairing these past three-games. While certainly not a direct result of Mullen alone the Admirals have lost two of those three-games while Mullen has been out.

So, what will the Admirals be getting in Potter then exactly? They will be getting a 32-year old, highly experienced, right-handed shooting defenseman that can immediately join the team and be a provider. Potter has 129 career games of NHL experience with 32 points (8 goals, 24 assists) in time spent with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, and Calgary Flames.

What he provides even more so is AHL experience. Potter has logged 404 games in the AHL and has 167 points (33 goals, 134 assists) in his career. For the 2015-16 season he has been playing in the Eastern Conference as a member of the Springfield Falcons where he has dressed for 52 games, has 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists), a plus/minus rating of +4, and 32 penalty minutes.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

The NHL Trade Deadline has officially come and gone, and this year’s hoopla was clearly a clunker compared to previous years.

The combined effect of big names being signed, traded or taken off the market early (see Steven Stamkos, Eric Staal and Andrew Ladd), an expected “flat” Salary Cap for 2016-2017 (due to the poor performing Canadian Dollar) and many players being locked up to longer term deals resulted in boring deadline day.

A few impact players did change teams today. Defenseman Kris Russell was acquired by Dallas from Calgary, forward Mikkel Boedker was picked up by Colorado from Arizona and forward Lee Stempniak and defenseman John-Michael Liles were acquired by Boston. You can even throw in the last minute Jamie McGinn Anaheim Ducks pick up, but it doesn’t really help much. Overall, it was pretty serious dud of a day.

For Milwaukee/Nashville it was as expected a very quiet deadline. No current Predators or Admirals changed teams as Predators General Manager David Poile got his shopping done early with the Ryan Johansen/Seth Jones swap. Certainly, last year’s near deadline trade of 2015 AHL All-Star Brendan Leipsic had a huge impact on Milwaukee but nothing similar was forthcoming this season.

However, three former Admirals did change teams on deadline day, with defenseman Conor Allen moving to Iowa, forward Taylor Beck going to San Antonio and goaltender Drew MacIntyre packing his bags for Rockford. Nick Spaling was moved in the Roman Polak trade last week.

So Roundtable . . . What do you make of the QUIET trade deadline? Were your expecting Nashville to acquire more talent and in the process trade away an Admiral or two? What do you think of Milwaukee and Nashville playoff hopes with their rosters as is? 

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

This afternoon the Nashville Predators reassigned Viktor Arvidsson to the Milwaukee Admirals. That came prior to the NHL Trade Deadline which is attached at the hip with the AHL’s deadline for Playoff eligibility. All players on the AHL rosters the moment of the NHL Trade Deadline expiring become AHL Playoff eligible.

Arvidsson is now eligible to join the Admirals should they qualify for the 2016 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs. Now that he is, he’s already headed back where he belongs as -according to AHL Transactions– Arvidsson has immediately been recalled back to the Predators.

This is then a paper transaction by the Predators to help look after both the Admirals and Arvidsson. Should the Admirals have a longer playoff run than their parent club – Arvidsson can rejoin his teammates in Milwaukee and provide a welcome boost to the Admirals bid for the Calder Cup.

Arvidsson has scored 18 points (8 goals, 10 assists) in 17 games with the Admirals this season. As a member of the Predators he has managed to produce 11 points (7 goals, 4 assists) in 37 games.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

The Milwaukee Admirals have re-signed defenseman Jimmy Oligny to a new two-year deal that will keep him in camp through the 2017-18 season.

Press Release via Milwaukee Admirals:

Milwaukee, WI—The Milwaukee Admirals announced today that they have signed defenseman Jimmy Oligny to a two-year, American Hockey League contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2017-18 season.

Oligny leads Admirals defenseman and is second on the team with a +12 rating. The La Sarre, QC native has three goals and 10 assists for 13 points to go along with a club best 73 penalty minutes in 52 games with Milwaukee this season.

The 6-0, 203-pound blueliner tallied five points (1g-4a) in 53 contests with the Admirals during his rookie campaign last season. He spent four years of junior hockey with the Prince Edward Island Rockets of the QMJHL from 2009-13, recording 123 points (29g-94a) and 531 penalty minutes in 302 games.

Tickets for any Ads game can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Groups of ten or more can receive great discounts over single game prices. Those interested in booking a group can call the Admirals office at (414) 227-0550.

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Oligny was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Admirals ahead of the 2014-15 season. In his first year of professional hockey he played 53 games, scored 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists), had a plus/minus rating of -2, and 46 penalty minutes.

