CHL to NHL: former WHL champ Schaefer suits up for Predators

Former Seattle Thunderbirds forward Reid Schaefer made his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators Friday night.

In a 4-3 win over Chicago, Schaefer played 10:22 and recorded two blocks and three hits.

An eighth round pick in the 2018 WHL Draft, Schaefer played 146 games for the T-Birds where he had 60 goals and 122 points between 2019-23. In his final season, he helped the Thunderbirds to another WHL title where after a 61-point regular season, he played at a point-per-game pace in 19 postseason tilts. At the Memorial Cup, he played in five games as Seattle reached the final.

Schaefer was also part of Canada’s 2023 World Juniors gold medal team where he played all seven games.

As a pro, the Edmonton, AB., native had made 97 appearances with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals ahead of his NHL debut.

Schaefer was selected 32nd overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2022 NHL Draft but saw his rights traded to Nashville the following February.

Moments you dream of.

Welcome to the show, Reid 🙌 pic.twitter.com/EvjZhfK1e9

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) November 29, 2025