It has been a wild week for the Nashville Predators. A week after forward Luke Evangelista was traded to the New Jersey Devils, fans have been once again entertained with more news and some rumors to pay attention to.
Predators linked to Alexander Nikishin
The biggest piece of news out of the past week is the most recent one, that being rumors linking the Predators to Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on the latest edition of 32 thoughts that the Predators expressed interest in the 24-year-old Russian defender. He scored 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games with Carolina this season and is currently a qualified restricted free agent. This means that any team in the league can sign him, at the expense that if he accepts and his original team rejects the deal that they will supply draft picks.
The Predators could use the acquired draft picks from New Jersey to not offersheet Nikishin but make a trade for him. The Hurricanes are unsure about his long-term fit and length/cost of his new contract. Friedman believes he could base his contract off Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium, who signed an eight-year, $75.04 million contract. Nashville may have to spend a good chunk of its money to sign Nikishin, but it could ultimately be worth it.
He is a talented left-handed defender and would easily become the top young blueliner for the Predators. As beat reporter Nick Kieser wrote for heavy, "he fits in their timeline, and they don't have any prime defenceman in that age group...and the Predators are trying to establish a new vision this season. MacFarland even mentioned adding a puck-moving defenseman earlier this summer."
Money would be a primary factor in whether or not the Predators pursue someone like Nikishin. If he's willing to sign a discount thanks to Tennessee's zero state income tax, a contract as suggested prior could work. Something in the $7.5-8 million range on a long-term deal would be very plausible.
Tyson Jost returns to Predators under PTO
One name that become a stable for the Predators towards the end of last season was forward Tyson Jost.
Jost, 28, played 69 games for the Predators after being claimed off waivers from Carolina at the start of the season. In those 69 outings, he scored eight goals and 16 points. While it may not seem that impressive at first, it is important to mention that a lot of those points came from the back-half of the season. He proved to be an important piece in the bottom six, providing reliable scoring when needed while also blocking shooting lanes in the defensive zones.
After the Predators opted not to re-sign him, he walked into free agency as an unrestricted free agent, and remained unsigned for a couple months until Chris MacFarland, Predators president of hockey operations and general manager, signed him to a professional tryout agreement (PTO), and he will join the team for training camp and preseason where he'll compete for a roster spot.
Rookie camp
The Predators Rookie Camp begins today with physicals and team meetings. The rookies will then head to North Carolina for the 2026 Prospect Showcase. There is a wide variety of prospects for fans to watch at the showcase, and some that'll potentially crack the roster this season.
For their forwards, the Predators have a lot to be proud of. The group is highlighted by centers Aiden Fink, Brady Martin, Vitali Pinchuk and Felix Nilsson. On the wing, Cole O'Hara, Kalan Lind and Joey Willis. Together, it is full of goalscoring and two-way talents that could play crucial roles in the future of the Predators lineup.
On defense, Tanner Molendyk, Viggo Gustafsson and Andrew Gibson lead the bunch. There is a good mix of offensive and defensive defensemen in this group, which is what makes it all so promising. Nashville will have a lot to work with when it comes time to call up defenders this season.
There are three goalies, them being Isak Posch, T.J. Semptimphelter and Ben Hrebik. All have shown promising performances in the past in their respective leagues, so it'll be interesting to see how they play against some of the best prospects in all of hockey.
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