The postseason for many leagues is nearly upon us. Here’s how the Nashville Predators’ pipeline is looking.
Viggo Gustafsson
Viggo Gustafsson has bounced around a lot this season. The 2024 third-round pick started the season with HV71’s U20 squad, posting a point per game in 16 contests. He then appeared in eight pro contests for HV71 before being loaned to Timrå IK heading into the World Juniors. Now, Gustafsson is playing for AIK of the HockeyAllsvenskan—Sweden’s second-tier pro league.
Gustafsson is still finding his defensive footing against older opponents but has shown flashes of good puck movement at the pro level. Expect him to be back with HV71 in the SHL next season.
Kasper Kulonuumi
In his second full season in the Finnish Liiga, Kasper Kulonummi has been impressive for Kiekko-Espoo. The 2022 third-round pick has played 46 games and posted 17 points, including six primary points at even strength. Kulonummi is fourth on the team with a 52.78 percent Corsi rating and third on his blue line with 4.21 expected goals this year.
I remain bullish on Kulonummi’s future, and think he’ll play a big role for Kiekko-Espoo next season. Nashville has one more year of exclusive negotiating rights with the Finnish defender, and I think it would be a mistake not to capitalize on that.
David Edstrom
In 39 regular-season games this year, David Edstrom carved out an important secondary scoring role for Frölunda HC. The 6’3″ center posted seven goals and 19 points, including 12 primary ones scored at even strength. After an impressive performance at the 2025 World Junior Championship (six points in seven games), Edstrom has had a quiet second half with six points in 16 games; the first-round pick, however, finished second among U20 forwards in SHL scoring this year (behind fellow Nashville prospect Felix Nilsson).
Edstrom has already signed his entry-level contract (ELC), so my guess is he’ll start the year in Milwaukee next season.
Hiroki Gojsic
There is perhaps no prospect in the Nashville pipeline I’ve been more disappointed by this season than Hiroki Gojsic. Times in Kelowna have been tough as the Rockets will miss the playoffs and sit last in the WHL’s Western Conference with a 17-40-6 record. Regardless, I was hoping for a bit more from Gojsic in his draft-plus-one season.
In 56 games, Gojsic has scored 18 goals and 34 points, including 18 primary points notched at even strength. He’s posted a -4.47 relative goals-for rate at five-on-five and sits fifth on the team in scoring. The 2024 third-round pick will be back with Kelowna next season and will be counted on to rebound as the Rockets host the 2026 Memorial Cup.
Sutter Muzzatti
Sutter Muzzatti’s third year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) came to an unceremonious end last weekend as the Engineers were bounced from the ECAC playoffs by Harvard. The 2023 fifth-round pick hasn’t played since early December due to an upper-body injury, and in ten games this season, he totaled just three points.
As I’ve written before, the appeal of Muzzatti’s game is clear: he’s 6’6″, has good defensive skills, and can be a cheat code as the net-front power play man. Unfortunately, this year was a major setback toward his already slim NHL chances, but Muzzatti will get another chance to earn an entry-level deal when he returns to Troy in the fall.
Viktor Nörringer
I don’t talk about Viktor Nörringer as much as I should, but I’m cautiously optimistic Nashville found a player here in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 6’3″ winger has spent the majority of the season at the U20 level in Sweden, recording 24 goals and 57 points in 38 games—good for fourth league-wide.
He’s also appeared in 16 contests for Frölunda HC’s pro club and recorded his first SHL point this week. Nörringer skates well if not amazing, but he’s got such a massive frame to drive the net with; combine that with a top-notch release, and he could be an interesting bottom-six option down the road. Seeing how big of a step he takes in the SHL next season will go a long way toward deciphering his pro potential.
Cole O’Hara
If any of you guessed before the start of the season that Cole O’Hara would have a serious shot at the NCAA scoring title this year, I will be seriously impressed. The 2022 fourth-round pick was a fine depth piece for UMass in his first two seasons but has exploded onto the college hockey scene this year. While I anticipate he would boost his offensive production, I had no expectation he would come close to 50 points.
Through 36 games, O’Hara has scored 22 goals and 49 points, which is good for third in the nation. He’s getting serious attention as a Hobey Baker candidate and is a major reason UMass has elevated its game down the stretch.
The Minutemen should make the NCAA tournament this year where the spotlight on O’Hara will shine even brighter. Despite his dominance this year, my guess is he returns to college for his senior year, and the UMass coaching staff is certainly anticipating that too.
Isak Walther
When he was drafted in 2019, I didn’t think there was a huge chance Isak Walther would make it to the NHL one day. Six years later, he’s bounced between junior leagues in Sweden and played four years at the University of Vermont. The 6’4″ winger struggled his freshman year but started to find his groove in the 2022-23 season, notching 19 points in 36 games; last year was a step back with just 12 points in 24 games, and this year, he just can’t really break out of a secondary scoring role.
In 32 points, Walther has six goals and 18 points, including 11 primary points scored at even strength. While he’s put together an okay NCAA resume, his feet and hands have never really been able to synchronize on offense. I could see Nashville giving him an AHL deal this summer like they did for Alex Campbell, but I don’t anticipate the Swedish forward being in the organization much longer.
Egor Surin
For much of this season, Egor Surin has been caught in a familiar place for many young Russian players: he’s too good for the junior league but doesn’t earn enough ice time to make an impact in the KHL. Case in point, he’s posted 17 points in 12 MHL games this year.
But as of late, he’s been finding his stride at the pro level. Through 38 games, Surin has scored seven goals and 14 points for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, including 11 primary points at even strength; in his last nine games, the 2024 first-round pick has posted three goals and eight points and leads all U19 skaters in scoring. His ice time has increased, hitting ten-plus minutes many nights, and he’s demonstrating his relentless puck pursuit skills and quick hands against much stronger opponents.
Surin will likely spend one more season with Yaroslavl before Nashville makes a push to bring him to North America.
