Predators Rookie Camp Opens Thursday, Sept. 16

Nashville, Tenn. (September 10, 2021) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the team's prospects will report to Nashville for the start of Rookie Camp on Thursday, Sept. 16, before heading to Tampa, Fla., the following day for the 2021 NHL Prospect Showcase.
The Predators team, which will be comprised of signed and unsigned draft picks, AHL free-agent signings and skaters attending on try-out agreements, will be led by Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville's AHL affiliate) Head Coach Karl Taylor and Assistant Coaches Scott Ford and Greg Rallo. Among the 22 players scheduled to participate are 2019 first-round pick Philip Tomasino, 2017 third-round pick David Farrance and 2021 first-round pick Zachary L'Heureux. Also taking part in the showcase will be recent draft picks Egor Afanasyev (2019 second round), Luke Prokop (2020 third round), Marc Del Gaizo (2019 fourth round) and Juuso Parssinen (2019 seventh round) and players who competed in the AHL last season, including Cole Smith, Patrick Harper, Tommy Novak and Devin Cooley.

The Predators will face off against prospects from the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers in the showcase, playing each team once during the four-day event. Nashville begins the showcase by taking on Tampa Bay on Sept. 18 at 12 p.m. CT at AMALIE Arena, with a 9 a.m. CT contest against Florida the following day at AdventHealth Center in Wesley Chapel, Fla. After a practice day on Sept. 20, the Predators close out the showcase against Carolina at 9 a.m. CT on Sept. 21, again at AdventHealth Center.
This will mark the 11th time in the last 12 rookie camps that Predators prospects will play games against another Sunbelt franchise, and the sixth time in the last seven camps that a team of rookies will compete in a tournament. The Predators will return to Florida for a prospect showcase for the first time since 2018 after hosting the event at Ford Ice Center Antioch in both 2017 and 2019; Nashville prospects have also played two-game sets against Florida (2011 and 2010), Atlanta (2008 and 2009) and Columbus (2002 and 2003). In the franchise's first four seasons (1998-01), Predators prospects competed in the Traverse City Rookie Tournament. Nashville did not host a Rookie Camp prior to the 2020-21 campaign.
The NHL Prospect Showcase precedes the opening of Nashville's 2021 Training Camp, which begins Sept. 22 with physicals and team meetings. The Predators' first day on the ice will be Sept. 23 at Centennial Sportsplex, with six preseason contests scheduled from Sept. 26-Oct. 9, including two at Bridgestone Arena (Oct. 2 vs. Tampa Bay and Oct. 9 vs. Carolina).
Click here for the full Rookie Camp schedule
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click here for a roster
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