With the postseason in sight for many prospects, here’s a look at the latest from the Nashville Predators’ pipeline last month.
Semyon Chistyakov
When he signed his contract extension with Avangard Omsk last March, Semyon Chistyakov spoke about wanting to grow into a top defender in the KHL. This season, he’s playing on Avangard’s top pair, averaging more than 18 minutes per night (the next closest teammate is averaging around 15 minutes).
With four goals and 21 points in 50 games, Chistyakov’s production has dipped a bit from last season, but he’s tied for 21st among all KHL defenders in scoring. And since the start of the year, he’s been much more noticeable, posting two goals and nine points in his last 14 games.
Dylan MacKinnon
Drafted 83rd overall at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Dylan MacKinnon was always more known for his technically sound skating, defensive skills, and physical presence; in his draft year, he totaled just six goals and 23 points.
But that production has fallen off even more this year for the 19-year-old defender. Through 49 games, MacKinnon has just 12 points, scoring his first goal of the year last month. He’s averaging just 1.12 shots per game, suggesting there’s more opportunity for him to seize even without major power-play minutes for the third-place Halifax Mooseheads.
Tanner Molendyk
Since the 2024 World Junior Championship, when defender Tanner Molendyk was sent home from Team Canada’s camp with a wrist injury, the 2023 first-round pick has continued to battle to stay healthy. But with his Saskatoon Blades atop the WHL’s Eastern Conference, Molendyk has played in nine games since the new year, scoring 13 points.
Of his 41 points this year, just 17 were primary ones scored at even strength. Molendyk’s expert skating continues to help him dominate defensively; his offensive production continues too, especially on the power play. But as the Blades gear up for the playoffs, I’d like to see Molendyk get even more involved in five-on-five play.
Alex Campbell
26 points in 34 games are nothing to scoff at, but for Alex Campbell, it represented his worst college hockey season to date. After a breakout freshman year for Clarkson University in 2020-21, the 2019 third-round pick exploded for 16 goals in his sophomore season. When his disappointing junior year came and went, Campbell entered the transfer portal and wound up at Northeastern University for his last NCAA campaign.
With 28 points in 26 games, Campbell is second on the Huskies in scoring. He’s a goal away from tying his sophomore mark and looks poised to earn an entry-level contract this summer. In Campbell’s last ten games, Campbell has ten points, including three against top-ranked Maine and two goals at Merrimack last month.
Nashville’s exclusive rights to Campbell expire in August.
Aiden Fink
Aiden Fink continues to be the story of the season for Nashville’s prospect pool. The seventh-round pick hasn’t slowed down for Penn State, scoring 32 points in 26 games for the Nittany Lions. He leads his school in scoring by nearly ten points and sits sixth among all NCAA freshmen in offensive production.
Last week, Fink was named to the watch list for the Tim Taylor Award given to college hockey’s best rookie each year.
Felix Nilsson
While his ice time has been slowly trending upward (he’s now averaging almost eight minutes per game), Felix Nilsson is still having to do more with less for Rögle BK. The second-round pick has scored one goal and three points in 34 games for the SHL club but has posted decent possession and transition numbers.
At even-strength, he’s posted a 52.44% Corsi in seven games tracked, plus he’s exiting his own end with puck possession on 82.35% of chances and entering the offensive end with control on 58.82% of attempts.
Nilsson will dress for Team Sweden for a U19 five-nation tournament against Finland, Switzerland, Czechia, and Germany beginning today.
Joey Willis
After a slow start to his sophomore campaign, Joey Willis looks rejuvenated on the new-look Saginaw Spirit. Hosts of this year’s Memorial Cup, the Spirit loaded up at the trade deadline, adding Owen Beck, Josh Bloom, Jorian Donovan, and more. Despite that, Willis has maintained a top-six and penalty-killing role for Saginaw; plus he’s picked up his offense. In his last ten games, Willis has chipped in seven goals and 11 points to bring him up to 0.85 points per game in 48 contests this year.
Matthew Wood
Fresh off an okay performance at the 2024 World Junior Championship (WJC), Nashville’s first-round pick in 2023, Matthew Wood, has struggled at the University of Connecticut. In his nine games since the new year, Wood has scored just four points and only one goal. His 16 points in 26 games put him nowhere near the pace he scored at in his freshman season. But, 13 of those 16 points have been primary ones scored at even strength.
Wood’s game since returning from the WJC has been dotted with mistakes, lazy turnovers, and an absence of his ability to take over games as we know he has. Now this doesn’t mean his development is doomed or that it’s time to panic, but a junior year at UConn seems probable.
Ethan Haider
Wood’s UConn teammate, Ethan Haider, continues to impress in his senior season. After transferring from Clarkson University, Haider entered the season fighting for the Huskies’ starting crease. He’s since earned it, recording a 0.913 save percentage in 18 games.
In five games since the turn of the calendar, Haider has faced an average of 41 shots per game and has saved 1.598 goals above average on the season. In January, he was named to the watch list for the Richter Award given annually to college hockey’s top goalie.
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