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Nashville Predators' All Time Greatest Draft Selections from Every Round

The Predators have made a healthy amount of quality selections in their 30+ years of existence
ByJordan Manning|
Feb 18, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) celebrates with defenseman Roman Josi (59) and Shea Weber (6) after a win against the Boston Bruins at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Feb 18, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) celebrates with defenseman Roman Josi (59) and Shea Weber (6) after a win against the Boston Bruins at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
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Round 4: Mattias Ekholm, Pick 102

Mattias Ekholm Nashville Predator
Feb 26, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) against the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Mattias Ekholm is the best defensive defenseman in Predators history. In his 719 games with us, he tallied 286 points and had an astounding +104 +/-. Standing at 6'4", Ekholm was always laying the boom. Him and either Ryan Ellis or Shea Weber were one of the greatest one-two defensive combos in the league. While he specifized primarly in defense, he had a heightened sixth sense for offense when needed by his squad.

He was also an impact player in the 2017 playoffs as he posted 11 points in 22 games. The Sweden native was one of the league's best penalty killers. Without his presence on the ice, Nashville's PK could've been one of the league's worst. If we saw a redraft of the 2009 NHL draft, Ekholm would've have been drafted in the first round for sure. Selecting Ekholm is one of the biggest scouting snipes in the team's existence.

Honorable Mentions

Craig Smith (98th Overall), Juuse Saros (99th Overall), and Viktor Arvidsson (112th Overall)

Round 5: Gabriel Bourque, Pick 132

Gabriel Bourque Nashville Predator
Nov 5, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Nashville Predators forward Gabriel Bourque (57) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Predators defeated the Predators 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images | Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

When it comes to the 5th round, there isn't a lot of eye-catching guys. Gabriel Bourque is the only drafted player that actually played with Nashville for a good bit. Bourque played with the Predators for five seasons, tallying 78 points (31g, 47a). He had a solid run in the 2012 playoffs where he scored three goals and recorded two assists in 10 games. Outside of his stats, he was a solid skater but never really contributed as much as the other players on this list.

Round 6: Anthony Bitetto, Pick 168

Anthony Bitetto Nashville Predator
Dec 8, 2018; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Nashville Predators defenseman Anthony Bitetto (2) during the first period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images | Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The Predators selected Anthony Bitetto early in the sixth round. The left-handed defenseman made his NHL debut with the Preds four years after he was drafted but didn't make much of an impact till his sophomore year. He tallied six points in 28 games while playing on the third defensive pairing. He continued playing that role for another four seasons before being claimed off of waivers by the Minnesota Wild. He accumulated 19 points in 114 games with the club.

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