Predators Reassign Svechkov and Del Gaizo to Milwaukee Admirals for Calder Cup Playoff Push

The Nashville Predators made a pair of moves Monday, reassigning forward Fedor Svechkov and defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals as the team prepares for its upcoming playoff push. Both players began the 2024-25 season with Milwaukee, and they now return to help the Admirals in their pursuit of the Calder Cup.

Milwaukee, fresh off a stellar season in the AHL's Central Division, finished with a strong record of 40-21-5-6 (91 points), clinching the division title for the second consecutive year. This marks the Admirals' fifth straight appearance in the Calder Cup Playoffs, and they are set to face off in the Central Division semifinals beginning on May 1. Milwaukee will take on the winner of the best-of-three first-round series between the Chicago Wolves and Rockford IceHogs.

Svechkov, who is coming off his first full season in the NHL, made an impact for the Predators, recording 17 points in 52 games. Drafted in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft, Svechkov found himself in an expanded role after Nashville traded Tommy Novak to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline. His time in the NHL allowed him to develop further, but now he returns to the AHL, where he will look to play a key role in the Admirals’ postseason run.

Meanwhile, Del Gaizo was reassigned after clearing waivers last week. He appeared in 46 games for the Predators this season, but his brief demotion to the Admirals in early March made him eligible for the AHL postseason. Del Gaizo, who is eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer, is a player with at least three professional seasons and fewer than 80 career NHL games under his belt, along with being 25 years old. His future with Nashville is uncertain, especially after the team recently signed defenseman Andreas Englund to a one-year, $775,000 contract, which could indicate that Del Gaizo’s time with the Predators may be winding down.

As the Admirals look ahead to the playoffs, both Svechkov and Del Gaizo’s experience at the NHL level will be valuable assets as they aim to make a deep run in the postseason and vie for the Calder Cup.