The Nashville Predators added another franchise cornerstone Friday evening, drafting winger Wyatt Cullen with the No. 10 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Heading into the draft, Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager Chris MacFarland made it clear that his number one priority would be to continue reeling in top prospects to an already promising prospect pool, and he sure did that by drafting the Minnesota native. In his first year in Nashville, MacFarland is certainly living up to the hype.
Cullen, 17, played 40 games in the NDTP, scoring 16 goals and 45 points. He followed it up with 15 games in the USHL, scoring six goals and 16 points. At the WJC on USA's U18 squad, he put up an impressive three goals and nine points.
He is a high-IQ winger whose game revolves around speed, playmaking and precision. Cullen possesses one of the best skating abilities in this year’s draft class. He excels in carrying the puck through the neutral zone and creating offense. He isn’t flashy per se, but he consistently makes smart reads under pressure and keeps the play alive with quick decision-making.
Here's what EliteProspects had to say about Cullen's talent.
"There’s a reason he ended up as our highest-ranked NTDP player on our most recent 2026 NHL Draft ranking, 12 slots ahead of his next-closest teammate. With top-15 skill, a relentless motor, high-end skating, on-puck versatility, a recent growth spurt, and nearly eligible for next year’s draft, the arguments in favor of Cullen’s trajectory and odds keep on accumulating."EliteProspects
The primary concern with Cullen is whether or not he’ll be a real difference-maker in the NHL. He lacks that explosive touch seen by some of the top guys in the draft. Adding strength to his 6-foot-1, 181-pound frame and becoming more dangerous in the offensive zone should unlock another level to his game. With his elite skating and intelligence with the puck, there shouldn’t be any long-term issues with his development.
A fun fact about Cullen is that his dad, Matt Cullen, is a former Predators player, playing with the club for two seasons near the end of his NHL career. With an organization like Nashville that loves to reel in names with familiarity, Cullen’s selection just makes sense, and it certainly won’t come back to haunt us.
For the Predators, this is a best-case scenario draft pick. Cullen’s elite playmaking abilities will help players like Brady Martin, Yegor Surin and Matthew Wood become top goalscorers for the team. With most of the team’s top prospects at center, adding in an elite winger will do more good than harm. It is the best pick MacFarland could’ve made.
Nashville won’t experience Cullen action for a hot minute, as he is committed to playing for the University of Minnesota for the 2026-27 season. When he joins the Predators, however, we are expecting big things out of him.
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