Trotz Won't Coach Again, Fabbro Hoping To Stay In Nashville Long-Term
Predators GM Barry Trotz was a long-time NHL coach, spending 23 years behind the bench with a pair of Jack Adams Awards while sitting third in league history in victories. To that end, it was a bit surprising when he eschewed coaching opportunities last season and eventually replacing David Poile in the managerial role with Nashville. Don’t expect him to have another change of heart as he told Newsday’s Andrew Gross that his coaching days are over:
- Still with the Predators, defenseman Dante Fabbro is no stranger to trade speculation as it has followed him for basically the last couple of years. Speaking with Penalty Box Radio’s Alex Daugherty (Twitter link), the blueliner expressed that his goal is to remain in Nashville for the long haul. The 25-year-old averaged a career-low 17:27 per game last season with his average through his first few games a bit below that this year as well; as a result, he’s no longer viewed around the league as a prominent part of their future back end.
Luke Schenn Out Four To Six Weeks With Lower Body Injury
The Nashville Predators have announced that defenseman Luke Schenn will be out long-term after sustaining a lower-body injury. Schenn has been out of action since the team’s season opener. He played 15 minutes in the inaugural game, recording four hits, a blocked shot, and no points.
The source of Schenn’s lower-body injury hasn’t been narrowed down, but it will hold him out until closer to December. The Predators signed Schenn to a three-year, $8.25MM contract this summer, carrying an annual cap hit of $2.75MM. Schenn earned the deal after a strong 2022-23 season, split between the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs. Schenn played 70 games throughout the season, netting four goals and 22 points. But it was Schenn’s extra stats that stood out, with the defender recording 318 hits and 81 shot blocks throughout the year. His postseason earned a lot of attention as well, with Schenn showing out as a stalwart defender and a major piece of the Leafs first-round series win. Schenn added 54 hits in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games, the second-most “hits-per-game” of the postseason.
Dante Fabbro has slotted into the Predators lineup in place of Schenn. Fabbro appeared in 79 games for the Predators last season, recording 11 points and 50 penalty minutes. This was a step down in scoring from Fabbro’s 2021-22 campaign, where he netted 24 points in 66 games. The 25-year-old defender has tallied a total of 256 games and 59 points through his career so far, entering his sixth year of NHL experience.
The Predators are 1-3-0 to start the season, allowing an average of 3.5 goals-against. If and how they are able to reduce that number, despite being down their latest blue line signing, should be telling for the club.
Lower-Body Injury For Luke Schenn
- Predators defenseman Luke Schenn was a late scratch for tonight’s game against Seattle with what the team is calling (Twitter link) a lower-body injury. The 33-year-old logged a little more than 15 minutes in his first game with Nashville after inking a three-year, $8.25MM contract with them this past summer.
Training Camp Cuts: 10/08/23
NHL final rosters are due tomorrow, Monday, 10/9, at 5 p.m. ET, meaning it’s time for NHL teams to make their final trimmings. As always, we will track these cuts here.
Anaheim Ducks (via team release)
F Zack Kassian (released from PTO)
D Olen Zellweger (to San Diego, AHL)
Arizona Coyotes (via team release)
F Dylan Guenther (to Tucson, AHL)
D Maksymilian Szuber (to Tucson, AHL)
Colorado Avalanche (via team release)
D Sam Malinski (to Colorado, AHL)
Dallas Stars (via team release)
F Oskar Bäck (to Texas, AHL)
D Lian Bichsel (to Texas, AHL)
F Matěj Blümel (to Texas, AHL)
F Mavrik Bourque (to Texas, AHL)
F Kyle McDonald (to Texas, AHL)
G Remi Poirier (to Texas, AHL)
F Logan Stankoven (to Texas, AHL)
D Jordie Benn (released from PTO)
Detroit Red Wings (via team release)
F Jonatan Berggren (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Simon Edvinsson (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Cross Hanas (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Nate Danielson (to Brandon, WHL)
F Elmer Soderblom (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
Nashville Predators (via team release)
F Denis Gurianov (to Milwaukee, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (via team release)
F Josh Bailey (released from PTO)
F Jiri Smejkal (to Belleville, AHL)
D Maxence Guenette (to Belleville, AHL)
St. Louis Blues (via team release)
D Matt Kessel (to Springfield, AHL)
F Zachary Bolduc (to Springfield, AHL)
F Zach Dean (to Springfield, AHL)
F Mathias Laferriere (to Springfield, AHL)
Vancouver Canucks (via team release)
F Nils Åman (to Abbotsford, AHL)
There are two more notable players that have been sent down from St. Louis, 2021 first-round picks Bolduc and Dean. Seeing as neither player has made his pro debut yet, it’s not exactly a surprise to see them begin in Springfield, although there had to have been some hope that Bolduc could follow up a stellar 50-goal, 110-point QMJHL season by grabbing an NHL job in training camp.
