The Nashville Predators have made a trade that will see them acquire forward Max Reinhart from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2016 Entry Draft.
Nashville, Tenn. (July 1, 2015) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the team has acquired forward Max Reinhart from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2016 Entry Draft.
Reinhart, 23 (2/4/92), has appeared in 23 career NHL games with the Flames over the past three seasons, posting a goal and four assists. Since scoring a pair of goals in his first professional contest with the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Heat on April 15, 2012, the 6-1, 185-pound center has amassed 125 points (45g-80a) in 203 AHL contests. In 2013-14, his assist total ranked ninth in the AHL (42), while his point total tied for 11th (63).
A third-round selection of the Flames (64th overall) in the 2010 Entry Draft, Reinhart posted 235 points (94g-141a) in 266 Western Hockey League games with the Kootenay Ice from 2008-12. He led all skaters in goals (15) and tied for second in points (27) while leading the Ice to the 2011 Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions, then tied for first in assists (5) and for second in points (6) at the 2011 Memorial Cup. Reinhart’s father, Paul, played 648 career NHL contests between 1979-90, while his two brothers, Sam (second overall selection of Buffalo in 2014) and Griffin (fourth overall selection in the 2012 Draft, recently acquired by Edmonton) are both top NHL prospects.
Reinhart has played the majority of his professional career to this point at the AHL level: 203 games, 125 points (45 goals, 80 assists), 117 penalty minutes, and a plus/minus rating of -29. During his time in the NHL he has played 23 games, produced 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists), had 6 penalty minutes, and a plus/minus rating of -5. He was set to become an RFA at the end of the season but on Monday received a qualifying offer from the Flames. There is a good chance he begins his 2015-16 season as a member of the Milwaukee Admirals.
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This photo sort of sums things up nicely I think. (Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch)
The turbulent journey of Viktor Stålberg as a member of the Nashville Predators organization is over. After having his contract bought out he signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent for a reported $1.1 million. The length of the contract has yet to be officially announced.
The word that best sums up Stålberg’s time in Nashville is nightmare. It was a nightmare from the very beginning. He never truly looked like the player that helped contribute to the Chicago Blackhawks 2013 Stanley Cup success. Instead, he was often inconsistent or banged up. That all spiraled to what happened in the 2014-15 season where he went up and down between the NHL and AHL logging frequent flyer miles that would make George Clooney’s character from Up in the Air blush. To his credit, he took it all in stride and performed very well with the Milwaukee Admirals. The thing is that, well, he should have – and also should have not been there in the first place. Perhaps the change of scenery can get him back on track.
For Milwaukee fans, Stålberg will always be remember for the 2014-15 season’s Game of the Year. He scored the game-tying goal with 0.4 seconds remaining and capped off his hat trick to win it seconds into overtime.
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The Nashville Predators have added another forward to the mix. This time it’s a low risk high reward sort of signing with Cody Hodgson. The terms of the deal are reportedly a one-year contract worth a cool $1.05 million.
Cody Hodgson deal worth $1.05 million for Predators. Nice low-risk move for Nashville.
Hodgson was selected by the Vancouver Canucks as the tenth overall selection of the 2008 NHL Draft. He was then shipped off to the Buffalo Sabres. He has played a total of 289 games at the NHL level while scoring 134 points (61 goals, 73 assists). He has also played a total of 71 games in the AHL for the Manitoba Moose and Rochester Americans where he scored a total of 49 points (22 goals, 27 assists).
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The Nashville Predators have picked up that veteran defenseman they were looking for and found it in longtime member of the St. Louis Blues, Barret Jackman. The deal is for two years reportedly worth $2 million per season.
Two years, $2 million per season for Jackman in Nashville
803 career NHL games. A leader his entire career. 34-years old. And coming off of a season in which he played 80 games, produced 15 points (2 goals, 13 assists), had 47 penalty minutes, and a plus/minus rating of +3. Pair this bit of business with the Predators re-signing center Mike Ribeiro and I think the organization is a solid 2/2 in what they wanted to get done so far this afternoon.
