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Preds make cuts, send ’10 first-rounder Watson to AHL

AustinWatson

The Nashville Predators trimmed their training camp roster on Monday and, most notably, sent former first-rounder Austin Watson back to AHL Milwaukee.

Watson, 21, was the 18th overall pick in 2010 and spent almost all of last season with the Admirals, appearing in 72 games while scoring 20 goals, an impressive output for his first professional season.

What’s more, he made his NHL debut and appeared in six games for the Preds, scoring his first NHL goal.

The demotion is also curious when considering who Nashville kept at camp over Watson -- most notably Simon Moser, a 24-year-old undrafted free agent that’s spent his entire pro career playing in Switzerland.

That said, the Preds do have a glut of centers -- Mike Fisher, David Legwand, Matt Cullen, Paul Gaustad -- which is playing a major role in keeping Watson with the Admirals.