The pick is in! Selecting in the top 10 for a second straight year, the Nashville Predators have drafted forward Wyatt Cullen from the United States National Team Developmental Program with the 10th overall pick in the NHL Draft. 

"I had no idea Nashville was going to select me. I knew I was going to be in the 10-15 range," Cullen said. "This is everything I've ever dreamed of. I was so happy to be with my family. It was unbelievable." 

Cullen is a 6-foot, 176-pound left-handed forward from Moorhead, Minnesota, who played this past season with the United States National Team Developmental Program. 

With USNTDP, Cullen played 40 games, recording 16 goals and 29 assists for 45 points and logging 43 penalty minutes. In USHL play, Cullen had 16 points (six goals and 10 assists) in 15 games. 

He also played at the IIHF U-18 World Championship, scoring nine points in five games.

"I've handled it (a growth spurt) very well and I've learned to use my body a lot better," Cullen said. "I've been able to create more space for myself with a bigger body. I've gotten a lot faster and stronger over the course of the year, so I can beat guys 1-on-1. That's been the biggest thing." 

He is committed to play at the University of Minnesota in the fall, joining fellow Predators prospect defenseman Jacob Rombach (2025, 35th overall). His brother, Brooks Cullen, is also committed to Minnesota. 

Cullen is also the son of former Predators center Matt Cullen, who played in Nashville from 2013 to 2015 and played over 1500 games in the NHL. Matt also serves as an assistant coach at Minnesota. 

"My dad played there (Nashville) for a bit when I was a little kid," Cullen said. "It's obviously an unbelievable organization with so many great players. I'm so excited to be drafted." 

A late riser in the draft, Cullen has positioned himself as a playmaker for USNTDP. He isn’t a player who’s scoring a ton of goals, but is setting the table for his teammates to put the puck into the net. 

In his highlights, he is a player who consistently makes the right pass or drives toward the net, creating chaos and follow-up opportunities for his teammates. Cullen is a hard-nosed forward who isn’t afraid to create his own opportunities. 

This is the first time the Predators have selected an American this early in the draft since 2013, when they selected defenseman Seth Jones with the fourth overall pick. 

It’s the second straight year Nashville has picked an American in the first round, drafting Ryker Lee 26th overall in 2025.

This was also general manager Chirs MacFarland's first selection as the Predators GM. 

"This means a lot that they have so much belief in me," Cullen said.