Frederick Gaudreau

Despite being one of the leading scorers for AHL Milwaukee the past few years, with three consecutive 40-point seasons, Gaudreau has had a tough time breaking through at the NHL level. The industrious center started the season with the big club last October, but saw mostly fourth-line minutes and registered just three assists in 20 games. By mid-January, the Preds felt they had seen enough and relegated him to Milwaukee for the rest of the season. Looking ahead, the Preds remain fairly stocked down the middle, so there doesn't appear to be much room for Gaudreau to play a meaningful role in the lineup at the present time. Expect him to open the upcoming season back in the minors, while remaining on the short list of players to get recalled if the team needs to add any scoring depth.

Not to be confused with Calgary’s star Johnny Gaudreau, Nashville’s lanky depth pivot broke into the NHL last season and proceeded to play in 17 games, including eight in the postseason. He was particularly clutch in the Stanley Cup Finals with three goals in the first four games against the Penguins. Evidently pleased with his progress, the Preds signed Gaudreau to a three-year, two-way contract extension. However, it’s a two-way deal, so he could frequently shuffle between the NHL and AHL -- where he’s collected 90 points with Milwaukee over the last two seasons.