The defensive options are plentiful for Nashville Predators coach Andrew Brunette − Roman Josi is healthy, Brady Skjei is back, and with the additions of Nic Hague and Nick Perbix, the blue line is populated with big names eager to contribute.

But so far, it’s 25-year-old Adam Wilsby that’s caught Brunette’s attention the most.

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“I thought he was one of our best players on the ice today,” Brunette told reporters at Ford Ice Center Bellevue on Sept. 18.

A fourth-round pick in 2020, Wilsby made his NHL debut last season, then skated in 23 games for Nashville. After scoring a sensational first goal and adding four assists, Wilsby suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out the rest of the season.

According to Brunette, Wilsby looks fully recovered from the injury and ready to show he’s one of the best defensemen on the team.

“He battled, he looks strong and he looks bigger from last year,” Brunette said.

Why Adam Wilsby will stand out among the Predators‘ defensive group

Listed at 6-foot-1, 188 pounds, Wilsby has that rare blend of size and speed on the back end. He’s an excellent skater with dynamic puck skill to help him escape pressure situations. As a prospect playing in Sweden, he was projected to be an offensive defenseman, but his defensive game has grown since his draft year.

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In camp, Wilsby has been skating with 24-year-old Justin Barron, whom the Predators acquired just before Wilsby was hurt in December. Barron, one of the team’s speedier defensemen, is excited about the possibilities with Wilsby this year.

“You see the skill that’s there in his game. How smart he is, how well he skates, how strong he is,” Barron said. “I’m excited to see him in real live games this year.”

Wilsby joins a suddenly crowded defensive room for the Predators, which includes several of the team’s highest paid players. Josi, Skjei, Perbix, and Hague will get most of the ice time, leaving only bottom pairing minutes for players like Wilsby and Barron, but so far Brunette has been impressed.

“We’re looking at everything, but it was a really good showing by them in two days,” Brunette. “I thought they both moved extremely well. (Wilsby) was really strong on the puck, they both have some familiarity with each other. We’re excited to see it.”

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Through two days of camp, the defensive pairings have been consistent: Josi with Hague, Skjei with Perbix, and Wilsby with Barron. Other defensemen in the mix include Spencer Stastney, Andreas Englund, Andrew Gibson and Nick Blankenburg. Rookies Tanner Molendyk and Cameron Reid have been dealing with lower body injuries and are not practicing yet.

FULL SCHEDULE: Nashville Predators’ 2025-26 schedule released: Opponents, dates, key matchups

The first opportunity to see the Predators in the preseason comes on Sept. 21, a doubleheader against the Florida Panthers at Bridgestone Arena. Game times are 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. and will be streamed on the Predators’ website.

Nashville opens the regular season at home on Oct. 9 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Andrew Brunette called Adam Wilsby one of Predators’ ‘best players’ in camp