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Happy Free Agent Frenzy Day, or as they call it in Canada, a national holiday, Canada Day! (Photo via http://www.day-calendar.com/)
UPDATE: 3:20 PM
As we hit 4:00 PM on the East Coast, the fires of the Free Agent Frenzy seemed to have cooled. There still are a few decent names available, including three names on my original list, Johnny Oduya, Matt Beleskey and Justin Williams.
If anything significant becomes known, or there is something I come across involving Nashville/Milwaukee, I will try to get the news out ASAP and add it to the blog, but for now, I’m signing off for the afternoon. Apparently I was wrong about Preds G.M., who snagged Hodgson, an aging Jackman, but most importantly re-signed Ribeiro. All-in-all, not a bad collection of players, but it looks like a few less spots up in Nashville, which has to be frustrating for the current crop of Milwaukee Admirals.
How it all plays out will be determined in the next few days and of course at training camp. I, for one, can’t wait!
UPDATE: 3:15 PM
There was another move by Nashville, as the Predators acquired forward Max Reinhart from Calgary in exchange for a conditional fourth-round draft pick in 2016. The 23-year-old Reinhart has 23 games of NHL experience, and 203 games under his belt at the AHL level, scoring 125 points.
Also there is lots of interest in former Admirals and 2015 Predators forward Mike Santorelli.
Stanley Cup winning forward Brad Richardsmay be on his way to Detroit to join Mike Green.
UPDATE: 2:45 PM
The Detroit Red Wings have made the biggest free agency splash of the day, grabbing Washington defenseman Mike Green for three-years at $6 million per year.
UPDATE: 1:50 PM
Viktor Stalberg, who played in both Milwaukee and Nashville last season, is on his way to Broadway, joining the New York Rangers.
Maybe the biggest news today has nothing to do with any trades, except in a round about way. Looks like New York Rangers General Manager Glen Sather, one of the best ever to occupy that position, is giving up the reigns to assistant Jeff Gorton. He will stay on team President. Perhaps it was Gorton who was responsible for just signingRaphael Diaz.
Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators might have found some offense on the really cheap, picking up bought out forward Cody Hodgson (last with Buffalo) for a one-year, $1 million deal.
Former Milwaukee Admiral/Nashville Predator Cal O’Reillysigned with the Sabres.
TSN’s Darren Dreger is reporting that the pick Pittsburgh is trading to Toronto is a 1st, but the Penguins are getting a 2nd round pick back. Also, former Admirals/Predators forward Nick Spaling could beon his way to the Maple Leafs. Leafs are eating a chunk of Kessel’s contract.
Something I missed from a while back. Former Pittsburgh defenseman Paul Martinsigned with San Jose, while former Boston defenseman Matt Bartkowskisigned in Vancouver.
UPDATE: 12:00 PM
Some prospects going the other way to Toronto for Kessel. Frolik is officially going to Calgary.
There is a Twitter rumor going around right now involving the Nashville Predators being in on the Phil Kessel sweepstakes. As weird as that might sound at first, it actually makes some sense. G.M. David Poile has tried to get Kessel before, the Predators have enough Salary Cap room, and also have plenty of young assets to send the other direction which Toronto craves. I’m curious to see where this leads.
UPDATE: 11:30 AM
No surprise here, but it looks Edmonton is about to make as big a splash as teams could make today by signing a pair of players. TSN’s Aaron Ward reports they are close on Mark Letestu and defenseman Andrej Sekera.
With the deal for Ribeiro done, the Predators expect to be quiet today.
UPDATE: 11:20 AM
The first big name is off the board as Ducks veteran defenseman Francois Beaucheminsigned with Colorado on a 3-year deal. Pittsburgh backup netminder Tomas Greiss is off to Brooklyn on a two-year deal.
Huge surprise from Chicago to kick things off at the top of the hour. They just signedArtyom Anisimov, the key piece back in the Saad trade from yesterday, to a five-year extension.
UPDATE 11:00 AM
Here we go folks, the FREE AGENT FRENZY has begun!
