The Nashville Predators enter an intriguing offseason as their mindset shifts under new management. With a different vision, the future of a selection of players is uncertain, but one name sticks out of the rest more than others: Joakim Kemell.
Kemell is a top prospect in the Predators system, serving as the foundation of the wing's future. The 2022 draftee showed promising signs of development in Europe and the AHL, but when it came to taking the next step in the NHL, he struggled. He's played 18 games with Nashville, 16 coming from this season, and has only tallied three points. It took him 10 games to register his first point, a goal against Tampa Bay in March.
As the team looks to open up space in the lineup for incoming talent, Kemell's days could be numbered as general manager Chris MacFarland may consider trading him if he doesn't begin producing next season.
Kemell carries high upside, but has struggled to use it
The 22-year-old right winger is touted for his elite shooting. He carries a hard shot, ranking in the 99th percentile for average shot speed with 68.3 mph. Despite this, Kemell's only been able to find the net on one of his 12 shot attempts, or 8.3% of the time. Comparing that to his performance in Milwaukee last season, shooting at 14.5% accuracy, it's clear that he didn't lose his goal-scoring touch overnight.
One factor that may have impacted his scoring touch the most was where he was placed in the lineup. Thanks to a locked top six, Kemell was forced to stick in the bottom six where he played around 10 minutes a night, often being placed with grittier, less explosive players. As a result, he was rarely given the ideal passes he'd see back with the Admirals.
Typically, Kemell skated alongside the likes of Fedor Svechkov, Zachary L'Heureux and Reid Schaefer. While they're all good players, they aren't exactly the best playmakers. Every good sniper needs a good playmaker. Alexander Ovechkin had Nicklas Backstrom, Leon Draisaitl had Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews had Mitch Marner. If he were given someone who carried the same level of talent on the puck, maybe we could've seen him reach his fullest potential.
If there's one thing that didn't take a dip, it was his physicality. Being paired with gritty players for most of his NHL tenure, Kemell has taken on the role of serving as a physical presence, a strong suit of his. He racked up 25 hits and nine blocked shots this season, per MoneyPuck. A theme among Nashville's core is its physicality, and he suits that perfectly.
The situation isn't his fault, but the pressure is still on
Kemell still carries that elite shooting talent scouts noted in 2022, but the current environment around him lacks the ingredients needed for him to see results. It isn't his fault, however, as past management failed to acknowledge the potential of its talent. Unfortunately for him, his time could be running out if MacFarland looks to open up the roster to change.
The current shape of the roster is discouraging for Kemell, but with MacFarland's main mission being prospect development, there's a chance he could start seeing results sooner than later. Opening up more ice time on the wing with the departure of some players would not only give him more ice time, but also better linemates as a result.
Another idea that arises is switching Kemell from right to left wing. It makes a lot of sense. He has a hard shot, pair that with his one-time abilities and he could be a backup to Stamkos on the left wing. It gives him a better shot at getting a promotion later down the line as he isn't stumped by Luke Evangelista on the right side, potentially earning a shot to play alongside him for that ideal playmaker.
MacFarland has got the chance to give Kemell the spotlight he deserves. It isn't every day that a player like Kemell arises in the lineup, so he must capitalize on it before it's too late.
