Nashville Predators Change Defensive Lines, Ufko Sent to AHL

The Nashville Predators reassigned 23-year-old defenseman Ryan Ufko to the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals on Friday after just one NHL regular-season game. Head Coach Andrew Brunette explained that Ufko appeared overwhelmed during the season opener against the Minnesota Wild and noted the team wants him playing regular minutes rather than sitting out.

Following the roster move, the Predators reshuffled their defensive pairings during Friday's practice, grouping captain Roman Josi with veteran Nic Hague. Nashville currently carries eight defensemen as Brunette and General Manager Chris MacFarland evaluate options, including waiver claim William Trudeau and veteran Ilya Lyubushkin.