Predators Prospects Ryker Lee and Teddy Stiga Eye World Juniors Spotlight
The Nashville Predators' pipeline is buzzing with promise, and that future could be on full display later this month at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Two of the organization’s top forward prospects - Ryker Lee and Teddy Stiga - have been named to Team USA’s preliminary roster, and both are heading into the tournament with something to prove.
Let’s start with Lee, the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He’s been turning heads in his freshman year at Michigan State, where he’s already become a key piece of a top-ranked Spartans squad.
Through 14 games, Lee has racked up 13 points (six goals, seven assists), good for fourth on the team in scoring. He’s been a consistent offensive threat and a reliable presence in all three zones - not something you always see from a first-year college player.
Michigan State sits at 9-3-0 and is ranked No. 3 in the nation, and Lee has been right in the thick of that success.
Then there’s Teddy Stiga, who’s no stranger to the big stage. If you’re a fan of clutch moments, you’ll remember him from last year’s World Juniors, where he scored the overtime winner in the gold medal game against Finland.
That goal didn’t just seal the championship - it cemented Stiga’s name in USA Hockey lore. Now, he’s aiming to run it back.
Stiga is in his second season at Boston College, and while his numbers aren’t eye-popping, they’re solid: 10 points in 13 games, ranking fifth on the team. The Eagles are 7-5-1 and sit at No. 15 nationally, and Stiga continues to be a steady contributor.
Drafted 55th overall in 2024, he came out of the U.S. National Team Development Program with a reputation for high-end skill and a big-game mentality.
That hasn’t changed.
Both Lee and Stiga are among 28 players named to Team USA’s preliminary roster. That number will be trimmed to 25 ahead of the tournament, which runs from December 26 to January 5 in St.
Paul, Minnesota. And while neither is guaranteed a final spot just yet, their resumes - especially Stiga’s gold-medal heroics and Lee’s breakout college start - give them a strong shot.
But the Predators’ presence at the World Juniors likely won’t stop there.
Three more Nashville prospects are projected to make Team Canada’s roster: Brady Martin (5th overall, 2025), Cameron Reid (21st overall, 2025), and Jack Ivankovic (58th overall, 2025). That’s a trio of high-ceiling talent, each with the tools to make an impact on the international stage.
And don’t forget about Viggo Gustafsson, the 77th overall pick in 2024. The Swedish defenseman is also projected to suit up for Team Sweden, adding another layer of international exposure for Nashville’s next wave.
For the Predators, this tournament is more than just a showcase. It’s a chance to see how their prospects stack up against the best in their age group, on one of hockey’s biggest stages. And for players like Lee and Stiga, it’s an opportunity to either introduce themselves to the hockey world - or remind it of what they’re capable of.
One’s chasing a breakout. The other’s chasing a repeat.
Either way, Nashville fans have plenty of reason to keep an eye on St. Paul this winter.