This season, like his fellow French Fry pal Frédérick Gaudreau who also signed as an undrafted free agent the same summer, Oligny has taken an incredible step forward and has been one of the top performers at his position. Oligny has played 52 games this season and has the team’s top plus/minus rating (+12) while seeing his offensive numbers also take a leap forward: 13 points (3 goals, 10 assists).

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

Just three-days prior to the NHL Trade Deadline the Nashville Predators have agreed to terms with defenseman Anthony Bitetto on a new two-year contact. The new deal will keep the 2010 sixth-round draft choice in the organization until the summer of 2018.

With 17 games in the NHL this season Bitetto now has 24 career games of NHL experience on his resume to date. This season the 25-year-old Island Park, New York native dressed for 6 games with Milwaukee while on a conditioning assignment while scoring one goal and four points while picking up 27 minutes in penalties.

Since joining the Predators organization on a full-time basis in 2012-2013, Bitetto played in 183 regular season games in the American Hockey League with the Admirals and four postseason contests. He also has 23 games of ECHL experience with the Cincinnati Cyclones.

Press Release via Nashville Predators:

Nashville, Tenn. (February 26, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Friday that the club has signed defenseman Anthony Bitetto to a two-year, $1.225 million contract that will see him receive $575,000 in 2016-17 and $650,000 in 2017-18.

Bitetto, 25 (7/15/90), has appeared in the Predators last 11 games and has one assist in 17 games for the club in 2015-16. Paired with seven games during three recalls a season ago, the Island Park, New York, native has one point (1a) in 24 career NHL games, all with Nashville. Bitetto spent the majority of his first three professional seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals from 2012-15; the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder ranked among the Top 20 AHL blueliners in assists in 2014-15, while tying for sixth among AHL defensemen in goals (11), and for ninth in power-play goals (6) during his first full season with Milwaukee in 2013-14.

Nashville’s fourth choice, 168th overall (sixth round), in the 2010 Entry Draft, Bitetto did not miss a game during his two-year collegiate career at Northeastern University (Hockey East) from 2010-12, compiling 35 points (7g-28a) in 72 games and being named to the 2011 Hockey East All-Rookie Team. He was a 2009-10 All-USHL Second Team selection in his first full season with the Indiana Ice and helped Indiana win the 2009 Clark Cup. He is on Twitter @ABitetto7.

So Roundtable . . . What are your favorite Anthony Bitetto memories with Milwaukee? Can he stay in Nashville or another place in the NHL over the course of this contract, or will he be back again in Milwaukee?

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

With Patrick Mullen expected to miss the next few weeks, following his scary incident in which a skate lacerated his right hand, the Milwaukee Admirals defense is looking for a bit of a boost. The man they’ll be turning to for an extra spark will be Garrett Noonan who has just been recalled from the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.

Noonan was named the ECHL Player of the Week a week ago and has been doing a fantastic job for the Cyclones this season. Upon his recall, Noonan is the Cyclones top scoring defenseman this season with 31 points (7 goals, 24 assists) in 40 games. In February, Noonan has scored 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists) in 11 games. To be blunt about it – Noonan has really forced the Admirals hand, no pun intended Mullen, with how well his has played.

The way the Admirals defense has stuck together recently I anticipate this move will boil down to a choice between Noonan, Kristian Näkyvä, and Trevor Murphy will be battling for the third defensive line pairing.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

Cody Bass has officially cleared waivers and has been assigned by the Nashville Predators (NHL) to the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). It’s yet to be determined whether or not Bass will be arriving in time for or dressed for tonight’s game at home against the Rockford IceHogs.

In his most recent spell for the Predators Bass played 12 games, failed to score a point of offense, has a plus/minus rating of -1, and 12 penalty minutes (including 2 fighting majors). When we last saw Bass in Milwaukee he was coming off of a month long lay-off due to an “upper-body” injury. Bass played a pair of games in January, scored a goal in his first game back from injury, and would get sent packing to the NHL on 1/13/16.

That injury that sidelined Bass for a month does make it feel like ages since he played for the Admirals. In reality, his 2015-16 season at the AHL level has been 21 games, 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists), plus/minus rating of +4, and 50 penalty minutes (including 8 fighting majors).

For those that may have missed some of the fireworks last night there was a bit of fun in the Predators game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. During pre-game warm-ups Rich Clune started jawing with Bass at center ice and eventually let loose on his old rival with a “no punches pulled” interview. You can read and watch up on all those happenings via CBS Sports which has compiled everything you need to see.

What will the return of Bass mean for the current setup of the Milwaukee Admirals? Who gets impacted by this more: Jamie Devane, Adam Payerl, or Matt White?

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.