Predators Activate Justus Annunen

The Nashville Predators activated goaltender Justus Annunen off of injured reserve today, per team reporter Brooks Bratten. In a corresponding move, the club reassigned netminder Matthew Murray to its AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.

On Oct. 3, the Predators announced that Annunen had suffered an undisclosed injury and would be sidelined on a day-to-day basis. A few days later, the club placed him on injured reserve and recalled Murray from the AHL. Thanks to this pair of transactions, the Predators were able to utilize Annunen as their backup behind starter Juuse Saros for tonight’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

Annunen, 26, has yet to make his 2026-27 debut as a result of the injury. He has been with the Predators since the middle of the 2024-25 season, when the club acquired him from the Colorado Avalanche in a trade that sent Scott Wedgewood to Denver. Interestingly, the GM who negotiated that deal for Colorado – Chris MacFarland – now heads Nashville’s hockey operations department.

In his nearly two seasons in Nashville, Annunen has played some of the best hockey of his professional career. He was somewhat shaky in 2024-25 as the Predators struggled for the bulk of the season, but he found a new level in 2025-26.

Last season, Annunen posted a .907 save percentage and 2.64 goals-against average. His strong performances allowed him to push Saros, a former All-Star who has been the team’s undisputed No. 1 goalie since the retirement of Pekka Rinne, for starts.

In January, Annunen signed a two-year, $1.25MM AAV contract extension to keep him in Nashville until the summer of 2028. With an additional year on his deal after this one, it seems almost certain that Annunen will remain Saros’ backup for at least the next two years.

Annunen’s recovery has cost Murray his spot on the Predators’ roster. Murray isn’t leaving Nashville empty-handed, though, as the 28-year-old made his first NHL start since the 2023-24 season, and played in just his fifth NHL game overall. The veteran stopped 18 of 20 shots for Nashville in a loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 10.

Murray is the No. 3 goalie in the Predators organization, a role he’s occupied since 2024-25. Murray has been one of the AHL’s very best goalies for the Admirals, especially in his debut campaign for the club. That year, he went 28-10-5 in 43 games. Murray’s .932 save percentage led the AHL and he became an All-Star for the first time in his pro career.

Now reassigned back to the AHL, Murray will form a tandem with 24-year-old Isak Posch in Milwaukee.