Viktor Stalberg was just halfway through his contract with the Predators when they let him go this summer, buying out the remainder of his deal. For Nashville, saving money was assured. Reviving Stalberg’s career was less certain.
Signed by the Predators to a four-year, $12 million contract after winning a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013, Stalberg spent nearly as much of his second season with the Predators organization in the AHL (in Milwaukee) as the NHL, struggling with injuries and suffering through healthy scratches, seemingly unable to recapture the form of the 22-goal scorer from the 2011-12 season.