Predators top prospect Tanner Molendyk finds AHL a grind with Admirals

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Predators top prospect Tanner Molendyk finds AHL a grind with Admirals

Dave Kallmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel · Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wed, Apr 15, 2026 ·

5 min read

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A quick online search leaves little doubt about the expectations for Tanner Molendyk .

He's "on the fast track" … the Nashville Predators ' top prospect and No. 25 across the NHL … a speed demon … potential replacement for Roman Josi "as their next stud d-man."

As the end of his first regular season as a pro nears, there's no reason to think Molendyk can't live up to the hype.

But he also just turned 21 and is still gaining confidence against bigger and more athletic competition than he'd ever faced while learning to navigate daily life without parents or a billet family handling dinner and laundry and bills.

Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Tanner Molendyk moves the puck out of his defensive zone while San Jose Barracuda right wing Oliver Wahlstrom chases pursues him in a game at the UWM Panther Arena.

And in the mind of Milwaukee Admirals coach Karl Taylor, that's perfectly OK. Maybe even expected.

"The thing the fans and all the pundits don't understand is that for everyone except for the elite, elite one-percenters, eventually it gets hard at some point, right?" said Taylor, who has earned a reputation for developing young players with Nashville's AHL affiliate.

"And so for some people, that's when they're in junior, some of them that's in the East Coast League, when they're in American League, then NHL, sometimes it depends on all those things.

"It's a challenge because these kids have had a lot of success and not a lot of failure. And so each year we sit down with all our first-year players and let them know that failure will come. It's OK. We'll work through it when it comes and don't be surprised."

Molendyk, a first-round draft pick in 2023 , performed well enough in Predators camp the past two summers that he nearly made the NHL roster . The first time Molendyk was sent back to juniors because of AHL age restrictions and helped Medicine Hat win the Western Hockey League title. The second time around he was assigned to the Admirals, and he has been with Milwaukee all season.

Entering the final weekend of the season – the playoff-bound Admirals host Grand Rapids on April 17 and visit Chicago the following two days – Molendyk had four goals and 18 assists in 57 games. His 22 points rank fourth among Admirals rookies and 11thoverall. Offensively the highlight was an overtime winner in a comeback victory March 29 against Chicago.

Overall the statistics aren't what he would have expected after a point-a-game pace over his past two WHL seasons. But even beyond the numbers, the native of Kamloops, British Columbia, readily admits his first pro season has been a grind.

Milwaukee Admirals center Oasiz Wiesblatt (88) prepares to take a faceoff against the Iowa Wild in the second period of a game Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

San Jose Barracuda forward Donavan Houle (83) slams Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Jack Matier (51) into the Admirals bench in the first period of a game Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals goaltender Matt Murray (32) waits to get on the ice for a game against the Iowa Wild on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Kevin Gravel skates against the Texas Stars during a game Saturday, November 15, 2025, at UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Jack Matier (51) levels San Jose Barracuda forward Kasper Halttunen (14) in the third period of a game Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The. Barracuda won, 3-1.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals left wing Isaac Ratcliffe (15) shoots against the Iowa Wild in the third period of a game Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals left wing Navrin Mutter (47) sits on the bench between drills on the opening day of training camp Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

San Jose Barracuda forward Anthony Vincent (76) tumbles over Milwaukee Admirals left wing Isaac Ratcliffe (15) in the third period of a game Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The. Barracuda won, 3-1.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals center Oasiz Wiesblatt (88) looks to pass the puck against the Iowa Wild in the second period of a game Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals left wing Daniel Carr (43) streaks down the ice with the puck on the opening day of training camp Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Dallas Stars forward Ayrton Martino crunches Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Jack Matier against the boards during a game Saturday, November 15, 2025, at UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Tanner Molendyk (50) falls backward onto Milwaukee Admirals goaltender Matt Murray (32) as he tries to clear the puck against the Iowa Wild in the third period of a game Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Tanner Molendyk (50) protects the puck from San Jose Barracuda forward Anthony Vincent (76) in the third period of a game Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The. Barracuda won, 3-1.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Andrew Gibson (6) leans on Iowa Wild right wing Jean-Luc Foudy (86) and Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Jordan Oesterle (82) on Iowa Wild forward Ryan Sandelin (13) to clear space in front of Milwaukee Admirals goaltender Matt Murray (32) in the third period of a game Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals left wing Daniel Carr (43) is sent flying in a collision with Iowa Wild forward Bradley Marek (10) in the second period of a game Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Nashville Predators goalie coach Mitch Korn talks with goaltender Ethan Haider (31) on the opening day of training camp Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals center Oasiz Wiesblatt (88) collides with Iowa Wild right wing Cameron Butler (42) in the third period of a game Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The puck hops away after a faceoff between Milwaukee Admirals center Austin Roest (63) and San Jose Barracuda forward Patrick Giles (54) in the first period of a game Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

San Jose Barracuda defenseman Braden Hache (86) ties up Milwaukee Admirals left wing Josh Davies (10) in the second period of a game Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Teammate congratulate Milwaukee Admirals center Austin Roest (63) on his goal against the San Jose Barracuda in the first period of a game Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Admirals head coach Karl Taylor supervises drills on the opening day of training camp Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

"Obviously slow start to the year, just kind of finding my feet," Molendyk said. "Not to use that as an excuse, but yeah, I started slow. Not many points, not really playing my game tough when it's getting down to this part of the year."

Molendyk, who suffered a lower body injury in rookie camp, missed 10 games from late January through February with an upper body injury. He racked up seven assists in the seven games that followed but then cooled again offensively.

Life is different, and so is the game.

"Guys want to hit you instead of grab the puck, which is a difference," said Molendyk, who is listed as 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds.

"Guys are just stronger. You've got to be more prepared to get hit in this league. As a junior, you could get hit and be like, OK, he was 115, 110 pounds. But not here. They're all 220."

Competing daily against professionals – some with hundreds of games of NHL experience – has helped him understand where he needs more growth.

Overall he has seen progress too.

"I'd probably say I'm getting back to pucks faster," Molendyk said. "That's had to be a big thing for me. I feel like, [as a] junior … I could just go back as slow as I wanted to, do a little move and get out of the zone. Here you've got to get back quick and then use your partner most of the time to get out of the zone, which I think is something I've had to kind of work on is using other guys."

Defenseman Tanner Molendyk was the 24th pick of the 2023 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators.

Molendyk conceded he sometimes is "sleepy right off the bat" and needs to be better at being ready for every shift.

The Admirals want to see the prospect, considered an elite skater, take advantage of his speed.

"He's learned how to check and he knows how to defend now and what we expect here," Taylor said. "That's always going to be something we're pushing him towards.

"You don't want to lose the good stuff and the stuff that made them a high pick or to increase the expectations, but you definitely want to make sure that you fill the gaps so that when they go to the National Hockey League it's a smooth transition and they don't come back."

As for the expectations, Molendyk is aware of the eyes that have been on him for going on three years, but he's not particularly concerned and he tries to be impervious to outside pressure.

"They don't choose how you play or they're not putting your skates on for you," he said, "and they're not sitting beside you telling what you're doing bad or telling you you're doing good.

"Obviously you see some stuff. But you've kind of just gotta wash it away."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk challenged as Admirals AHL rookie

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Predators top prospect Tanner Molendyk finds AHL a grind with Admirals

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