The Nashville Predators are starting to get a good number of their prospects NHL ready and there isn’t going to be enough space for everyone. Next season is a big one for the Predators as three forward prospects in particular are ready to graduate full time.
Philip Tomasino, Juuso Parssinen, and Egor Afanasyev have all played NHL games to this point, some more than others. The reason why the Predators can’t continue to be patient with all of them is because each one is now eligible for waivers starting in 2024-25. This means they either make the team out of training camp or be placed on waivers to likely be picked up by a team with space and opportunity.
Predators Must Trade One
Nashville can get ahead of this by determining which player is best to move and executing it this summer. It’s going to be tough to re-introduce all three to the team in a full time role all at once if the Predators want to win and be in playoff contention.
There is too much cap space to warrant bringing in all three young players who are mostly unproven, especially since other depth pieces did well this season and should also have a shot at coming back for next season.
However you look at it, it is better for the Predators to trade Tomasino, Parssinen, or Afanasyev and get something in return than to lose one of them on waivers. That has come back to hurt them more often than not with recent waiver losses like Eeli Tolvanen, Connor Ingram, and Samuel Fagemo.
There are a lot of strong free agents to go after, but if the Predators want a bit younger, they will have to make a trade. Names like Mitch Marner and Martin Necas have come up and would require some value that one of Nashville’s prospects could help reach if that was the plan.
Who is Staying?
Oddly enough, I think the latest draft pick, Parssinen, is the most safe. The 23-year-old can play center or the wing and has 14 goals and 37 points in 89 games in the NHL over parts of the last two seasons. He was a seventh-round pick in 2019 and looks like an absolute steal. There’s a good chance he’ll get a top-9 spot in the lineup next season depending on who is added.
Tomasino is a very good player and doesn’t have a problem producing at the NHL level. The reason for being demoted to the AHL multiple times is, as general manager Barry Trotz and head coach Andrew Brunette would call it, “structure and details.”
Tomasino was a healthy scratch for a number of games before being sent down and despite 20 points in 41 games this season for the Predators, Brunette didn’t feel comfortable playing him at key times. Tomasino needed more development in the top-6 of the AHL. The 2019 first-round pick has all the skills, but may do better in a different system. His offensive numbers are enticing and he would definitely be picked up off waivers if he doesn’t make the Predators next season.
Afanasyev is a bit of a different case. He was drafted in the second round, also in 2019, but has just 19 games of NHL experience. He only played two games this season for Nashville, and after the AHL season he had with Milwaukee, he definitely deserves a long look in 2024-25. Afanasyev put up 27 goals and 54 points in 56 games and has followed that up with five goals and nine points in 11 playoff games. He took the necessary step forward that is deserving of a look in an offensive-type role next season.
Roster Breakdown
So how will the roster look next season with these players graduating or leaving? The top line should stay the same, at least to start the season. There is no reason to break them up, even if a big piece or two are added in. Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly, and Gustav Nyquist played great together all season and led the team.
There’s four forwards that got new contracts just this year in Tommy Novak, Mark Jankowski, Michael McCarron, and Cole Smith. Seeing as they’re all 28 years of age or older except Novak, I can see any of the other three losing a spot to one of the prospects. It bodes better for the future.
Luke Evangelista and Colton Sissons will have spots on the team as well. Nothing is changing there except Sissons’ ice time will decrease.
Then there’s the questionable players like Cody Glass, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, and Liam Foudy who may get some time in the NHL, but the Predators are likely less stressed about losing on waivers. Glass is the player the team will protect the most.
Now let’s assume Jason Zucker and/or Kiefer Sherwood are re-signed from the forward group and 1-2 big name free agents are brought in, that leaves very little room for even 2 of the prospects, never mind all three.
This would see Forsberg (1), O’Reilly (2), Nyquist (3), Novak (4), Evangelista (5), Sissons (6), 1-2 of Jankowski, McCarron, Smith (7-8), Glass (9), Zucker and/or Sherwood (10-11), 1-2 UFAs (12-13), then Parssinen, Tomasino, and Afanasyev (14-16). That’s leaving off one of Smith/McCarron, Anderson-Dolan, and Foudy too. This also isn’t taking into account Zachary L’Heureux, Joakim Kemell, and Fedor Svechkov. All are exempt from waivers, but will push for spots on the Predators as well.
16 forwards is too many to hold on the roster. The amount the Predators will be looking for is 14, meaning there’s a lot of work to be done. I would be great for the Predators if Parssinen, Tomasino, and Afanasyev could all come in and earn spots while contributing a good amount, but the roster and organization just isn’t set up like that after signings that already took place in 2024, all of the cap space, and the team being in a spot to improve and compete.
Don’t be surprised if there are a couple trades this summer by the Predators, possibly around the draft.
