Trade Deadline Notes: Boeser, Sharks, Schenn
Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser has reportedly turned down a five-year, $40MM contract extension per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, who adds that Boeser is looking for more term on his next deal. The $8MM cap hit on the rumored offer would be a $1.35MM bump from Boeser’s price tag this season.
Boeser is certainly due for a raise on his next deal, after posting the first 40-goal season of his career last year. His statement performance came after four straight seasons of failing to even reach 25 goals. It was largely helped along by a career-high 19.6 shooting percentage, over seven percent higher than his average of 12.7 percent in six seasons prior. And while Boeser has struggled to reach that same success rate this year, his 18 goals and 17.3 shooting percentage in 52 games suggest he may have really found a new gear to his scoring.
Boeser will be a top name leading into the Trade Deadline if Vancouver isn’t willing to commit to him for a longer term. His spike in scoring and inflated shooting percentage are certainly warning flags, but he could offer the experience of a 500-game pro for the cheap cost of a deadline rental. A short-sighted trade would leave Boeser open to pick his next team in unrestricted free agency, though if he’d get another $8MM offer could hinge on how well he scores through the end of the year.
Other Trade Deadline notes from out West:
- An NHL executive pointed out the potential chemistry between the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram to Sheng Peng of NBC Sports. The 23-year-old Byram has been loosely circulated around trade rumors and could be a perfect addition to San Jose’s rebuild. The Sharks also have plenty to give up for the top-pair defender. Peng shares that there’s a sense Buffalo could use more size and grit. That motivation could make Sharks prospects like Quentin Musty or Kasper Halttunen enticing options. Both top prospects are performing well in the OHL this season. Musty has 43 points in just 26 games and Halttunen has 29 points in 27 games and 13 in his last 10. With the right mix of draft capital, either name could be enough to swing Byram away from Buffalo – though Peng notes he still doesn’t sense San Jose would pay such a price. He shares that the team could instead try and leverage some of their first-round draft picks to land big additions.
- The St. Louis Blues could be asking for as much as two first-round draft picks for captain Brayden Schenn, per Seravalli in his latest trade board. That’s notably the same price St. Louis asked for Pavel Buchnevich, who has five more points than Schenn this season, at last year’s Trade Deadline. The Blues couldn’t find a suitor, and it’s hard to envision they’ll make a match for Schenn at this price either. With Schenn boasting a full no-trade clause, it may take a silver tongue to convince veteran Blues GM Doug Armstrong to trade his captain… once again.
Sasha Pastujov Emerging As Top Prospect For Ducks
Ducks 2021 third-rounder Sasha Pastujov is among the hottest prospects in hockey this month. The 21-year-old winger sits atop all of the AHL’s active U22 players in per-game scoring, with 14 goals and 33 points through 32 games this season, giving him 1.03 points per game.
Pastujov has reached those heights on the back of a dazzling 12 points in his last 10 games, pushing him into exciting conversation. Only four other young minor-leaguers have topped a point-per-game average this season – Zachary L’Heureux, Frank Nazar, Luca Del Bel Belluz, and Marco Kasper. All four have since made their NHL debuts, while Pastujov continues to wait for the first call-up of his career. But in the depths of an Anaheim Ducks team that’s scored the fewest goals in the NHL this season, Pastujov’s breakout scoring could quickly demand recognition.
The title of overlooked top-scorer is far from a new one for Pastujov. He’s carried that burden since his youth hockey days in 2018-19 when he rivaled Dylan Duke and Red Savage for the scoring title on Compuware’s U16 team. The trio joined the NTDP for the following two years, where Pastujov again carved out a quick niche as a top-end scorer. He scored 50 points in his U17 NTDP season, tying Chaz Lucius for the team’s scoring title. Lucius faced substantial injuries in the following year, giving Pastujov a clear runway to the role of top scorer. He took that on in stride, netting a daunting 65 points in 41 games – 12 more than Duke, who played in nine more games, in second place. Even Duke, Pastujov’s longtime battery mate, recently made his NHL debut and scored his first career goal.
