The Nashville Predators concluded one of their best NHL drafts in some time Saturday evening.
Under the new management of President of Hockey Operations/General Manager Chris MacFarland, the Predators entered the draft with a completely different mindset. With the expectation of adding more promising talent to their loaded prospect pool, things couldn't have ended better for the team.
Right off the bat the Predators made a snipe, selecting elite winger Wyatt Cullen with pick No. 10. Cullen, who was ranked 13th among NA skaters by NHL Central Scouting, possesses some of the best offensive talent among his draft class. With skilled puck-handling and an eye for precise passing, he has the tools to become a top-line forward for Nashville alongside the likes of Brady Martin, Ryker Lee and Matthew Wood.
"A guy like Wyatt Cullen, he's obviously super, he's got good skill, good skater which is something that excites me," MacFarland told reporters following Friday night's first round. "Looks like he's just scratching the surface of what he can be. I think he's one of the youngest players in this draft and super excited about where he's going and what his path might look like."nashvillepredators.com
Cullen's skillset really showed itself in his stats this season, where he played 15 games in the USHL with the USNTDP Juniors team, scoring six goals and 10 assists. His outing at the WJC-18 proved it even further, tallying nine points in five games. His ability to misplace defenders is what makes him a valuable asset on every occasion. For the Predators, he can easily slot into the top-six with no issues and help drive the power play with his slick hands and elite passing abilities.
MacFarland insisted that Nashville made one more pick in the opening round, and he made sure it was remembered. After picking up the 31st pick from the Carolina Hurricanes, he selected talented offensive defenseman Tommy Bleyl. The New York native led all defensemen in the QMJHL with 81 points. Touted as one of the fastest skaters in the draft, it was easy to see why the Predators risked it all to draft him.
"We're really high on [Bleyl]," MacFarland said. "We were trying to get back into [the first round] for a couple of picks there before and just weren't able to find the sweet spot, and we did with Carolina. To add another guy that's a really good skater that's going to add a little bit of a dynamic offensive component from the back end, I think it's really important."nashvillepredators.com
The Predators didn't stop there with the good selections. After missing out on the entire second round, MacFarland bounced back in the next round and selected Dmitri Borichev, a Russian goalie from the MHL. NHL Central Scouting ranked Borichev as the top EU goalie prospect, and for good reason. His size, 6-foot-2 and 187 pounds, makes it real hard to get pucks by, and for a team that relies on smaller goalies like Juuse Saros, that's a huge plus. Like many Russian prospects, his development will take a few years thanks to his contract, but it'll be worth the wait.
"He's got all the attributes that will allow him to continue to develop," Assistant General Manager and Director of Scouting Jeff Kealty said after the draft Saturday. "Very athletic, competes really hard, has the things you see in a lot of Russian goalies in terms of his movement and just a lot of sense. For him to get to us in the third round, we were really excited about that."nashvillepredators.com
In the fourth round, Nashville once again took two players. First, it was right-handed defenseman Jakub Floris at No. 106. At 6-foot-3, Floris has no problem being aggressive. He's a strong player on both sides of the ice, stirring plays and ending opposing ones.
"The profile is very attractive," Kealty said. "He's 6-foot-3, is right-handed, strong, moves well, he's got a lot of tools. He can move the puck, get involved in the offense. He uses that size to defend. He plays hard down low in the D zone. He has to refine some things, but he's of high character and work ethic."nashvillepredators.com
12 picks later, MacFarland selected Justin Graf, brother of San Jose Sharks forward Collin Graf. He isn't a flashy player, but he instead he looks for the smartest play possible. Whether it's a cross-ice pass or quick player positioning, Graf is always there when the team needs him. His motor is rather impressive, opting to stay on the ice as long as needed without an issue.
"[Graf's] got excellent hockey sense, excellent skill and ability to make plays," Kealty said. "Great anticipation to be around the puck, come up with pucks, had a really good year in Cedar Rapids. He was very productive for that team. It's the skills and abilities that you think can translate. We're hoping that he could be a really good pick for us."nashvillepredators.com
When the fifth round came around, there wasn't much top talent left, but MacFarland and the scouting department kept the names going, this time drafting Swedish winger Philip Hemmyr. A strong two-way forward, he possesses a consistent 200-foot game. He is versitale, opting to play both center and the wing when needed. It's these assets that, like all the other picks for Nashville this draft, that make him a core piece to shifting the organization's future in the right direction.
Back to defense, QMJHL's Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte was the next to be drafted by the Predators. The 179th pick is a stay-at-home style defenseman. Similar to fellow prospect Jacob Rombach, he opts to stay back and prevent opposing plays from going past him at the blueline. While scouts have noted consistency as a potential hiccup, the proper development could swing him back into a more reliable role foe the Predators.
Wrapping up the draft, the Predators took a gander at center Charlie Puglisi with the 202nd pick. Like Graf, he also has strong play in all three zones. He prevents turnovers through careful plays and effective puck movement. Among all of his fellow Nashville picks, he carries what could be the lowest potential. However, he also carries a skill set that would be very valuable if enhanced over the next few seasons.
MacFarland didn't waste a single pick in the draft. When it came for building for the future, he didn't just construct a line, he built an entire roster. With the addition of these prospects to their current prospect pool, the team carries one of the most exciting futures in the NHL.
Now with the next box to check being free agency, MacFarland will have a heavy task at hand as he'll continue to add cornerstone pieces while preventing this team from staying in the mushy middle for the foreseen future.
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