The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects and has been condensed from two articles to one. The article will bring you: The highlighted team’s draft; insights into its off-season moves; looking at prospect risers, fallers and likely prospects to play NHL games; and of course, the writers’ top-20 prospects. Articles may be brought back when an important team update occurs, so check back because we plan to fill your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season!
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Read past 32 series stories here: https://dobberprospects.com/category/feature/32-in-32-series/
Make sure to check out the Nashville Predators team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/nashville-predators/
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After missing the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, the Nashville Predators made a significant change at the top, hiring Chris MacFarland as president of hockey operations and general manager. MacFarland wasted little time putting his stamp on the roster, adding several forwards in an effort to give Nashville enough depth and versatility to get back into the playoff picture. Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, Ryan O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Juuse Saros remain the established pieces, while the organization hopes its younger players can start taking over larger roles.
The Predators had one of the busier drafts in the league selecting eight players, beginning with Wyatt Cullen at No. 10 before trading back into the first round to grab Bleyl at No. 31. There is still plenty of work to do, but the Predators are quietly building a deep prospect pool. The question now is whether enough of those prospects can develop into legitimate NHL contributors and help Nashville transition from an aging veteran team into its next competitive window.
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2026 NHL Draft Recap
Round 1, 10 overall: Wyatt Cullen, RW
Cullen gives Nashville another high-end offensive prospect. He has excellent speed, vision and puck skills, and does a great job beating defenders one-on-one and creating offense when there isn’t much available. The Predators are banking on Cullen’s skill by selecting him the 10th spot as he was extremely dynamic with the NTDP, and if the finishing improves, there’s clear top-six upside. The biggest question is his finishing, which hasn’t consistently matched his skill level. Cullen was one of the younger players in the class, so there’s reason to believe the production could come as he fills out physically.
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Round 1, 31 overall: Tommy Bleyl, D
Bleyl is a highly skilled defenseman who put up 81 points in his first QMJHL season. His skating, creativity and puck skills stand out, and he has the hockey sense to potentially run a power play at the pro level.
The biggest concern is his size and physical game. He can get pushed around by bigger opponents, which will become more difficult at the professional level. That said, the offensive upside is there. The puck skills and skating give him a legitimate NHL path, and the Predators need more offensive upside from their defensive prospects.
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Round 3, 70 overall: Dmitri Borichev, G
Borichev is a quick, intelligent goaltender who plays an aggressive style. He does a good job getting square to shots and limiting rebounds, while also competing hard when plays break down around him.
The obvious concern is his size, as he is a little undersized according to NHL standards. He also doesn’t have as much experience as some of the other goalies selected around this range. That said, the tools are there. Borichev’s athleticism and competitiveness give him a legitimate NHL path. He’s a long-term project, but there’s enough upside here to keep an eye on his development.
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Round 4, 106 overall: Jakub Floris, D
Floris is a good-sized right-shot defenseman with solid puck skills who scored 10 goals and 18 points in 38 games with Lukko’s junior team, leading all defensemen in goals, and added nine points in nine U18 games. He’s not a dominant puck mover and doesn’t make life particularly difficult for opponents. At the junior level, he’s a solid two-way defenseman, but his NHL role is still unclear. There’s enough to like here, especially as a right shot, but his decision-making and defensive consistency need both need to improve.
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Round 4, 118 overall: Justin Graf, LW
Graf is an interesting late-round pick because his biggest strength is his hockey sense. He finished with 55 points and 23 goals in 56 games with Cedar Rapids in 2025-26, showing a strong ability to create offense and find teammates in dangerous areas. He’s a smart, creative player who sees the ice well, although he isn’t going to overwhelm opponents physically. He is heading to Harvard for the upcoming season which should give him time to add strength and round out his game. His ceiling is not particularly high, but there’s enough offensive ability to make him worth following.
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Round 5, 138 overall: Philip Hemmyr, LW
Hemmyr can play both center and wing and already has professional experience in Sweden’s second division. He scored six goals and 12 points in 36 games with Björklöven’s senior team, while adding 44 points in 27 junior games. He also helped the club win the league championship and earn promotion to the SHL. His versatility is probably his biggest selling point. He can move throughout a lineup, play with skilled players or provide energy further down the lineup.
