The Nashville Predators wrapped up preseason games, talked training camp improvements, and thanked their former coaches for important lessons this week.
As training camp winds down for the Predators, fans are getting a clearer idea of what the 2023-24 Predators roster will look like. This week the front office reassigned quite a few players to Milwaukee.
Nashville claimed Samuel Fagemo off waivers, and the 23-year-old Swedish forward jumped into the preseason lineup so Andrew Brunette and Barry Trotz could evaluate what he could potentially bring to his new team.
Fagemo has made a good first impression in training camp and scored a goal in Nashville's 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena.
One surprising move from the front office came on Saturday as the Predators placed recent offseason addition Denis Gurianov on waivers.
Sep 25, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Nashville Predators forward Denis Gurianov (15) looks on against the Florida Panthers during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY SportsAnother move the Predators made was assigning Defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to Milwaukee. Del Gaizo came into training camp wanting to prove he was worth a late call up last season, and his performance earned and extra long look from Trotz and Brunette before being reassigned to the AHL late this week.
One player who has likely earned an opening night roster spot — and perhaps top line minutes — is Juuso Pärssinen. Pärssinen was day-to-day as training camp kicked off with a lower body injury. Once he returned to practice and the preseason lineup, he showed why Andrew Brunette has given him big opportunities with top line mates and why his name may be at the top of the opening day lineup.
Pärssinen has been sharing ice time in camp and preseason games with Ryan O'Reilly and Filip Forsberg. Forsberg is back and healthy, and according to one projection model he could perform close to his career high 2021-22 season.
Chemistry with O'Reilly will play a big factor in how Forsberg's season goes, but O'Reilly already sees that improving over the course of training camp. He and head coach Andrew Brunette shared the biggest improvements they have each seen this preseason.
While the team looks ahead to Tuesday's first regular season game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the players took a minute to look back and share some of the wisdom formers coaches gave them on their way to realizing their NHL dreams.
