- With the Predators off to a tough start this season following a rough 2024-25 campaign, some have wondered if GM Barry Trotz, a long-time coach, might think about returning behind the bench if he wants to make a coaching change. Trotz poured cold water on that suggestion, telling Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean that there is a 0.0% chance he’d return behind the bench on a full-time basis. Trotz took over as GM back in 2023 and while it used to be relatively common for someone to serve as head coach and GM, those days are long gone. Nashville has won just six of their 20 games so far in 2025-26 after recording only 68 points last season.
Predators Rumors
Evening Notes: Neighbours, Kemell, O’Connor
The St. Louis Blues will get leading goal-scorer Jake Neighbours back on their current five-game road trip, per head coach Jim Montgomery. Neighbours has been out with a right-leg injury since St. Louis’ October 25th win over the Detroit Red Wings. He scored two goals in that game, bringing his year-long totals up to six goals in eight games. That mark was double any other Blues’ goal total at the time, and is still tied for the team lead despite him missing the last 11 games. He has seven points in total.
The Blues will be anxiously anticipating the return of their hot hand. They have posted a 3-4-1 record since Neighbours’ exited the lineup – the fifth-lowest point-percentage in the NHL in that span. It’s been a brutal stretch, marked by St. Louis averaging over four goals against per game. Neighbours’ confident offense, and chemistry with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, should help spur the Blues’ offense; while his physicality supports the defense. The 23-year-old could return as soon as Thursday’s game versus the Philadelphia Flyers.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Nashville Predators have reassigned winger Joakim Kemell to the minor-leagues. Kemell was recalled on November 10th, but didn’t appear in any NHL games over the last week. His only NHL action this year came in two games at the start of Nashville’s season. He managed no scoring, one shot on goal, and four hits in the pair of outings. Kemell has managed six points in six AHL games this season, making him one of three Milwaukee Admirals scoring at a point-per-game. He’ll now bring that productivity back to an Admirals team that’s 5-1-0 through November.
- The Colorado Avalanche will have to wait a bit longer to get depth forward Logan O’Connor back into the lineup. He has sustained an soft-tissue issue that will delay his return from a hip surgery he underwent in March per Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette. This new injury is unrelated to the surgery, per Rawal, but has still pushed back O’Connor’s original return date of early November. The 29-year-old right-winger appeared in 80 games, and scored 21 points, with the Avalanche last season. He’s become a fixture of the team’s fourth-line, and has managed at least 20 points in each of the last four seasons.
Predators Recall Joakim Kemell
The Predators announced they’ve recalled right-winger Joakim Kemell from AHL Milwaukee. He’ll be on hand for this evening’s game against the Rangers. Nashville has an open spot on the active roster, so no corresponding move is needed.
The Preds haven’t had an extra forward on hand since fellow recent call-up Zachary L’Heureux sustained a lower-body injury in practice over the weekend. With the team’s confirmation that he’ll miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury, Nashville needed another option on hand in case of further injury. Nashville can move L’Heureux to injured reserve at any time if they need to, but since they were operating with an open spot anyway, there’s no rush.
His absence opens the opportunity for Kemell’s second stint on the roster this season after he initially broke camp with the club. The 5’11” righty was the 17th overall pick in 2022. He had already broken into a regular role with Finland’s JYP organization as a teenager. He continued there in his post-draft season before Nashville brought him to North America late in the spring of 2023. Kemell’s results in the AHL have been something of a mixed bag, particularly on the defensive side, but he’s still one of the team’s highest-ceiling scoring prospects. Nonetheless, his stock has dropped – Elite Prospects ranked him 14th overall in the Nashville system during the offseason. They credit his strong all-around offensive mindset, but he hasn’t yet shown the explosiveness in the pros to compete for a top-six job, and his utility beyond being a tertiary offensive contributor and power-play specialist is questionable.
