Top 10 Nashville Predators Prospects: Pre-2026 Draft Edition

The Nashville Predators are at a crossroads this season. They’re stuck between being too good to compete for the first overall pick and too poorly built to compete for the Stanley Cup. They also have a new general manager (Chris McFarland) and a new vice president of hockey operations.

McFarland already inherits a prospect pool with a couple of interesting names. The Predators have done well to address their center and wing positions in recent drafts, with one of them (Matthew Wood) even breaking into the NHL. However, they still have a lot to do on defense, and this offseason could go a long way in improving their pool.

Honorable Mentions: Cole O’Hara, David Edstrom, Jacob Rombach, Teddy Stiga, Reid Schaefer, Alex Huang, Kalan Lind, Viggo Gustafsson, Miguel Marques, Hiroki Gojsic, Jesse Kiiskinen

No. 10: Jack Ivankovic, NCAA, 2025 NHL Draft

Jack Ivankovic doesn’t have the ideal build of an NHL goaltender, with just a 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. However, he had a spectacular season in the NCAA and World Juniors levels.

With the Michigan Wolverines, Ivankovic earned a .921 save percentage (SV%) and 2.15 goals-against average (GAA) through 35 games on the way to a 25-8-1 record. He helped lead the Wolverines to a Frozen Four appearance, where they lost to the eventual champion, Denver University, in overtime.

He was just as good in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. He led all goaltenders with a .918 SV% and 2.33 GAA, and he helped Team Canada to a bronze medal in the tournament.

Ivankovic could develop into a good 1B or backup option, especially with the status of Juuse Saros up in the air.

No. 9: Joakim Kemell, RW, NHL, 2022 NHL Draft

Joakim Kemell is starting to run out of time as a prospect. The 22-year-old was drafted in the first round due to his impressive shot and offensive instincts, but he’s shown regression offensively in the NHL and the American Hockey League (AHL).

Through 18 career NHL games, he has a goal and two assists, with all of his points occurring in the 16 games he played this season. However, in the AHL, he had just 29 points in 48 games, which was down from his 40 points in 65 games in 2024-25.

This upcoming camp and preseason will be very telling about Kemell’s future with the organization. He needs to make the roster and get an extended look at the NHL. Otherwise, unless he averages a point per game in the AHL this upcoming season, it’ll be hard to view him as a productive NHLer. He’s been disappointing so far in Nashville.

No. 8: Ryan Ufko, D, NHL, 2021 NHL Draft

No one would’ve thought Ryan Ufko would already start to make contributions when he was drafted in the fourth round in 2021. However, five years later, Ufko looks like a key contributor for the Predators. He was somehow more impressive than Kemell.

Ufko earned two goals and nine assists for 18 points in his first look at extended NHL action. He also had a plus-6 plus/minus to boot. Some fans could be worried about unsustainability, but in the AHL, he scored 11 goals and recorded 33 assists through 52 games. His 44 points were just two away from leading all Admirals defensemen, as Jordan Oesterle led the pack with 46.

With Nashville’s rough outlook on the back-end, Ufko will earn some more playing time in the NHL, and if he approaches those numbers again, he’ll earn a bigger role in Nashville than the third pairing.

No. 7: Ryker Lee, RW, NCAA, 2025 NHL Draft

In Ryker Lee’s first year post-draft, he made the jump from the United States Hockey League (USHL) to the NCAA, and it worked. On a Michigan State Spartans team with Philadelphia Flyers star rookie Porter Martone and multiple other first-round picks (Cayden Lindstrom, Charlie Stramel), Lee stood out.

He had 30 points in 35 games for a Michigan State team that made it all the way to the Regional Final of the NCAA tournament. He also represented the United States at the IIHF World Junior Championship, scoring two goals and earning an assist in five games.

Lee didn’t quite have the offensive output you’d like out of the WJC, but his season at Michigan State gives Predators fans hope that he could be a good middle-six or even top-six winger. He has ridiculous hands.

No. 6: Cameron Reid, D, OHL, 2025 NHL Draft

Cameron Reid was drafted as a shutdown defenseman with good hockey IQ. That would be useful in Nashville’s system soon, although Reid still has a way to go in his development.

In the 2025-26 season, Reid scored 15 goals and 41 assists in 57 games with a plus-25 plus/minus for the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Kitchener Rangers, who won the Memorial Cup this season. That doesn’t sound like that much of a step, with him earning 14 goals and 40 assists last season, but he did it in 67 games. He led all Rangers defensemen in points this season, and for a defensive defenseman, that’s really good.

However, his WJC performance left a lot to be desired. He had just one point in seven games with a plus-3 plus/minus.

No. 5: Aiden Fink, RW, AHL/NCAA, 2023 NHL Draft

Looking at his resume over the past couple of seasons, it’s shocking that Aiden Fink fell to the Predators in the seventh round. A lot of scouts overlooked him because of his frame and the weak competition he played against (he played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League during his draft year). However, former general manager David Poile, who infamously drafted Fink with his last pick as general manager, found a diamond in the rough.

