Predators Acquire Ross Colton, Isak Posch

The winds continued to blow Colton towards a bruiser role this season. He finished the year with 159 hits but only 24 points – the lowest scoring across a full NHL season of his five-year career. On the back of that scoring dip, he fell out of the Avalanche’s nightly roster as the end of the season rolled around. Colton was held out of the first two games of the postseason but returned to the lineup in Game 3 of the first round. He went on to tally five points and 38 hits in just 11 games – an encouraging sign of energy after a lineup battled with Joel Kiviranta.

Colton will now take that momentum into an important role on a young Nashville squad. The Predators have rotated through play-driving bruisers over the last three seasons. Kiefer Sherwood ceded his role to rookie Zachary L’Heureux, backed by Michael McCarron, in 2024. McCarron continued to lead the Predators’ physical presence until he was traded to the Minnesota Wild ahead of the 2026 Trade Deadline. Now, Colton will move into that role – while offering a bit more scoring punch than his predecessors, including Sherwood who didn’t find his scoring touch until after departing Nashville.

As part of this move, Colorado and Nashville will also swap depth goaltenders. Posch, headed to the Predators, played through the first full, pro season of his hockey career after signing with Colorado out of St. Cloud State last Spring. He recorded 15 wins, two shutouts, and an .891 save percentage in 28 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Posch only served one season as St. Cloud’s starter – though he turned in a dominant performance, with 12 wins and a .923 save percentage in 22 games. He was a young free-agent signing who could still have untapped potential.

Colorado will receive a goalie one-year older, and with a bit more experience, than Posch. Chrona made his NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks in the 2023-24 season, amid a wave of chaos in net that also saw Devin Cooley debut. He has spent the two seasons since as the backup to Matt Murray for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. Chrona racked up 21 wins and a .899 save percentage in 55 games over those two seasons. He has signed a two-year deal with the SHL’s Brynas IF set to begin in the 2026-27 season. That move will effectively vacate a spot on the Colorado depth chart, which should open room for prospect Ilya Nabokov as he moves over from Russia’s KHL.