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Round 6, 179 overall: Benjamin Cossette Ayotte, D
Cossette Ayotte is a two-way right-shot defenseman who played big minutes in Val-d’Or, finishing with 38 points in 62 games while serving as an alternate captain and playing in all situations. He doesn’t have one standout offensive tool, but he’s a smart and reliable defender who competes hard and can contribute on both special teams. The biggest question is whether there’s enough offensive upside to separate him from the many similar defensemen trying to reach the NHL.
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Round 7, 202 overall: Charlie Puglisi, C
Puglisi put up 76 points in 35 games with Winchendon last season and brings good speed, a strong motor and the versatility to play center or wing. He’s an aggressive player who attacks the net, is not afraid to get physical and uses his speed well off the rush. Puglisi will play for Kitchener next season before heading to Cornell, giving us a better idea of his potential. For a seventh-round pick, I like the potential upside.
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Off-season Moves
Incoming
Ross Colton (Trade from COL)
Jack Drury (Trade from COL, signed a five-year contract)
Maverik Bourque (Trade from DAL, signed a six-year contract)
Ilya Lybushkin (Trade from DAL)
Nils Hoglander (Trade from VAN)
Alex Kerfoot (UFA, signed a two-year contact)
Outgoing
Erik Haula (singed with LAK)
Zachary L’Heureux (Traded to COL)
Fedor Svechkov (Traded to COL)
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In The System
Risers
Brady Martin
Martin remains the prospect from Nashville’s 2025 draft class. There isn’t a need to overreact to his overall production, as he split time between Nashville, Milwaukee, Sault Ste. Marie and Team Canada. He finished the OHL season with 24 points in 24 games and gained some NHL experience. His complete game stands out. He competes hard, plays physically and can contribute in all situations. He’s unlikely to become a 90-point player, but he has the tools to become a high-impact center and is one of Nashville’s best bets to make the team this season.
Ryan Ufko
Ufko is one of the more interesting risers in Nashville’s system because he’s starting to show that his size won’t necessarily keep him out of the NHL. He broke out for 44 points in 52 AHL games and has already seen significant NHL action. His puck-moving ability is legitimate, and he’s smart enough to compensate for his 5-foot-10 frame. The biggest question is whether he can handle the physical demands of the NHL, but the offensive game gives him a legitimate path to becoming a regular.
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Fallers
Joakim Kemell
I still like the shot and offensive tools, and he’s shown he can score in the AHL, but the development hasn’t progressed as quickly as expected. After 40 points in 65 games in 2024-2025, he had 29 in 48 the following season and struggled to establish himself as an NHL regular. There was not a major drop-off in production but just not what was expected. The talent is still there, but his path to a significant NHL role is becoming more competitive by the year. Tanner Molendyk is another player who needs a strong season. The skating and puck-moving ability are NHL-calibre, but he needs to improve defensively and add strength. A big year in Milwaukee would get him back on track.
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Likely to see NHL action
Brady Martin
Ryan Ufko
Aiden Fink
Egor Surin
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Top 20 Predators Prospects
This section is intended to paint a picture of the Nashville Predators prospects whose current trajectory projects them making the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL. Arrival date and NHL certainty have been taken into consideration; however, potential upside is the most important factor in determining this list.
- Wyatt Cullen
- Brady Martin
- Cameron Reid
- Egor Surin
- Aiden Fink
- Tommy Bleyl
- Tanner Molendyk
- Ryan Ufko
- Teddy Stiga
- Kalan Lind
- Jack Ivankovic
- David Edstrom
- Joakim Kemell
- Reid Schaefer
- Adam Ingram
- Joey Willis
- Austin Roest
- Ethan Haider
- Viktor Norringer
- Philip Hemmyr
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Final Thoughts
The top of Nashville’s prospect pool is starting to look deeper by the year and that’s a good problem to have. The bigger question is whether enough of these prospects can take the next step and become legitimate NHL players before Nashville’s veteran core begins to decline. If they do, the Predators could have a much brighter future than their recent results suggest.
Make sure to check out the Nashville Predators team page here:
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Puneet Sharma