UPDATE 10:40 AM
Under a half hour to go now, with lots of chatter floating around on Twitter. Two of the biggest RFAs available, Brandon Saad and Vladimir Tarasenko, and likely untouchables, but that doesn’t mean another team won’t try to steal them with a huge contract. Speaking of RFAs, Dougie Hamilton, who was traded to Calgary, peculiarly signed with the Flames for about the same price as he was being offer with Boston.
If the dominos fall early today, it will likely be on the blue line. Despite the lack of great forward options available, there are lots of serviceable, if likely overpriced, options are available for a blue line, like Mike Green, Andrej Sekera, Cody Franson and Francois Beauchemin.
I’m curious about all of the Phil Kesseltrade talk that out there. Though I thought there was a possibility that either he or Dion Phaneuf would be traded today, I thought new coach Mike Babcock might like to see what he has in both players first. Guess not.
UPDATE 10:00AM Central Time
It’s official, the NHL’s Free Agent Frenzy, aka Canada Day for our friends to the north, which is a national holiday. For NHL fans like myself, today’s an unofficial holiday, much like trade deadline day.
In just one short hour NHL contracts with either UFA and RFA tags officially expire, though with different outcomes. Any player who is an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) could potentially sign with any other team, no strings attached. Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) can also sign with other teams, but their current club has the opportunity to either match the contract and keep the player, or receive compensation based on the value of the contract.
Karri Rämö, who I also listed, re-signed today with Calgary on the cheap, at 1-year, $3.8 million according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.
And the big news is that Mike Ribeiro is back with Nashville, at a tasty price of $3.5 million for two-years per according to TSN’s Aaron Ward. Looks like Predators G.M. David Poile isn’t scared off by any potential off-ice issues concerning the center.
Plenty more to come on this Free Agent Frenzy 2015. Check back often to the Admirals Roundtable for more free agency news. And if you missed it, check out our primer from yesterday.
So Roundtable . . . Which NHL Free Agents, if any, pique your curiosity? Are there any pieces you would like to see Nashville add. Are the any next level down veterans you would like to see the Predators/Admirals take a chance on with a two-way deal? Which Nashville RFAs/UFAs would you like to see back in the fold?
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Calle and Filip have made strides in Nashville. Who else can make the leap from the AHL to the NHL for Nashville? (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
Last off-season Nashville Predators General Manager David Poile was easily the most active man during the NHL Draft/Free Agency Period. He orchestrated a trade for James Neal and grabbed a whole slew of veteran centers at bargain basement prices.
This year pundits predict that Poile might just turn off his cell phone and take an early Fourth of July vacation. Perhaps that has to do with the lack of value all but one 2014 summer signee provided.
Only Mike Ribeiro truly panned out (though Derek Roy went on to find a decent level of success in Edmonton). Ribeiro made Poile look like a genius by scoring 62 points on a $1.05 million contract. On the ice? Ribeiro was great in Nashville. Off of it? He still remains questionable – hence why he might not be back next season.
Even with all of the free agents crowding the locker stalls at Bridgestone Arena, rookie Filip Forsberg was a first-year sensation and clearly established himself as a budding star with Nashville. Meanwhile, Calle Järnkrok and the biggest surprise Taylor Beck each had fine first full NHL seasons (Järnkrok dressed in 74 games, Beck 62).
Ribeiro, along with former Admirals Mike Santorelli and Cody Franson, are potentially headed to new destinations. 38-year-old UFA Matt Cullen also might have played his last game in the Music City and the same goes for one-year fill-in Anton Volchenkov on the blue line.
If Nashville were to lose all or some of these names, Ribeiro, Santorelli, Franson, Cullen, and Volchenkov, that would leave the Predators with some noticeable holes to fill. But remember this was a team that just a year ago that was paying two players with over 100 games of NHL experience while sending Viktor Stålberg and Rich Clune to play in Milwaukee.
