For only the third time in their 26-year history, the Nashville Predators will have a draft pick in the top-five, with their previous two selections being David Legwand at No.2 in 1998 and Seth Jones at No.4 in 2013.
This draft class is widely considered top heavy and less talent rich than the previous two drafts. There is very little consensus of the best players available once we get into midway of the first round, but at least where the Predators are picking they have a strong chance of drafting a future top-six NHL starter.
Let's say that the Predators don't win the top pick or the second overall pick in the draft lottery. They have the third-worst record in the NHL, so they would land the third overall pick only if the Sharks and Blackhawks win the top two spots. If one of those two teams also lose out in the lottery drawing, then the Predators could fall back to the fourth-overall pick.
Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer are highly-considered the top two prospects in the draft class, and then after that there's a little disagreement between James Hagens, Anton Frondell, Porter Martone and Caleb Desnoyers.
It's really hard to mock draft without the lottery results, but Hagens seems like a safe bet to go to whoever picks at No.3. However, Desnoyers will not be a bad consolation prize if the Predators miss out on picking in the top three picks.
Desnoyers gets a lot of praise from scouts with his toughness and disciplined approach to his game. Intangibles that will serve him well when he one days makes the transition to the NHL, and these are traits you can't teach. A young player just has to have it already in them, and that makes Desnoyers very appealing.
Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News loves the balanced and smart game that Desnoyers brings:
""Desnoyers is the ultimate complementary player in this draft class but doesn't drive the bus on his own. He is a smart off-puck mover who can get to his spots, make intelligent passes and connect plays. He can adapt to various styles of players because he can be a shooter or a facilitator."Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News
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Being a well-balanced player like Desnoyers is gives you high optimism that he'll be a future NHL starter with a ceiling of eventually becoming a top or second line center. He doesn't have the same flash as Misa or Hagens, but he makes up for it with his intelligence to make plays without the puck and also make his linemates better. So important for an NHL level center.
The more I read up on Desnoyers, the more I really like this guy and his potential fit with what the Predators need more of in their prospect pool. Misa and Schaeffer are still my top two options if the Predators are picking at No.1 or No.2, but even at No.3 if it's between Hagens or Desnoyers, I'm leaning towards taking Desnoyers.
There is no doubt in my mind that regardless where the Predators select in the top-5 of the draft, Desnoyers will be on the board. There is disagreement on if Desnoyers has enough raw talent and high end skill to warrant a top-5 selection, so he should be on the board when the Predators pick no matter how the lottery turns out.
I'll leave you with this highlight clip from Desnoyers at the 2024 Gretzky Cup for Team Canada. He sets up his teammates beautifully and surgically for a goal by putting the puck right on the tape.
My top three targets for the Predators are Michael Misa, Matthew Schaeffer and then it's Desnoyers over Hagens, Frondell or Martone.