Pastujov followed his two years at the NTDP with two seasons in the OHL. He led the Guelph Storm in scoring with 76 points in 65 games of the 2021-22 season but lost his title streak when he joined the Sarnia Sting via a mid-season trade in 2022-23 – netting 98 points in 60 games, good for fourth in the league but second on the Sting.
That was Pastujov’s final year of junior hockey before joining the AHL last year – and he’s stayed red-hot as a pro. He scored a commendable 23 points in 46 games as an undersized AHL rookie. Perhaps looking to inspire those numbers a bit more, Anaheim opted to start Pastujov in the ECHL this season – but he quickly broke out of the league after netting 16 points in the first 12 games of the year.
He’s since been a force in the AHL and seems to be gaining steam with every point he adds. Pastujov is a slick, aggressive forward with a nifty shot and strong downhill drive. Those aspects of energy and determination are central to the Ducks’ identity, even if Pastujov’s lack of physicality is notably off-brand.
Still, he’s shown the ability to score at every single level and responded well to a challenging start to the year. The wind is behind Pastujov’s sails, and if Anaheim can’t find their scoring when they return from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, turning towards their perennial top-scoring prospect could be a golden chance to mend their offense while still looking towards the future.
Blue Jackets Prospect Cayden Lindstrom Could Miss 2024-25 Season
The Columbus Blue Jackets have received more bad news on top prospect Cayden Lindstrom‘s recovery from an offseason back injury. Lindstrom underwent surgery in November and has been working his way back to full health ever since. He took a major step forward last week when he returned to the ice in full gear for the first time in over two months. But his return may have come a bit too late, and Lindstrom is still running the risk of missing the entirety of the 2024-25 season per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell told Portzline that Lindstrom is in stage three of a five-stage rehab process, and could move to stage four – no-contact skating – after seeing a doctor next week. But Lindstrom would need at least three weeks of no-contact skates before he’d be cleared for full practices, pushing his potential return to late March or early April, at best. Waddell closed by sharing that Lindstrom will continue skating with Blue Jackets coaches, rather than returning to rehab with his WHL club, the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Lindstrom was a hotly contested draft pick last season. He was one of many in the mix for the top-five picks and ultimately landed at fourth overall, becoming Don Waddell’s first draft pick as Columbus’ GM. It was a closely scrutinized decision, amplified by Lindstrom effectively missing the last four months of the 2023-24 season due to a hand and back injury, though he did return for four games between late March and early April.
Despite spotty starts, Lindstrom was a force in the WHL last season. He finished the year with 27 goals, 19 assists, and 66 penalty minutes in 32 games. Those points largely came from just how well the six-foot-four, 214-pound Lindstrom controlled the high slot – with a knack for quick plays and a hard shot making him a dynamic and physical scoring threat. Lindstrom was on a 14-game point streak – racking up 23 points – when he suffered his first injury of the year in December.
The promise of red-hot scoring will make Lindstrom hard to ignore whenever he does manage to return. His agent, Daren Hermiston, told Portzline that the top prospect has been finding other ways to hone his technical abilities while rehabbing, including looking into virtual-reality training similar to top, young NFL quarterback Jayden Daniels. Portzline also shared that there’s been plenty of collegiate interest in Lindstrom, even despite the missed games, and that the local Ohio State University is one of many schools trying to recruit him. Those rumors will train a warm spotlight onto Lindstrom when he’s back to full health, but his status as a top-five draft pick should be enough to carry him back to high acclaim.
Sharks Recall Collin Graf, Shakir Mukhamadullin
The San Jose Sharks have recalled a pair of top prospects in forward Collin Graf and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin. Graf could have a clear path to minutes with Alexander Wennberg designated as out, and both Ty Dellandrea and Tyler Toffoli designated as game-time decisions, when San Jose hosts the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. Defenseman Jan Rutta is also out with injury, and isn’t expected to return until after the 4-Nations break. That could open the door for Mukhamadullin to return to the lineup as well, though he’ll face competition for a role from Henry Thrun and Marc-Eduouard Vlasic.