“We know we have the right pieces in place,” Predators Assistant General Manager Paul Fenton said. “It’s like a jigsaw puzzle [with the salary cap]. We have to figure out who fits where and what the price is. Sometimes, that comes at the expense of making hard decisions, but we knew [the qualified RFAs] were all going to be a piece here, and we wanted to make sure we retained their rights.”
I’m guessing Kevin Fiala will get every chance to fill the scoring void left by Ribeiro while Bitetto will get a serious look for a spot at the bottom of the Predators blue line. Thanks to great work in Milwaukee, the Predators are stocked with plenty of solid replacements for their departing players.
The questions revolve around other open roster slots vacated by guys like Santorelli and Cullen. Is it time for the Predators to see what they have in Austin Watson or Colton Sissons? Did Viktor Arvidsson or Pontus Åberg prove enough in their first North American seasons to warrant a chance to play in Nashville next year? Or will Poile surprise yet again and wade into the free agent pool.
Find out who goes where tomorrow afternoon in our annual Free Agent Signing Day Live Blog here on the Admirals Roundtable.
UPDATE:
TSN’s Bob McKenzie is reporting that he is “looking for Mike Ribeiro to re-sign in Nashville.”
So Roundtable . . . What your expectations for the next few days? Are there any free agents you like to see in Nashville or in Milwaukee? Which of the RFAs and UFAs do you expect to re-sign? Does David Poile have any surprises up his sleeve this year?
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Yesterday’s signing of Austin Watson was good business for both parties involved. The Nashville Predators locked him up for the next two-years with a two-way contract for 2015-16 and a one-way contract for 2016-17. It allows for flexibility this coming season for the Predators and gives Watson his eventual reward of an NHL contract.
For the longest time it has felt like Predators General Manager David Poile has brought up Watson’s name in relation to prospects and the Milwaukee Admirals. While that’s great and everything it never really means that much when he’s stuck at the AHL level. These last three seasons with the Admirals he has never been scratched nor missed a game and has scored 127 points (68 goals, 59 assists) in 224 games. His lone NHL spell came that first full-season with the Admirals back in 2012-13 where he played 6 games and scored a goal. Since, while doing better and better, he has been stuck at the AHL level.
There are of course reasons for Watson being stuck in Milwaukee. His speed has been a question mark in the past (and possibly the present). And it’s a question mark whether or not he would do better on the lower forward lines than the crop up in Nashville. That same sort of question mark was thrown on top of Colton Sissons this time last year when the Predators went after veteran centers on one-year contracts instead of bringing players up from within. It’s a matter of risk taking from the Predators perspective. How do you know what you have if you don’t give it a try? And what happens if you wait too long without giving these players a shot?
That last question is precisely what gets solved in the second year of Watson’s new contract. It’s likely that he starts and probably plays the majority of his 2015-16 season with the Admirals. Yet, he becomes an impact call up if needed and -with another consistent AHL campaign- earns his NHL one-way deal for the next season. Flexible contract. Works for Nashville and rewards Watson for his efforts and contributions within the organization so far.
I feel like Watson has been one of the more reliable and consistent members of the Admirals during his time with the team. He’s not flashy like Kevin Fiala. His shot isn’t wicked like Viktor Arvidsson. He doesn’t even hit like Miikka Salomäki. Nope, instead he’s just good in all three zones of the ice in all game situations. He does that while being a 20+ goal scorer and while being a leader on and off the ice:
This deal also sets a great example for current Admirals players and Predators prospects that make good on their AHL time down the road. It shows that the parent club does have eyes on its AHL product and that it wants to keep pieces in place that work hard. That is why qualifying offers were given out to players such as Taylor Aronson, Anthony Bitetto, and Magnus Hellberg yesterday. Bitetto and Hellberg have been working hard for quite some time now while Aronson really burst back on the scene with a good 2014-15 season. This time next year we could be seeing this same sort of sentiment in regards to Sissons and Salomäki.
The sign outside of the Admirals locker room states that the road to Nashville goes through Milwaukee. That saying doesn’t mean much when prospects get forgotten or left behind at the AHL level. The second half of Watson’s two-year contract goes right to that saying to prove it right. Good on Nashville for continuing to develop from within. Good on Watson for keeping on the Predators’ radar.
