With the 26th pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Nashville Predators have selected Ryker Lee from the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League (USHL)
About Ryker Lee
Ryker Lee is a deceptive winger who led draft-year prospects in USHL scoring this past season (68 points in 58 games). He’s a high-level playmaker, employing his smarts to make dangerous passes and generate quality scoring chances. At 6-foot and 185 pounds, he’s not necessarily big but gets involved along the boards to retrieve pucks. That’s not something all forwards do, and it gives him further play-driving upside.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
There are knocks on Lee’s skating, as noted in The Hockey Writers‘ prospect profile excerpted below, but his knack for creating chances makes him an intriguing prospect. He has the potential to be a playmaking middle-six forward, if not better, at the NHL level. Lee is set to play college hockey at Michigan State University next season, which will put his skills to the test against more difficult competition.
THW Profile Excerpt
“Ryker Lee is a young forward who impacts all three zones and forechecks hard. He doesn’t just dump the puck—he dumps and chases, making sure he gets possession back and creates extra scoring chances out of nothing. With a high hockey IQ, he sets up a lot of goals with his slick dekes, leading the Madison Capitols in points this season.
“Naturally, his skating and IQ should improve with time, especially since he will be joining a big-time program at Michigan State next season, where he should develop a more all-around game in the tough Big Ten Conference.
Sign up for our FREE NHL Prospects & Draft Substack newsletter
“Lee has the potential to be a top-six forward at the NHL level with his offensive generation. He’s a little underrated in this draft because Canadian Hockey League (CHL) guys get most of the attention, but the USHL is a harder league to play in, especially defensively, where teams are more structured and tougher to break down. The fact that he put up the numbers he did in such a tight-checking league shows how well he can create and make plays in big moments.
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Predators’ Plans
The Predators are getting good value with Lee at No. 26. He and Brady Martin (taken at fifth overall) are two potential top-six linemates at the NHL level, assuming both players hit. They have the skill sets to complement each other quite well.
Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide
Landing defenseman Cameron Reid at 21st overall, too, Nashville did a good job of addressing several aspects of their lineup at the 2025 NHL Draft. There’s work to do, but they’ve made progress.