Graf was with the NHL roster through much of January. He played in 10 games and recorded two assists, no penalties, and a minus-four – perfectly matching his stat-line through seven NHL games last season. He was reassigned on January 22nd, but has quickly taken to proving the Sharks wrong with four points and 12 shots on net in four AHL games over the last two weekends. A wave of nagging injuries in the Sharks lineup could provide Graf a chance to bring that hot streak back to the NHL, and hopefully find his first NHL goal along the way.
Mukhamadullin has also played in 10 NHL games this season, but has just one assist to show for it. He’s performed a bit better in the minor leagues, with nine assists in 21 games this season – but his scoring has been inconsistent all year long. Mukhamadullin is still finding his way through North American pros, and a shot at the lineup in San Jose’s final games before break could be a great chance to find his footing.
Predators Expecting Increase In Trade Talks, Interest In Ryan O’Reilly
The Nashville Predators entered the 2024-25 season with, on paper, one of the best rosters in the NHL. They won the sweepstakes for Tampa Bay Lightning legend Steven Stamkos in his first trip to unrestricted free agency, and bolstered him with impact players in Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. But Nashville now sits with a dismal 13-22-7 record halfway through the season. They rank as a bottom-three team in the NHL, and have responded to the disappointing year by kicking off a fire sale of trades and roster moves. The Predators have already made five trades this season, shipping off Philip Tomasino, Scott Wedgewood, Alexandre Carrier, and Juuso Parssinen; while also losing Dante Fabbro to Columbus via a waiver claim.
Despite all of that change, it seems Nashville’s novice general manager Barry Trotz is preparing for even more action. He told Nick Kieser of Nashville’s 102.5 The Game that the team is expecting an uptick in trade conversations now that the league’s winter meetings are winding down. Trotz went on to mention former Selke Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Ryan O’Reilly specifically, sharing that he’s expecting plenty of teams to be interested in the depth forward. Trotz didn’t rule out a trade but emphasized that the team will talk with O’Reilly before making any sort of move.
O’Reilly is no stranger to Trade Deadline swaps, joining the Toronto Maple Leafs via a Deadline move in 2023. He scored 20 points in 24 total games with the Leafs before signing with Nashville in the following summer. He’s seen an uptick in his production in two years with the Preds, netting 26 goals and 69 points in 82 games last year and on pace for 53 points this season. Both marks sit in line with O’Reilly’s scoring during his prime years with the St. Louis Blues. Now 33, the shutdown forward’s overall impact is starting to dwindle – though his 55-percent faceoff win rate and 37 still rank second among Predators forwards, behind only Colton Sissons (56.2 faceoff percent, 44 hits).
With the trade deadline the point of conversation, Trotz also emphasized to Kieser that the team’s big blow up has already occurred. He said that, “this trade deadline is going to look a little different.” That comment likely references the four trades Nashville made ahead of last year’s Deadline, used to acquire Anthony Beauvillier, Jeremy Hanzel, Jason Zucker, and Wade Allison. Hanzel is the only one of the four still in the Predators organization.
If the Predators acquire anyone, Trotz says they’ll be looking for players with term on their contract, in an effort to build around their emerging young players rather than replacing them in the lineup. Both Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov have been notable pieces of the Predators’ lineup at some point this season. L’Heureux has scored nine points in 34 games – officially marking his rookie season – while Svechkov has four points in 13 games and was returned to the AHL. Svechkov is joined by other top prospects Joakim Kemell and Reid Schaefer in the minor leagues. Kemell has scored 18 points in 30 AHL games, while Scahefer – who has been out of the lineup since early December with an upper-body injury – has 14 points in 19 games. Both players could also be candidates for NHL ice time sooner rather than later, especially if the Predators continue to move out veteran pieces.
The Predators will be in a bind at the Deadline, no matter if they choose to buy or sell. The team has five picks in the top two rounds of the 2025 NHL Draft, plenty of ammunition to bring in a potential difference-maker, though that’s a hard sell for a team so far away from playoff contention. Nashville seems more likely to trim some lineup weight by moving players like Thomas Novak and Michael McCarron. Both players have offered stout depth behind Nashville’s presumed stars, though neither has reached 10 points this season despite playing 33 and 34 games respectively. A more hopeful team could see the duo’s slumping scoring as a chance to buy low on two potentially impactful depth forwards ahead of their own playoff push.