Although that didn’t happen, a quick start in the AHL with the Thunderbirds could quickly land him in St. Louis. Dean is in a similar situation, though his physical skill-and-sandpaper brand of hockey could land him a shot for a fourth-line role down the line in St. Louis, while Bolduc may have to wait until an scoring line role opens up for his call-up.
In Ottawa, a veteran of over 1,000 games, Bailey, was released from his PTO. Reports out of Ottawa noted that Bailey struggled with the pace of the game throughout training camp and preseason, something that Bailey also had difficulty with in his last season on Long Island.
After seeing his production drop year-over-year from 44 points to 25, Bailey will now need to look elsewhere if he wants to continue his pro career.
It’s a surprise to see Guenther, 20, begin the season in the AHL. The 2021 ninth-overall pick was solid in 33 games of NHL action last season, scoring 15 points. But with the Coyotes additions this summer to their forward corps, namely in established offensive players such as Alex Kerfoot and Jason Zucker, perhaps the Coyotes would prefer Guenther develop in a starring role in Tucson than in a middle-six role in Tempe.
Training Camp Cuts: 10/7/23
While teams have considerably whittled down their rosters compared to where they were just a weekend ago, there are still plenty more cuts to be made in the coming days. Here are today’s roster trimmings excluding earlier waiver placements.
Buffalo Sabres (via team Twitter)
D Ryan Johnson (to Rochester, AHL)
F Lukas Rousek (to Rochester, AHL)
Calgary Flames (via team release)
D Nick DeSimone (to Calgary, AHL)
F Mathias Emilio Pettersen (to Calgary, AHL)
F Martin Pospisil (to Calgary, AHL)
Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)
G Yaniv Perets (to Norfolk, ECHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
D Marcus Bjork (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Jake Christiansen (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Joshua Dunne (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Brendan Gaunce (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Carson Meyer (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Billy Sweezey (to Cleveland, AHL)
Dallas Stars (via team Twitter)
D Alexander Petrovic (to Texas, AHL)
Detroit Red Wings (via team Twitter)
F Austin Czarnik (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Timothy Gettinger (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Taro Hirose (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G John Lethemon (to Toledo, ECHL)
D Jared McIsaac (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Wyatt Newpower (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Brogan Rafferty (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Nolan Stevens (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
Nashville Predators (per ESPN’s John Buccigross)
D Marc Del Gaizo (to Milwaukee, AHL)
New Jersey Devils (via team Twitter)
D Santeri Hatakka (to Utica, AHL)
G Isaac Poulter (to Utica, AHL)
New York Rangers (per team Twitter)
F Jonny Brodzinski (to Hartford, AHL)
D Ben Harpur (to Hartford, AHL)
Philadelphia Flyers (via team Twitter)
F Wade Allison (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
San Jose Sharks (via team Twitter)
F Ryan Carpenter (to San Jose, AHL)
F Oskar Lindblom (to San Jose, AHL)
F Quentin Musty (to Sudbury, OHL)
F Jacob Peterson (to San Jose, AHL)
Seattle Kraken (per team Twitter)
D Ryker Evans (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Shane Wright (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
Washington Capitals (per team Twitter)
F Nicolas Aube-Kubel (to Hershey, AHL)
G Mitchell Gibson (to Hershey, AHL)
F Alex Limoges (to Hershey, AHL)
D Dylan McIlrath (to Hershey, AHL)
F Joe Snively (to Hershey, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (to Hershey, AHL)
G Hunter Shepard (to Hershey, AHL)
This post will be updated throughout the day.
Waivers: 10/7/23
The final day of the preseason is today so pretty soon, teams will be finalizing their season-opening rosters which means there will be plenty of players on waivers this weekend. Here is today’s group, via TSN’s Chris Johnston (Twitter link).
Boston Bruins
F Jesper Boqvist
F Oskar Steen
D Jakub Zboril
Buffalo Sabres
F Brandon Biro
D Kale Clague
D Riley Stillman
Colorado Avalanche
D Jack Ahcan
D Brad Hunt
Columbus Blue Jackets
Edmonton Oilers
D Cam Dineen
D Philip Kemp
F Brad Malone
G Calvin Pickard
Los Angeles Kings
Nashville Predators
F Denis Gurianov
F Jachym Kondelik (unconditional for the purposes of release, per CapFriendly)
New Jersey Devils
F Shane Bowers
F Justin Dowling
F Tyce Thompson
F Maxwell Willman
Seattle Kraken
G Chris Driedger
D Cale Fleury
F John Hayden
As expected at this point in training camp, the majority of these players have some form of NHL experience.
