WHL Stars & NHL Debuts: ‘Big Red’ goes big time in Preds debut
Chicago, Ill.- Reid Schaefer can add his NHL debut to his already gleaming hockey resume.
The 23-year-old forward from Edmonton, Alta. took his first strides for the Nashville Predators in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.
Moments you dream of.
Welcome to the show, Reid 🙌 pic.twitter.com/EvjZhfK1e9
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) November 29, 2025
Schaefer recorded two blocked shots, three hits and a -1 rating in 10:22 of ice time after being called up from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals.
The win sees the Predators sweep a two-game American Thanksgiving road trip to set up a November finale against the Winnipeg Jets at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.
A 6-foot-4, 218-pound winger, Schaefer has been one of the top contributors for the Admirals in 2025-26.
He’s registered four goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 15 regular-season games, in addition to 33 penalty minutes.
Schaefer has the second-most points and assists of any player on the team, while tying for third in goals.
Notably, his four goals and nine of his points have come in his last six outings, including a two-goal, one-assist effort in a 4-2 win over the Henderson Silver Knights.
Originally drafted by his hometown Edmonton Oilers with the 32nd overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Schaefer was picked up by the Predators in 2023 as part of the deal that sent Matthias Ekholm north.
A future first-round pick included in that deal would see Nashville choose 2025 WHL Champion Tanner Molendyk in the 2023 NHL Draft (first round, 24th overall).
Schaefer owns 49 points (19G-30A) in 97 AHL games over parts of three seasons.
The gritty forward played parts of four WHL seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds, culminating in a successful push for the Ed Chynoweth Cup in his final year.
Schaefer popped off for a 32-goal, 58-point campaign in 2021-22 and followed it up with a 61-point (28G-33A) run the following year, despite playing just 55 regular-season games.
He captured a gold medal for Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship and netted another 19 points (8G-11A) to capture the 2023 WHL Championship- including the game-winning-goal in Game 2 of the Championship Series.
Friends and family who have been with him every step of the way were on hand to watch him take his first NHL twirl in the windy city.
Family ties 🤞
Reid's family and friends were cheering him on from the stands tonight for his NHL debut! pic.twitter.com/i8u1ar2PnT
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) November 29, 2025
Schaefer and the Preds are back in action on Saturday, November 29, as they host the Winnipeg Jets (and his former Seattle teammate Thomas Milic) at 5:00 p.m. MST.
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