On Thursday, 23 Predators prospects will report to Nashville for the start of Rookie Camp before heading to Estero, Fla., for the 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase.
There are plenty of familiar faces on Nashville’s Rookie Camp roster, including eight players who suited up for the Predators and/or the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in 2022-23. However, the roster will also feature 15 prospects, draft picks and invitees who are not as well known – at least not yet.
Some have had successful junior careers and are looking for their first taste of professional hockey; others have already showcased their talent at the pro level and are vying for coveted spots on the 2023-24 NHL roster. With that in mind, here are five prospects to watch at this year’s Rookie Camp:
Reid Schaefer, LW
The Predators acquired Schaefer from the Edmonton Oilers at the 2023 trade deadline and see him as a talented forward with high upside. It has been a banner year for Schaefer, who won the 2022-23 Western Hockey League championship with the Seattle Thunderbirds and won gold with Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championship.
At 6-foot-5 and 226 pounds, Schaefer is a big body who can be a scoring threat both from distance and at the netfront. He is also a skilled playmaker who can create scoring opportunities. Originally drafted by Edmonton in the first round (32nd overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft, Schaefer finished the 2022-23 regular season with 61 points (28g-33a) and put up 19 points (8g-11a) in 19 playoff games for Seattle.
The 19-year-old will participate in his first Predators Rookie Camp as he looks to turn pro after three successful seasons in the WHL. He still has room to develop certain elements of his game – particularly his skating – at the AHL level in Milwaukee, but his size and strength should aid in his adjustment to professional hockey.
Schaefer will be an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on as he continues to develop over the next few seasons; the 2023 deadline deal that sent veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm to Edmonton could ultimately be seen as a huge win for the Predators due in large part to how good of a player Schaefer could become.
Zachary L’Heureux, LW
Selected by Nashville at No. 27 overall in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft, L'Heureux is eager to turn pro in 2023-24. He averaged more than a point per game during four years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), most recently posting 26 points (11g-15a) in 20 playoff games for the Halifax Mooseheads during the 2022-23 season.
But L’Heureux’s junior hockey career hasn't come without its challenges – he has been suspended by the QMJHL nine times and missed the first eight weeks of last season recovering from hernia surgery.
He returned to the ice with a vengeance, totaling 33 points (18g-15a) during a 22-game stretch that included an 11-game point streak. L’Heureux continued to produce at his habitual rate down the stretch in 2022-23 and averaged 1.3 points per game during a Halifax playoff run that ended just short of a QMJHL championship.
Predators Assistant GM and Director of Player Development Scott Nichol said during Development Camp in July that L’Heureux could benefit from a new set of opponents as he looks to leave his checkered past behind. This will be a pivotal rookie camp for L’Heureux as he looks to turn the corner and reach his full potential as a first-rounder.
Fedor Svechkov, C
Svechkov, who signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Nashville on May 5, will join the Preds for his first rookie camp and training camp this month as he prepares to enter his first North American professional season in 2023-24.
Originally drafted by Nashville in the first round (19th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Svechkov split the 2022-23 season between three leagues in Russia. The bulk of his pro experience has come in the VHL, Russia’s second-highest professional league, where he's tallied 53 points (15g-38a) in 82 games; Svechkov has also appeared in 31 career KHL games and has spent parts of four seasons in Russia's junior league after making his debut in 2019-20 with Lada Togliatti.
Svechkov closed out last season by helping Khimik Voskresensk win the title in the VHL, tallying seven points (5g-2a) in nine games. He also posted seven points (1g-6a) in 14 regular-season contests with the team.
After signing his contract in May, Svechkov trained with the Admirals in Milwaukee for several weeks before arriving in Nashville in July. He was unable to attend Preds Development Camp, so this year’s rookie camp will be the first opportunity for much of the scouting and player development staff to evaluate the Russian first-rounder in person.
Joakim Kemell, RW
Kemell is another of Nashville's most recent first-round picks, selected 17th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. He completed his second full professional season in Finland's Liiga with JYP in March, tallying 15 points (12g-3a) in 43 contests. He led Liiga U-19 skaters in goals (12) and was second in points; he also posted two multi-goal performances during the season.
In 39 games during 2021-22 - his rookie Liiga season - Kemell tallied 23 points (15g-8a) to lead all league rookies and was tied for third on his team in goals with 15; his 23 points were the second-most among Liiga U-19 skaters. The winger made his Liiga debut at age 17 and became the youngest player in league history to score a goal in each of his first two career games. Prior to turning pro, Kemell competed for JYP's U-20 side, leading his team in goals (22) and points (36) during the 2020-21 campaign.
The 19-year-old Finn joined the Admirals down the stretch for just 14 regular-season games and 14 postseason contests in the 2022-23 campaign and made a significant impact in a relatively short time, leading both the Admirals and all AHL rookies with eight goals in his first Calder Cup Playoffs. The Preds are eager to see more of Kemell’s offensive skill both at rookie camp and beyond as he embarks on his first full North American professional season.
Yaroslav Askarov, G
Askarov, the Predators' first of two first-round picks (11th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft, showed plenty of promise with the Admirals in 2022-23, his first pro season in North America. The right-catch goalie, who was named to the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic, has generated plenty of buzz for his aggressive goaltending style and postgame celebrations alike. He also made his NHL debut last season and became the youngest goalie to ever start a game in goal for the Predators (20 years, 210 days) on Jan. 12 at Montreal.
In his first season with Milwaukee, Askarov ranked in the Top 20 among all AHL goaltenders in both goals-against average (2.69) and save percentage (.911). He finished the regular season with a 26-16-5 record, backstopping the Admirals to a Calder Cup Playoff appearance.
In the postseason, Askarov posted a 6-6 record, a 2.70 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. He hit a rough patch, however, when Milwaukee reached the Western Conference Final; he surrendered a combined eight goals on 63 shots in the first two games of the series – both losses – and sat out the final four games of Milwaukee’s playoff run.
All eyes will be on Askarov as he progresses into his second season in North America. His raw talent is undeniable, but he still has some strides to make toward the consistency required of an NHL goaltender.
