2020 NHL Entry Draft: Best Options for Nashville Predators in 1st Round
Jack Quinn, RW, Ottawa 67s
The Predators will have plenty of options to choose from at the 11th pick overall. They need more offensive firepower coming through their pipeline, and they can really make a strong pick here.
Jack Quinn wouldn’t be my top choice for the Predators, but if other prospects come off the board first then Quinn wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize.
What I like about Quinn is he has a very well-rounded and crisp game. I don’t think he’s too far off from cracking into the NHL as a bottom-six player. I love his offensive game and raw ability to score goals.
Here’s the scouting report from EliteProspects regarding Quinn’s unique ability to generate offensive scoring chances through his puck handling and ice vision:
“He’s always manipulating opposing defencemen as a puck-carrier, baiting a response, and then threading the puck through the opening this sequence created”
Quinn put up an astounding 52 goals in 62 games for the Ottawa 67s of the OHL this past season, which is a 40-goal jump from the previous season with Ottawa. I don’t care which level you’re playing at, 52 goals in 62 games is absolutely incredible production.
There’s a decent chance that another team in the top-ten falls in love with Quinn and takes him before the Predators pick.
Quinn is widely projected in the middle of the first round, so we’ll have to see if he’s there for the Predators. He’ll be a hard player to look past if he’s still on the board outside of the top-ten.
Connor Zary, C, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
The value of a dynamic centerman can never be overlooked, and Connor Zary has high potential to eventually become a top-six center in the NHL. This young man does so many things very well on both ends of the ice.
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Zary will likely be there for the taking at the 11th pick in the first round. It’s a matter of which direction the Predators want to go in terms of rebuilding their prospect pool. Building up your depth at the center position is usually a wise choice.
The Predators already have Philip Tomasino, last year’s first-round draft selection, waiting in the wings to become Nashville’s next big centerman. After that, the position is full of uncertainty.
I really want the Predators to take a high-scoring winger first, but Zary looks to be a low-risk and conservative choice, even if it might be somewhat of a reach taking him so far up in the first round.
Zary has a strong forechecking game, knows how to effectively control possession and can find open players for scoring chances. All the the things you want in a center, and he could definitely end up becoming a vital piece of the Predators’ bottom-six in a couple years.
With 48 assists this past season, Zary has a ton of potential to be a quality point producer in the NHL. It’s a matter of if the Predators are willing to make that big of a reach for him as many mock drafts have him projected later in the first round.
Jan Mysak, LW/C, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
Taking Jan Mysak would be more of a project for the Predators, and I’m not sure that’s what they’re looking for with this high of a pick. However, Mysak has a lot to offer with his offensive skills and fast paced style of play.
The Predators need some playmakers in their prospect pool badly. Guys who have a nose for the puck and take it from one end of the ice to the other in a hurry. Mysak looks like that type of player, but his experience in major leagues is minimal.
Mysak came over from the Czech league to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL and instantly started producing. He translated his game over to the OHL quickly, which has him surging up some draft boards.
Here’s what Mike Morreale of NHL.com had to say about Mysak back in March:
“The left-shot forward plays a smart game with smooth hands and a quick release”
Again, this might be a reach to take Mysak at 11th overall, but if some of the top targets come off the board before the Predators pick then this would be a good backup plan.
Mysak is a player that has a high ceiling when I look at his game. One that might not instantly make an impact in the NHL, but will keep growing his game into one that can become a high-scoring impact player in time.
Dawson Mercer, LW, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
Mercer has been a popular choice for the Predators in a lot of mock drafts I’ve come across. He’s a prototypical winger that can score and forecheck effectively. I also think he’s not too far off from being NHL-ready.
A big area that is so enticing about Mercer is his potential to become a vital special teams player. Morreale of NHL.com highlights his abilities on the power play and penalty kill, which are two areas the Predators badly need help in.
Check out this ridiculous puck handling clinic from Mercer, courtesy of Draft Dynasty:
Mercer wouldn’t be a surprise pick by the Predators, and he’s a safe bet if you’re mocking this upcoming draft. He was traded to Chicoutimi and played 16 games, posting 18 points to finish off his 2019-20 campaign.
I’d really like this pick for the Predators most importantly because Mercer appears very ready for the NHL in the next two or three seasons. He’s not as big of a project like some of the other prospects would be at the 11th pick.
Seth Jarvis, RW, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
My top choice for the Nashville Predators hasn’t changed all offseason. It’s still Seth Jarvis of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks.
Jarvis looks like the type of player who can transform an offensive attack for a team that’s lacking pure offensive weapons like the Predators are. I fear that the Predators have become a top-heavy team offensively, and they really need to seek out a pure offensive weapon in this draft.
When it comes to Jarvis, I just love his attack-first mindset. He plays this way thanks to how gifted of a puck handler and skater he is, which is going to translate nicely once he makes the jump to the NHL.
This highlight clip from the WHL shows off Jarvis’ aggressive style of play as he drives to the net and finished despite having defenders draped all over him:
Who does that remind you of on the Predators? Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi come to mind first, and the Predators need more weapons like that if they’re going to keep pace with the rest of the Central Division.
I’ve never wavered over the summer on the Predators taking Jarvis at the 11th pick. He fills the need that the Predators need the most, which is pure scorers that can make an impact quickly.
Of course drafting isn’t an exact science even if you ask the best draft experts in the business. It’s about targeting players with the most upside and that offer the least amount of risk. Jarvis checks all of those boxes and might end up being a major steal when we look back in four or five years.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie has Jarvis ranked No.18 in the draft class, while Elite Prospects has him ranked No. 13. There’s a chance a team in the top-ten reaches for Jarvis, but most likely he’ll be there for the taking if the Predators want him.
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I’m confident that at least four of these five players will be available for the Predators, with one or two of them possibly being taken sooner than expected. I’ll be happy with any one of them for the Predators, but Mercer and Jarvis are the ones I want the Predators to take the most.