In The Hockey News Volume 73, Issue 05 author Michael Gallagher speculated on 2019 first round pick Phil Tomasino's NHL future — a question the Predators are still wrestling with.

Purusing The Hockey News' new digital archive brought my attention to author Michael Gallagher's  article "Is Phil Tomasino the One?" found in Volume 73, Issue 05. Gallagher published his piece looking at Nashville's prospect pool on March 23, 2020 just 13 days after the NHL suspended play due to the coronavirus. 

This is what Gallagher had to say about Phil Tomasino:

It was a fair assessment of Tomasino and his potential as he played 29 games for the Chicago Wolves in the AHL in 2020-21 in which he scored 13 goals and 32 points. In 2021-22, Predators fans saw for themselves the Ontario native's skill set as he earned an opportunity in the NHL with the Preds. Over the course of that season, Tomasino played 76 games and scored eleven goals and 32 points in his first year in the NHL. It seemed Tomasino was headed on a straight trajectory to a long career in the NHL. 

Insert metaphorical record scratch. 

Tomasino came into training camp in September 2022 and didn't make the Nashville roster out of camp. Instead Tomasino headed to Milwaukee much to the confusion— and if we're being honest — frustration among the Predators fan base. Tomasino played 38 games for the Milwaukee Admirals before finally returning to Predators gold on February 13, 2023 where he remained through the regular season. In his 31 games back in Nashville, Tomasino scored five goals and 18 points. 

Criticism about Tomasino's perceived "demotion" to the AHL to start the 2022-23 season fell at the feet of then-head coach John Hynes despite the fact that Nashville as a franchise generally leans more toward over-marinating prospects. When new General Manager Barry Trotz parted ways with John Hynes and named Andrew Brunette head coach, many felt like Tomasino was back on a straight path to a top six role in the NHL. 

So far, this season hasn't gone the way many expected. While Tomasino made the Predators' roster out of training camp, he's been a healthy scratch for four games. His performance in his five games has netted one assist and 11:40 average time on ice. 

Andrew Brunette addressed what he wanted to see from Tomasino last week.

"I see the offensive instincts, I think just the 200 foot game for him," Brunette said. "The pace of play is a little different and we're asking a lot of our forwards to play at that pace and put that work in and track that puck as much as we do. I think he needs to get a little accustomed to it."

Part of Tomasino's limited ice time is circumstantial as well. Trotz added two young forwards in Samuel Fagemo and Liam Foudy, and Brunette is getting more familiar with their skill sets in game settings. 

"There's just a lot of different players in, and somebody's going to get a different chance," Brunette said. 

It is hard to say what the short term future looks like for Tomasino. Cody Glass is out on IR for another week to two weeks, and Glass's return may factor into what's next for Tomasino in the month. His long term future feels perhaps as tricky to predict, but it is still too early to speculate. 

Tomasino's skill set hasn't changed since March 2020 — he is a still playmaker with a nice shot and plenty of upside, but so far in 2023-24 that skill set doesn't look ready for a top six role with the Predators. Not many in Nashville are asking if he is "the one" at this point, but that is not to say that Tomasino should be written off. With time and, perhaps as importantly, a return to playing with that 2020 confidence he could grow with a resetting Predators team. 

Right now, Nashville's 2019 first round pick is navigating a challenging chapter in his career.