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New contract makes happy Watson happy. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
The Nashville Predators have signed Austin Watson to a brand new two-year contract this afternoon. The details of the contract specify that the first year of the new deal is a two-way contract for the 2015-16 season with the last year being an exclusive one-way NHL contract for the 2016-17 season.
Nashville, Tenn. (June 29, 2015) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Monday that the club has signed forward Austin Watson to a two-year contract. The deal is a two-way contract in 2015-16 paying him $575,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level, and a one-way, $575,000 contract in 2016-17.
Watson, 23 (1/13/92), led Milwaukee and tied for 14th in the American Hockey League in goals (26) in 2014-15, in addition to tying for second among all AHL skaters in game-winning goals (8) while appearing in all 76 regular-season games for the second consecutive season. He’s also ranked among the Top Three Admirals in points in each of his first three professional seasons. The 6-3, 206-pound native of Ann Arbor, Mich., has appeared in six NHL contests with Nashville, all during the 2012-13 campaign, scoring one goal.
Nashville’s first choice, 18th overall (first round), in the 2010 Entry Draft, Watson won a pair of Ontario Hockey League titles with Windsor in 2009 and London in 2012 and the 2009 Memorial Cup during his junior career. He was the recipient of the 2012 Wayne Gretzky 99 Award presented to playoff MVP and helped London advance to overtime of the 2012 Memorial Cup title game, earning a spot on the tournament All-Star Team. The oldest of 10 children, Watson led the United States in points and assists at the 2012 World Junior Championship, and helped Team USA win gold at the 2010 U-18 World Championship.
Watson has been a big part of the Admirals over the past three seasons, scoring 20 and then 22 goals in his first two seasons, respectively, before notching a career high 26 goals in 2014-15. That total led all Milwaukee players, and he finished second in points (44) behind Viktor Arvidsson. Watson’s 46 points in 2013-14 were also a career high.
The Ann Arbor, Michigan native was the Predators first-round draft pick in 2010, and has six games National Hockey League experience on his resume, including his first NHL goal in a 4-3 win over Calgary on April 23, 2013. That was his last game with Nashville to date.
When I spoke to Watson last month, he anticipated being back in Milwaukee or Nashville in 2015-16:
“This summer I just want to continue to mature physicially and get bigger, stronger and faster, like we talk about every summer (in regards to) every single guy that is still playing in the AHL and wants to play at the next level. This summer is definitely a big step in my career and I feel like I’m ready to play at that level. When camp comes around, it will be time to see if that comes to fruition.”
You can read more from Watson and coach Dean Evason in my upcoming End of Season feature coming this week on MilwaukeeAdmirals.com.
So Roundtable . . . Are you excited to have Watty back in Nashville/Milwaukee? Do you see him making the NHL in the near future with the Predators or another NHL team?
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The Nashville Predators 2015 NHL Draft is done and dusted with their seventh round draft selection of goaltender Evan Smith.
What was I just saying about height and goaltenders in the Predators system? Tall? Oh, good. Because Smith is 6’6″ at the age of 18-years old. Last season he split between the Victoria Royals (WHL) and Austin Bruins (NAHL). The majority of his 2014-15 season was played in the NAHL as a member of the Bruins where he played 15 games in net while posting a 1.73 goals against average and 0.923 save percentage. He also contributed for the Bruins in the playoffs where he recorded a 2.10 GAA and 0.914SV% in 6 games.
Thoughts on the Nashville Predators 2015 NHL Draft? How would you rate the prospects they just added to the pipeline and which are you most excited to potentially see play in Milwaukee?
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After selecting a defenseman and a goaltender the Nashville Predators went back to the center well and drafted Tyler Moy.
Moy is a native of San Diego who has spent his last two years playing for Harvard. In his 2014-15 season he tallied 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 37 games with 16 penalty minutes and a plus/minus rating of +12. He turns 20-years old next month.
The Predators have now drafted four forwards out of six draft picks in the 2015 NHL Draft with one pick remaining.
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