The Nashville Predators got their active roster down to 25 players on Friday, sending 2014 first-round selection Kevin Fiala back to HV-71 of the Swedish league in the process.
Fiala, the 11th overall pick at this year’s draft, had some solid moments during preseason action but was always a longshot to make the team this year. He’s still just 18 years old and isn’t very big (listed at 5-foot-10, 187 pounds), and will be well served playing an entire season professionally in Sweden.
In other cuts today, the Preds sent down a pair of defenseman to AHL Milwaukee -- Johan Alm and Joe Piskula. Alm, a former Swedish league standout with Skellftea AIK, signed a two-year deal with the Predators in May; Piskula has been with the Predators organization for the last two years and appeared in two games for Nashville last season.