The Nashville Predators disclosed Monday that the team has recalled forward John Leonard from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. With a road-home back-to-back upcoming over the next two days, recalling Leonard gives the team a 13th healthy forward on the roster should an unforeseen injury occur.
Leonard is the most experienced recall option among forwards still waiver exempt. The 24-year-old winger has accumulated 62 games of NHL experience over the past three seasons, with four coming in Nashville this season. He has one point, his first goal as a Predator, coming in a March 2 game against the Florida Panthers.
This is Leonard’s third recall of the season after he was recalled twice in three days on an emergency basis in the first week of March. Acquired along with a third-round pick from the San Jose Sharks last summer in exchange for the rights to Luke Kunin, Leonard has 14 goals and 38 points in 61 games in the AHL this year.
A pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights, Leonard could be a candidate to not receive a qualifying offer and head to unrestricted free agency in July. The 2018 sixth-round pick has seen a step back from last season’s offensive production in the minors, and with his NHL opportunities diminished, the Predators may opt not to retain his services.