As the Nashville Predators go into the final days of training camp they do so by sending 27 to the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League. The AHL affiliate’s training camp begins on Tuesday with two preseason games before regular season action kicks off.
However, as of Monday afternoon, the Predators added a new face to the mix as forward Samuel Fagemo was picked up off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings. Fagemo has spent most of the last two seasons with the Ontario Reign in the AHL.
He made his NHL debut on Jan. 13, 2022, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fagemo scored his first NHL point last December and then his first goal later that month.
Fagemo has posted 76 points in 119 games with the Ontario Reign in the last 2 seasons. Drafted 50th overall in 2019. https://t.co/IhhvgByRg1
— Nick Kieser🏒 (@KieserNick) October 2, 2023
The Swedish forward has one more year on his contract and is slated to become a restricted free agent in 2024. According to CapFriendly, he’ll be owed $775,000 this season and would require waivers again if the Predators opt to send him to the AHL.
Several skaters are still advocating for spots on the team including forwards Mark Jankowski, Philip Tomasino, Kiefer Sherwood, Michael McCarron, Cole Smith and Luke Evangelista plus defensemen Marc Del Gaizo and Jeremy Lauzon.
The cuts can be seen below.
The #Preds roster is down to 26 players.
Nolan Burke is to stay in Nashville since he's recovering from surgery this offseason. pic.twitter.com/742ckilpbd— Nick Kieser🏒 (@KieserNick) October 1, 2023
Del Gaizo is a defender who has yet to see time in Nashville. Since being drafted in the fourth round, 109th overall back in 2019, his only bit of professional hockey has been at the AHL level. He’s scored 55 points in 147 games in the minor league but feels he’s close to making his NHL debut.
“First and foremost, I want to make the team and you know, last year I thought I had a good season and didn’t get an opportunity,” Del Gaizo said at the start of training camp. “I wasn’t one of the guys who got an opportunity. So I’ve got a big chip on my shoulder right now. And, you know, just trying to prove that, you know, I can play at this level and do it every day.”
Two more preseason games to play with the last one typically used as a dress rehearsal for NHL teams. On the contrary, Del Gaizo has two more practices to showcase his ability to be an asset for the Predators this season while challenging for a spot in the defensive corps.
Not counting forward prospect Nolan Burke who is staying in Nashville while rehabbing after an offseason surgery, the Predators are down to 26 players in the meantime if he is not to make the opening night roster.
Thinking in terms of development the Predators saw a fit to send Egor Afanasyev, Joakim Kemell, Zachary L’Heureux, Reid Schaefer, and Fedor Svechkov to the Admirals. Only Afanasyev has spent time in the NHL while the rest are new faces in professional hockey with the Predators.
Kemell flashed his quick wrist shot when he arrived in Milwaukee during the end of the regular season and postseason run. Now, he’s equipped with more players who complement the style of game he plays.
L’Heureux is someone general manager Barry Trotz was keeping an eye on during training camp. He wasn’t overly impressed but knows there’s more to his game.
“He started off very physical in the rookie showcase,” Trotz said last week. “We moved him up to a little more of a skill line and he didn’t quite play as well but he wasn’t skating the way he knew he could.”
Photo of Zachary L’Heureux courtesy of Nashville Predators / John Russell
Additionally, fans had been clamoring to see Svechkov in a Predators uniform after he missed development camp in July. He played in three exhibition games, including the Gold Star Showcase at F&M Bank Arena last week, showing his offensive prowess moving and shooting the puck with force.
This season in the AHL Svechkov will continue to get acclimated to the North American style of play and ice as he grows into a promising prospect at the center position for the organization.
Schaefer was acquired in part of the Mattias Ekholm trade back in the spring and will make his transition to the professional stage. He played in 146 games in the Western Hockey League scoring 122 points as a member of the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Coming in at 6 feet 3 inches Schaefer is a dynamic power forward playing in front of head coach Karl Taylor who’s had time to assess where he’ll plug him into the lineup this season in Milwaukee.
Livingstone saw five games of NHL action in the spring after signing as an undrafted free agent as a junior out of Minnesota State University at Mankato. He’ll plug into the Admirals lineup just fine as a puck-moving defenseman.
Statsney also saw time in Nashville last season appearing in eight contests. He’s a staple in the Admiral’s defensive corps after putting up 13 points in 56 games last season before earning his call up.
Milwaukee’s roster currently has five players who were drafted in the first round going into the 2023-24 campaign.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
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