The Nashville Predators’ prospect pipeline has a strong Michigan flavor to it, and next season the state will be a major stage for four of the organization’s young players.
Two will suit up for Michigan and two for Michigan State. Defenseman Cameron Reid and goalie Jack Ivankovic are headed to the Wolverines, while forward Ryker Lee and defenseman Tommy Bleyl will skate for the Spartans. With both schools loaded up, the in-state matchup should put a few familiar Predators prospects on opposite sides of the ice.
That setup gives Nashville a front-row seat to some high-level NCAA development. The Predators already have a deep college presence, with six other prospects in the NCAA beyond the Michigan quartet, including Teddy Stiga, Jacob Rombach and Wyatt Cullen.
For Michigan, Reid and Ivankovic bring the kind of backbone that can shape a season. Reid was one of the standout defensemen in the 2025 draft class, and he backed that up in his final OHL season.
After putting up 54 points in his draft year, he returned to captain the Kitchener Rangers and finished with 56 points in 57 games, even with ten fewer games than the year before. He then helped lead Kitchener to both the OHL title and the CHL’s Memorial Cup.
Now he’s moving into his first NCAA season with plenty of momentum, especially with Malcolm Spence and Landon DuPont alongside him.
Ivankovic has already shown he can handle the spotlight despite a smaller frame. Listed at 5-foot-11, 179 pounds, he helped push Michigan to the Frozen Four for an NCAA-leading 29th time.
In 35 games, he posted a .921 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average, added three shutouts, and finished with a 25-8-1 record. His .773 winning percentage ranks fourth among NCAA goalies.
Michigan State’s attack will lean heavily on Lee and Bleyl. Lee made an immediate impact in his first season with the Spartans after coming over from the USHL.
The 2025 26th overall pick was expected to help, but he exceeded those expectations by scoring 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points in 35 games. He played a key top-six role alongside Porter Martone, Cayden Lindstrom and Charlie Stramel, and now he enters his sophomore year as one of the team’s main offensive drivers.
Bleyl arrives as another fresh piece for the Spartans. In his rookie season with the Moncton Wildcats in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League, he put up 13 goals and 81 points in 63 games, leading both the league and the CHL in defensive points. His hands and playmaking should fit cleanly into Michigan State’s fast offense, and the fact that he spent time with Lee at Preds Dev Camp earlier this month could give the two an early chemistry boost that carries over into the season.