After trading away three players in the last few days, the Nashville Predators have begun to turn over their roster towards younger players. The team announced today that they have recalled center Fedor Svechkov, winger Reid Schaefer, and defenseman Ryan Ufko from their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
Each recalled player corresponds with a veteran the Predators have dealt away this week. The Predators traded big center Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild, and in doing so, lost their regular fourth-line center and a player who ranked No. 1 among team forwards in short-handed ice time per game. 
Svechkov, 22, is a 2021 first-round pick whose game has long been built around a foundation of strong two-way play. While he has only played spot duty on the penalty kill at the NHL level, he’s seen more regular short-handed time at the AHL level. It’s possible the move of McCarron is what opens the door for Svechkov to get a longer look in that role with the Predators.
Svechkov got into 52 NHL games for the Predators last season, and had some impressive moments. He finished with 17 points in 52 games, but looked the part as an NHL player.
Finding a rhythm early this season was a challenge for Svechkov, but the more consistent role afforded by McCarron’s departure could aid in his development at the game’s highest level. Worth noting is the fact that his three-year entry-level contract is set to expire this summer.
By clearing the way for Svechkov to play a more regular NHL role, the Predators will be able to enter negotiations on Svechkov’s next deal with a stronger sense of where he is in his development. Adding a second-round pick from the Wild in the process certainly doesn’t hurt, as well.
The recall of Schaefer, a winger, more directly corresponds with the trade of Cole Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights. Like McCarron, Smith was a fixture on the Nashville penalty kill. And like Svechkov, Schaefer has gotten some regular time on the Milwaukee penalty kill. It’s possible he earns some of Smith’s vacated short-handed minutes, though some of that time could also go to the energetic Ozzy Wiesblatt, who has averaged 0:34 time on ice per game on the penalty kill this season.
Originally a first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers, Schaefer landed in Nashville as part of the 2023 Mattias Ekholm trade, late in the tenure of Hall of Fame GM David Poile. Schaefer may have more offense to give than Smith did, as he has 15 goals and 28 points in 31 AHL games this season, to go along with six points in 27 NHL games. Smith’s career-high in terms of offensive production came in 2023-24, when he scored nine goals and 23 points in 80 games.
Finally, the recall of Ufko corresponds with the team’s trade of Nick Blankenburg to the Colorado Avalanche. Ufko has arguably been the biggest riser in Nashville’s system this season. A bit undersized, like Blankenburg, Ufko leads the Admirals in scoring this season with 44 points in 50 games, a notable uptick from the 30 points in 72 games he managed last year. He quarterbacks the top power play unit in Milwaukee, and could fill Blankenburg’s vacated role as the quarterback of Nashville’s second power play unit. Veteran Brady Skjei could also see time there, though the Predators may be more inclined to test their younger players in that role.
While some Predators fans may have been discouraged by the Predators’ move to sell off veteran talent in the midst of a playoff race, the reality is their recent moves could very well be in the service of building a contending team in the long-term.
By turning over some key roles, especially on special teams, to promising young talents, the team can more confidently chart its course into the future. Despite the fact that he has announced his upcoming retirement, Predators GM Barry Trotz appears to be focused on investing in the Predators’ future, stocking the team with additional draft picks and providing greater opportunity for key prospects.
Photos courtesy of Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images