Preds Prospects Report: November
As we approach the World Juniors break, I took a look at the Nashville Predators contract playing for a contract next offseason plus notes on a few other early-season standouts.
Kasper Kulonummi | D | Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga)
I’ve long maintained that Nashville has an intriguing prospect in Kasper Kulonummi. The 2022 third-round pick is in his fourth season in the organization and has rocketed himself to the top of the Liiga stats page. After a stellar junior career with Tappara, Kulonummi is playing in his second full-time pro season and leads Kiekko-Espoo with five goals and 14 points in 19 games. Now, much of that production has been secondary assists or power-play points, but he’s also recorded a primary point on nearly a third (27.78 percent) of the even-strength goals he’s been on the ice for.
Remarkably, Kulonummi sits third amongst Kiekko-Espoo defenders in ice time. Regardless, he leads the blue line in shot attempts (94) and expected-goal differential (2.65) by a significant margin.
The 21-year-old’s exclusive negotiating rights expire next June. Given Nashville’s thinner pipeline on the backend, it would be unwise to let Kulonummi walk to free agency.
Alex Huang | D | Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
Alex Huang was drafted 122nd overall by Nashville at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. The blueliner is currently in his third season with Chicoutimi before he heads to Harvard next season.
Through his first two QMJHL seasons, Huang posted 15 goals. Hopes of besting that total have slowed to start the 2025-26 campaign, where Huang has just one goal in 15 contests. Despite that, Huang is on track to beat his career-best points by 18 with significant contributions on Chicoutimi’s power play.
I still have my reservations that Huang can be a contributor in bigger and faster leagues; Nashville will have several years to find out one way or another.
Vladislav Yeryomenko | D | CSKA Moscow (KHL)
Vladislav Yeryomenko will never come to North America (and that’s okay). Eventually, he’ll go unsigned after an okay career in the KHL, much like Konstantin Volkov (although he did recently sign a tryout deal). This season, Yeryomenko has been in and out of the lineup for CSKA Moscow after dealing with an injury and has just two assists in ten games. One day, we’ll be able to forget about him.
Adam Ingram | F | St. Cloud State Univ. (NCAA)
Three years after drafting him in the third round at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, decision time is coming for Adam Ingram and the Nashville Predators. Ingram burst onto the college scene with 23 points in his freshman year; he then followed that up with 28 points in his sophomore season. But last year was a major disappointment as Ingram faltered to just eight points in 29 games. And this year, he has just seven assists (none primary at even strength) in ten games for St. Cloud State.
I was a bit skeptical about Ingram when he was drafted, mostly due to his skating, and I think those concerns still exist (even if he has improved). Ingram reminds me a lot of Tommy Novak in college, but I think the latter was more successful at driving even-strength play. Ingram is an asset on the power play but is struggling to produce elsewhere.
Pending a major change down the stretch, I think Nashville should probably pass on an entry-level contract (ELC) here.
Sutter Muzzatti | F | Univ. of Notre Dame (NCAA)
I’ve never been quite able to understand Nashville selecting Muzzatti in the fifth round in 2023—a player I still maintain they could have signed as an undrafted free agent. But after three years at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Muzzatti transferred to Notre Dame and is making the most of it.
Playing Big Ten hockey is a huge boost for the 6’6” center, who has surprised with six goals and nine points in ten games this year and just picked up Second Star of the Week conference honors. Six of Muzzatti’s points have been primary ones scored at even strength. It’s unsurprising given how much more effectively he’s using his size to drive north-south play instead of just picking up deflections on the power play.
Muzzatti will almost certainly get a contract (even if it’s just an AHL deal at first), and then maybe Nashville will have found another decent depth piece.
Ben Strinden | F | Univ. of North Dakota (NCAA)
Ben Strinden is the 2022 version of Sutter Muzzatti. I feel strongly that Nashville could have signed him as an undrafted free agent, but I’ve really liked his college career. In his fourth year at North Dakota, Strinden hit 16 points last year but is off to a hot start with four goals and 12 points in ten contests in 2025-26, including a recent four-point game he dedicated to his late father.
Strinden is a bottom-six player, but he’s quick, an effective penalty killer, and has good offensive instincts off the rush. I think he could be a good piece in Nashville’s system and likely an upgrade over a similar player like Navrin Mutter.
Teddy Stiga | F | Boston College (NCAA)
The Boston College Eagles have gotten off to an uncharacteristically slow start this year with a 4-4-1 record, including two conference losses. Through that, Teddy Stiga has continued to shine on a roster full of NHL talent. Though he has just six points in nine contests, Stiga continues to develop a two-way maturity to his game that will boost his NHL floor.
At this rate, I would guess he goes back for a third year in the NCAA, but I also have no doubt he’ll pick up the scoring rate soon.
Miguel Marques | F | Univ. of Maine (NCAA)
I was really curious to see how Miguel Marques would adjust from the WHL to Hockey East, and so far, so good. The freshman has peaked through on a stacked Maine team, debuting with three goals and six points in nine games. Five of his points have been primary ones scored at even strength, and he’s recorded a primary point on 50 percent of the even-strength goals he’s been on the ice for.
Marques has a way to go before he needs an ELC, but I’m wondering if just two years in college will do the trick.
Jakub Milota | G | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
Jakub Milota started the season on a new team, poised to take a run at the QMJHL title and maybe a Memorial Cup. After three contests and a 0.986 save percentage, he’s now shelved for eight weeks with a lower-body injury.
Needing an ELC next offseason, it’ll be tough not to see Milota until 2026. On top of that, his chances of starting for Czechia at the 2026 World Junior Championship are now quite slim.
Regardless, from a pure numbers perspective, there’s little reason Nashville shouldn’t sign him. Magnus Chrona is no more than an AHL option, and Ethan Haider likely is too, despite his hot start this season.