Predators Sign Tanner Molendyk to Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract

Nashville, Tenn. (July 6, 2023) - Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz announced today that the team has signed defenseman Tanner Molendyk to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Molendyk, 18 (2/3/05), was selected by the Predators in the first round (24th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, held last week in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena. Molendyk established WHL career highs in games played (67), goals (9), assists (28) and points (37) with Saskatoon in 2022-23, helping lead his team to the Eastern Conference Final. The 5-foot-11, 181-pound blueliner added three goals and five assists in 18 postseason games, sharing the lead for goals and finishing second and tied for second in points and assists, respectively, among WHL defensemen. Molendyk also was second on the Blades and 10th among WHL skaters in his position in plus-minus at +31, a career high.

At the international level, the McBride, B.C., native won gold with fellow Predators prospects Matthew Wood, Kalan Lind and Dylan MacKinnon at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he had the third-most points (4) and assists (3) by a Canadian defenseman at the tournament.