NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Nashville Predators’ season just ended and the team is already searching for the next generation of hockey stars in Middle Tennessee.
Nashville Jr. Predators — the team’s youth program — is adopting the Preds Select single-A teams into the program.
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Single-A is generally considered the lowest level of competitive hockey. The merger gives kids a direct pathway to playing at the highest level.
“Kind of having too many different options, I think almost confuses a lot of people who are new to the game, where now underneath one roof this is your place, your home for travel hockey,” Preds Select Program Director Dom Cuce told News 2.
Preds’ Select players will now have access to NJP’s experienced coaches, training to cater to all skill levels and travel opportunities.
One of those coaches is former Nashville Predators player JP Dumont, who also serves as Director of Hockey Operations for the NJP.
Dumont said the collaboration is crucial to grow the sport, especially in a non-traditional hockey market.
“We have a lot of first generation hockey players and parents who never really grew up around the game or played the game,” Dumont explained. “We want to make sure everyone enjoys their time in Nashville, knowing that there’s a place for them to play so they don’t have to move and go away.”
For the 2025-26 season, the program will include seven single-A teams: 10U A1, 10U A2, 12U A1, 12U A2, 14U A1, 14U A2, and 16U A1.
Tryouts for all seven teams will be held from Monday, April 28 to Thursday, May 1 at the Ford Ice Centers in Bellevue and Antioch.
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