NASHVILLE -- The parade from Milwaukee to Nashville continues, as the Nashville Predators recalled defenseman Mattias Ekholm on Monday from their American Hockey League affiliate.
Second-pair defenseman Kevin Klein suffered an injury in the Predators' 3-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, and so the team was forced to recall Ekholm on Monday morning. Nashville coach Barry Trotz, who would not specify the injury, said Klein was highly questionable to play.
Ekholm was expected to arrive in Nashville later in the day. As the injuries continue to pile up, Ekholm will be the sixth rookie on the Predators' roster and the third Swede to suit up for the team in roughly one week's time.
Nashville coach Barry Trotz said he expected Ekholm to play with Jonathon Blum, most likely moving veteran Hal Gill up to the second pair to play with rookie Victor Bartley.
"He's a great skater," Trotz said of Ekholm. "That'll be the thing that comes out. He can really get up on the play and really be a threat from the back end. Good power play guy, has good offensive instincts, and his defending skills have gotten better over the last little while."
The 6-foot-4, 202-pound Ekholm, 22, has nine goals and 18 assists in 55 games for Milwaukee. He played two games for Nashville last season and was minus-1 in those games.
Trotz said Pekka Rinne would start in goal for the second time in as many days. Rinne has stopped 239 of 254 shots over his last eight games for a .941 save percentage. His record in those games is 1-5-2.
PREDATORS
Taylor Beck - David Legwand - Filip Forsberg
Sergei Kostitsyn - Nick Spaling - Matt Halischuk
Rich Clune - Austin Watson - Craig Smith
Daniel Bang - Chris Mueller - Bobby Butler
Mattias Ekholm - Jonathon Blum
Out: Brandon Yip, Paul Gaustad, Gabriel Bourque, Patric Hornqvist, Mike Fisher.
CANUCKS
Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Jannik Hansen
Alexandre Burrows - Derek Roy - Ryan Kesler
Mason Raymond - Andrew Ebbett - Zack Kassian
Tom Sestito - Maxim Lapierre - Dale Weise
Alexander Edler - Kevin Bieksa
Andrew Alberts - Keith Ballard
Out: Steven Pinizzotto, Cam Barker
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