Big Hype Prospects: Hagens, McKenna, Reber, Hynninen
The top flight of the World Junior Championships kicks off on Thursday. This year brings a wealth of strong international teams to Ottawa, Canada to face off against a loaded Team Canada roster. The last two tournaments hosted in Canada have both ended in a Canadian gold medal. The red-and-white will look to repeat those results this year, adding to their record-setting 20 titles. Team USA will look to curb that by becoming the first country other than Canada to win back-to-back golds since Russia in 2002 and 2003. With so much on the line, we’ll borrow a page from MLB Trade Rumors‘ Big Hype Prospect series to bring you four must-watch players this tournament.
Four Big Hype Prospects
James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA Hockey East, 2025 NHL Draft)
16 GP – 5 G – 15 A – 20 P – 4 PIM – +15 +/-
This year’s World Juniors will be headlined by 2025 NHL Draft talent. Nearly every team has a top prospect to showcase. Canada seems set to award Matthew Schaefer and Porter Martone – strong candidates for first-overall – with strong lineup roles. Sweden is bringing electric scorer Victor Eklund, younger brother of 2021 seventh-overall pick William Eklund. Even Slovakia is joining in, bringing Tomas Pobezal after a dazzling start to his second pro season. But of the many draft prospects looking to stake their claim, it seems Team USA star James Hagens has the most to prove.
Hagens has been electric for the BC Eagles this season. He’s seamlessly filled the hole between Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard that William Smith vacated in his move to the NHL. It took Hagens a small while to find his footing, but he’s fired on all cylinders as of late – with four goals and nine points in his last seven games. He’s been dynamic in all regards, but now faces the battle of proving his case for first-overall against a loaded Canadian offense. Hagens ended his last international stint – last season’s World U18 Championships – with a record-breaking 22 points in just seven games. But the wind seems against him, especially after the dazzling showing that Schaefer and Martone had at the CHL/NTDP matchup. Hagens may need to bring generational offense to this tournament as well if he wants to hang onto the top-of-the-draft hype he’s built over the last few seasons.
Gavin McKenna, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL, 2026 NHL Draft)
30 GP – 19 G – 41 A – 60 P – 8 PIM – +24 +/-
It’s not every year that looming draft talents make up so much of the World Juniors’ starring cast. This year, hockey fans get an even richer scene, with superstar 2026-prospect Gavin McKenna set to support the host city. Where Hagens set the U18-Championship scoring record last Spring, McKenna set the tournament record for players playing up a year – with 20 points in seven games. He’s another truly dynamic star, with an incredible ability to create space and beat goalies with speed and poise. McKenna, who turned 17 last week, has had to earn his way into Canada’s lineup during pre-tournament action. He started as the extra forward, then went without any scoring in back-to-back games when he received hardy minutes. But with a goal in Canada’s final pre-tourney matchup against Czechia, McKenna made it clear that he’s ready for a productive tournament. Canada features a lot of exciting offensive ability this year. Calum Ritchie brings near-pro-level playmaking, while Berkly Catton, Bradly Nadeau, and Easton Cowan have earned plenty of NHL hype. But it will be McKenna that paves his road ahead with this tournament – as he looks to join the ranks of Canadian legends Connor Bedard, John Tavares, and Sidney Crosby with a dazzling World Junior showing in his age-17 season.
Jamiro Reber, C/LW, HV71 (SHL, 2025 NHL Draft Overager)
25 GP – 7 G – 7 A – 14 P – 2 PIM – -5 +/-
Representing central Europe in the upcoming NHL Draft will be a shared task, but 18-year-old Jamiro Reber should carry plenty of attention early on. He’s been a surprise showing in Sweden’s SHL, working his way into HV71’s middle-six after starting the year in the U20 league. He’s a stout, two-way forward who’s earned his keep with his ability to work with his linemates and finish plays in front. But now, he’ll join Team Switzerland in an uphill battle at this tournament. Reber has just one point in seven international friendlies with Switzerland’s U20 team this season – matching his scoring in five World Junior games last season. The pair of showings line up with Reber’s tendency to score less internationally – when he’s leaned on as a star play-driver. This tournament will be the chance to buck that trend on the heels of a red-hot start to his pro career – and how he takes to the role could be a big sway in Switzerland’s success.