That makes this season a big one for Kemell, now 21, to prove he’s still on track to warrant a first-round pick. Cracking the opening night roster was a good first step, but he only played in two of Nashville’s first four games before they sent him to Milwaukee for more consistent playing time. He’s only scored once through six games, but has added five assists to average a point per game. He’s posted similar stat lines in his two full seasons on the farm, logging a 16-25–41 scoring line in 67 appearances in 2023-24 and a 19-21–40 line in 65 games last year. His NHL sample has yet to yield a point in four career appearances.
It remains to be seen how much playing time Kemell will get on this recall. He’s best suited for a top-nine job, but his options there are limited. Rookie Matthew Wood has all but locked down a spot, scoring three goals and seven points through 10 games. Unless the Preds shift Steven Stamkos back to center and demote the struggling Fedor Svechkov to fourth-line duties, it’s hard to see Kemell getting significant playing time.
Zachary L’Heureux To Miss Four To Six Weeks
Things were looking up were Predators winger Zachary L’Heureux earlier this week. He was recalled from the minors on Tuesday although he didn’t see any game action. It turns out he won’t be playing anytime soon as the team announced (Twitter link) that he will miss the next four to six weeks due to a lower-body injury.
The 22-year-old spent most of last season with Nashville as an early-season recall following a strong start with AHL Milwaukee turned into a permanent promotion. L’Heureux wound up playing in 62 games in his freshman NHL year, picking up five goals and ten assists along with 198 hits in just over 12 minutes a night of action, becoming a key part of their physical bottom six.
With that in mind, it was expected that L’Heureux would break camp with the Predators and pick up where he left off. However, he only played in two preseason games and then was sent to the Admirals at the end of training camp, becoming a somewhat surprising training camp cut. He did well in the early going with Milwaukee though, collecting four goals and two assists in seven games to earn his promotion.
L’Heureux is in the final season of his entry-level contract and was hoping for a strong platform year to give him a sizable raise from his current $863K AAV. Instead, he’ll wind up going without any NHL action for more than two months which is hardly the outcome he or the Predators were hoping for.
Predators Place Cole Smith On Injured Reserve
The Predators announced they’ve placed winger Cole Smith on injured reserve. The placement is retroactive to Nov. 1, his most recent appearance.
Smith left that night’s game against the Flames with an upper-body injury early and didn’t return. The next day, the team announced he’d be out for three to six weeks. That renders the minimum absence of the IR placement ineffective, as he’s technically eligible to return on Nov. 10 against the Rangers but won’t be available until later in the month at the earliest.
As such, today’s move has less to do with Smith’s injury and is more about opening up a roster spot. After recalling Zachary L’Heureux from AHL Milwaukee earlier in the week, the Preds didn’t have an open one. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Nashville use Smith’s spot to recall a defenseman. Adam Wilsby has missed the last five games due to a lower-body injury and is close to returning, according to Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean. However, with Wilsby still on the active roster and unavailable, the Predators don’t have an extra rearguard available.
Before his injury, Smith was having a good start in a fourth-line role alongside Michael McCarron and Ozzy Wiesblatt. The 30-year-old had three goals through 13 games while averaging 13:26 of ice time per game, including a spot on their top penalty killing unit. Despite a -2 rating, his underlying numbers with McCarron and Wiesblatt at 5-on-5 were excellent. The trio has controlled 64.3% of expected goals and 57.6% of shot attempts, which are spectacular numbers given their role as defensive specialists.
Ryan O’Reilly Emerging As Trade Candidate
On an episode of Oilersnation Everyday earlier this week, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period mentioned Ryan O’Reilly’s name, saying that it is starting to make the rounds again. With Nazem Kadri making headlines in recent days, the demand for centers is already taking shape in November, and is expected to heat up as the season goes on. If Nashville does not go on a serious push soon, perhaps O’Reilly, a pending free agent, could be on the move again at some point.
The 34-year-old center has appeal not only for his ongoing production and leadership, but also that he comes in at just a $4.5MM cap hit, one of Barry Trotz’s first signings as a general manager in 2023. Given O’Reilly’s declining production at the time, it appeared he would be a perfect stop-gap, set to mentor the Preds’ youth and age into a third-line center by contract’s end. Instead, he had a resurgence, posting 69 points, and even despite Nashville’s major struggles last season, O’Reilly still notched 53 points in 79 games, and is maintaining such levels so far this year.
