DCHL Portal

Nashville Prospect Round Up

October 2025

11/3/2025 • Neil Burkholder

With the first month full month in the books, here is the Nashville Predators round up for October 2025

AHL / North America Pros

Matvei Gridin — RW, Calgary (AHL, 7 GP, 3-7—10)
Calgary is running Gridin on a skill line and PP flank, and he’s rewarding them with primary touches off the half-wall. The shot plays (one-touch catch-release) but the bigger jump has been his poise to delay and hit the seam late. If he keeps winning more puck-touches inside the dots and tidies up his weak-side tracking, he looks like a realistic top-six call-up option this season.

Konsta Helenius — C, Rochester (AHL, 10 GP, 4-3—7)
Helenius has immediately become their zone-entry driver: wide entries, cutbacks, and quick give-and-goes that pull pressure to him. Coaches trust him on draws and bumper on PP2, and he’s begun to absorb contact to extend plays. The last piece is strength at net front; once he sticks more second chances, you’re looking at a middle-six DCHL center with play-driving traits.

Domenick Fensore — D, Chicago (AHL, 4 GP, 3-4—7)
His feet are elite for this level: pop off retrievals, deceptive shoulder fakes, and instant blue-line walks. Chicago is letting him quarterback PP1 and he’s adding layers (shoot-pass threats through the dot lane). He’ll never win with reach, so defending with angles/stick detail is the focus—if he stabilizes there, he can push for DCHL third-pair/PP minutes quickly.

Dylan Duke — LW, Syracuse (AHL, 9 GP, 1-6—7)
Duke’s value is in the glue plays: first-touch on dump-ins, inside body position, and quick little slips that keep cycles alive. He’s adding PK responsibility and showing better wall strength than expected. If the volume of shots from the slot ticks up, the point pace will follow; projects as a versatile middle-six winger.

Felix Unger-Sørum — LW, Chicago (AHL, 6 GP, 3-3—6)
You see the deception—head/feet fakes to open lanes—and he’s starting to lean on defenders with improved balance. Chicago is protecting him with O-zone starts, which is fine; the read-and-react is already DCHL-speed. Next step: heavier net-drives and stronger stick through contact to finish more of those looks.

Gracyn Sawchyn — C, Charlotte (AHL, 5 GP, 1-4—5)
Plays connective tissue hockey: tracks low, wins the first retrieval, and immediately threads support passes into space. His pace off turnovers has stood out, earning him bump-ups late in periods. If he keeps stacking PK trust, he becomes a true “coach’s-minutes” center who can moonlight up the lineup.

Noel Nordh — LW, Tucson (AHL, 8 GP, 2-2—4)
Pro frame and reach pop on the forecheck; he’s creating extended O-zone time by pinning exits. Shooting mindset is improving, but he still defers around the hashmarks—coaches want him to attack downhill more often. Projects as a heavy forechecking middle-six wing with PP-net-front potential.

Jan Mysak — C, San Diego (AHL, 7 GP, 1-3—4)
Low-event, high-reliability minutes: second units on both special teams and a lot of D-zone starts. He’s winning faceoffs and settling transition with smart chips, then arriving late for second pucks. If the interior touches rise, he’s a safe DCHL bottom-six candidate who can slide to wing.

Theo Lindstein — D, Springfield (AHL, 8 GP, 1-2—3)
Calm breakout problem-solver—shoulder checks are ahead of his age and he puts pucks to the safe side early. The skating base lets him close inside the blue with confidence. Needs more strength to win net-front body position; trajectory points to a modern second/third-pair mover.

Denver Barkey — C, Lehigh Valley (AHL, 10 GP, 1-2—3)
Plays fast and north; he’s the F1 who turns loose pucks into possession and draws penalties with feet. Learning when to stop on pucks rather than flyby is the growth edge. With that tweak, he can be a pace-pushing middle-six center/wing.

Carson Rehkopf — LW, Coachella Valley (AHL, 7 GP, 2-0—2)
Power elements are here: middle-lane drives, board wins, and a heavy catch-and-shoot. The read is to get him more PP looks because the shot warrants it. If he refines small-area give-backs, the assist game opens up.

