Predators sign Jack Ahcan, Hunter Skinner
The Nashville Predators announced Wednesday they have signed defenseman Jack Ahcan and forward Hunter Skinner to two-way contracts.
Ahcan’s deal is a two-year contract, while Skinner’s is one year. According to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, Ahcan’s deal has a $875,000 cap hit, while PuckPedia is reporting that Skinner will make $850,000.
Ahcan, 29, had two assists in 11 games with the Colorado Avalanche last season. He spent most of the 2025-26 campaign with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, where he recorded 11 goals and 39 assists for 50 points in 61 games.
A native of Savage, Minn., Ahcan appeared in three Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Avs last spring. He also played in 11 Calder Cup Playoff contests with the Eagles, where he recorded a goal and four assists for five points.
In parts of six AHL campaigns, Ahcan has 34 goals and 164 assists for 198 points in 333 regular-season games. He also has two goals and six assists for eight points in 22 career AHL playoff contests.
Ahcan played four seasons of college hockey with St. Cloud State University between 2016-17 and 2019-20, where he scored 21 goals and added 82 assists for 103 points in 144 career NCAA games.
In 2025-26, Skinner played 60 games with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, where he scored seven goals and added 12 assists for 19 points and 61 penalty minutes. He also appeared in two Calder Cup Playoff games.
He made his NHL debut last season with the St. Louis Blues.
In six AHL seasons, Skinner, a Wyandotte, Mich., native has 23 goals and 52 assists for 75 points and 310 penalty minutes in 263 career regular-season games. He’s played in five total Calder Cup Playoff games.
Taken in the fourth round by the New York Rangers in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Skinner spent three seasons in the USHL, scoring five goals and 19 assists for 24 points and 85 penalty minutes in 83 career regular-season games with the Lincoln Stars and Muskegon Lumberjacks.
He also spent one season in the OHL with the London Knights, scoring six goals and 26 assists for 32 points in 62 regular-season games.