Now, with the contract coming to an end, O’Reilly remains a key presence for the Predators, but if things do not change, offers for the center could be too much for Barry Trotz to pass up. In a market where the Hurricanes and Canadiens have been speculated as wanting centers, along with outside possibilities such as the Red Wings or Devils (who showed interest in O’Reilly last year), Nashville could take advantage and get a haul for an aging player, while also giving him another chance at contention. It’s likely O’Reilly would fetch a first-round pick as long as he can maintain such offensive production. Even as he turns 35 and beyond, with his skillset, O’Reilly can be a serious bottom-six asset.
Although it is mostly speculation at this point, Steven Stamkos’ name has floated around of late as well, and it may, at long last, be time for the Predators to waive the white flag and tear things down by any means necessary. If an O’Reilly deal is indeed made at some point this season, Trotz would likely look to bring back a short-term center. The young Fedor Svechkov has flashed potential, but does not appear ready for a true top six role, with just one point in 13 games. Erik Haula, another pending free agent, could also be a flip candidate for Trotz, but again, he is a placeholder, and without the two Nashville would be dangerously thin down the middle.
Trotz’s hesitance to deal O’Reilly for now could be two-fold; wanting to see if his group can make one more push, along with not wanting to deplete his forward core and hurt morale. However, O’Reilly’s name is one worth following if the Predators cannot turn things around, and at some point, teams like the Hurricanes could make a push.
Evening Notes: Murphy, Josi, Team Canada
Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote today on Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy and his falling role with the club. Murphy is the longest-tenured Blackhawk, whose timeline overlapped with the likes of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Patrick Sharp in 2017-18. A steady presence throughout Chicago’s tougher times, it appears the 32-year-old is on the outside looking in. His ice time has fallen dramatically this season, some of the lowest of his entire career.
The veteran has handled it professionally, saying he understands the decision, as mentioned by Pope. Injuries have not been a factor either, as it seems that Murphy’s seat has simply been taken by the younger 6’8″ Louis Crevier, and fellow veteran Matt Grzelcyk, who offers more mobility in new Head Coach Jeff Blashill’s system.
It is not ideal for a player in his ninth season with the Blackhawks, with the team finally showing progress, to only now lose his role. However, Murphy could have interest from teams looking for a veteran rental on the back-end. His $4.4MM cap hit may need retention for a deal to work, however Chicago has the room to retain. One way or the other, GM Kyle Davidson will surely do the veteran right, considering his contributions over the years.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Nick Kieser of Lower Broad Hockey shared earlier today Predators GM Barry Trotz’s update on Roman Josi. The Preds’ captain is still a few weeks away from a return. Josi was listed late last month as week-to-week with an upper-body injury. In his absence, Nashville remains above bottom-feeder status, an improvement from last year, but their play has not evoked much confidence of contention either. The Swiss defenseman’s presence is critical for the group, but at 35, it is hard to imagine Josi can sustain his usual workload into 2026 and beyond. If he can stay healthy for 30 more games this year, Josi will reach the esteemed 1,000 game mark.
- Marco D’Amico of RG Media shared that Don Sweeney, Bruins GM, and Doug Armstrong, Blues GM, are both in attendance for tonight’s game between the Canadiens and Flyers. While this may raise some eyebrows, both are with Team Canada ahead of the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy, set to start next February. The matchup features a wealth of players to scout for Team Canada; and D’Amico mentioned Nick Suzuki, Noah Dobson, Sam Montembeault, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim as all possibilities.
Predators Recall Zachary L’Heureux
The Predators have recalled left-winger Zachary L’Heureux from AHL Milwaukee, according to a team announcement. The team has an open roster spot with captain Roman Josi on injured reserve, so no corresponding transaction is necessary.
