Predators Recall Goaltender Miroslav Svoboda

Nashville, Tenn. (October 20, 2018) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Saturday that the club has recalled goaltender Miroslav Svoboda from the ECHL's Atlanta Gladiators. Additionally, goaltender Pekka Rinne has been placed on Injured Reserve.
Svoboda, 23 (3/7/95), is two starts into his first professional season in North America, going 2-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .946 save percentage for the Gladiators. He led the Czech Republic's Extraliga with 33 wins in 2017-18, helping HC Plzen record a league-leading 107 points during the regular season. In his first full-time season in the Czech Republic's top league, he posted a 2.10 goals-against average and .926 save percentage for HC Plzen.

The 6-foot-3, 176-pound goaltender was originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the seventh round (208th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft. He was instrumental in helping HC Dukla Jihlava secure promotion to the Extraliga in 2016-17, as he led the Czech second division in save percentage at .944 in 25 games. He appeared in two games for the Czech Republic at the 2015 World Junior Championship, going 1-1 with a .942 save percentage and 1.51 goals-against average.