5. Brady Martin (5th Overall Draft Pick by Nashville Predators in 2025)
I have been clear about this basically since they drafted Brady Martin that if you're going to take a guy this far up at a position you desperately need help in, then why not see what you have? Now of course that was predicated on how Martin would look in training camp, and he has lived up to the 5th overall pick hype.
I'm not saying the Predators have to throw this guy to the wolves, but even so, Martin is built different. He has a rare confidence in his game for an 18-year-old, plays on both ends of the ice effectively and is by all means the hope of this organization to fix their 25-year-old curse of not being able to develop talent at the center position.
If you start Martin on opening night against the Blue Jackets, the obvious question is whose spot does he take? A veteran's like Michael McCarron? Not necessarily if you want to play the game of shuffling the deck chairs.
Martin could slot in at center if you move Erik Haula to winger. That opens up Martin to play on the third line, which is where I would put him while also leaving McCarron on that fourth line as that tone setter, bruising line possibly with his long-standing buddy Cole Smith and maybe Matthew Wood. More on that in a bit.
But yeah, if Martin does make the opening night starting lineup, then he's a third line guy. Why not see what you have in him. This franchise needs a spark in a huge way, so see what you have immediately in your 5th-overall pick. I realize that's not the norm in hockey like the other major spots, but I'm willing to waive that exception with Martin considering the dire situation the Predators are in.
I'm not worried in the slightest about damaging Martin's confidence if he struggles in the first few games, which he almost certainly will. Patience is required even with the best prospects in the world.