Nashville Predators Top-5 Prospects with superstar potential in NHL

#1- Tanner Molendyk, Defenseman, 2023 1st Round Pick by Nashville Predators

The undisputed top prospect talent in the Predators pipeline is Tanner Molendyk, the drafted player acquired in the trade of Mattias Ekholm back in February of 2023.

It's safe to say the Edmonton Oilers are enjoying the immediate reward of the trade, but the Predators look to hopefully get a win as well in the long-term with the extra first round pick they used to select Molendyk.

Molendyk has future captain vibes while showing dynamic skating and transition skills. He has already played in some of the biggest moments imaginable by winning it all in the WHL this past year for the Medicine Hat Tigers while posting 20 points in that playoff run.

Molendyk has dominated the WHL since 2020-21 and is still just 20-years-old. He has accomplished everything he can at that level and now it's time to get to the professional ranks and see if he can translate that same dominance.

The general manager of the Saskatoon Blades, Molendyk's former team, calls Molendyk the biggest impact player in the Canadien Hockey League, per Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. The article also says that Molendyk doesn't have much standing in his way between being an opening night starter for the Predators this upcoming season.

Talk about a reason to get fans hyped after enduring a brutal season in 2024-25. And you want to talk about the Predators addressing their speed defeciencies? Well, Molendyk would instantly improve that weakness in the team.

With the way the NHL has evolved into an offensive defenseman transition game, Molendyk's skill set fits perfectly. This is why he's the top prospect with superstar potential in the pipeline, and it's not particularly close.

As Roman Josi gets towards the end of the back nine of his NHL career, Molendyk is that prospect that one day can hopefully follow in the same footsteps. Molendyk will be a focal point in the Predators ushering in a new era of younger prospects, including the ones just mentioned on this list and also whichever picks the Predators make this year in 2025.

You look at the pipeline at the defense position and the Predators don't have much "superstar" talent. They do have some NHL starters like Spencer Stastney and Kevin Gravel. They have some prospects who have starting potential like Andrew Gibson and Ryan Ufko. But the position is thin at future top pairing guys, except for Molendyk.

Molendyk is going to be the main attraction at Predators training camp later this summer to see if he dazzles enough to leap frog the AHL and go right to the NHL. For a rebuilding team, why not?