Is it October yet?
Unfortunately, no, but we're here to help pass the time. From Aug. 8 to Sept. 1, The Hockey News Nashville Predators will be counting down 24 players in 24 days, profiling every current or potentially rostered player.
Today's player profile is forward Erik Haula.
24 Nashville Predators in 24 days series
As an NHL prospect
Originally from Pori, Finland, Haula moved to the United States at 17 to play AAA hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Minnesota. He scored 79 points in 49 games in his lone prep season.
That year he was also drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the seventh round, 182nd overall.
He'd move to the USHL the next season and play for the Omaha Lancers, scoring 72 points in 56 games. Haula also had 11 points in eight playoff games.
Haula would spend the next three seasons at the University of Minnesota, which at that time played in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
He played 114 games between 2010 and 2013, scoring 124 points. During his final season, he earned All-WCHA Second Team honors after netting 51 points in 37 games.
In 2011, he also represented Finland for the first time at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, scoring seven points in six games.
Professional career
Haula has been playing professional hockey for 13 seasons.
He made his professional debut with the Houston Aeros at the end of the 2012-13 regular season, scoring two points in six games. In the Calder Cup Playoffs that season, Haula had two points in five games.
For the 2013-14 season, the Wild moved its AHL team to Iowa, where Haula played 31 games and scored 27 points. He also earned his first NHL call-up that season, playing in 46 games for the Wild and scoring nine points.
He had a full-time role with the Wild from 2014 to 2017, scoring 74 points in 220 games in that stretch. Haula also had six points in 11 playoff games.
During the 2014 offseason, Haula also won a Silver Medal with Finland at the IIHF World Championship, scoring a point in six games. In 2016, he played for Finland in the World Cup of Hockey, playing in one game.
As a restricted free agent in the 2017 offseason, Haula was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights, 26th overall, in their expansion draft. He'd have the best season of his career during the 2017-18 campaign, scoring 55 points in 76 regular games.
Vegas went on a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Final that year, where Haula scored nine points in 20 games. He spent one more season in Vegas, playing just 15 games, dealing with a right leg injury that required surgery.
In the 2019 offseason, he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Nicolas Roy. Haula scored 22 points in 41 games but again saw his games limited due to injury.
At the 2020 trade deadline, Haula was dealt to Florida. He'd play just seven games there, scoring two points and four playoff games, before signing with the Nashville Predators in the offseason.
On a one-year deal, Haula scored 21 points in 51 games with the Predators. In the 2021 offseason, he inked a two-year contract with the Boston Bruins. He'd score 44 points in 78 games, showing a resurgence in his game.
However, in the 2022 offseason, Haula was traded to the New Jersey Devils. He'd post another 40+ point season, scoring 41 points in 80 games. In the 2023 offseason, he signed a three-year deal with the Devils.
Haula's production dipped a bit in 2024 as he scored 35 points in 76 games. It declined again during the 2024-25 season as he had just 21 points in 69 games. Despite a decline in production, Haula played for Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
He was traded to the Predators this offseason as the team takes on the final year of his 3 year, $9.45 million contract.
What role will he play this season?
Haula could play a critical role this season in expanding that depth down the middle, specifically on the second or third line.
He is a seasoned veteran who has consistently shown the ability to produce 40-50 points in a season. Getting him the right wingers could allow him to rediscover that scoring touch and give Nashville some much-needed scoring lower in the lineup.
Michael Bunting would be a good player to start with Haula on the wing, as he's shown he can also score and has a more physical presence. Depending on how well Matthew Wood starts off the season, pairing him with Haula could be just what Wood needs to get going.
Overall, Haula is a player who needs to be utilized on this roster. Coming into training camp, the average age on this roster is 26 years old; Haula is 34. He still has a lot to give on the ice and as a leader in the locker room.
His role could truly be critical in ushering in this new era of Predators players. It'll also be interesting to see if he can get his own numbers to spike.
Performance in the season will be significant as Haula could be playing for Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics.