Predators Open Camp With New GM, New Faces and Less Time
Nashville begins camp with 55 players, a reshaped front office and 12 days to reduce its roster to 23.
The Nashville Predators began training camp Wednesday with meetings and media activities at Bridgestone Arena. Their first on-ice session is Thursday at Ford Ice Center Bellevue.
The front office is the biggest change. Chris MacFarland arrived from Colorado over the summer as president of hockey operations and general manager, becoming the third GM in franchise history after Barry Trotz announced his retirement plan last winter. MacFarland added Rob Blake as executive vice president of hockey operations, Jamie Langenbrunner as special assistant to the GM and Vukie Mpofu as assistant GM.
The roster also looks different. Forwards Luke Evangelista, Zachary L'Heureux, Fedor Svechkov and Erik Haula are gone. Evangelista was traded to New Jersey on Sept. 1 for first- and second-round picks in the 2028 NHL Draft, then signed a five-year, $36.25 million contract with the Devils.
Jack Drury, Ross Colton, Mavrik Bourque, Nils Hoglander, Alexander Kerfoot and Adam Edstrom join the forward group, while Ilya Lyubushkin adds experience on defense. Coach Andrew Brunette must determine how the newcomers fit alongside Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Ryan O'Reilly, Jonathan Marchessault and Matthew Wood.
Brady Martin, Cole O'Hara, Joakim Kemell, Reid Schaefer and Ryan Ufko have already made their NHL debuts and are among the young players competing for larger roles. Aiden Fink, David Edstrom, Vitali Pinchuk and defenseman Tanner Molendyk are also in the mix.
The timeline is tight. With the NHL moving to an 84-game schedule and beginning the season earlier, camps around the league have been shortened. Nashville has 55 players in camp and must reduce the roster to 23 by 4 p.m. CT on Sept. 28. Opening night at Bridgestone Arena is Oct. 1.
The Predators will play four preseason games instead of six, including home dates against Tampa Bay on Sept. 22 and Carolina on Sept. 26. All four will be televised on The Spot, Nashville 28, a franchise first. The team also hosts the Gold Star Showcase, an intrasquad game benefiting the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, at F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville on Sept. 19.
