2025-2026 Nashville Predators Player Previews: Adam Wilsby Enters as Lineup Wildcard

With last year's season taking an unexpected turn early for the Nashville Predators, we got to see many young players we otherwise might not have gotten to, and Adam Wilsby was one of them. He entered the lineup around Thanksgiving, and he looked comfortable in the games he played.

He brought an element of skating that was useful for the Predators and was adept at both ends of the ice, and he registered a goal and four assists in 23 games. He also averaged just over 18 minutes a game, meaning that he was relied on to be a real contributor and not just a depth guy.

Unfortunately, injuries cut his season short, as he was out for the first few weeks of the 2025 calendar year and then went out for the season after another injury in February. The hope was that the 2025-26 season would offer him a great chance to bounce back and establish himself, but it is no guarantee he gets a real opportunity in that regard.

Adam Wilsby will have to beat out rest of Nashville Predators' defense to prove himself

The biggest question mark around Wilsby really does not have as much to do with himself, but with what is around him. He was injured twice last year, so his health will also be watched throughout 2025-26, but the biggest thing people will be eyeing is the competition between the defensemen, and Wilsby has an uphill battle in that regard.

Obviously, he will not beat out Roman Josi and Brady Skjei, and the same applies for new acquisition Nic Hague. It is also hard to imagine Wilsby will have a lineup spot over Nick Perbix, who the Predators also acquired over the offseason, and they have way less on the right side than the left, so Perbix is all but a lineup lock.

That leaves Wilsby in direct competition with Nick Blankenburg, Justin Barron, and Tanner Molendyk, only two of which can be in the lineup, unless the Predators roll with seven defensemen some nights. When you look at each guy as individual players, it is easy to see how Wilsby could be left out.

I have loved everything I have seen from Blankenburg and he's a right shot defenseman, and Barron has not been quite as good but has flashed at times and is also a right shot defenseman. Molendyk is a left shot defenseman, but he is a former first round pick and arguably the top prospect in the system, so naturally opportunities will come easier for him.

As well as Wilsby played last year, he is a left shot defenseman and battled injuries last year, so he especially is going to have to earn every chance he gets. That being said, an unfortunate recent development for the Predators might just work out in his favor.

Hague suffered an injury that will keep him out four to six weeks, which will only widen the door for a guy like Wilsby to earn a spot in the opening night lineup. And it seems like he is making the most of his opportunity, as Andrew Brunette has been very complimentary of Wislby in training camp.

Wilsby has also played on the top pairing with Josi a lot during preseason games, which is telling in terms of potential lineup decisions. As it turns out, between the unproven defensemen on the roster, the guy I thought might have the highest hill to climb might be leading the charge for one of the final lineup spots.

Biggest question around Adam Wilsby might not be in his control

As far as how Wisby can and will perform when he is on the ice, that is not the biggest question I have with him. The biggest thing with him, assuming he can stay healthy, is how many opportunities will he be given?

Despite Wilsby playing strongly in training camp and preseason games, Brunette has made it very clear that the defensive logjam will not be figured out after opening night. They are going to give plenty of guys chances in different situations, so Wilsby still has a ways to go before he is entrenched in the lineup, if that even happens.

At the same time though, if he continues to play well, it is going to be hard to remove him from the lineup, which will force Brunette and company to make some tough decisions. And as unpopular as it might sound, they might could take advantage of a chance to trade him for a nice return.

Predicting how many games he plays, let alone how he performs in those games, is a mystery, but knowing what we know now, there is a very good chance he is in the opening night lineup. I expect him to continue to play well if that is the case, which I think will earn him 60 games, and I see him recording somewhere around 25 points in those contests.