Aleksi Heimosalmi — D, Chicago (AHL, 5 GP, 0-2—2)
Right-shot mobility is the selling point—beats first forechecker cleanly, keeps tight gaps in the neutral zone. When play stalls he can get pinned; adding a stronger first contact and earlier body leverage will help. Profiles as a transition-plus PK defender.

Ivan Ryabkin — C, Chicago (AHL, 6 GP, 0-1—1)
Thrust straight into AHL at 18, he’s learning the pace and physicality. Early penalties reflect over-eager stick work, not lack of awareness. Keep sliding him into D-zone draws and net-front usage—there’s third-line center potential once timing catches up.

Aydar Suniev — LW, Calgary (AHL, 9 GP, 1-0—1)
Finds soft ice well and arrives on time for tips/deflections. Needs to play through hands and lean on defenders to sustain O-zone time. If he adds second-effort wins on retrievals, he graduates from “finisher” to “line driver.”

Mathieu Cataford — RW, Henderson (AHL, 6 GP, 0-1—1)
Smart routes and quick releases; often the first high man back to sort coverage. Shot volume is the swing skill—he passes up looks he should take. Bottom-six projection with PK utility if he ups the trigger rate.

Jakub Štancl — RW, Springfield (AHL, 3 GP, 1-0—1)
Big frame, good hands in tight, and a willingness to go through traffic. Pace wobbles shift-to-shift, which is normal at 19. The staff is isolating skating efficiency; if that climbs, so does his role.

Talyn Boyko — G, Hartford (AHL, 3 GP, 3.19/.886)
Massive goalie whose edge work has to stay crisp to avoid holes opening low. When he’s set early, he swallows net-front looks; late feet show in second-chance chaos. More reps on post integrations (RVH discipline) are the short-term focus.

Dylan Garand — G, Hartford (AHL, 7 GP, 2.76/.895)
Technically tidy with strong situational reads; he’s stabilizing Hartord’s starts. Tracking high tips has improved, and he’s playing more assertively outside the crease. A consistent November puts him on the short list for an DCHL look.

Eduard Šalé — C/W, Coachella Valley (AHL, 1 GP)
Tiny sample, but the vision/play tempo pop right away—half-wall manipulation and touch passes through layers. The knock is strength through contact; if he adds 5–7 pounds of functional strength he can hold pucks a beat longer and unlock his elite feed game.

Artem Grushnikov — D, Calgary (AHL, 7 GP)
Low-event stopper who kills cycles with body position and an active stick. Limited puck-moving, but he makes the first read clean and lives on the strong side. Projects as a reliable DCHL PK/third-pair anchor.

Samu Tuomaala — RW, Lehigh Valley (AHL, 3 GP)
One-timer threat who needs more touches in motion to matter shift-to-shift. When entries come to him in stride, he can beat AHL goalies clean. Coaching staff is pushing him to win more retrievals so the shot can actually show up.

Samuel Helenius — C, Ontario (AHL)
Usage screams defensive specialist: late-lead draws, PK net-front, and heavy D-zone starts. Reach and angles suffocate entries, and he’s a load down low. If the puck skills tick up even modestly, he’s a very useful DCHL 4C.

Vyacheslav Peksa — G, Toronto (AHL)
Athletic toolkit with quick feet; sample is light so far. The question is patience on east-west—when he holds edges, he looks the part. Worth monitoring once the workload increases.

Europe (pro + junior)

Milton Gastrin — C, MoDo (Allsvenskan, 14 GP, 5-7—12)
Transporter with excellent give-and-go timing; he turns middle ice into quick-strike chances. Loves the dot-lane slip pass and supports low on breakouts. Add a bit more pace and he profiles as a middle-six distributor with PP2 value.

Gustav Hillström — C, Brynäs J20 (10 GP, 7-9—16)
Arrives in soft ice at perfect times; he’s a “find space then finish” center. Defensively he’s learning to sort switches earlier. Strength gains will move him from J20 star to SHL contributor.

Michal Svrček — LW, Brynäs J20 (7 GP, 4-8—12, 27 PIM)
Play-driver with some bite—he dictates pace and attacks off angle changes. The edge is a feature, not a bug, but he has to keep it between the lines to stay available. Projects as a competitive middle-six wing.

