Bitetto played his first game of the season Saturday against the Penguins, replacing Alexei Emelin on the Preds' third defensive pairing.

EDGE Analysis

Bitetto and Emelin will likely continue to jostle for a regular spot in the Preds' lineup until one of them emerges as the clear favourite. Neither one of them feature a great deal of fantasy value at the present time.

Bitetto generated a pair of primary assists with a plus-2 rating in Thursday's 7-3 win over the Stars.

EDGE Analysis

This was the first career multi-point effort for the American defenseman, who has been no stranger to the press box this campaign. His role is far too limited to depend on him in fantasy circles, especially this late in the year, but it's nice to have seen him join the party in Thursday's rout over Dallas.

Bitetto served as a healthy scratch for the fifth straight game Saturday against the Sharks.

EDGE Analysis

Bitetto has filled in more as an injury replacement than anything else this season. He has just four points in 24 games and usually sees ice time of just 10-12 minutes whenever he does get the chance to suit up. Needless to say, he does not warrant any fantasy consideration at the present time.

Bitetto will play Saturday for the first time in over a month, Adam Vingan of The Tennessean reports.

EDGE Analysis

Bitetto had been resting comfortably in the press box, but he'll be thrown into the fire in the next contest since established two-way blueliner Ryan Ellis has been ruled out with a lower-body injury. Bitetto has played as much as 20:08 this season -- he did so against Boston on Jan. 12 -- but he'll be hard-pressed to leap over Yannick Weber (and especially P.K. Subban) on the depth chart at right defense.

Bitetto has been a healthy scratch the past three games.

EDGE Analysis

Bitetto skated in 14 straight games during the month of January while Roman Josi was on the shelf with an upper-body injury; however, now that Josi has returned, Bitetto is once again the odd man out on the Preds' blue line. He should not be in anyone's fantasy lineup right now.

Bitetto was recalled from his conditioning assignment Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

Bitetto has missed the past 15 games. The heavy-shooting rearguard is rounding out his recovery from a broken hand sustained at the end of November, but there's a chance that he sees playing time in the near future due to P.K. Subban expected to miss the next 2-to-3 weeks with an upper-body injury.

Bitetto (upper body) was sent down to AHL Milwaukee on Tuesday for purposes of a conditioning assignment.

EDGE Analysis

Bitetto has played in just four games this season due to various maladies. While getting some play time is a big step in the right direction. the blueliner remains on injured reserve and will need to be activated before he can suit back up. Even once cleared, it is certainly not guaranteed the 26-year-old will have a spot in the depth chart and may find himself as a healthy scratch from time to time.

Bitetto (broken hand) skated with the team at practice Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

Bitetto continues to make his way back from the injury he suffered at the end of November, and remains on track for a mid-January return. That said, Bitetto had played just four games for the Preds prior to the injury, so it remains to be seen how much game action he will see going forward once he is healthy.

Bitetto is expected to miss six weeks with a broken hand, Adam Vingan of the Tennessean reports.

EDGE Analysis

Bitetto recently returned to the big club following a conditioning assignment with AHL Milwaukee, but evidently may have sustained a broken hand during his time in the minors. The Predators depth at defense will be stretched a little thinner during the 26-year-old blueliner's absence, but Bitetto has only tallied seven points in 32 games over the last two seasons with Nashville, and isn't a viable fantasy option.

Bitetto (upper body) has been placed on injured reserve.

EDGE Analysis

Bitetto is less than a full week removed from a conditioning assignment with AHL Milwaukee, but the Preds made this latest IR transaction in order to send Finnish winger Miikka Salomaki on a conditioning stint of his own. Neither player possess much fantasy value this early in their respective careers.