It wouldn't surprise me if everyone around the league is giving the Nashville Predators a solid A following the first round of what was an eventful draft. They got a sound pick in Brady Martin, who aggravates like Brad Marchand and hits like Sam Bennett, a brewing offensive-defenseman in Cameron Reid, and a middle-six-caliber player with Ryker Lee.
You can't go wrong with any of the three, so when I simulated a mock draft over at FC Hockey just to gain an idea of who the Predators would pick in Round 2, I was glad to see Vojtech Cihar fall to them. Cihar won't be coming to North America soon, as he'll keep developing in Czechia's pro league, but it wouldn't surprise me if he made a huge jump in production this year.
As one of the better pro leagues in Europe, Cihar put up just nine points and four goals across 43 contests. But points aren't easy to come by for most yoyungsters playing against grown men. Still, he rocked in U18, giving Team Czechia 12 points and six goals in 15 games.
He'd be a developmental prospect for sure. But if the 6'0, 181-lb winger doubles his output in Czechia this season and starts taking over games at the international level, he'll be one to watch.
Vojtech Cihar wasn't the only player the Nashville Predators landed in the Round 2 mock
Kirill Yemelyanov went to the Preds later in the second round, and the MHL star looks like he may be a bit of a reach here, as Tankathon's final mock had him going at 125th overall. But is it much of a reach if a player, even if they may have no business going so early, if they pan out?
Here's my code in a scenario like this: Nobody remembers reaches if they go out and enjoy a fine career. We're programmed to remember reaches only if they prove the experts right. But, if anything, people will talk about how much a general manager outsmarted the rest of the league for having so much faith in a single player. And if you like them enough, you take them.
Right now, Yemelyanov's not a point-per-game player and he's been toiling in the MHL. Still, he showed improvement last season when he put up 13 goals and 23 points in 35 games, a three-point, three-goal increase from the season before when he had 20 points in 44 games.
Should Yemelyanov keep improving the way had from 2023-24 to 2024-25, Preds fans won't complain if he's indeed the pick later today.
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