NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Nashville Predators coach Barry Trotz announced that 21-year-old forward Colin Wilson will take the spot of the injured Steve Sullivan in Thursday's Game 4 against Vancouver at Bridgestone Arena (8:30 p.m. ET, VERSUS, CBC, RDS).

Trotz also said that the return of Sullivan at any point during the series is "probably very doubtful." Sullivan has a lower body injury.

The 6-foot-1, 214-pound Wilson, the seventh pick of the 2008 Entry Draft, had 16 goals and 18 assists while playing in all 82 regular-season games, but Thursday will mark his 2011 Stanley Cup Playoff debut.

"Given the opportunity, I just really want to take advantage of it," Wilson said before Trotz made things official. "I've been in that situation a few times in the past last year, just getting called up. I just wanted to prove myself and help the team win and that's the exact same mentality I want to have -- with quite a bit more confidence having played an 82-game schedule already."

Trotz said Wilson was "shocked and disappointed" when he was not in the lineup for the first round. Trotz said he expected Wilson to play with more urgency.

"But (he) had a pretty decent year for us," Trotz said. "I thought the latter part of the season he fell off and as we got into those real tough last 20 games his game fell off and other people stepped in and did a little better job and therefore he lost his spot. In the first series, I'll be quite honest, I don't think Colin handled it as well and as maturely as a young man should.

"But that's part of the development process that everyone goes through. A lot of the players have never been sat out, have never been cut, and they've made every team. They've been the top guy and sometimes that's hard for a young person to deal with. I think he's past it now. I've seen a new energy in him and a new determination and I'm hoping for good things from him."

Author: John Manasso | NHL.com Correspondent