Joel Auerbach - Getty Images
8 months ago: SUNRISE, FL - SEPTEMBER 19: Jonathon Blum #7 of the Nashville Predators attempts to pass the puck in front of the Florida Panthers net on September 19, 2011 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
Jim Diamond reported last night about the goaltending switch between Milwaukee and Nashville, but this morning, word comes that Jonathon Blum is heading back to Milwaukee as well:
I'll admit to being a little surprised here that it's not Ryan Ellis getting sent back instead, given the fact that he was scratched last night as well. Under the current CBA, if Ellis hangs around on Nashville's Active Roster for 40 games (whether as a healthy scratch or not), this will count as an Accrued Season towards him earning Unrestricted Free Agent status somewhere down the road.
An excerpt from the team's press release follows...
Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has assigned rookie goaltender Anders Lindback (AHN-dehrs LIND-bahck) and defenseman Jonathon Blum to Milwaukee (AHL) and recalled goaltender Jeremy Smith from the Admirals. This is Smith's first career recall.
Smith, 22 (4/13/89), has yet to appear in an NHL game. The Deaborn, Mich., native leads the American Hockey League in wins (16), while ranking second in appearances (25) and minutes (1,461), and tied for eighth in goals-against average (2.30). Nashville's second choice, 54th overall (second round), in the 2007 Entry Draft is in his third professional season after playing from 2005-09 with Plymouth and Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League.
Lindback, 23 (5/3/88), has gone 2-4-0 with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage in eight appearances for the Predators this season. His only experience at the AHL level came last season when he went 2-2-0 with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in four starts from Feb. 22-26.
Blum, 22 (1/30/89), has seven points (3g-4a) in 33 NHL games with Nashville and two goals in three games at the AHL level with Milwaukee in 2011-12.
0 recs | 17 comments
But he’s only 6’0"! (j/k)
LuvthePreds - January 6, 2012
Good point.
Is 11’ 5" of goalie enough goalie for the Preds? It should be when 6’ 5" of it is SUPERMAN!
Whamba - January 6, 2012 via Android app
Not only is he not 6’5" or taller, he isn’t Scandinavian. So he cannot be one of my Large Scandinavian Goalies.
Oh well. I guess there’s room for him in my heart.
CAustin - January 6, 2012
Haha!
davisca - January 7, 2012
this just sounds like a playing time call down. they will return quickly if things change
Wendy H - January 6, 2012
Maybe they want to showcase Ellis....
In order to trade him to get a top forward…..OR….
Maybe they want to keep him around for a while because Weber is not 100%, as he didn’t look very good last night.
GoPreds00 - January 6, 2012
He’s at @JeremySmith30 on Twitter. funny sometimes. Talks to Dex a lot.
CAustin - January 6, 2012
possible blum trade
blum and a 4th of 5th rounder for selanne?
predwheels - January 6, 2012
well we have officially achieved the legal limit for the number of guys you can have on your team with “Smith” in part of their name
Creeping Death - January 6, 2012
HAH!
davisca - January 6, 2012
Smiths ROCK!
EVERY team should have at least one Smith in goal, one on O, and one on D! Throw in a Smithson, and you might really have something. Smith-Hornquists, Smith-Erats, and Smith-Weber/Suters are fine too!
Whamba - January 6, 2012 via Android app
Lindback might get traded!
That’s the rumour! Personally I don’t see it happening but teams out there really like him. We obviously need help offensively/appeasing the D’s!
preds4ever - January 6, 2012
Poile probably views this as a trade. :/
Really don’t see how sending a guy to the minors is an impetus for a pending trade, not like a team is going to gain much in watching a guy play at the AHL level. I think this is just to give Anders some work.
Grizzledbear - January 6, 2012 via mobile
And it’s very much short-term. He’s due back on Sunday. Not much opportunity for scouts to see him.
CAustin - January 6, 2012
I never really got the whole “scouts are at the game” angle as pertaining to possible trades. What exactly are they going to learn that they haven’t already learned by watching the player on tape? Scouts are at the game to (can you guess) scout the other team prior to playing them.
Grizzledbear - January 6, 2012 via mobile
I dunno. But nonetheless, in person scouting happens.
CAustin - January 6, 2012
That’s what I figured. He’s not playing a whole lot here, so they’re giving him games in Milwaukee. Makes sense to me!
davisca - January 7, 2012
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