L’Heureux, 22, is in contention to make his season debut tonight against the Wild after being an unexpected cut from Nashville’s training camp. The 2021 first-round pick spent most of 2024-25 up with the Preds after starting in Milwaukee, making 62 appearances in his rookie season. The aggressive 5’11” forward settled nicely into a bottom-six role, posting five goals and 15 points while averaging a shade over 12 minutes of ice time per game. L’Heureux’s 198 hits led Nashville forwards. He was middle-of-the-pack defensively – the Preds allowed 28.7 shots and 2.84 goals per 60 minutes while he was on the ice at 5-on-5.
The Preds have carried a slim forward group for most of the season. They needed an extra body, though, after the weekend’s announcement that Cole Smith will be out for at least three weeks with an upper-body injury. L’Heureux has thoroughly earned the promotion. Through seven games for Milwaukee, he’s among the club’s top scorers with four goals and two assists.
L’Heureux spent most of his time in the lineup last season in fourth-line duties alongside Smith and center Michael McCarron. It stands to reason he’d have a similar deployment this time around if he slots back in, particularly with fellow early-season call-up Matthew Wood performing well in a top-nine role for the Preds over the last couple of weeks. He’s in the final season of his entry-level contract and needs a new contract to avoid becoming a restricted free agent next summer.
Predators Prospect Aiden Fink Out "For The Foreseeable Future" With Injury
- Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Guy Gadowsky announced today, per Penn State CommRadio’s Matt Becker, that star forward Aiden Fink has suffered an upper-body injury and will be out “foreseeable future.” Fink, 20, is a Nashville Predators prospect, selected in the seventh round of the 2023 draft as Hall of Fame GM David Poile’s final draft pick in charge of the club. Fink was a finalist for the Hobey Baker award last season after he scored 53 points in just 40 games, leading Penn State to its most successful season in program history. He had scored nine points through nine games this season, but now sees his momentum stopped as he’ll need to recover from this upper-body injury before he can hit the ice again.
Canucks Believed To Have Inquired About Steven Stamkos
The Canucks have long been searching for extra help down the middle, a need amplified by the latest injury to Filip Chytil. To that end, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic recently reported (audio link) that he has been told that Vancouver has kicked the tires on Predators forward Steven Stamkos as they continue to cast a wide net in their search for a center.
Stamkos was one of Nashville’s splashy signings in the 2024 offseason, a summer that also saw GM Barry Trotz bring in winger Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei in the hopes of establishing themselves as a contender in a tough Central Division. While Marchessault has worked out reasonably well so far (though underachieving relative to expectations), the other two haven’t.
Stamkos is in the second season of a four-year, $32MM pact, signed with the belief that he could still be a steady scorer away from Tampa Bay where he spent the first 16 years of his career. However, after putting up 40 goals and 81 points in his final season with the Lightning, the 35-year-old managed just 27 goals and 53 points last season. This year, he’s off to a much slower start, managing just a goal and an assist through 13 outings.
It should be noted that on top of having a contract that looks to be well above market value with how he has played so far, Stamkos also has a full no-move clause. That means that even if the two teams could agree on a trade, he has full veto power if he doesn’t want to go there.
At this point, there’s no indication that Stamkos is interested in even considering a change of scenery. However, with how things went off the rails for the Preds last year, another quiet start this season, and his own struggles, it wouldn’t be shocking if he or the team decided to ponder the possibility.
Vancouver’s salary cap situation is quite tight; they’re nearly $2.8MM into LTIR, per PuckPedia. That means that the Canucks would need to match money to make a move work, something that could be mitigated in part by Nashville retaining salary. On the other hand, the Predators only have one retention slot remaining this season having already utilized them on Mattias Ekholm and Colton Sissons. Considering his value has dropped considerably, does it make sense to use that last slot (retaining several million dollars a year for multiple seasons) to elicit what would likely be a middling return? Or, would they be better off saving that last slot for someone else this season and revisiting the idea over the summer after those other two slots open back up?
While Stamkos is probably better off as a winger at this stage of his career, he has played with some regularity at center for the past few years after primarily playing the position before that. Given Vancouver’s need for help down the middle, he would certainly help there. However, considering how difficult it would be to make the cap fit work for the Canucks, Stamkos doesn’t seem like the most plausible of candidates at the moment. That said, they appear to be examining all possibilities as they look to upgrade the center position.