Boston’s trio is certainly intriguing. Boqvist is coming off a 21-point season (10 goals, 11 assists) with the Devils but was non-tendered this summer due to arbitration eligibility, resulting in him signing a one-year deal for the minimum with the Bruins. Still just 24, a rebuilding team might be inclined to give him a shot. Steen played in 20 games with Boston back in 2021-22 and looked like a potential fourth-line center of the future at the time. He cleared waivers last season but teams looking for depth down in the middle could consider him. As for Zboril, he was limited to just 22 games last season but has 76 appearances at the top level under his belt. A first-round pick back in 2015 (13th overall), he has a bit of a higher cap hit ($1.1375MM) which could scare teams off but he could be a fit on the third pairing of some rebuilding squads.
Among the other forwards on the wire today, Gurianov stands out. He put up 20 goals with Dallas back in 2019-20, following that up with 30 points in just 55 games one year later. However, he has struggled considerably since then and notched just seven goals between Dallas and Montreal last season. Still, with an $800K price tag, he’s a player who could be claimed. Madden was viewed as a quality prospect not long ago but has yet to see NHL action. However, he’s only 23 and is signed for the minimum this season which makes him a possible claim candidate as well.
On the back end, Fleury was up with Seattle all of last season but was limited to just a dozen games. He impressed in 2021-22 while playing with AHL Charlotte and as a right-shot defender – the side that many teams covet – he could garner some consideration. Stillman was acquired from Vancouver last season and played in 50 games between the two teams, albeit in a number six role. While he has a fair bit of experience (158 games in total), his contract could hurt his chances of being claimed as a $1.35MM price is more than a lot of teams can afford.
In goal, Driedger is the headliner here but at $3.5MM, there’s very little chance he’ll be picked up. He missed most of last season due to an injury sustained at the 2022 Worlds. Pickard didn’t see any NHL action last season for the first time since 2013-14. The 31-year-old put up a 2.70 GAA with a .912 SV% in Bakersfield last season and has 116 NHL games under his belt. Notably, he’s signed for the minimum which gives him a small chance of being picked up at least.
These players will be on waivers until 1 PM CT on Sunday. Meanwhile, Sunday will be the last day for teams to place players on waivers and have them clear prior to Monday’s season-opening roster submission so expect plenty of waiver activity tomorrow.
More to follow.
Training Camp Cuts: 10/05/23
Less than a week away from the opening night of the 2023-24 NHL season, teams continue to make roster cuts in an effort to finalize their official roster heading into the year. As always, we’ll track roster moves here.
Calgary Flames (via a team release)
F Lucas Ciona (to Calgary, AHL)
D Yan Kuznetsov (to Calgary, AHL)
D Jeremie Poirier (to Calgary, AHL)
G Dustin Wolf (to Calgary, AHL)
F Connor Zary (to Calgary, AHL)
Colorado Avalanche (via a team release)
F Brandon Kozun (released from PTO)
F Joel Kiviranta (released from PTO)
F Jason Polin (to Colorado, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (via Aaron Portzline/The Athletic)
D Tim Berni (released from PTO)
G Pavel Cajan (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Corson Ceulemans (to Cleveland, AHL)
G Aaron Dell (released from PTO)
D Stanislav Svozil (to Cleveland, AHL)
Minnesota Wild (via a team release)
D Daemon Hunt (to Iowa, AHL)
Nashville Predators (via a team release)
F Mark Jankowski (to Milwaukee, AHL)
New Jersey Devils (via a team release)
G Jeremy Brodeur (to Utica, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (via a team release)
F Tyler Boucher (to Belleville, AHL)
Pittsburgh Penguins (via a team release)
F Avery Hayes (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Rem Pitlick (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Samuel Poulin (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Valtteri Puustinen (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Xavier Ouellet (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Ty Smith (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
Seattle Kraken (via a team release)
D Connor Carrick (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
F Luke Henman (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Cameron Hughes (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
F Kole Lind (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
F Max McCormick (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
D Gustav Olofsson (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
F Ville Petman (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Andrew Poturalski (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
D Mitch Reinke (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
D Jimmy Schuldt (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
D Peetro Seppala (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Devin Shore (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
G Ales Stezka (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Marian Studenic (to Coachella Valley, AHL) pending waiver clearance
Winnipeg Jets (via a team release)
F Henri Nikkanen (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Elias Salomonsson (to Skelleftea, SHL)
This page will be updated throughout the day
Waivers: 10/04/23
10/05/23: Per Sportsnets’ Elliotte Friedman, all players on the waiver wire yesterday have cleared (X Link).
