Top prospects for Nashville Predators

NHL.com is providing in-depth prospect analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the top five prospects for the Nashville Predators, according to NHL.com.

1. Brady Martin, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 5 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: Nashville (NHL): 3 GP, 0-1-1; Sault Ste. Marie (OHL): 24 GP, 8-16-24

Martin (6-foot, 185 pounds) made his NHL debut Oct. 9, 2025, Nashville's first game last season and played three of its first seven games before he was reassigned to the Ontario Hockey League. The 19-year-old also played for Milwaukee of the American Hockey League in the Calder Cup Playoffs, scoring one goal in three games.

"He played on basically four different teams last year (NHL, AHL, OHL, Team Canada) so that's a really long year, and then he got banged up a little bit," Predators assistant general manager and director of player development Scott Nichol said. "Wherever he lands, if it's in the NHL or in Milwaukee, just get some traction, get healthy and kind of be where your feet are and just grow. He's still a really young player. He had a great summer showcase this year. He had a good development camp, so we're excited about him."

Projected NHL arrival: This season

2. Wyatt Cullen, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 10 pick in 2026 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: USNTDP U-18: 40 GP, 16-29-45; USNTDP Juniors: 15 GP, 6-10-16

It was a big year for Cullen (6-1, 184), who in addition to his time with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team played for the United States at the Prospects Challenge (three points in three games) and at the World Junior U-18 Championship (nine points in five games). 

The left wing turns 18 on Sept. 8 and is committed to the University of Minnesota this season.

"We were ecstatic to get him at 10," Nichol said. "Hopefully he's the sleeper of the draft just watching him, how he just moves around the ice, how his head's always up, he's looking to make plays. He attacks the inside. He's got a great, great shot. He had an absolutely fantastic showcase this summer in Windsor. Like all these young guys, he has got to get a little bit stronger, but he's in a really good spot in Minnesota playing for that team. I think this sky is the limit for Wyatt, and he's just going to keep getting better and better."

Projected NHL arrival: 2028-29

3. Tanner Molendyk, D

How acquired: Selected with No. 24 pick in 2023 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: Milwaukee (AHL): 60 GP, 4-19-23

After winning the 2025 Western Hockey League championship with Medicine Hat, Molendyk (6-0, 190) got his first taste of professional hockey and played the entire season in the AHL. The 20-year-old also had one assist in three Calder Cup Playoff games. He has taken part in Predators training camp each of the past two seasons.

"We haven't had a 20-year-old come out right from junior to the American league in a while," Nichol said. "He got hurt midway through the season and then I thought by the end of the year, he was fantastic. So, I thought it was a really good growth year for him and by the end of the year, he was playing 20-plus minutes and running our power play. I thought he grew a lot. ... I think he's going to come into camp in really good shape and in really good spot with lots of confidence."

Projected NHL arrival: This season

4. Cameron Reid, D

How acquired: Selected with No. 21 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: Kitchener (OHL): 57 GP, 15-41-56

The 19-year-old led Kitchener defensemen in goals, assists, points, power-play points (29), short-handed goals (two) and game-winning goals (five). He had 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in 18 playoff games for Kitchener, captaining it to the OHL championship and the Memorial Cup, and was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team. 

Reid (6-0, 184) is committed to the University of Michigan this season.

"He's a young captain, and he just leads by example. He plays in every situation just the poise and the confidence, the way he skates, how he just kills plays, or he can elude that forecheck," Nichol said. "His transition game is fantastic. It's like a security blanket you know things are going to go well when he's on the ice. … He's probably not going to jump out at you, but he just does everything so well."

Projected NHL arrival: Next season

5. Egor Surin, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 22 pick in 2024 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL): 57 GP, 15-22-37

Surin (6-2, 200) had a big season in the Kontinental Hockey League, more than doubling his goals (seven) and points (14) from his 2024-25 season. He was also plus-22. The 20-year-old had eight points (three goals, five assists) in 22 playoff games to help Lokomotiv Yaroslavl win the Gagarin Cup as KHL champions for the second year in a row. He will play at least one more season overseas before coming to North America.

"Just for a 20-year-old who played in the KHL in his second year and he's won two championships," Nichol said. "That's what you want. You want somebody who wants to win. His game will transfer so well into the North American style. … He's a really good plug-and-play prospect from the KHL right into the NHL in my mind, just because of all the attributes that he brings."

Projected NHL arrival: Next season