Preds Prospect Report: Molendyk's Magic & Sward's Stache

October has officially come to a close and with it another week of hockey for the Nashville Predators prospect pool.

Click here to view this week’s prospect report.

Make Way for Molendyk

Selected 24th overall at the draft this summer and signed to a three-year entry-level contract soon after, Predators defensive prospect Tanner Molendyk entered his fourth year with the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades with momentum to burn.

After 10 games, Molendyk finds himself tied for fourth among all WHL blueliners in points (15; 4g-11a) and sixth among all WHL skaters in plus-minus (+12). His 11 assists are additionally the second-most among Saskatoon’s lineup.

With dozens more games to play and the memories of a first-round selection and an NHL training camp debut fresh in his mind, Molendyk is no doubt eager to continue impressing Nashville’s front office.

“I think going back to Saskatoon with a lot of confidence is going to be huge for me,” Molendyk said at training camp in September. “And I think [I’m] just kind of using that to take what I had from last playoffs and build on it and start producing more.”

Molendyk - who’s currently projected to conclude 2023-24 with 96 points (26g-70a) - returns to the ice with Saskatoon tonight at 7 p.m. CT against the Prince George Cougars.

Fans can track Molendyk’s season on the Saskatoon Blade’s website and social media platforms, or by subscribing to CHL TV. 

Sward’s Movember Motivation

Predators defensive prospect Graham Sward’s on-ice production isn’t the only impressive part of his game these days.

Currently on a 13-game point streak and named to the CHL’s Team of the Month on Wednesday, Sward has also grown a Forsberg-tier mustache, which he’ll be rocking all November in support of a cause close to his heart.

“I’m raising funds and awareness this Movember for all the granddads, dads, brothers, sons, coaches and teammates in our lives,” Sward wrote on his Movember Canada donation page. “After losing my grandpa just over two years ago to cancer that started in his prostate, I decided to join the Movember Campaign in his honor so that other kids like me can have a couple more fishing trips.”

Fans can track Sward’s stache progress throughout the month and donate to his Movember campaign by clicking here.