The Nashville Predators claimed a former first-round pick by the Colorado Avalanche, adding Carolina Hurricanes forward Tyson Jost to the roster.
Jost, a forward, was waived by the Hurricanes on Sept. 30 and claimed by the Predators on Oct. 1. Nashville assigned forward Reid Schaefer to the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) in a corresponding move.
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Jost, 27, scored four goals and five assists in 39 games for the Hurricanes last season. The 5-foot-11, 187-pound left-hander also recorded four goals and nine points in 14 games for the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League.
Jost was a first-round pick (No. 10 overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft by the Avalanche. Since then, he has 61 goals and 88 assists in 496 NHL games with Colorado, Minnesota, Buffalo and Carolina. He also has played in 46 career playoff games, scoring six goals and four assists.
After a promising junior hockey career with the Penticton Vees (BCHL), Jost enrolled at North Dakota for the 2016-17 season after being drafted that summer. He had 16 goals and 19 assists in 33 games for the Fighting Hawks, then made his NHL debut on March 31, 2017.
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Last season, Jost played third-line minutes, mostly with Eric Robinson and rookie Blake Jackson. He did not play on special teams with the Hurricanes, though he was a reliable penalty killer with Colorado in his early seasons. His speed and playmaking are his primary skills, but he has not been a consistent goal-scorer in the NHL.
The move by the Predators comes just five days before their 23-man opening night roster must be set. Most of the roster has been decided, but at least two forward spots are up for grabs: Jost will join winger Joakim Kemell and center Brady Martin in a battle for those jobs. Luke Evangelista, who is not at camp while in a contract deadlock with the team, would be expected to step into a role once he signs.
The Predators have one more preseason game, on Oct. 4 against the Hurricanes (3 p.m. CT), before they open the regular season on Oct. 9 against the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. CT) at Bridgestone Arena.
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: Predators claim former 1st-round pick Tyson Jost from Hurricanes