Topian Hynninen, C/LW, Jukurit (Liiga, 2025 NHL Draft Overager)
32 GP – 7 G – 17 A – 24 P – 2 PIM – 0 +/-
While Reber represents central Europe, Topias Hynninen will look to bring the attention of NHL scouts back to Scandinavia. The flashy forward was also overlooked in last year’s draft after netting a measly nine points in 43 games as a Liiga rookie. That lack of scoring landed him off of the World Junior roster, despite three points in five World U-18 games in 2023. But Hynninen has taken to the year of learning well. He’s launched himself into Jukurit’s top-six and scored 24 points in 32 games along the way – tied for second-most on the team. He’s shown talent all over the ice, using fast and tireless skating, gritty hitting, and heads-up offense to gel with his linemates at even-strength and on the man-advantage. Hynninen has already scored six points in seven games with Team Finland this season, and could be set for a smash tournament after a year-long absence from any notable tournaments. He’s shown an ability to either drive play himself from the middle-lane, or support his linemates from the flanks – and could be called upon for both as Finland fights for their place in a crowded top-end. He’ll be heavy-utilized, and a strong tournament could land him a high selection at next year’s Draft.
Flames Place Justin Kirkland On IR, Recall Two
The Calgary Flames have recalled forwards Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr, two of the top three scorers for the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. They’ve made room for the call-ups by assigning forward Adam Klapka to the minor leagues, and placing Justin Kirkland on injured reserve. This latter move was first reported by Ryan Pike of Flames Nation. Kirkland left Calgary’s Friday loss to Columbus early with a lower-body injury. He sat out of the team’s Saturday game, and will now miss at least three more games while on IR.
Pelletier and Duehr have been core pieces of the Wranglers roster over the last month. They both have 19 points in 20 games, with Duehr’s scoring split as 11 goals and eight assists and Pelletier posting three goals and 16 assists. Duehr has been particularly red-hot, with eight points in his last 10 games. He also boasts more NHL experience between the two, stepping into 68 games across the last four seasons and scoring an evenly-split 18 points. Pelletier has played 37 NHL games of his own across the last three seasons, netting four goals and 10 points. Neither of the two have found their stride at the top flight just yet, but stand as two of Calgary’s top prospects outside of the NHL – especially Pelletier, who was selected 26th-overall in the 2019 NHL Draft.
One of the two will likely slot into Calgary’s lineup right away, set to fill Klapka’s role on the fourth-line wing. Right-shot Duehr seems the sensible choice. Klapka will return to the minors after playing through six NHL games with no scoring. He has five goals and eight points in seven AHL games this year, and potted 46 points in 65 games last season. He’ll get a chance to return to that level of production on this assignment, while hoping his Wranglers teammates don’t leapfrog him on the depth chart.
Flames’ Young Stars Fueling Unexpected Success
The Calgary Flames held a fire sale between last season and the summer, moving out multiple top-of-the-lineup pieces – including top forward Elias Lindholm, top defenders Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, and starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom. Calgary moved out more than $24MM in cap space between all of their trades, and yet – as the 2024-25 season prepares to enter December – the Flames sit comfortably in a playoff spot. They’re 12-8-4 so far, ranked third in the Pacific Division and sixth in the Western Conference. Even better, Calgary boasts the third-most cap space in the league – with a projected $25.9MM in current available funds. The hot start and open budget put Calgary in the best spot they’ve been in years, and it’s a direct result of novice general manager Craig Conroy‘s timely reliance on the prospect pool.
Conroy emphasized on Sportsnet’s Flames Talk podcast this summer that the goal of the Flames’ season would be to create opportunity for their in-house prospects. 24 games into the season and it seems every single prospect to receive a chance has seized it in full.
