The Nashville Predators will play Brady Martin on opening night against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 9, making him the second-youngest player to debut in franchise history.
Martin, the Predators’ top selection in the 2025 NHL Draft at No. 5 overall, will be 18 years and 207 days old when he takes the ice against the Blue Jackets. That’s just 36 days older than Scott Hartnell (18 years, 171 days) when he debuted on Oct. 6, 2000, against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Hartnell is also the youngest player to score a goal for the Predators, getting his first on Nov. 11, 2000, against Boston at 18 years, 207 days old.
Even though Martin has made the roster out of training camp, he still might not play the full season in Nashville. The Predators can play him in up to nine games before sending him back to the OHL. If they do that, he cannot return to the NHL until the 2026-27 season.
If they choose to keep him in Nashville for more than nine games, his junior hockey career is over and the clock begins on his three-year, entry-level contract.
The youngest players to debut, score goal for the Nashville Predators
The Predators do not have a long history of putting teenagers in their lineup. Longtime general manager David Poile preferred to slow-cook prospects in junior hockey and the American Hockey League before getting their taste of the NHL. So far, Barry Trotz has followed suit, until this year.
Ahead of Martin’s debut, here are the five youngest to play their first NHL game for the Predators:
Scott Hartnell — 18 years, 171 days (Oct. 6, 2000, at Pittsburgh)David Legwand — 18 years, 243 days (April 17, 1999, vs New Jersey)Filip Forsberg — 18 years, 244 days (April 14, 2013, vs Detroit)Kevin Fiala — 18 years, 245 days (March 24, 2015, vs Montreal)Eeli Tolvanen — 18 years, 343 days (March 31, 2018, vs Buffalo)
Hartnell is the youngest player to score his first NHL goal with the Predators, a feat that Martin could tie if he scores against the Blue Jackets. Here are the five youngest players to score their first NHL goal with Nashville:
Scott Hartnell — 18 years, 207 days (Nov. 11, 2000, vs Boston)Seth Jones — 19 years, 9 days (Oct. 12, 2013, vs New York Islanders)Scottie Upshall — 19 years, 12 days (Oct. 19, 2002, at New York Rangers)David Legwand — 19 years, 55 days (Oct. 11, 1999, at Toronto)Filip Forsberg — 19 years, 56 days (Oct. 8, 2013, vs Minnesota)
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.