Preds Rookies Ready for NHL Prospect Tournament, Eager to Showcase Skills Against Other Top Talent

For 24 young hockey players, the NHL dream will become one step closer over the next five days.

Predators Rookie Camp presented by Ticketmaster officially opened Wednesday, and with Thursday’s first on-ice practice now complete, the group has jetted off to Tampa, Fla., with a chance to prove what they can do against their peers.

Nashville’s rookies will participate in the annual NHL Prospect Tournament with one game each against top talent from the Lightning, Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes coming Friday through Monday.

For those on the Preds side, not only is this a chance to get back to the rink after a long summer of training and prepping for camp, but for some, it’s an opportunity to finally hit someone who isn’t wearing the same logo as them.

“I'm excited to just get back playing,” defenseman Andrew Gibson said following Thursday’s practice at Centennial Sportsplex. “You go all summer and just skate, but my game’s pretty hard. I like hitting and blocking shots. I'm looking forward to that the most, but just getting back into the groove of things.”

The first game for the Predators rookies comes Friday when they take on the host Tampa Bay Lightning prospects at 4 p.m. CT - with all games set to be streamed on NashvillePredators.com - and Nashville management will be in attendance to get their first looks at a number of players who could end up seeing time with the big club in the years ahead.

Three on the Preds Rookie Camp roster - defenseman Ryan Ufko, plus forwards Joakim Kemell and Matthew Wood - made their respective NHL debuts last season with the Preds, and for Wood, that experience can only aid continued growth in a situation such as this.

“I think it helps, and maybe you're a little bit less nervous, but it's also exciting,” Wood said of the upcoming tournament. “Maybe you have a little bit more expectations [because of the NHL experience]. I know there's a lot of guys going down to Tampa that really want to make the team, and I’m definitely one of them. It's going to be a lot of fun.”

Another member of the group with high hopes is forward Brady Martin, Nashville’s first selection (fifth overall) in last June’s NHL Draft. After attending his first Predators Development Camp in July, Preds Rookie Camp is the next step in Martin’s journey, and he’s embracing everything that comes with the opportunity.

“I'm just going to go out there and play to my strengths,” Martin said. “I think it's a big thing for me, and just do my best. [Then], hopefully come back after the Rookie Tournament and maybe get some preseason games, and we'll see how it goes from there.”

Martin, who has been in Nashville for a number of weeks in anticipation of Rookie Camp, revealed he’s actually spent a few days living with Preds winger Filip Forsberg. While he hasn’t been asked to babysit Forsberg’s young son, Felix - “I don’t think they trust me with the baby,” Martin quipped - he has certainly taken in all he can with NHL veterans around.

“I came down a bit early, so I got to hang out with some of the older guys, the veterans here, [Ryan] O’Reilly and Forsberg,” Martin said. “I lived with [Forsberg], so it was pretty cool. [That experience] kind of helped me ease into it a bit and get used to the feel of being with NHL players."

Martin knows he’s still got plenty of work to do before finding himself among that NHL group, but a strong showing during this weekend’s tournament - coupled with the chance to learn from some NHL vets - could go a long way in getting him that much closer.

“Just being on the ice with some of the veterans, like I said, it's cool,” Martin said. “As a young guy, it's pretty cool to have them around and just learn tips and tricks from them. So, I'm looking forward to that, and hopefully playing some games with them and having them on my team.”

Wood, who skated in his first six NHL games with the Preds to conclude the 2024-25 regular season, is even more motivated now that he’s had a taste of the best League in the world. So, how does he approach the chance that waits in the weeks ahead?

“I think it's motivating,” Wood said. “No matter what happens, whether there's space open or not, I'm willing to fight to take a job even if it's not open. That's kind of what all young guys are coming up and being ready to do. That’s what the next two weeks are all about for me, and I've prepared myself as best I could to do that.”

That preparation will be put to the test with three games over four days in Florida, and while these contests don’t come with any points in the standings up for contention, that doesn’t mean the rookies aren’t interested in winning.

Quite the opposite, in fact - even if it takes a moment to get going.

“It’s everyone's first game of the year, and it’s going to be a little rusty,” Gibson smiled. “The first 10 minutes are probably going to be a gongshow out there, but you never want to lose. I've been competitive my whole life, no matter what it is. I always want to win. So, it's going to be a big factor going into this weekend, and hopefully we win all three.”

Click here for more information on the Preds Rookie Camp roster, schedule and how to stream games during the tournament.