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Preds waive Stalberg

Viktor Stalberg

Viktor Stalberg #25 of the Nashville Predators warms up prior to a game against the Winnipeg Jets at Bridgestone Arena on October 24, 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee. (October 23, 2013 - Source: Frederick Breedon/Getty Images North America)

Looks like Viktor Stalberg’s tumultuous tenure in Nashville might be over.

The Preds placed Stalberg on waivers Thursday with the hope of assigning him to AHL Milwaukee, per GM David Poile.

“A couple of injuries early in the season have prevented this from being the season Viktor trained all summer for,” Poile said in a statement. “He has worked hard to return to the lineup. With Paul Gaustad and Taylor Beck day-to-day and still on our 23-man roster, the best option for Viktor and the organization at this time is to place Viktor on waivers with the hope that he will clear, go to Milwaukee to play games and continue his efforts to be ready for NHL game action.”

Stalberg’s season has been derailed by a pair of injuries -- an upper-body ailment suffered during training camp, then a knee injury after a nasty hit while playing for the Admirals in early November.

Going on waivers is the latest in Stalberg’s disappointing time as a Predator. After signing a four-year, $12 million deal two summers ago, Stalberg missed the start of last season with a shoulder injury, then landed in Barry Trotz’s doghouse and spent time as a healthy scratch, finishing with just eight goals in 70 games.

It’ll be interesting to see if anybody takes a flier on the 28-year-old Swede. He looked to be a breakout performer for Chicago during the 2011-12 season -- scoring a career-high 22 goals and 43 points -- but fell out of Joel Quenneville’s favor during the ’13 Stanley Cup run and was allowed to walk in free agency.

Stalberg’s in the second year of his deal and has two more seasons remaining at a $3 million cap hit.