Joakim Kemell
Kemell, like Ufko, is someone who feels like it is only a matter of time before he gets his first real opportunity at the NHL level. Kemell has played two separate two-game stints in Nashville this year and last, and he was among the youngsters who started the current year in gold, before he was reassigned back to Milwaukee shortly after.
The upside is clearly there with Kemell, as the main thing everyone talks about is his lethal shot, which will hopefully turn into an ability to be a legitimate goal scorer. The tricky thing with Kemell is that he might not benefit from being called up unless the situation is extremely advantageous for him.
Kemell's style of play is definitely best suited for a top six role, and if he were to go onto the fourth line, he would play alongside the grinders, which just might not be best for his development. And the Predators would want to be sure he is reasonably ready to take on such a role, throwing him or any player to the wolves is not productive for anyone.
Based on the likely tradable players for the Predators at the trade deadline, it is likely that a spot could open on the second line, as well as one of the top spots on the third line. The thing with Kemell is that finding the right situation is drastically more important than calling him up at any certain time.
If the Predators eventually fade out of the playoff contention, then Kemell makes absolute sense to move to the top-six for development purproses into 2026-27.