The website shows you which players are under contract for the present and future and what the contract is worth.

 

While the season just ended and not everyone is out of town yet, I thought I’d look ahead and give you an idea what next years Milwaukee Admirals MAY look like.

 

The players that are currently under contract with Nashville:

 

Taylor Beck, Jani Lajunen, Michael Latta, Juuso Puustinen, Ben Ryan, Josh Shalla, Austin Watson, Kyle Wilson

 

Wilson’s contract is a one-way deal next season. That makes it likely he will not be in Milwaukee, but it’s not certain.

 

Taylor Aronson, Victor Bartley, Anthony Bitetto, Matthias Ekholm, Charles-Olivier Roussel, Scott Valentine

 

Depending on what happens with Nashville’s free agents, Bartley and Ekholm would have a chance to be in Nashville next season.

 

Chet Pickard

 

That’s it.

 

There are several players that are restricted free agents.

 

Ryan Flynn, Jack MacLellan, Chris Mueller, Zack Stortini, Ryan Thang

 

Jon Blum, Teemu Laakso

 

Atte Engren, Jeremy Smith

 

Engren has reportedly signed a two-year deal to return to Finland and will not be back.

 

There are four players on the current roster that are on AHL deals: Joel Champagne, Scott Ford, Jeff Foss and Mark Van Guilder. I believe they all expire at the end of this season.

 

Brodie Dupont and Tyler Sloan are unrestricted free agents.

 

There are also several players that have been drafted by the Predators that could be joining the club from the Major Junior, collegiate or European ranks:

 

Chase Balisy, Zach Budish, Patrick Cehlin, David Elsner, Nick Oliver, Joonas Rask, Cameron Reid,

 

Balisy (Western Michigan), Budish (Minnesota) and Oliver (St. Cloud State) are all college players that have eligibility remaining.

 

Reid left St. Cloud State to play for Portland in the WHL.

 

Elsner came from Germany and is playing his first season in North America with Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL.

 

Cehlin and Rask are playing professionally in Europe. Rask was with the Admirals when the team was traveling through Texas at the beginning of April. I believe he is planning on returning to Finland.

 

Garrett Noonan (Boston University)

 

He just completed his sophomore season.

 

Magnus Hellberg

 

Hellberg signed a two-year contract with Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League on April 4, 2011. He still could be here, though.

 

Obviously, lots of things could happen: trades, unsigned, staying in Europe or school.

 

As of right now, Nashville has 12 players signed for next season. Six players that spent the majority of the season (or named Alex Radulov) in Nashville are restricted free agents and eight players are unrestricted free agents. There is a chance that a couple of this year’s Admirals players make the move up next season.

 

Moving on…

 

Former Admirals “Buzz” Schneider, Karl Goehring and Matt Hendricks are listed among Minnesota’s 100 Greatest High School Hockey Players by the Star Tribune.

 

Big thanks to Dave Boehler of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Steph Muraro of Hockey Gal Milwaukee and the guys (Ryan, Sutty, Jason & Trey) at Admirals Roundtable for their everyday coverage of the Admirals this season. All three outlets give you insight and a chance to converse about what’s going on with the club.

 

Hockey season isn’t over. We are hosting a viewing party Friday at Major Goolsby’s as the Nashville Predators face the Phoenix Coyotes. We’ll have great prizes and a lot of fun. Please come down and watch the game. We can talk about this past year or the upcoming season.