Victor Johansson — D, Leksands J20 (7 GP, 0-3—3)
Four-way mobility helps him escape forechecks and hold the line in the O-zone. Needs a harder shot and more deception up top. As strength builds, his retrievals will get cleaner under pressure.

Alexander Zharovsky — RW, Ufa (KHL, 13 GP, 5-9—14)
Outstanding KHL production for 18—processing speed jumps off the tape. He manipulates feet to change passing lanes and can finish from the circles. If the contract path cooperates, this is a fast-track top-six winger.

Ilyas Magomedsultanov — D, Yaroslavl (MHL, 8 GP, 0-2—2)
Quietly effective defender—good stick, angles to the wall, and simple early outlets. Offense will be a longer build; the base for a reliable defender is present.

Kurban Limatov — D, Dynamo (MHL, 10 GP, 0-2—2)
Bigger frame with steady gap control; he kills plays early in neutral ice. Next step is turning stops into clean exits more consistently.

Victor Eklund — RW, Djurgårdens (SHL, 16 GP, 0-8—8)
Vision is ahead of strength—he sees layers and throws touch passes into stride. Needs more pop in the first three strides and a firmer base to survive board battles against men. Patience: the reads are DCHL-grade.

Sergei Ivanov — G, SKA (VHL, 6 GP, 2.11/.935)
Calm, efficient, and beats pucks to spots; glove presentation is excellent. Rebound control has tightened, which is why the save rate is spiking. Trending toward a legitimate NHL-caliber depth option.

Timofei Obvintsev — G, Gornyak (VHL, 2 GP, 2.52/.919)
Limited work, but he’s composed and tracks through traffic well for a bigger goalie. Footwork under goal line pressure is the development priority.

NCAA / CHL

Malcolm Spence — LW, Michigan (9 GP, 3-4—7)
The motor fits Michigan’s pace—he wins races, checks back hard, and finishes plays in the blue paint. PK usage is growing. Add a touch more deception on entries and he’s a top-nine DCHL winger.

Cole McKinney — C, Michigan (9 GP, 3-4—7)
Middle-lane driver who supports low and pops out for quick touches. His compete shows in puck-recoveries and wall battles. Faceoff improvements will accelerate his timeline.

Paul Fischer — D, Notre Dame (7 GP, 2-4—6)
Skating and retrievals are his thing; he beats pressure and exits with control. Defends the rush with good feet/stick, then kills plays early. Looks like a modern third-pair puck mover with PK potential.

Tanner Henricks — D, St. Cloud State (6 GP, 1-3—4)
Heavy, right-shot defender who erases the crease and makes opponents pay. Puck play is improving—earlier shoulder checks are helping. If he keeps the feet clean, he’s a mean DCHL penalty-killer.

Cole Reschny — C, North Dakota (7 GP, 1-3—4)
Poised freshman with high processing speed; supports early and distributes on time. Continued work on draws and inside-ice finishing will decide his ceiling.

Charles Leddy — D, Quinnipiac (8 GP, 0-3—3)
Detail defender—good posture, correct side of checks, quick bump-outs. Not flashy, but he keeps lines moving. Solid depth projection.

Ryker Lee — RW, Michigan State (6 GP, 1-2—3)
North-south winger who forechecks in layers and gets under sticks in the slot. If he adds some deception off the rush, the assist count grows.

Logan Hensler — D, Wisconsin (7 GP, 2-1—3)
Length + skating = projectable top-four toolkit. Recognition speed is already improving game-to-game. Add strength and his rush defense becomes a calling card.

Jacob Rombach — D, Minnesota (8 GP)
Big body learning to play through contact with poise. Coaches are simplifying his first touch—win, shoulder-check, bump to support. Long runway but NHL tools.

Adam Jiříček — D, Brantford (OHL, 12 GP, 4-7—11)
Back healthy and walking blue lines with confidence; heavy point shot and improved deception at the top. Defensive posture is firmer than last year. Tracks as a PP2/transition driver.

Quick system snapshot & call-up meter

Closest DCHL help (this season): Gridin, Helenius, Fensore, Duke, Garand.

Next wave (late ’25–26): Unger-Sørum, Sawchyn, Lindstein, Rehkopf, Šalé, Grushnikov.

High-upside longer runway: Zharovsky, Hillström, Hensler, Jiříček, Eklund.