Dustin Wolf is quickly establishing himself as a franchise goaltender, posting eight wins and a .918 save percentage through 13 games in what is his formal rookie season. That kind of performance will command respect in the race for the Calder Trophy, even against Matvei Michkov and Logan Stankoven rivaling point-per-game scoring. Wolf is thriving in what is the first hardy starting experience of his career, continuing to dominate North American pros after taking home the AHL’s Les Cunningham ‘MVP’ award in 2023, and the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award for goalie-of-the-year in both 2022 and 2023. He spent just a bit too much time with the NHL roster last season to rival either award, but recorded a cumulative 97 wins and .926 save percentage through 141 games and four seasons in the AHL. That ability is now directly benefiting the Flames. Wolf has posted a save percentage above .900 in 61.5 percent of his starts this year, just 0.4 percent behind Markstrom’s tally in 2021-22 – when he finished the year second in Vezina Trophy voting.
Wolf’s dazzling defense of Calgary’s garrison has given youngsters Connor Zary and Matthew Coronato plenty of space to lead the offensive charge. Zary has become Calgary’s third-most utilized forward at even-strength, with 349 minutes of five-versus-five ice time in 24 games – 13 minutes fewer than Nazem Kadri, two fewer than Mikael Backlund, and 12 more than Jonathan Huberdeau. Zary’s had no trouble keeping up with the studded veterans he’s keeping company with, scoring six points at even strength and 12 points on the year as a whole – tying Huberdeau and one behind Kadri. He’s become a core piece of Calgary’s top-six – a role flirted with when he recorded 14 goals and 34 points in 63 games as a rookie last season. The bulk of his scoring, between this year and last, has come thanks to a nonstop motor and ability to play at top speeds. But while Zary’s outskates his opponents on the top-line, Coronato has taken to outworking them in the middle-six. He’s also jumped up the Flames’ scoring chart, with six goals and 10 points in 19 games this season. That’s one fewer goal than each of Kadri and Huberdeau, and puts Coronato on pace for 26 goals across 82 games – which would mark the highest scoring from a U22 Flame since Matthew Tkachuk and Sean Monahan each surpassed the 25-goal mark three separate times before their 22nd birthday.
The surge of production from Zary and Coronato in the top-nine has helped Calgary’s lineup truly settle into place. Utility winger Blake Coleman has been able to resign to a top-notch supporting role, rather than needing to drive play on his own; while Coronato’s role of gritty scorer opens more space for Martin Pospisil to embrace his bruiser tendencies. It’s created a lineup that’s cohesive, multifaceted, and capable of taking on the NHL’s best lineups – made evident by Calgary’s recent three-game stretch of wins over the New York Islanders, Rangers, and Minnesota Wild.
A year intended for retooling has instead become a year of success for the Flames. They’re on an upward trajectory, fueled almost entirely by the team’s timely leaning into their prospect pool. Wolf’s performance as a formal rookie will have Calgary as a top mention in the Calder Trophy race, while Zary and Coronato’s mix of scoring could push the team into the postseason for the first time since 2022. Even without either accolade, the performance of Calgary’s top youngsters this season sets up plenty of reasons to be excited about their long-term outlook.
Predators To Recall Fedor Svechkov, Assign Adam Wilsby
The Nashville Predators have reportedly recalled forward Fedor Svechkov and returned defender Adam Wilsby to the AHL, per the AHL Transactions Log. It’s the first NHL call-up of Svechkov’s young career, coming after he started the season with eight points in seven AHL games. He’s one of three Milwaukee Admirals still scoring above a point-per-game pace, alongside Vinny Hinostroza (19 points in 13 games) and Zachary L’Heureux (five points in four games).
Nashville general manager Barry Trotz has been vocal about wanting to lean into the many top prospects playing in Milwaukee amid the team’s struggles. He said earlier this month that he’s responsible for buying his prospects time to develop at the NHL level – and now brings up another youngster to join L’Heureux, who has four points in his first 15 NHL games.
Svechkov has planted his feet as a strong play-driver, bringing plenty of tenacity and speed to the middle lane. Those traits helped him reach 16 goals and 39 points in 57 games as an AHL rookie last season. He looked sharp, upholding his strong production in a move from Russia to Wisconsin. The 2021 19th-overall pick will now look to maintain it through an even tougher step, likely to challenge Colton Sissons or Michael McCarron for minutes centering the team’s bottom six.
