As one of two teams with three picks in the first round, the Nashville Predators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators] have a lot of flexibility in this year's NHL Draft. Alongside the fifth overall pick, the Predators have the 23rd and 26th overall picks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/nhl-announces-predators-9-picks-for-upcoming-nhl-draft]. It's a new franchise record and is tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for the most first-round draft picks. MORE: NHL Draft preview: Frondell, Hagens, McQueen emerge as favorites for Predators 5th overall pick [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/nhl-draft-preview-frondell-hagens-mcqueen-emerge-as-favorites-for-predators-5th-overall-pick] MORE: Analyzing every Nashville Predators first round NHL Draft pick: 2022-2024 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/players/analyzing-every-nashville-predators-first-round-nhl-draft-pick-2022-2024] MORE: Trotz, Predators prepared to get 'a really good player' at NHL Draft [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/trotz-predators-prepared-to-get-a-really-good-player-at-nhl-draft] Nashville obtained the 23rd overall pick in a trade in 2023 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Predators sent Tanner Jeannot to the Lightning for Cal Foote, a 2024 second-round pick, a third-round pick, a fourth-round pick, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft and the 2025 first-round pick. If you thought that was complicated, the Predators got the 26th overall pick in a three-way trade with the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks. The Predators traded Yaroslav Askarov [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/players/analyzing-every-nashville-predators-first-round-nhl-draft-pick-2017-2021], Nolan Burke and a 2025 third-round pick to the San Jose Sharks for Magnus Chrona, David Edstrom and the 2025 first-round pick. Five prospects have jumped out as favorites for the Predators to draft with these two picks, with the most popular player being defenseman Sascha Boumedienne [https://thehockeynews.com/news/u-18-mens-worlds-quarterfinal-previews-canada-usa-exceed-expectations-so-far]. The 6-foot-1-inch, 175-pound Swede played this past season with Boston University, scoring 13 points in 40 games and logging 33 penalty minutes. He helped the Tarriers to an appearance in the NCAA National Championship game [https://thehockeynews.com/news/kookoo-in-kalamazoo-western-michigan-captures-first-ncaa-championship]. With a lankier build, Boumedienne's specialty comes in his mobility on the ice and skating. It's a more offensively minded defenseman who, with more experience, could add some nice depth on the Predators' blue line. If Nashville is still looking for center depth, another favorite is 5-foot-10-inch, 172-pound Cullen Potter [https://thehockeynews.com/news/2025-nhl-mock-draft-final-first-round-predictions-for-schaefer-martone-and-more]. The Minnesota native just finished his first collegiate season with Arizona State, scoring 22 points in 35 games. He is also the son of former professional women's hockey player and Olympian Jenny Schmidgall-Potter. Potter is another player who will likely need to spend a few more seasons with Arizona State or in Milwaukee before making the jump to Nashville. Still, he is a very good transitional player. He can break out the puck well and generate good scoring chances on the rush, a critical skill for a center to have. Goalie Joshua Ravensbergen [https://thehockeynews.com/news/2025-nhl-draft-rankings-will-there-be-a-race-for-first-overall] is a name being mentioned as a potential 26th overall pick for the Predators. This comes with caution as the Predators, over their 27-year history, have struggled with selecting goalies in the first round. At 6-foot-5-inches and 190 pounds, Ravensbergen is in his second season with the Prince George Cougars. He posted an impressive 33-13-4 record this season, with a .901 save percentage. His goals against average was a bit higher at 3.00. With a six-and-a-half-foot build, Ravensbergen definitely has an NHL goalie frame. It's always good to get a goalie in the system, but the question is if Nashville really needs one. Defenseman Blake Fiddler [https://thehockeynews.com/news/2025-nhl-mock-draft-final-first-round-predictions-for-schaefer-martone-and-more], the son of former Predator forward Vernon Fiddler, is a favorite to be selected at 23rd or 26th. Outside of his family connections, he put up 33 points in 64 games and logged 36 penalty minutes in his second season with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He's a strong, offensively minded player, and it wouldn't be surprising if he were picked up before the Predators had a chance. With a 6-foot-4-inch, 209-pound build, only more experience can really benefit Fiddler. Another season in the WHL could really show just what Fiddler is capable of. Center and quarterback Mason West [https://thehockeynews.com/news/2025-nhl-mock-draft-final-first-round-predictions-for-schaefer-martone-and-more] is the final prospect that could land in the Predators lap. The 6-foot-6-inch, 215-pound Minnesotan just finished his junior year, splitting time between Edina High School's varsity hockey team and the Fargo Force in the USHL. He had 49 points in 39 games with Edina and nine points in 10 games with the Force. At quarterback, West was 178-of-244 passing for 2,592 yards and threw 37 touchdowns. He also holds Division I football offers from Marshall, Miami (Ohio) and Kent State. He's already committed to Michigan State (to play hockey) and will be spending his senior year playing football for Edina and hockey for the Fargo Force. This is a very unique prospect, but the Predators wouldn't have him in the system until at least the 2027-28 season. Still, with his build and especially needing a center, West could be worth the wait.
