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 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators] will be counting down 24 players in 24 days, profiling every current or potentially rostered player. Today's player profile is defenseman Adam Wilsby. AS AN NHL PROSPECT Wilsby was drafted by the Nashville Predators 101st overall in the 2020 draft out of Skellefteå AIK in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second-highest hockey league. In his draft year, he scored 30 points in 41 games. He was one of three defensemen selected in that year's draft which included Luke Prokop (73rd overall) and Luke Reid (166th overall). PROFESSIONAL CAREER Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Adam Wilsby (58) carries the puck up the ice toward the goal in a shootout during a Milwaukee Admirals practice open to season ticket holders Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/9469c694-23ca-45e1-bc25-946fd5ce4967.jpeg] Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Adam Wilsby (58) carries the puck up the ice toward the goal in a shootout during a Milwaukee Admirals practice open to season ticket holders Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images After getting drafted by the Predators, Wilsby spent two more seasons with Skellefteå AIK in the Swedish League. His numbers declined slightly from when he was playing in HockeyAllsvenskan, tallying 18 points in the 2020-21 season and 17 points in the 2021-22 season. At the end of the 2021-22 season, he joined the Milwaukee Admirals, playing in three playoff games. Wilsby was specifically in Milwaukee until last season, when he made his debut with the Predators against the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 27. He scored his first NHL point against the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 4. Last season he totaled five points in 23 games logging six penalty minutes. WHAT ROLE WILL HE PLAY THIS SEASON Dec 17, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby (83) celebrates his goal against the New York Rangers during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/dec54829-2aee-4d91-aea8-7f703212b935.jpeg] Dec 17, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby (83) celebrates his goal against the New York Rangers during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Wilsby's training camp will be crucial in determining whether the Predators want to keep him in Nashville. He seemed like he was becoming a regular last season after getting called up in November, but suffered an upper-body injury that ended his season. Wilsby had a plus/minus of three, the best on the roster last year, but really wasn't producing much. However, it seemed like the Predators liked what they saw from Wilsby as he spent three months up in Nashville. Coaching staff could have a preset place for him ahead of camp. Considering the additions of Nic Hague and Nick Perbix, the only likely openings on the defense are going to be in the third pairing.
