The Predators announced they’ve signed defense prospect Viggo Gustafsson to a three-year, entry-level deal beginning next season. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Gustafsson, 19, was a third-round pick in 2024. The 6’2″, 192-lb lefty is touted as a physical piece with some viable upside as a third-pairing option, but not much more. As such, he was ranked as the #24 prospect in Nashville’s system by Elite Prospects entering the season and wasn’t ranked anywhere else.
He has gotten plenty of minutes at the pro level in his native Sweden since his draft year, though. He’s played exclusively in the professional circuit this year, albeit in the second division HockeyAllsvenskan with AIK. There, he’s featuring mostly as a third-pairing piece and has seven assists with a -4 rating in 38 games. It’s worth noting the national team takes enough stock in his physical shutdown game to keep him rostered at the World Juniors for the past two years, but he only suited up twice for them in this year’s tournament.
The Preds were under no urgency to sign him, holding his rights through June 2028. Still, they’ve liked enough of what they’ve seen from Gustafsson overseas since draft day to make an initial commitment. As he’s under 24 years old and was drafted outside of the first round, he must first be offered back to his Swedish club if he doesn’t make the team out of camp before they’re eligible to assign him to the AHL. He will be a restricted free agent for the first time following the 2028-29 season and is under team control through 2033-34.