Hockey's Future - The #1 Online Prospects Resource

Most 18-year-olds spend their first fall out of high school working through the beginnings of college life or trying to find a job.

Most 18-year-olds aren’t NHL prospects.

The Nashville Predators have seven prospects in training camp who are only 18 or 19 years old.  The majority of the young Predators will take their skills back to the juniors for sharpening.  But some, in particular Scottie Upshall, may have a chance to crack the Nashville roster.

Upshall, 19, skated with the Predators for the first eight games of the season last year, but was sent back to the juniors where he would be able to play consistently. 

The 6’0”, 185-pound right winger scored 56 points (25 goals, 31 assists) last season with the Kamloops of the Western Hockey League.  He also played two games with the Milwaukee Admirals, scoring one goal. 

Upshall has already come out of the gates on fire scoring two goals in as many games against the Columbus Blue Jackets rookies in the first period of Sunday’s game. 

Upshall is the only 18- or 19-year-old prospect with a realistic shot of making the team.  The other six youngsters were 2003 draft choices.

Defensemen Kevin Klein, Shea Weber and Richard Stehlik, along with forward Paul Brown and goaltenders Miroslav Hanuljak and Rustam Sidikov represent the other six under-20 prospects in training camp for the Predators.

All six are expected to go back to their junior hockey team or overseas team, but the players are invited to training camp to get a taste of the pro competition and for the coaching staff to get a glimpse at all of the players in the system.

Klein, a 2003 second round pick, scored 44 points (11 goals, 33 assists) in 67 games last year for the Toronto St. Michael’s of the Ontario Hockey League.  The 6’1”, 184-pound defenseman is noted for his superior skating skills and potential two-way ability.  Klein likely will not be NHL-ready for another three to four years.

Weber, another 2003 second round pick for the Predators, skated in 70 games with Kelowna of the WHL.  The 6’3”, 190-pound defenseman is a tough guy who racked up 167 penalty minutes last season.

Stehlik is another big defenseman drafted by the Predators this year.  The 6-4, 245-pounder played with Sherbrooke of the QMJHL last season.  The 19-year-old is expected to return to Sherbrooke this season.

Brown, a teammate of Upshall, was drafted in the fourth round by the Predators.  The right winger scored 56 points (21 goals and 35 assists) in 67 games last year with the Kamloops.  Brown plays a similar style to Upshall and even racked up a team-leading 231 PIMs last year.

Goaltenders Miroslav Hanuljak and Rustam Sidkov are two of the young goalies in camp for the Predators. 

Hanuljak, 19, played with Litvinov of the Czech Republic Junior league last year.  The seventh round pick in this year’s draft is expected to return to the Czech Republic this season.

The 6’1”, 158-pound Sidkov was a fourth round pick by Nashville this year.  Sidkov played last year HC CSKA 2 in Moscow, Russia.  He is expected to return to Russia to play this season.

With the exception of Upshall, these prospects are in camp to learn more about the professional game of hockey and to hone their skills and talents under the watchful eyes of the Nashville organization.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS 2003 TRAINING CAMP 18 and 19-year-olds

Next will be a look at the 20 and-21-year-olds at training camp with the Nashville Predators.