The Predators placed defenseman Adam Wilsby on injured reserve on Friday with an upper-body issue retroactive to Dec. 30, Nick Kieser of 102.5 The Game reports. Nashville recalled center Fedor Svechkov from AHL Milwaukee in a corresponding transaction, Kieser said, keeping their roster at the 23-player maximum.
Wilsby, 24, has already missed one game with the UBI, which he presumably sustained in his most recent appearance against the Jets on Monday. He logged 18:29 of ice time in that contest, his 15th of the season and of his NHL career.
Initially recalled from Milwaukee in November, Wilsby has been on the transaction wire a few times this season but was beginning to get a look as a regular amid a demotion for Marc Del Gaizo and injury troubles for Jeremy Lauzon. He remains day-to-day but will miss at least two more games with the injury until he’s eligible to return against Winnipeg next Tuesday.
Things have largely gone well for Wilsby, who the Preds selected 101st overall in the 2020 draft. He’s posted a goal and two assists with a +3 rating, averaging 18:43 per game and limiting himself to one minor penalty. The 6’1″ lefty has spent most of his time with veteran Luke Schenn at even strength to good results. The pairing has been one of Nashville’s best at preventing quality chances against, controlling 56.5% of expected goals and allowing only 1.52 xGA/60, per MoneyPuck. Both rank second on the team among pairings with at least 50 minutes together this season.
His third-pairing spot with Schenn will go to Spencer Stastney, who’s set to make his season debut tonight against the Canucks after being recalled from Milwaukee yesterday. The 24-year-old has three points and a +2 rating in 10 AHL games this season after missing the first few months of the campaign due to personal reasons.
Meanwhile, Svechkov comes up for the second time this season but may not get a look in tonight’s game, with Ozzy Wiesblatt slated to make his NHL debut after being recalled alongside Stastney. Wiesblatt will slot in for winger Zachary L’Heureux, who’s set to serve the first game of a three-game suspension handed down for slew-footing Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon.
Nashville selected Svechkov, 21, with the 19th overall pick of the 2021 draft. The Russian pivot played nine games earlier this year on his first career recall, scoring twice while averaging 11:57 per game and winning 46.2% of his faceoffs. His 0.92 points per game with Milwaukee are second on the team this season.