10/04/23: Teams continue to trim their rosters ahead of the regular season, which starts in just six days. That means multiple players will hit the waiver wire daily until opening night rosters are due, and today is no different. Per TSN’s Chris Johnston, 12 players were waived today at 1 p.m. CT, 11 of whom have NHL experience. As a reminder, a waiver placement is a prerequisite for qualified players for assignment to the AHL but not necessarily an indication that a demotion to the minors will immediately happen. NHL teams can send a player down to the minors within 30 days or 10 games played of the date the player originally cleared waivers. After that time, their waiver clock will reset, and they will need to clear again.
Anaheim Ducks
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Minnesota Wild
F Jujhar Khaira
F Vinni Lettieri
D Dakota Mermis
F Nic Petan
New Jersey Devils
Nashville Predators
San Jose Sharks
Winnipeg Jets
Nashville Predators Claim Samuel Fagemo Off Waivers From Los Angeles
The Nashville Predators have claimed winger Samuel Fagemo off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports Monday. All other players placed on waivers yesterday, aside from new Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jansen Harkins, cleared.
While he may only have 13 NHL games to his name, this is a bit of a tough loss for the Kings. The team’s 50th overall pick in 2019, Fagemo has yet to crack the NHL full-time but looked good in a nine-game call-up last season, recording two goals and an assist despite receiving a paltry 7:51 per game. He tore things up in the minors in the goal-scoring department for a second straight season, too, posting 23 goals in 56 games with the AHL’s Ontario Reign to finish second on the team in goals.
The Kings have a lot of forward prospects, but it’s a pool that’s quickly evaporating as players like Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev are now full-time NHLers. Los Angeles had signed Fagemo to a one-year, two-way contract paying him $775K in the NHL and $100K in the AHL in July after his entry-level contract expired.
Fagemo, 23, now battles for a bottom-six spot with the Predators just over a week before the start of the regular season. His addition to the roster puts a fire under veterans like Kiefer Sherwood and Cole Smith to hang onto their fourth-line roles, while a youngster like Philip Tomasino also needs to step things up as he hasn’t quite secured a top-nine role throughout camp thus far. Given Tomasino still does not require waivers for assignment to the AHL, he could very well start the season with AHL Milwaukee after the Fagemo claim despite recording 18 points in 31 NHL contests last season.
Waivers: 9/30/23
With the start of the NHL season now just ten days away, daily waiver activity will be continuing league-wide. Here is a listing of the players that are on the wire today per various team announcements and TSN’s Chris Johnston (Twitter link).
Buffalo Sabres
G Devin Cooley
F Justin Richards
G Dustin Tokarski
Edmonton Oilers
F Drake Caggiula
F Greg McKegg
Montreal Canadiens
D Nicolas Beaudin
F Lucas Condotta
D Brady Keeper
F Mitchell Stephens
Nashville Predators
F Anthony Angello
D Kevin Gravel
G Troy Grosenick
D Jordan Gross
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
F Josh Currie
D Dillon Heatherington
F Garrett Pilon
D Lassi Thomson
While Ottawa’s players were announced as being waived on Friday, it was after the 1 PM CT cut-off which means their waiver clock starts today.
Vegas Golden Knights
F Byron Froese
D/F Mason Geertsen
D Dysin Mayo
F Gage Quinney
F Sheldon Rempal
F Jonas Rondbjerg
Most of the forwards on this list have cleared waivers in the past with Condotta being the lone exception as this is his first time eligible for waivers. He spent most of last season in the minors but scored in his lone NHL appearance. Quinney and Rempal were productive in the minors last season, averaging just shy of a point per game while Caggiula had over 50 points as well.
Among the defensemen, Thomson could be one to keep an eye on for a potential claim. The 23-year-old was the 19th overall pick in 2019 and is still on his entry-level contract. He hasn’t had much success at the NHL level so far but as a young right-shot defender, a rebuilding team or two might be inclined to take a flyer on him.
Mayo logged nearly 21 minutes a night on the back end for Arizona back in 2021-22 but cleared waivers last season and was eventually traded to Vegas in exchange for Shea Weber’s LTIR-eligible contract. He has two years left on a one-way deal worth $950K per season which could scare teams off. Beaudin is a former first-rounder himself back in 2018 (27th overall) but has just 22 NHL games under his belt, none of which came last season between Montreal and Chicago.
Grosenick and Tokarski are no strangers to the waiver wire. Tokarski has cleared all five times while Grosenick has cleared six out of eight times he has been waived over the years. This will be Cooley’s first time on waivers but while he had a decent season in Nashville’s system last season (posting a .909 SV% with AHL Milwaukee), it would be surprising to see him picked up.
Each player will be available to teams until 1 PM CT on Sunday.