The Milwaukee Admirals have long developed the Nashville Predators most talented prospects, and this year is no different.
For over two decades, the Admirals have been the primary supplier of raw talent, growing the likes Pekka Rinne, Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi just to name a few. Heading into the 2026-27 season, Milwaukee will possess several potential gamechangers, and with the NHL roster locked and loaded for a playoff push, these guys will have plenty of time to develop and prepare for their eventual debut.
Here are the five with the arguably the most potential heading into this season.
Note: I am not counting players who've played in five or more NHL games, so players like Joakim Kemell and Ryan Ufko will not be included in this listing.
Aiden Fink
Fink emerged as one of the Predators most promising prospects last season after a dominant outing with Penn State. The right winger played 30 games with the Nittany Lions in 2025-26, scoring 10 goals and 28 points. Following the NCAA season, he joined the Admirals where we would see him do even more damage, scoring three goals and recording 10 points in six games to help them clinch a playoff spot. Now with AHL experience under his belt, he's ready to continue impressing and prepare himself for the NHL.
Tanner Molendyk
Molendyk had a strong rookie performance with Milwaukee this past season, putting up four goals and 19 assists for 23 points in 60 games as a defenseman. Drafted by Nashville in the first round in 2023, he brought a huge boost to the team's lackluster defensive core. Though he is slightly undersized, standing at 6-foot, 19- pounds, he makes up for it with his speed and cutting-edge skating abilities. He is projected to be a top four defender for the Predators, and he is certainly living up to that hype.
Brady Martin
Martin is a wildcard for the Predators opening night roster, which is why he is on this list. After President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Chris MacFarland went all out this offseason by drastically improving the team's bottom six depth, Martin's spot in the lineup has become uncertain, and increasingly likely to start in the AHL with Milwaukee. He played three NHL games last season, tallying an assist. With the Admirals, he played in three playoff games and managed to score his first professional goal. The future is bright at center, and Martin is a big part of that.
Felix Nilsson
Nilsson is another wildcard. After a 40-point season with Rögle BK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), the highest tier of hockey in Sweden, he signed his entry-level contract with the Predators and is expected to join the Admirals this fall. I recently put him in our under-the-radar prospects story and for good reason. Despite being a second pick, fans have expressed a sense of unfamiliarity with his game. Thankfully, these fans will get a good taste at what this elite two-way center can do at the professional level this season with Milwaukee.
Cole O'Hara
O'Hara was also listed on my under-the-radar prospects list, despite already having an NHL game under his belt. He impressed many in his first full season with the Admirals last season, scoring 19 goals and 44 points, as well as tallying an additional two points in three postseason appearances. He played one game with Nashville, registering his first career assist. At 24 years old, he is the oldest player on this list, but he has as good of a chance as the rest of the players on this list to make a real impact in the NHL.
HM: Andrew Gibson (D), David Edstrom (C)
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