Nashville Reduces Roster to 27 as Final Cuts Draw Near

NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators take one step closer to finalizing the opening night roster by assigning four players to Milwaukee. Team president of hockey operations and general manager Chris MacFarland announced on Friday that forwards Felix Nilsson and Cole O'Hara, defenseman Tanner Molendyk, and goaltender Matt Murray will join the Milwaukee Admirals after participating in training camp in Nashville.

Nashville placed defender Hunter Skinner on waivers on Friday, and he will likely join the group in Milwaukee if he clears waivers.

The decisions reduce Nashville's roster to 27 ahead of the Predators' final preseason game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. The Predators must trim the roster to 23 by 4 p.m. CT on Monday, Sept. 28.

Nilsson and O'Hara each had standout moments in training camp, as Nilsson scored a game-winning overtime goal against Tampa Bay on Tuesday and O'Hara scored a power-play goal against Carolina on Thursday. The 24-year-old O'Hara played in one game for the Predators last season, while 21-year-old Nilsson has yet to make his NHL debut.

Molendyk showed flashes of athleticism and defensive prowess during training camp, but the 21-year-old returns to Milwaukee, where he played in 60 games last season for the Admirals.

Murray played in five games for the Seattle Kraken last season, and the 32-year-old goaltender played well in the Predators' training camp, but a stacked goaltending room sent Murray to the AHL after he cleared waivers.

The final four spots on the roster likely come down to forwards Tyson Jost, Brady Martin, Reid Schaefer, and Adam Edstrom, defenders Ryan Ufko and Jack Acchan, and goaltender Ethan Haider

Nashville Predators Current Training Camp Roster

Forwards (15)

9, Filip Forsberg
14, Alexander Kerfoot
17, Tyson Jost
18, Jack Drury
21, Nils Hoglander
22, Mavrik Bourque
44, Brady Martin
49, Reid Schaefer
51, Vitali Pinchuk
71, Matthew Wood
79, Ross Colton
81, Jonathan Marchessault
84, Adam Edstrom
90, Ryan O'Reilly
91, Steven Stamkos

Defensemen (9)

2, Adam Wilsby
12, Ryan Ufko
20, Justin Barron
41, Nicolas Hague
46, Ilya Lyubushkin
47, Jack Achan
48, Nick Perbix
59, Roman Josi
76, Brady Skjei

Goaltenders (3)

1, Ethan Haider
29, Justus Annunen
74, Juuse Saros

Nashville Predators 2026 Preseason Schedule

Sept. 20 - at Tampa Bay, 4 p.m. CT: Tampa Bay 2, Nashville 1
Sept. 22 - vs. Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. CT: Nashville 3, Tampa Bay 2 / OT
Sept. 24 - at Carolina, 6 p.m. CT: Carolina 6, Nashville 5
Sept. 26 - vs. Carolina, 2 p.m. CT

Follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google