Meanwhile, Wilsby will return to the minors just one day after being recalled. He’s bounced between the two rosters all month, spending as much as a week in the NHL – though Wilsby hasn’t cracked the lineup just yet. That might be a bit of a disappointment for the 24-year-old defender, who’s yet to make his NHL debut despite three seasons of serviceable play in Milwaukee. He has three points in 11 AHL games this season, bringing him to 42 points in 144 career AHL games. Wilsby was a fourth-round pick in 2020, and spent two years after his draft selection honing his traits in Sweden’s SHL. He’ll return to the minors with an assured role, and likely another depth call-up, awaiting him.
Predators Could Test Young Prospects, Trust Andrew Brunette Amid Struggles
The Nashville Predators are far from where they want to be after spending a heap to sign Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei this summer. The team sits at the bottom of the Central Division with a 4-7-1 record – one less win than the notably-rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks. That led general manager Barry Trotz to hint that a complete teardown would follow continued failure, saying in an interview on Nashville’s 102.5 The Game on Tuesday, “I’m trying to do some things right now. We will be limited a little because of the contracts that we have… but if we don’t get it going, then I’m going to start our rebuild plan.”
Trotz went on to clarify the comments to Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean earlier today, emphasizing that the team won’t, “burn it down to the studs”. Instead, any “rebuild” would be focused around finding space for the team’s young core. Trotz said, “if it doesn’t work, I’ve still got to buy the time for those young players.”
He went on to name roughly 10 players that he identifies as the team’s next-up. Per Daugherty, that list includes forwards Teddy Stiga, Reid Schaefer, Joakim Kemell, and Matthew Wood; and defenders Tanner Molendyk and Andrew Gibson. Trotz pointed out that the team is walking a fine line between trying to be competitive and trying to properly develop their youngsters, and pointed out that they could take out veterans down the depth chart to give prospects more of a chance. Most notably, Nashville is searching for a productive second-line center – a role that could one day be filled by Schaefer, Kemell, or Zachary L’Heureux.
The dozen players that Trotz mentioned are certainly a strong core to build around. The grouping – save for Wood, Molendyk, and Gibson – are currently driving the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals to clear success. The team is 8-1-0 through their first nine games, spurred by Kemell’s eight points in nine games, L’Heureux’s five points in four games, and Fedor Svechkov’s five points in five games. It’s a trio that’s found success time-and-time-again in Milwaukee, though L’Heureux’s seven appearances this year stand as the only NHL time among them all. The oft-undisciplined winger managed two assists and one penalty in those appearances – just low enough to fall out of Nashville’s lineup, despite being one of only 12 Predators with multiple points this season.
While they all still need to develop NHL-ready traits, Nashville’s prospect pool offers a large array of takeover ability. Molendyk’s ability to create pace and tempo through hard passes in the neutral zone made him a standout at this year’s training camp; while each of Kemell, Wood, and Schaefer have thrived on the back of hard shooting and gritty play along the boards. They’re translatable talents that Nashville should be reaping soon. At least, that’s Trotz’s full intention – as he emphasized to Daugherty that the last thing he wants to do is drag Predators fans through a long-term rebuild.
Trotz also pointed out that the head coach Andrew Brunette isn’t on the hot seat. Brunette led Nashville to a 47-30-5 record and first-round playoff exit last season, and has made his frustrations with the lack of cohesivity in the lineup known to the GM. Speaking on his head coach, Trotz said, “He’s saying ‘I’ve got no one going right now.’… Nothing’s really working. You’re trying hard to find the magic potion and you get a little frustrated.”
Nashville’s new additions are struggling in their new setting. The trio of Stamkos, Skjei, and Marchessault are sitting at five, six, and seven points through 12 games respectively – far too little for the prices they were paid this summer. The depth isn’t fairing much better, with Philip Tomasino and Jeremy Lauzon (no scoring) being outscored by starting goaltender Juuse Saros (one assist). That’s led the team to a dismal record, and led Trotz to start turning his attention towards the young bloods. The team likely still sits a few steps away from fully leaning into their promising prospects, but continued struggles will force a hard decision sooner rather than later, and getting a chance to play alongside future Hall-of-Famers in Stamkos and Josi could be a cheeky way to accelerate their development.