Nashville Claims Minnesota Wild Defenseman, Waives Jack Ahcan

NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators have claimed defenseman Daemon Hunt from the Minnesota Wild and subsequently waived defenseman Jack Ahcan.

Hunt is a 24-year-old from Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, who was selected with the 65th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild. Hunt made his NHL debut in October of 2023 and he's played 56 NHL games with the Wild, with seven assits to his name. He averaged 14 minutes of ice times in 11 games this season for Minnesota, tallying 11 blocked shots and seven hits with one takeaway.

He is the second defenseman the Predators claimed off waivers this year, joining former New York Rangers defender William Trudeau.

Subsequently, the team placed Ahcan on waivers to make room for Hunt, and he will likely join the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL if he clears waivers. Ahcan played in three games for Nashville this year, with one assist, two hits, two takeaways, and one blocked shot. He signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Predators this season after spending the last two seasons under contract with the Colorado Avalanche.

Four of the nine Nashville Predators defensemen are new to the roster this season, as new team president of hockey opperations and general manager Chris MacFarland continues to retool the roster in his first season. He traded for Ilya Lyubuskin in the offeseason. He traded for Jayden Struble in the second week of the year and has now claimed Trudeau and Hunt off waivers. Trudeau is currently on injured reserve after getting hurt during Nashville's game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Nasvhille Predators Defensemen

• 2, Adam Wilsby
• 3, Jayden Struble
• 41, Nic Hague
• 46, Ilya Lyubushkin
• 48, Nick Perbix
• 59, Roman Josi
• 76, Brady Skjei
• 85, William Trudeau
• ##, Daemon Hunt

Nashville Predators Waiver Activity Over The Last 30 Days

• Defenseman, Hunter Skinner - waived and sent to Milwaukee Admirals
• Defenseman, Justin Barron - waived and claimed by St. Louis Blues
• Defenseman, William Trudeau - claimed by Nashville Predators
• Defenseman, Ilya Lyubuskin - waived and returned to Nashville Predators
• Defenseman, Nick Perbix - waived and returned to Nashville Predators
• Forward, Tyson Jost - waived and sent to Milwaukee Admirals
• Defenseman, Daemon Hunt - claimed by Nashville Predators
• Defenseman, Jack Ahcan - waived and status pending

The Predators return to action on Saturday, Oct. 24, against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 6 p.m. and then return to Nashville for a home game on Sunday, Oct. 25 against the Colorado Avalanche at 7 p.m. CT.

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