Are Nashville's Recent First Round Picks Ready to Lead the Predators' Reset?
Retiring General Manager David Poile has chosen wisely in recent years when it comes to his first round picks. Here's how Phil Tomasino, Yaroslav Asakrov, and Joakim Kemell could transform the franchise moving forward.
As the Nashville Predators look to reset their roster and make changes to their style of play under new head coach Andrew Brunette, a handful of David Poile's recent first round draft picks could be key to getting the team back into postseason contention.
Three of the Predators' recent first round picks could potentially be big pieces of the Predators' reset. Phil Tomasino was the 24th overall pick in 2019 and has already played NHL minutes. Spicy goaltender and 2021 first round pick Yaroslav Askarov is the future in net for Nashville, and last year's draft surprise steal, Joakim Kemell is already proving he can play North American hockey.
Phil Tomasino 2019 First Round Pick
Phil Tomasino, drafted in 2019 by the Predators, was noted for his hockey intelligence, high quality playmaking, fluid skating skill, and an ability to play center or wing. Predators fans got a long look at Tomasino when he made his NHL debut in 2021 under then head coach John Hynes. Tomasino played 76 games in his debut season and recorded a respectable 11 goals and 32 points.
Despite his solid first season in the league, Tomasino's spot on the Nashville roster was not secure. After the 2022 training camp and the Global Series in Prague, Tomasino found himself headed to Milwaukee. Sending Tomasino to the AHL to start the season was one of then Head Coach John Hynes' least popular moves with the fan base, but Hynes believed the time playing top six minutes with the Admirals would pay off for the young center in the long run.
Tomasino returned to the Preds in February after Filip Forsberg went down with an injury. In this stint which lasted the remainder of the regular season, the 21 year old scored five goals and 18 points in 31 games. Tomasino spent plenty of his NHL ice time on the wing with center Cody Glass who also figures into Nashville's plans for a reset.
After finishing the regular season in Nashville, Tomasino headed to Milwaukee where he struggled in the first rounds of the postseason. He finally hit his stride in the series against Coachella Valley, although Milwaukee lost to the Firebirds in the Western Conference Finals in six games.
Tomasino will benefit from the fresh eyes of Andrew Brunette and a standout training camp - something he didn't have last summer. With more strength on the puck and consistency in his play, Tomasino's speed and skill may make him an important piece in the Predators' reset. The chemistry with Cody Glass could also help earn Tomasino top six minutes as the team looks ahead.
Yaroslav Askarov 2021 First Round Pick
Choosing a goaltender with the eleventh overall pick in the 2021 draft caused quite a stir, but David Poile and the hockey ops department loved what they saw from Russian goaltender Yaroslav Askarov. Their initial assessments of Askarov were important as he didn't see much ice time in Russia after being drafted.
The engaging Askarov arrived in North America in time for last season's Development and Training Camps, and his presence caused quite a stir among Predators fans. Not much about Askarov is traditional - both on and off the ice. His gregarious personality matches his aggressive and electric play in net. He got his first NHL start January 12 against the Montreal Canadiens in a 4-3 loss in which the then 20 year old made 31 saves. His AHL play in 2022-2023 with the Admirals resulted in an impressive regular season 26-16-5 record, .911 save percentage, and six important postseason wins.
The Predators' not-so-secret weapon over the last few seasons has been Juuse Saros. Barring a shocking trade by Barry Trotz, it isn't likely Nashville will see much of Askarov this season with Saros in net and Kevin Lankinen re-signed on a one year deal. The question when it comes to Askarov's future with the Preds is how much of his style of play the franchise will want to refine before he is deemed ready for the full time NHL gig.
Joakim Kemell 2022 First Round Pick
Considered one of the steals of last year's NHL draft, Poile couldn't believe the projected top ten pick found his way to Nashville with the 17th selection.
“We always say the same thing, ‘I can’t believe a player was there,’” Poile told the Sportsnet broadcast after drafting Kemell.
Among a strong forward prospect pool, Kemell could prove to be the best in the Predators' pipeline right now. His offensive skills make him a likely future top six player while his strength and physicality make him a formidable player across 200 feet of ice.
After finishing his season in the Finnish league, the teen joined the Milwaukee Admirals for 14 regular season games before scoring eight goals and ten points in eleven postseason games with the Admirals. Kemell especially impressed on the power play with his four playoff power play goals.
At just 19 years of age, Kemell is the prospect many hope to see on the opening night roster in Nashville this fall. But will he need more time in the AHL to adjust to the North American game? While David Poile and former head coach John Hynes liked to let young players simmer a bit more in the AHL, the emergence of Kemell's game may be fortuitous timing. With Barry Trotz committed to a reset focusing on the youth, Kemell could be a player who steals a roster spot with a solid training camp performance from an aging veteran.