The Nashville Predators have a ton of interesting players who aren't in the NHL. This year could be the one where that changes for a lot of them. Here is who we really want to see during the year for the 2025-2026 Nashville Predators.
1. Tanner Molendyk
Apologies to my guy Jordan Manning, (he's great, read his stuff), but an Adam Wilsby/Nick Blankenburg third pairing does nothing for me, and probably not much for the majority of Predators fans. Molendyk has aged out of juniors, but isn't exactly the kind of player you want put into the AHL.
A player with Molendyk's talent and pedigree needs to be in the NHL, and Wilsby has a two-way deal. Let him develop more in the AHL and let Molendyk get the NHL time that he needs. A player with his skills also gives you power-play flexibility.
This isn't all about Wilsby, though. Nobody is going to openly campaign for Andreas Englund over Molendyk, either, or Justin Barron, but with one-way contracts, they're harder to work around.
2. Joakim Kemell
The two games Kemell played last year will help him get the jitters out, and now he'll be ready to go when his time comes. The Finnish forward has put up back-to-back seasons of at least 40 points in the AHL, and while the Admirals will certainly miss a player like him, it is time he got a shot at sticking with the big club.
There are four UFA spots that could be opening up among the forward group. If Kemell is going to take one of the two or three winger spots, it needs to be proven this year, before the UFA market opens up.
3. Ryan Ufko
Ufko really looked the part of a smooth, skilled defender last season with the Admirals. Just one year removed from starring at UMass Amherst, Ufko quickly made the adjustment to the pro game. He led all Admirals defenders in scoring last season,
His quick progression has opened some eyes, and if he shows out early in the year, then he deserves a chance to escalate to the NHL. You can never have too many good defensemen in the system.
4. Ryder Rolston
Here is your darkhorse candidate. We've already made our nepo baby jokes about Rolston and had our fun, but the son of former NHLer Brian Rolston did pretty dang well last year with the Admirals, with 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 57 games.
The former 5th-round pick is only 23, but at 6'2", 200 pounds has the size and strength you want from a forward. He might have come out of college a year too early, but he's clearly caught up to the professional game. Look for him to get some real NHL games this year.
Honorable Mention: Ozzy Wiesblatt
This is an honorable mention because Wiesblatt really should make the team out of camp. He threw up a casual 40 points (15 goals and 25 assists) to match with 96 penalty minutes. He's a high-impact, high-energy player that Brunnette wants as a part of the bottom six. We could see him for the majority of the season rather than just a few games.