Nashville, Tenn. (March 24, 2025) – Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz announced today that the team has agreed to a multi-year extension of its affiliation agreement with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals through the 2028-29 season.
“On behalf of the Predators organization, including our Assistant GM and Milwaukee GM Scott Nichol, we are excited to continue our well-established and prosperous affiliation with the Admirals for another four years,” Trotz said. “Under the leadership of Harris Turer and his ownership group and Jon Greenberg and his front office staff, the Admirals have fostered a winning culture with an emphasis on player development on and off the ice, helping our young men become prepared to take the next step at the NHL level. We are proud of our longstanding relationship with Milwaukee – one of the longest affiliations in our sport – and this commitment to the future will create an even stronger bond between our two franchises and fanbases.”
The Predators and Admirals have functioned as affiliates since Nashville’s inaugural season in 1998-99 – the third-longest active streak in the AHL – with 215 players appearing in at least one game for both teams. Additionally, nine of Milwaukee’s head or assistant coaches have progressed to the NHL level, including current Predators Assistant Coach Todd Richards, who served in the same role for the Admirals from 2002-06.
“We are thrilled to extend this very successful partnership between our two organizations for another four seasons,” Admirals Owner/CEO Harris Turer said. “Beginning with David Poile and now continuing with Barry and Scott Nichol, the Predators staff is committed to putting a winning team on the ice in Milwaukee while also developing players for the next level. Since I bought the team in 2005, the road to Nashville has truly gone through Milwaukee, and we are proud of all the Admirals Alums who have found success with the Predators.”
Numerous current Predators players skated in Milwaukee before moving up to the NHL, including Captain Roman Josi, All-Star goaltender Juuse Saros and franchise goals leader Filip Forsberg. Josi suited up in 74 games for the Admirals from 2010-12; Saros earned a spot on the AHL’s All-Rookie Team in 2015-16 and a nod to the AHL All-Star Classic in 2016-17; and Forsberg played his first full season in North America with Milwaukee in 2013-14. Additionally, Colton Sissons served as the youngest captain in Admirals history during the 2015-16 season and younger players such as Luke Evangelista, Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov have all worn the Admirals jersey prior to their time in the NHL.
Further showcasing the organization’s depth, a total of 12 players have appeared in a game for both Nashville and Milwaukee in 2024-25: Forwards Kieffer Bellows, Vinnie Hinostroza, Joakim Kemell, L’Heureux, Jake Lucchini, Svechkov and Ozzy Wiesblatt; and defensemen Nick Blankenburg, Marc Del Gaizo, Kevin Gravel, Spencer Stastney and Adam Wilsby.
Led by Predators Assistant General Manager/Director of Player Development Scott Nichol, who also serves as Milwaukee’s GM, and Head Coach Karl Taylor, the Admirals are 32-20-5-6 (75 points) through 63 games this season and clinched a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs on Sunday.
Last season, Milwaukee earned a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs and reached the AHL’s Western Conference Final for the second consecutive campaign for the first time in team history. A model of consistency in the AHL, the Admirals have qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs in 23 of the 26 seasons that the playoffs have been conducted; won the Calder Cup in 2004; reached the finals in 2006; and won the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as regular-season champions in 2019-20.
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