Fink had to convert from the AJHL to NCAA hockey when he joined Penn State in 2023. He averaged at least a point per game every season, including 51 in 2024-25, making him a Hobey Baker finalist. When projected first overall pick Gavin McKenna joined him in 2025-26, he still averaged 38 points in 34 games.

He earned an AHL tryout deal, and he didn’t disappoint. In six games, he recorded 10 points for the Milwaukee Admirals, and the Predators signed him to an entry-level contract (ELC). Time will tell how sustainable the pace is for Fink, but he’s shaping up to be one of the Predators’ top scoring options on the wing in a few seasons.

No. 4: Tanner Molendyk, D, AHL, 2023 NHL Draft

Tanner Molendyk is up here because of draft pedigree. The Predators drafted him in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft for his two-way defensive abilities. However, recent years have left a little bit to be desired.

After earning 56 points in 50 games in his D+1 season, he regressed to 47 points in 49 games in 2024-25. The Predators called him up to the AHL, and he was okay, with 23 points in 60 games. He also had a minus-10 plus/minus.

Still, he’s here because of his sky-high potential. He’s still a very good skater, a good rush defender, and a good playmaker, despite not earning a ton of points. Next season will be huge for his development, and if he can get around 40-50 points in the AHL, that will be a big step. He needs to earn some more time on the power play.

No. 3: Brady Martin, C, OHL, 2025 NHL Draft

Similar to Molendyk, Brady Martin is here because of draft pedigree. However, the Predators’ first top-five pick since 2014 also had a rough season offensively.

He recorded just 24 points in 24 games for the Soo Greyhounds and 10 points in their 10 playoff games, which isn’t great for a top-five pick. However, he showed his promise at the 2026 WJC. He had eight points in six games with a plus-5 plus/minus.

That was until Martin suffered a significant right shoulder injury on Jan. 4, 2026. He was going in for a hit in Canada’s 6-4 loss to Czechia in the semifinals, and his shoulder took the brunt of it. It took him out for the rest of the tournament, and he missed significant OHL action, too.

There’s still plenty of reason to believe in Martin, though. He has a good two-way game and a high floor, with an energizing style of play. The hope is that he can improve his mobility and playmaking skills a tad more next season, but his great play in the WJC gives me optimism. At the very least, he should be a quality third-line NHL center, although Nashville would surely like him to be more.

No. 2: Felix Nilsson, C, SweHL, 2023 NHL Draft

These next two prospects could prevent Martin from ascending, since they’re both centers. Felix Nilsson wasn’t viewed as highly in his draft year as Martin in the 2025 NHL Draft, but his most recent season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) shows potential out of the wazoo.

With Rogle BK Angelholm this season, he had 14 goals and 26 assists through 52 games. He led his team in points and ranked 19th in the league. He improved from his five-goal, 17-assist 2024-25 season, where he played 40 games.

It’s very impressive for a 20-year-old to produce this well offensively. His offensive intelligence is working out for him beautifully, and he’s using his shot more. The Predators signed him to an ELC, so his first season in the AHL will be very telling on whether he’s NHL-caliber. I have a lot of faith in him, though.

No. 1: Yegor Surin, C, KHL, 2024 NHL Draft

Yegor Surin comes in as the No. 1 prospect in the Predators’ organization. While Nilsson has done well in the SHL against grown men, Surin has thrived in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) against former NHLers.

Surin earned 15 goals and 22 points in 57 games for the Gagarin Cup-winning Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. He was fourth on the team in points, behind former NHLer Alex Radulov, 2016 second-rounder Artur Kayumov, and 2011 fourth-rounder Maxim Shalunov. He also had eight points in 22 games.

Surin is a very fun watch. He displays a great combination of grit and offensive ability. He’s willing to win faceoffs, block shots, and show physicality, while also having great hands and playmaking abilities. Surin has the ceiling of a top-six forward, and another season in the KHL could increase his future outlook in the NHL. He is the gem of the Predators’ prospect pool.

Predators’ Draft Outlook

The Predators have the 10th pick in this upcoming draft. Considering the talent they have at center, I would be surprised if they take one with their top pick. There should be some good ones available, like Tynan Lawrence, Viggo Bjorck (could be used on the wing) or Oliver Suvanto, but I don’t think Nashville goes for any of those skaters.

Instead, I suspect they go for a defenseman, especially a right shot. Molendyk and Reid both shoot left, and Ufko, while showing a lot of promise, probably isn’t the right-shot defenseman Nashville is looking to get with this pick. Daxon Rudolph would be the play if they went that route.

The Predators could also get a talent on the wing. They don’t have many left-wingers behind Lee and Wood, and Wood was promoted to the NHL. That’s why I drafted Ethan Belchetz in The Hockey Writers’ 2026 NHL Mock Draft. Sure, Nashville has Filip Forsberg, Lee, and Wood, but if they decide to rebuild, would Forsberg be a part of the team’s plans?

Regardless, the Predators have done a solid job of scouting and developing talent. There are a few great late-round finds on here (Fink, O’Hara). If Nashville commits to a rebuild, they’d only need a few more blue-chip prospects to have the best prospect pool in the league.