Predators Bring Juuso Parssinen Back Into The Fold ‘Just In Case’

The Milwaukee Admirals have a week-long break until their Calder Cup Playoff series against the winner of the best-of-three series between the Texas Stars and Manitoba Moose begins, the Nashville Predators recalled forward Juuso Parssinen ahead of their Game 3 matchup with the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Parssinen, who had eight goals and 12 points in 44 games with the Predators before being sent to the AHL near the end of January, skated with the team during Thursday’s practice and will likely be on the roster until Milwaukee’s postseason officially begins the first week of May.

“I think just get him accustomed and get him back into what we’re doing here just in case something happens,” Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said of Parssinen’s recall. “He’s been playing well down there and it’s an opportunity to maybe get in the lineup here.”

A mainstay in Milwaukee’s top six, Parssinen regularly skated with winger Egor Afanasyev, who led the team with a team-high 27 goals and 54 points in 56 games.

Parssinen himself was no slouch either in the scoring department. He notched seven goals and 25 points in 36 games, and he finished ninth on the team in scoring despite playing 20 fewer games than seven of the eight players who finished with more points than he did.

Despite the initial disappointment of being demoted to Milwaukee, Parssinen admitted it was actually a blessing in disguise — he just didn’t know it at the time.

“I feel like I’ve got more puck touches and get that feeling back,” Parssinen said. “[I focused on getting] my offensive game where it should be.”

Though he’s more confident and playing a more well-rounded game than he was went he was sent to the AHL, Parssinen knows his call up is only temporary. But a week of being in the thick of an NHL playoff race will only serve him well when he heads back to Milwaukee for his own playoff race.

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