Magnus Hellberg no longer listed on the #Preds‘ roster, presumably on his way back to Milwaukee.

— Dirk Hoag (@Forechecker) December 18, 2013

Emergency call up done and dusted? I’m at the Bradley Center about to chat with some players and coaches so I will follow up and update this the moment I get confirmation. By all accounts of what I have heard around Admirals camp this sounds like he might already be back in town.

UPDATE: He has officially been reassigned to Milwaukee. Should be all set for practice tomorrow and game action this weekend.

Well this has been an active news day. The Nashville Predators have just announced that Magnus Hellberg will be recalled to Nashville under emergency conditions.

Maz out sick this evening. Hellberg recalled from @mkeadmirals to back-up Hutton. #CHIvsNSH http://t.co/EfeJ8ii1gP

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) December 17, 2013

As you can see from the Preds Twitter feed, the reason for this emergency call up comes due to an illness for Marek Mazanec. Considering how good the last week was for Carter Hutton, earning third star of the week honors, I really don’t expect game action for Hellberg this go-round.

I will say though that, for a guy battling confidence, this could be a welcome change of pace for Hellberg. It’s his second ever NHL call up. Even if it is in an emergency back up capacity I think it should give him a boost to get a call from the Predators – who play tonight against the Blackhawks. If Mazanec is out sick long enough, Mags could be taking a trip with the Predators down to Florida for their game in Tampa Bay on Thursday before flying back to Milwaukee for game action with the Ads.

This will be a story to watch the next day or so. I suppose it really depends on how much chicken noodle soup Mazanec packs away before getting cleared.

Thoughts on what this call up could mean for this weekend’s games? Will it just be a quick move for tonight’s game? Can this move, as brief as it might be, actually benefit Hellberg?

Well this didn’t take too long. After being sent down to the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL just a little over a week ago – Joshua Shalla has been recalled to the Ads.

BREAKING NEWS: @shalls91 has been recalled by the @mkeadmirals of the AHL. Congrats to him for getting the call-up!

— Cincinnati Cyclones (@CincyCyclones) December 17, 2013

There was never any counter move made when he was initially sent down. So I’m pretty doubtful there will be one made with his recall this afternoon.

With his move down to Cincinnati Shalla missed out on the Ads three-in-three last week and played in three games for the Cyclones. In those three games Shalla produced one goal off of eight shots with a +2 plus/minus. With the Ads so far he has suited up for sixteen games and has two goals and two assists with a -8 plus/minus.

I wasn’t all that sure with his move down last week if this would be a long or short term move. Today we get the answer. Perhaps this was all a matter to get him better looks on the ice while getting more playing minutes than he was earning on the lower forward lines with the Ads.

What do you make of this move? Considering the Cyclones have a game tonight, shouldn’t Shalla have stayed in Cincinnati for at least one more game?

(Photo credit to Scott Paulus)

While we sit and wait for the next Ads game I thought I would pose a question to all of you: who has impressed you the most so far this season?

For me, it is a three horse race between Anthony Bitetto, Colton Sissons, and Miikka Salomaki.

Bitetto came into camp in incredible shape and has established himself as one of the best defenseman on the team. He plays in all facets of the game but, without question, has shined the brightest on the power-play this season: five of his eight goals score this season have been on the man-advantage. He has been such an important player when it comes to the Ads transition game this year. At times he is a one-man break out play. It’s been so impressive to see his development from last season to this season. I think he’s only getting better.

Sissons leads the team in goals, ten, and points scored, eighteen, and is only a rookie nearing his twenty-fifth game of professional hockey. His skating ability and vision to find soft spots on the ice to create offense has been very impressive to see. Just as equally impressive – he doesn’t really look overwhelmed out on the ice. As good as he has been on offense his defense has looked just as stable. He never looks lost on the backcheck, he blocks shots, and has done very well to stay out of the box – only posting two penalty-minutes this season. I feel like he walked in from the WHL to the AHL without missing a beat – perhaps even doing better.

Salomaki has four more assists than anyone on the team with a team-leading twelve assists. What I’ve enjoyed the most about his game so far this season has been his relentless work rate and willingness to scrap it out in the dirty areas of the ice. For such a shy and quiet kid off the ice, it is amazing just how often his game gets underneath the skin of the opposition. When there is a scrum on the ice, time and time again is seems like #20 is in the middle of it. It’s not a rookie playing out of control. It’s the opposite. It’s a rookie playing the game exactly right – and right in everyone’s face.

