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Forsberg will debut tonight on Preds’ top line

Filip Forsberg

Filip Forsberg #16 of Team Sweden skates against Team Finland at the USA hockey junior evaluation camp at the Lake Placid Olympic Center on August 7, 2012 in Lake Placid, New York. Team Sweden defeated Finland 8-2. (August 6, 2012 - Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

Nashville has no realistic hope of making the playoffs this season, but Predators fans will get a glimpse of the team’s future tonight.

18-year-old forward Filip Forsberg, who the Predators acquired from the Washington Capitals in exchange for Martin Erat, will make his season debut vs the Detroit Red Wings, according to NHL.com. To make matters more interesting, he won’t be eased into the lineup.

Forsberg is projected to play alongside David Legwand and Taylor Beck on Nashville’s first line. He will also be part of Nashville’s top power-play unit.

Forsberg was taken with the 11th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. As far as forwards go, only Edmonton’s Nail Yakupov and Montreal’s Alex Galchenyuk were claimed ahead of him.

He’s not related to Peter Forsberg, but has tried to model his game after the retired Swedish star. Filip has also drawn some favorable comparisons to Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry.

“You can see the skillset,” Predators coach Barry Trotz said. “He shoots the puck really hard. You can see he has good mobility for a young guy. .. (He has) great, great potential and that’s always a dangerous word because it means he hasn’t done anything.”

Nothing yet, but the Predators seem more than willing to give Forsberg every opportunity to prove that he can live up to the hype.