panoo

Friday, 06/01/07
JESSICA HOPP
Staff Writer

This season's Swedish Elite League Rookie of the Year Patric Hornqvist tops the list of six European prospects signed today by the Nashville Predators.

Hornqvist, a 5-foot-11, 187-pound center, scored 23 goals in his Swedish League and had six points (two goals, four assists) in nine games for Sweden at the 2007 World Championships.

Hornqvist, Nashville's seventh choice - 230th overall - in the 2005 NHL draft, signed a three-year deal with the Predators that will pay him $475,000 his first season in the NHL, $525,000 in his second year and $550,000 in his third year.

Hornqvist will remain in Sweden for the 2007-08 season, but Nashville's five other European prospects will head to North America.

Forwards Antti Pihlstrom and Oliver Setzinger and defensemen Janne Niskala, Richard Stehlik and Alexander Sulzer will come to training camp and compete for roster spots in the Predators' organization.

Pihlstrom (5-10, 180) was signed as a free agent to a two-year contract after scoring 39 points (16g-23a) in 56 games for Finland's HPK Hameenlinna in 2006-07.

Setzinger (6-0, 189), a third-round selection in the 2001 draft, signed a one-year deal. The center finished seventh in the Austrian league in scoring this past season with 82 points (28 goals, 54 assists) in 59 games.

FULL STORY