Who has impressed you the most so far this season and why?

(Photo credit to Scott Paulus)

This afternoon the Ads assigned left winger Joshua Shalla to the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. This season he has two goals and two assists in sixteen-games.

Last season, Shalla split his time in Cincinnati and Milwaukee. With the Cyclones he produced big numbers: twenty-one goals and seven assists in thirty-seven games. On the flip side, his time with the Ads wasn’t as boisterous: three goals and nine assists in thirty-two games.

Shalla hasn’t entirely looked to be the same player as last season. Perhaps it’s just a lack of minutes playing on the third or fourth lines – or a lack of production meaning playing on the lower line combos? The Cyclones will be playing tonight and tomorrow. Unsure if this move happens late enough where Shalla misses out on tonight’s game, but he’ll certainly be suited up tomorrow if that is the case.

Update: Shalla is already in Cincinnati. He should be good to go for tonight’s game.

Thought’s on this move? How has Shalla looked to you this season? Should this be a short stay for Shalla to log more minutes or a long enough stay to see him produce numbers? What do you think this move says about Vinny Saponari?

This news came across the Twitter feed this morning:

Piskula heading back to Milwaukee, Klein will be in tonight. Fast two weeks.

— Kristopher Martel (@ThePredatorial) December 5, 2013

As of yet the move is unofficial. However, if it does in fact take place I would then not be too surprised to also see the return of Teddy Ruth to the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. I will update this story once things become a little more concrete.

Piskula suited up for two games with the Nashville Predators during his recent call up. He logged 24:21 minutes worth of time-on-ice in the two games he played with the Preds. In his now twelve game NHL career he has still yet to record his first official NHL point.

UPDATE: It is now official. It just hit the transaction wire right after posting this story. The Ads have also sent Teddy Ruth to Cincinnati.

Was Piskula the right choice of the defensive core to be called up by Nashville? If not, who would you have preferred and why?

Marek Mazanec’s coming out party was made official today.

Mazanec, who posted a 5-4-1 record with a 2.00 goals-against average, .932 save percentage and two shutouts in 11 November appearances, was named NHL Rookie of the Month.

Mazanec got his first NHL win on Nov. 16, holding the fort during a 7-2 drubbing of Chicago. The win was his first in a stretch of five in six starts. However, Mazanec started out the month in Milwaukee, winning his two starts there while allowing just two goals in each contest. Overall the 22-year-old Czech, who could barely grow out his Movember mustash, was 5-0-0 with the Admirals, with a sparkling 1.97 GAA. and .933 SP.

Mazanec beat out the likes of stellar rookies Chris Kreider, Tomas Hertl, Tyler Toffoli, Nathan MacKinnon and Torey Krug for the honor. Plenty of NHL scribes around the league are starting to take notice of the rookie netminder’s fine play. Overall its been a quite a start to a North American professional life for the 6’4″ sixth-round draft pick, who has become the next in line of Nashville’s talented, and tall, European goaltenders.

But perhaps Mazanec’s efforts shouldn’t be much of a suprise. Before the season Admirals defenseman Scott Ford and coach Dean Evason each saw the impressive talents of Mazanec firsthand out of training camp and expected great things:

“(Mazanec) is going to push Magnus (Hellberg) right to the limit,” Ford said. “I think it’s going to be a great tandem. Kind of doubleheaded monster where we have confidence in both guys. They’re going to push each other to be the best.”

“With Mazanec, the young Czech, we feel that we have two number one goalies as opposed to a one and a two,” Evason said. “In both of them we have very young, but talented prospects.”

So Roundtable . . . What do you think of Marek Mazanec’s impressive start? Do you think his AHL days are numbered? How will Nashville handle their goaltending situation when Pekka Rinne returns? Can Hellberg again move above him in the pecking order?

(Photo credit to Scott Paulus)

After some developments out of Nashville, in which both Shea Weber and Kevin Klein are out of the lineup tonight, veteran d-man Joe Piskula has been recalled by the Predators. Piskula has played in ten career NHL games. The last time he played in the NHL was during the 2011-12 season with the Calgary Flames. He has yet to record his first career NHL point. Here’s hoping that changes on chance number three for Piskula in his now eighth professional season.

This move was countered by the Admirals who recalled Teddy Ruth from the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. Ruth started the season with the Ads, played in four games, and didn’t score a point. Since the move down to Cinci he has played in twelve games, scored one goal and two assists, and picked up six penalty minutes.

