Nashville, Tenn. (September 7, 2023) – Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz announced today that the team’s prospects will report to Nashville for the start of Rookie Camp on Thursday, Sept. 14, before heading to Estero, Fla., for the 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase.
The Predators team, which will be comprised of signed and unsigned draft picks, free-agent signings and players attending on tryout 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 23 players scheduled to participate are recent first-round picks Yaroslav Askarov (2020), Zachary L’Heureux (2021), Fedor Svechkov (2021) and Joakim Kemell (2022). Also taking part are Egor Afanasyev, Luke Evangelista and Spencer Stastney, who saw NHL action with Nashville in 2022-23; Kalan Lind, Dylan MacKinnon, Tanner Molendyk, Austin Roest and Joey Willis, who were all selected by the Predators in the 2023 NHL Draft; Jachym Kondelik, Navrin Mutter and Adam Wilsby, who helped lead the Admirals to the AHL’s Western Conference Final last season; and prospects such as Jack Matier, Luke Prokop, Reid Schaefer and Graham Sward.
Before departing for Florida, the prospects will hold a practice on Sept. 14 (10 a.m. CT) at Centennial Sportsplex. Nashville 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 held at Hertz Arena. Nashville will play Tampa Bay on Sept. 15 at 3 p.m. CT; Florida on Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. CT; and Carolina on Sept. 18 at 9 a.m. CT.
This will mark the 13th time in the last 14 rookie camps that Predators prospects will play games against another Sunbelt franchise, and the eighth time in the last nine camps that a team of rookies will compete in a tournament. The 2022 edition of the showcase was held in Raleigh, N.C.; the Predators previously hosted the event at Ford Ice Center Antioch in 2017 and 2019. Nashville prospects have also played two-game sets against Florida (2010-11), Atlanta (2008-09) and Columbus (2002-03); in the franchise’s first four season (1998-01), Predators prospects competed in the rookie tournament hosted in Traverse City, Mich.
The 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase precedes the opening of Nashville’s Training Camp, which begins Sept. 20 with physicals and team meetings. The Predators’ first day on the ice will be Sept. 21, with six preseason contests scheduled from Sept. 25-Oct. 6, including two at Bridgestone Arena (Sept. 27 vs. Tampa Bay and Oct. 5 vs. Carolina).
The full rookie camp roster can be found here, and the schedule is below. Both are subject to change.
2023 NASHVILLE PREDATORS ROOKIE CAMP SCHEDULE (All times CT)
Thursday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m. – Practice, Centennial Sportsplex
Friday, Sept. 15, 3 p.m. – Predators vs. Lightning, Hertz Arena (Estero, Fla.)
Saturday, Sept. 16, 5 p.m. – Predators vs. Panthers, Hertz Arena (Estero, Fla.)
Sunday, Sept. 17 – Day off
Monday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m. – Predators vs. Hurricanes, Hertz Arena (Estero, Fla.)
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