Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager Chris MacFarland had what some analysts are calling one of the best drafts this year.
In his first draft with the organization, MacFarland selected eight players to help construct the next wave of Predators hockey. Among those eight, four were forwards, three were defensemen and one was a goalie. When looking at the skater side of things, it's clear what he and the scouting department were going after over: playmaking.
The Predators have a wide array of talent, but over the last few years, they've dappled in the goal-scoring and two-way hockey classes, with selections Yegor Surin, Brady Martin and Cameron Reid to name a few. This draft felt different, however. After selecting at No. 10, MacFarland began to add to players who drive the offense, not finish it.
Winger Wyatt Cullen was the first to be drafted by Nashville. The 6-foot-1, 176-pound forward was the #13 ranked NA skater by NHL Central Scouting, solidifying just how valuable this selection was for the Predators. Known for his skilled skating abilities and slick hands, Cullen is expected to translate into a talented skater in the NHL.
Using his speed, Cullen accelerates past defenders and charges to the net. This is where the playmaking factor comes in. Once in the zone, he finds passing lanes that the typical player wouldn't. He possesses high hockey IQ and quarterbacks the play, taking charge as the primary driver on offense for his teams.
When it comes to the Predators, the team has a handful of skilled shooters like Matthew Wood, Joakim Kemell and Luke Evangelista. However, they lack playmakers who can keep up with their speed. Sure, they have Ryan O'Reilly, but with his days in the NHL nearing an end, they're going to need a replacement sooner than later, a younger one at that; that's where Cullen comes in. With him alongside these guys, he'll be able to sling them the puck, make coast-to-coast passes and ramp up goal-scoring in the long run.
With the Predators next pick at No. 31, they selected defenseman Tommy Bleyl. It was shocking how they managed to snag him at that late of a pick. Central Scouting had Bleyl 17th among NA skaters in their final ranking, making him look even more like a steal for Nashville. The difference between him and Cullen are practically just their positions, as their playstyles are roughly the same.
Bleyl is an offensively driven defenseman, and who analysts call one of the best skaters in the draft. Some have even compared him to a young Jamie Drysdale, and that should bring nothing but hope to the Predators fanbase. He leads rushes, effectively carries the puck through the neutral zone and sees passing lanes develop before they're open. In a league where speed is everything, Bleyl has the potential to be a top playmaker in the league with the right development.
The Predators returned to defense with Jakub Floris in the fourth round. Unlike Bleyl, his play doesn't primarily circle around offense. Serving as a two-way defender, he'll opt to stay at the blueline and pitch in to plays when nearby. What makes him valuable in the scoring department is his strides and vision. He starts breakouts with long stretch passes, quickly joining the rush to help push the play into the offensive zone.
After him, MacFarland again selected a winger, that being Justin Graf in the same round. His playstyle is built around smart, not flashy plays. He generates offense through key player positioning, receiving passes and quickly dishing them off to the scorers. If Cullen or Bleyl can't find a lane to the Predators' top scorers, Graf jumps in, takes the puck and ships it over.
Philip Hemmyr was the next drafted by Nashville in the fifth round, and while he isn't as playmaking-focused as Cullen and Bleyl, he still holds skill in that sector. Like Graf, playmaking comes from his hockey sense. He isn't the play quarterback, rather a player you can rely on to land a pass. He makes quick and efficient strides into the offensive zone and is already ready to engage in puck battles or finish the play altogether. He'll find open teammates around the crease, giving the team easy scoring chances.
In terms of the Predators two last picks, they weren't the most offensively driven forwards, rather two strong defensive mindset guys: defenseman Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte and forward Charlie Puglisi. However, when taking a look at the overarching theme of MacFarland's seven skater selections, it's clear that he had playmaking in mind with every single one.
The future is bright in Smashville with the addition of these youngsters. Combining their talent with the young guns already in the system paves the way for years of a lot of success.
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