Roman Josi’s potential key teammate on the Predators makes blunt admission about trade from Oilers

Roman Josi’s Nashville Predators are looking to make headlines in the upcoming NHL season, and one of the keys to achieving that will undoubtedly be having a roster built for the moment. A former Edmonton Oilers player, who has yet to see ice time since being drafted, made a striking revelation about his trade.

Reid Schaefer entered the league in 2022 after being selected 32nd overall by Edmonton. However, as part of a major trade involving defenseman Mattias Ekholm, the young prospect ultimately landed with the Predators — still waiting to make his debut with the first team.

In a recent conversation with the media, Schaefer — who has been playing with the AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals — shared how he felt upon learning he was leaving the franchise that had placed its faith in him just a few years earlier.

“I was a little shocked at first. I’ve been an Oilers’ fan for a long time (sweaters all around his house). I was pretty thrilled to be part of that organization but looking back, being part of the Ekholm trade it was a win-win for me,” he said.

Reid Schaefer is drafted by the Edmonton Oilers.

“I think there’s more opportunity for me in Nashville, a quicker route to the NHL, where Edmonton’s in a win-now mode,” he said. “I mean it (expletive) (the trade) at first, but looking back, it’s a blessing in disguise.”

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Chasing a place on the final roster

Despite not yet having made his official NHL debut, Schaefer will be looking to earn a spot on the Predators’ final roster heading into the upcoming season. However, an injury could put that goal in jeopardy for the young talent.

“The shoulder (issue) had been lingering for three years but it fully came out at camp…a puck battle in the corner and I kind of got cross-checked….Then on December 7, it was another weird one, just a light bump. I tried a reverse hit, and the shoulder came out,” he said.

Schaefer recorded seven goals and 14 assists in 63 games during his first season with the Admirals, but was limited to just 19 games in the 2024–25 season with Milwaukee due to injury.

Predators looking to make a statement

Heading into the new NHL season, expectations for the Nashville Predators are squarely tied to the continued elite performance of their captain and franchise cornerstone, Roman Josi. The Predators are looking to build on their momentum, with Josi serving as both the emotional leader and the engine of the team’s offense from the blue line.

While key contributors like Filip Forsberg and Juuse Saros are essential to the team’s success, it is Josi’s two-way brilliance and unparalleled consistency that set the standard. The hope in Nashville is that Josi can once again contend for the Norris Trophy while guiding a talented roster to not just another playoff berth, but a deeper run towards a Stanley Cup title.