Top Predators Breakout Candidates for the 2026-2027 Season
At the start of each season, every team has its hopes still intact. The playoffs are still within reach or your next franchise cornerstone is right around the corner. For Nashville, a new era of hockey is ushered in with beloved veterans and promising young talents in tow.
The Predators' unique roster consists of one of the oldest top lines in the entire league. Meanwhile, the rotation opens up with experienced role players and emerging stars who look to stay in Nashville long-term. It seems like a changing of the guard is on the Horizon in the Music City.
While the Predators have begun a soft rebuild, the team still has the "win now" mindset. So, several young players will have the opportunity to play competitive and meaningful minutes. With that, they will need to earn their keep, maintaining a spot in the rotation. With the revamped roster and a new era underway, which players can take the biggest leap and solidify a spot in Nashville's future?
Matthew Wood, Right Wing
Everyone in the franchise expects a jump in production from Wood. After the recent trade in which Nashville dealt 56-point scorer Luke Evangelista to New Jersey. Wood perfectly slots into the void left by Evangelista. However, slight differences in skill sets could mean a higher upside with the Predators, as Wood brings a more intimidating stature and more aggressive shot tendencies.
Last year, as a rookie, the right winger totaled 30 points, including 17 goals, which was fourth on the team. With a larger nightly responsibility, Wood could potentially crack the half-century mark in total points. Wood's playmaking prowess does not yet match that of Evangelista. So the 21-year-old's breakout season may be defined by his ability to find his teammates for scoring opportunities.
Mavrik Bourque, Center
Alongside Wood, Bourque is positioned to take the reins of the franchise in future years. Bourque is coming off somewhat of a breakout season with the Stars. In just his second full season in the league, the 24-year-old center accounted for 41 points, including 20 goals and 21 assists. His performance caught the eye of the new Nashville General Manager. Chris MacFarland, who made the trade for the former Dallas standout along with defenseman Ilya Lybushkin in exchange for a second- and third-round pick in a move that still feels like an absolute bargain for the Predators.
Just three days after the trade, Nashville locked up Bourque long-term on a six-year, $5.5 million annual deal. That deal signals complete confidence in the higher-ups, as Bourque is likely being positioned to succeed Ryan O'Reilly as the team's top middle man. With a firm spot in the top-six, Bourque's smooth and methodical approach to dissecting defenses with his calculated shot-taking and playmaking will prove to be a significant factor in the Predators' season and future.
Brady Martin, Forward
This one might be cheating given he is still a prospect, but it is hard not to be excited about Martin. It remains to be seen whether he will crack the initial roster, but the teenager offers a higher upside than anyone in the organization. The 2025 fifth overall draft pick made the opening-night roster last year, but only took the ice in three games for less than 35 combined minutes. Throughout his time with Nashville, Martin trained with Filip Forsberg and even lived with the veteran wing for a stint last year.
Recent mention of Martin potentially shifting to the wing himself opens up more opportunities to play outside of his natural position of center. The young prospect last played a full season in 2024-2025 with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. That year, Martin recorded 72 points in 57 games, proving to be a raw yet gifted scoring talent. If the opportunity arises in which Martin needs to step up, the 19-year-old seems poised to do so.
Jack Drury, Center
This season marks the third different team that Drury has suited up for in training camp in as many years. That type of constant movement can mess with a player's psyche, but Drury has remained a consistent depth contributor across his relatively young career. The difference... the Predators viewed Drury in a more crucial role, rather than a lower-level depth guy. After acquiring Drury from the Avalanche this past offseason, Nashville locked up the 26-year-old forward for five years.
The former second-round pick, Drury, is coming off his best season to date, notching a total of 27 goals across the full season. For the next half-decade, Drury is positioned to be the catalyst of the Predators' bottom-six. A proven secondary scorer, Drury's recent deal signals an end to the changing scenery and opens the door for him to carve out a role as a long-term piece. His breakout isn't one that will demand any awards, but is one that every team needs to remain competitive throughout the rotation.
Ryan Ufko, Defensemen
The most promising defenseman on the roster, Ufko is a potential heir to Roman Josi's throne on the Predators' top line. Replacing one of the best players in franchise history is certainly a tall task and one that becomes more critical for the Predators to solve each year. You can't place Josi-level expectations on any young player, but a strong group of hopefuls is led by Ufko. The 23-year-old is in the final year of his deal and could even be off the team entirely if he doesn't make his mark.
Ufko is without a doubt the biggest boom-or-bust candidate on this list. He will likely be buried to the third line on the depth chart and see limited action. However, he offers one thing that no other defenseman ahead of him does... potential. The aging core calls for more youthful contributors. Ufko has flashed brilliance in the AHL with the Predators' affiliate, Milwaukee Admirals. His vision shined the brightest as he tallied 33 assists in 52 games last year while splitting time with Nashville, where he appeared in just 18 games. Ufko's breakout is far from an expectation, but it sure would answer some fervently asked questions.
We will continue to follow the Predators with coverage all across training camp and preseason. Stay up to date with all things Music City Hockey right here and see which one of these players breaks out this season.
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Brady Shanahan is journalism graduate from the University of Missouri, where he covered baseball and softball for Missouri Tigers On SI. He's from the St. Louis area and has contributed to The Maneater student newspaper, Columbia Missourian, KOMU 8, and KCOU as a beat reporter.