Right move by Nashville? Would you have preferred another defensemen get called up to Nashville? Likewise, is there another defensemen you would have liked to have seen in Cincinnati get called up?

(Photo credit to Dave Arnold)

Two days before the Ads take to the road against the Rockford IceHogs they’ve made a roster move. The team announced this afternoon that they have recalled right-winger Vinny Saponari from the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.

Saponari currently leads the Cyclones with ten assists and is second on the team in points with eleven scored in fourteen games. The 23-year old Georgia native was drafted in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers. He made his professional hockey debut last season as a member of the St. John’s IceCaps where he scored a goal and an assist in seven AHL games.

There was no counter move made to this from the team. No players are known, at least not yet, to be heading to Cincinnati. The two key injuries on the Admirals team right now consist of Mike Liambas and Patrick Cehlin. Dean Evason stated that he expects Liambas to return during this road trip (possibly Wednesday in Rockford – probably Saturday or Sunday in Charlotte). Meanwhile, Cehlin has been out of the Ads lineup since a road game against the Iowa Wild on 11/3. In that game he scored a goal and an assist but went down with an unknown injury that has kept him out ever since.

The Ads have held a familiar roster and lineup ever since those two injuries took place. It has featured Scott Valentine in the Liambas role and Charles Roussel filling in for Valentine on defense. With Liambas potentially coming back and Saponari turning up today, one wonders where the move will come with the team and what exactly the status is on Cehlin. Either way, Saponari should be getting another crack at the AHL and, as far as offense goes, he might add a little extra spice on the back end of the Admirals forward line.

Thoughts on the move? Is this a short-term move for Rockford or possibly a long-term move? Who do you see potentially being sent down to Cincinnati? Does Valentine move back to defense or should he remain a forward? How would the return of Liambas impact the team?

Yesterday I received the keys to this ship from Ryan Miller. I’m sure I join everyone in an immense “thanks” to Ryan who has been the heart and soul of the Roundtable for a long time. In the time I’ve known him he has been nothing short of brilliant. He is a hockey enthusiast with a love of the Ads and its team history. I’m sad that he won’t be around to as many games as he was in the past but I do know he’s off on a great adventure as “the dad” and will no doubt be fantastic at it. Get that kid into hockey, Ryan! Start early!

It being yet another off day I wanted to take the time to introduce myself and let you all ask questions about me, my thoughts on the team, its players, whatever you fancy. So, let’s get a dialogue going. Who is this Daniel Lavender (@Doctor_Lavender) character anyways?

I am a Sconnie sports fan who just so happens to have family here in Wisconsin and in England. My dad was born and raised across the pond. My mum over here in the States. Long story short, I have a world of different perspectives and tastes for things thanks to my experiences traveling to England. Things like: Cornish pasties, a love of football (the other one), Formula 1, MotoGP, a Vanilla Flake cone, different music, and more Cornish pasties. Why nicknamed the Doctor? Well, because I’m the Doctor… clearly. If it’s English it gets my stamp of approval… unless we’re talking Manchester City.

For those who might think I sound familiar it is because, last season, I was a public relations intern with the Milwaukee Admirals. I was just coming off of my graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, English major, and it was a dream opportunity for me to get into the sports field. I learned so much from the team’s front office group, had the chance to really study this team up close, and get into its history as I worked with the team’s 35th Anniversary campaign. I loved every bit of that experience. When offered the chance to stick around through Admirals Roundtable… I couldn’t possibly say no. Everyone involved in the organization is first class and treats one another like family. Hard to imagine a more fun work environment than this one.

From here, I say the floor is all your’s to ask any questions you might happen to have. I will take any and all questions, either in the comment section or over on Twitter (@AdsRoundtable), bring them up to this post, and answer them. Allons-y Admirals Roundtable!

Q&A: Open Thread

Kurtis: Who would win in a goalie fight between Hellberg and Pekka?
DL: Well, I get the feeling it wouldn’t be like DiPietro/Johnson. Two 6’5″ players going at it in full goaltending gear… it would probably be like Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant on ice!

Mike: Do you have a favorite Admirals player?
DL: I try my best to avoid favoritism, but I would say my favorite players to sweep through Milwaukee have been Darren Haydar and Juuso Puustinen. Both had such a calm and smooth playing style on the ice. They were always fun to watch on the ice.