Patience with Aberg Beginning to Pay Off for Preds

Not long ago, Predators General Manager David Poile joined Darren McFarland and I on the Preds flagship radio station, 102.5 The Game, for an assessment of the first quarter of the season.
A question came up about Pontus Aberg, who had struggled out of the gate and looked nothing like the skilled player that had made significant contributions late in Nashville's postseason run in the spring. He had amassed just two assists in his first 15 games played, and was often a healthy scratch.
Poile, while making no excuses for Aberg's play, stressed the importance of patience. He told the story of Rich Peverley, a player who once was at a similar crossroads in his career.

Back in January of 2009, Peverley was in his third season with Nashville. Like Aberg, he had dominated at the AHL level for Milwaukee, achieving a 30-goal season for the Admirals. Also like Aberg, Peverley had flashed ability in the NHL, contributing to a late season push in 2008 and playing in all six playoff games against the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings.
But as the 2008-09 season unfolded, Peverley had still not gotten over the hump as a consistent scorer in the NHL. The Predators, desperate for scoring after the unexpected departure of Alexander Radulov to the new KHL prior to the season, needed somebody to emerge from a pack of young, unproven forwards like Ryan Jones, Cal O'Reilly, Antti Pihlstrom and Joel Ward.
In another direct parallel to Aberg's current contract status, Peverley could not be sent back to Milwaukee without being sent through waivers. Faced with a roster crunch on Jan. 10, Poile made the difficult decision to waive Peverley in hopes he would clear. The Atlanta Thrashers claimed him.
Almost overnight, Peverley blossomed. He put up 35 points in 39 games for Atlanta that season and followed it up with a 55-point, 2009-10 season. Eventually, Peverley would play on two Eastern Conference Champion teams with the Boston Bruins, winning the Stanley Cup in 2011 during a very solid eight-year career.
Fast forward to today. David Poile did not want to risk having history repeat itself. He was certain that if he were to attempt to waive Pontus Aberg that he would be claimed. Both he and the coaching staff have been rewarded of late for their patience.

Aberg's last four games have been his best of the season with two goals, three points and a +5 rating. His timely, second-period goal in Edmonton on Thursday provided a much needed spark (the Predators were being outshot 24-4 at that stage). It turned out to be the game-winner.
More importantly, Aberg looks for the moment as if he has come through the fire. This is a player who scored 22 goals in his final 31 games in Milwaukee last season to earn a spot on Nashville's playoff roster. His confidence is back. At the moment, he is clicking extremely well with fellow Swedes Filip Forsberg and Calle Jarnkrok and enabling the Predators to disperse their top forwards on three different scoring lines.
There are no certainties on where a player's career path will lead. This is a small patch of success for Aberg in the big picture. Time will tell if he can produce long term, but it's important to note that he was given another opportunity on a deep roster when it would have been easy to cast him aside. Poile and Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette's patience may have kept another potential Predators weapon in the fold.