Predators fans will get their first look at one first round pick, five members of the 2023 draft class, and two invitees at the Southeast Rookie Showcase later this week.
The Nashville Predators have released their roster for the 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase. The Showcase will take place in Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. Rookies from the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Carolina Hurricanes will join the Predators' rookies for the event that runs from September 15-18.
Predators fans will get their first on ice look at 2021 draft pick Fedor Svechkov who signed his entry level contract with Nashville in May and will play his first season of North American hockey with the Milwaukee Admirals this season. The 2023 draft class will be represented by five players at the Rookie Showcase. Forwards Kalan Lind, Joey Willis, and Austin Roest will join defensemen Tanner Molendyk and Dylan MacKinnon in Florida.
The Predators also have two invitees on the roster. 20-year-old center Jack O'Brien from the WHL Portland Winterhawks will be joining the Predators at the showcase. O'Brien played 66 regular season games in 2022-23 and scored 12 goals and 59 points. In the playoffs, O'Brien played nine games and scored four goals and nine points.
Goaltender Austin Elliott was also invited to participate with the Predators rookies at the showcase. The Strathmore, Alberta native had a strong season with the Saskatoon Blades in 2022-23 finishing the regular season with a .911 save percentage in his 37 games. He was named the WHL Goalie of the Week twice last season and helped lead the Blades to a record setting playoff comeback over the Red Deer Rebels after going down 0-3 in their seven game postseason series.
Other familiar names that will attend the rookie showcase for the Predators are Luke Evangelista, Spencer Stastney, Yaroslav Askarov, and Egor Afanaysev who each saw their first NHL games last season. Forwards Zachary L'Heureux and Joakim Kemell will be participating along with defensemen Jack Matier and Luke Prokop.
The complete list of Predators participants can be found here.
The Predators will play three games at the Southeast Rookie Showcase beginning with a matchup against Tampa Bay on Friday, September 15th at 3:00 pm CT. On Saturday, September 16th Nashville will play the Florida Panthers at 5:00 pm CT, and their final game will be against the Carolina Hurricanes Monday, September 18th at 9:00 am CT.