The expectations were sky-high for Nashville Predators 2022 first-round pick Joakim Kemell as he entered his first full season in the American Hockey League.

The 20-year-old Finn looked awfully impressive during his brief run with the Milwaukee Admirals toward the end of the previous season, scoring 14 goals and 23 points in 28 games (including the playoffs), so how much better would he be after getting a full offseason of face time with the Predators and Admirals coaching staffs at development, rookie and training camp?

Playing in a top-six role next to other offensively talented players like Zachary L’Heureux, Fedor Svechkov and Egor Afanasyev, Kemell was supposed to put the AHL on notice. He was supposed to establish himself as an offensive force — a sniper you didn’t want to see with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone.

But somewhere along the way in 2023, Kemell just didn’t conquer the learning curve.