Approaching the holidays, Nashville’s 2023 NHL Entry Draft class has had its ups and downs. Some prospects have dominated their leagues, while others have struggled to find their footing. Here’s the latest on some of the Nashville Predators’ prospect pool.
Tanner Molendyk
If it wasn’t true at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, it’s certainly true now that Tanner Molendyk is the best defensive prospect in Nashville’s pipeline.
The Saskatoon Blades are one of the top teams in the WHL—with an 11-5-0 record, and Molendyk is a major reason why. The assistant captain is third on the team and fourth among all WHL defenders in scoring with four goals and 19 points in 12 games; nine of his points have been primary ones scored at even strength.
The Blades have been next to unbeatable with Molendyk on the ice. He’s scored more than two primary points per 60 minutes of even-strength ice time and has accounted for 42.86% of his team’s even-strength primary points when he’s been on the ice. Saskatoon has also just surrendered 1.14 even-strength goals when Molendyk is defending, plus he’s been a monster on the WHL’s fifth-best power play.
Graham Sward
If Tanner Molendyk has been impressive this season, then Graham Sward has been downright unbelievable. The fifth-year WHL man, in just 15 games, has scored five goals and 28 points, including 11 primary points scored at even strength. That means he’s the top-scoring defender in the WHL and the fourth-highest scorer among all WHL skaters by points per game (1.87).
Sward, who picked up CHL Team of the Month honors in October, is 20 years old and has almost 200 junior games of experience, so I don’t want to go overboard with expectations. But Nashville has until June 1 to decide if they want to sign him or not, and he’s currently doing everything he can to force their hand.
Austin Roest
Sitting right behind Graham Sward’s Wenatchee Wild in the Western Conference standings is Austin Roest’s Everett Silvertips. Roest, who was recently named co-captain of the Washington-based team, is playing in his third full WHL season after being picked 175th overall by Nashville at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
After a slow start to the year, Roest has impressed as of late, scoring 11 points in his last ten games; in 15 games this year, he’s scored eight goals and 14 points, including seven primary points scored at even strength. The 19-year-old forward is scoring the majority of primary points when he’s on the ice at even strength (53.85%), and I still think there’s another gear for him to find at five-on-five play.
Although Nashville has a couple of years to sign him, Roest isn’t far off from being AHL-ready in my eyes. He plays such a sound game at both ends of the ice and is always finding creative ways to score.
Joey Willis
Across Canada, this season has been a bit of a different story for Joey Willis. The 2023 fourth-round pick has left something to be desired alongside his Saginaw Spirit squad. The Spirit is set to host the 2024 Memorial Cup, but they currently occupy the penultimate spot in the OHL’s Western Conference with a 5-7-1 record; Willis has been similarly disappointing. In 13 games, he’s scored just twice (including an empty-net goal) and netted eight points, putting him on pace for 41 points after notching 44 in his draft year. His defense prowess hasn’t dipped, and his value as a penalty killer is still there. But Willis will need to find some more offensive confidence if this Saginaw team hopes to seriously compete for the Canadian title in the spring.
Aiden Fink
Aiden Fink was picked 218th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and yet he’s tied for seventh among all NCAA freshmen in scoring, sitting just a few points behind premier prospects like Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Gabe Perreault, and Artyom Levshunov. Now, just three of his eight points (in nine games) have been primary ones scored at even strength, but I’ve been impressed with Fink, who’s gotten valuable power-play time for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Fink’s already showing some small improvements in his skating mechanics, and he’s finding time with the puck thanks to his slick hands. He’s also been a good component of the forwards driving Penn State’s even-strength success with a 23.13% relative goals-for rate.
Kalan Lind
Unlike many of his WHL peers in Nashville’s pipeline, Kalan Lind’s team—the Red Deer Rebels—is struggling. The Rebels are 6-7-2 through 15 games and have scored a league-worst 41 goals. Lind, who’s currently dealing with an upper-body injury, has scored 10 points in 11 games. At first glance, that’s an impressive stat line, but then you realize he’s pitched in just two goals and one primary point at even strength.
Lind hasn’t demonstrated much of a step forward in his development since last season. It’s still very early, but I’m just a little concerned Nashville prioritized his tenacity and annoying play style over his skating and puck skills. Still, at the junior level, Lind has a lot more to give, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets dealt to a Memorial Cup contender later this year to do so.
Sutter Muzzatti
I still don’t think Sutter Muzzatti is much of an NHL-level prospect, and RPI hockey has been tough to watch this year. But the 2023 fifth-round pick has notched three goals and seven points in six games for the Engineers, and he’s dominating play for RPI when he’s on the ice, scoring 83.33% of their primary points at even strength.
The flaws in Muzzatti’s game are still there (most notably skating), but something about his game remains enticing. The tallest and biggest forward in college hockey has a long path to an NHL future, but I’ll continue to be intrigued by his NCAA game.
Juha Jatkola
After starting seven of KalPa’s first nine games, Juha Jatkola has lost his starting job. His early returns weren’t impressive, posting a save percentage higher than 0.900 in just two starts, and now he’s seen the ice just three times in ten games. His most recent outing—where he stopped 23 of 25 shots—was encouraging, but the 21-year-old netminder holds a putrid 0.846 save percentage and has allowed 11.237 goals below average in the Liiga this season.
Matthew Wood
Nashville’s first-round pick this past summer has been just as advertised in the 2023-24 campaign. Through ten games, Matthew Wood has scored five goals (nearly half of his 2022-23 total) and eight points, including six primary points at even strength.
Wood has been the main driver of offense for UConn every time he’s been on the ice, and he’s recording nearly five shots on goal per game. His skating has improved, unlocking his puck skills even more; he looks to be all the makings of a top-six NHL forward.
