Predators Have Long History of Player Acquisitions Near Opening Day

Every year, as the Predators have gone through preseason camp, there were battles for roster spots among those in attendance. This year was no different. The roster of healthy players in camp is now down to 23 after Ryan Ellis was sent to Milwaukee and Kyle Wilson was placed on waivers earlier today.

Mike Fisher and Francis Bouillon appears headed for Injured Reserve and Barry Trotz left the door open for more movement prior to opening night on Friday in Columbus.

If you take a look back at David Poile's track record of making trades, signing free agents, and plucking players from the waiver wire during training camp, or in the opening weeks of the season, you may consider that there could be more adjustments made in the near future.

Last season, Shane O'Brien was added on October 5, and the year before that, Francis Bouillon was an end of camp acquisition.

Over the years, other players that were picked up near opening day or in the month of October that went on to claim a roster spot include Drake Berehowsky, Greg de Vries, Cliff Ronning, Mark Eaton, and Yanic Perreault.

Twenty-five players were placed on waivers today and more will follow leading up to opening day. Will any of them be tempting to Poile as we countdown to the weekend games?

Make the jump for a complete list of training camp and October moves by the Predators as mined from the Predators Media Guide...



October 1, 1998: Acquired defensemen Drake Berehowsky and Greg de Vries and goaltender Eric Fichaud from Edmonton for forward Jim Dowd and goaltender Mikhail Shtalenkov.

October 5, 1998: Acquired defenseman Marc Moro and goaltender Chris Mason from Anaheim for goaltender Dominic Roussel. Claimed forward Zdeno Ciger from Edmonton in the 1998 NHL Waiver Draft.

October 12, 1998: Signed free-agent defenseman Jeff Kealty.

October 25, 1998: Acquired a third-round selection in the 1999 Entry Draft (traded to Colorado; Colorado selected Branko Radivojevic) from Colorado for defenseman Greg de Vries.

October 28, 1998: Signed free-agent forward Bobby Russell.

October 31, 1998: Acquired forward Cliff Ronning and defenseman Richard Lintner from Phoenix for future considerations.

September 27, 1999: Acquired forward Paul Healey from Philadelphia for forward Matt Henderson.

October 2, 1999: Signed free-agent forward Jason Dawe.

Sept. 25, 2000: Signed free-agent forward Jeremy Stevenson. Acquired defenseman Alexei Vasiliev from the New York Rangers for a conditional draft selection.

Sept. 29, 2000: Acquired defenseman Mark Eaton from Philadelphia for Detroit’s third-round selection in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft (Patrick Sharp). Forward Zdeno Ciger claimed by Minnesota in the 2000 NHL Waiver Draft.

October 25, 2000: Defenseman Craig Millar claimed on waivers by Tampa Bay.

October 9, 2001: Acquired forward Nathan Perrott from Chicago for a conditional selection in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

October 4, 2002: Claimed defenseman Francis Bouillon from Montreal in the 2002 NHL Waiver Draft. Forward Petr Tenkrat claimed by Florida in the 2002 NHL Waiver Draft.

October 23, 2002: Acquired defenseman Jason York from Anaheim for future considerations.

October 25, 2002: Defenseman Francis Bouillon claimed on waivers by Montreal.

October 3, 2003: Claimed defenseman Wade Brookbank from Ottawa and goaltender Chris Mason from Florida in the 2003 NHL Waiver Draft.

October 22, 2003: Claimed forward Jeremy Stevenson on waivers from Minnesota.

2004-2005 Lockout Season

October 3, 2005: Signed free-agent forward Yanic Perreault.

October 4, 2005: Forward Randy Robitaille claimed on waivers by Minnesota.

October 24, 2005: Acquired defenseman Rick Berry from Phoenix for future considerations.

October 2, 2006: Signed free-agent forward Kim Staal.

October 6, 2006: Signed free-agent forward Kelsey Wilson.

Sept. 29, 2008: Acquired center Nick Tarnasky from Tampa Bay for a sixthround selection in the 2009 Entry Draft (Jaroslav Janus).

October 30, 2008: Acquired forward Hugh Jessiman from the New York Rangers for future considerations. Acquired defenseman Tim Ramholt from Philadelphia for forward Josh Gratton.

Sept. 30, 2009: Signed free-agent defenseman Francis Bouillon.

October 7, 2009: Signed free-agent forward Dave Scatchard.

October 5, 2010: Acquired defenseman Shane O’Brien and forward Dan Gendur from Vancouver for forward Jonas Andersson and defenseman Ryan Parent.

October 20, 2010: Signed free-agent forward Steve Begin.

More Later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOntheGlass