Nashville Predators 2026 Draft Grades
The Nashville Predators walked away from the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with eight new prospects. My quick reaction to each pick below.
Wyatt Cullen (F) | 10th overall | U.S. National Team Development Program (USHL)
Cullen was Nashville’s best option at tenth overall. I would have loved to see Viggo Björck fall to them, but that wasn’t in the cards. Cullen was eligible for this draft by just a week, and the skilled forward still has plenty of physical growth to do. His U.S. NTDP numbers aren’t eye-popping, but the playmaking abilities are. The University of Minnesota will be a great spot for the Predators to potentially develop a game-breaking scorer who frequently finds creative ways to score.
Grade: A
Tommy Bleyl (D) | 31st overall | Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Nashville traded back up into the end of the first round to select Tommy Bleyl, who is a highlight reel defender. The comparisons to Samuel Girard are obvious, as Bleyl can legitimately dazzle from the blue line. With plenty of picks to spare, I love the swing here… all of a sudden, you’ve got Reid, Ufko, Molendyk, Huang, and Bleyl as potential puck-moving defenders; the odds for one or two to work out are good. I’m always skeptical of QMJHL talent translating to the NHL, but Bleyl was dominant this season: a good sign as he heads to Michigan State at some point.
Grade: A-
Dmitri Borichev (G) | 70th overall | Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)
I was a tad surprised at Nashville taking a goalie so early, especially with Jack Ivankovic’s future looking so bright. But Borichev is considered by many to be the best European goalie in this class, and the newly turned 18-year-old can be a longer-term project. He was one of the top 17-year-olds in the Russian junior league this year, posting a 0.929 save percentage over 24 games, maintaining great athleticism and strong footwork. He’s under contract with Loko for the next two seasons; we’ll see how much pro experience he gets during that time.
Grade: B
Jakub Floriš (D) | 106th overall | Lukko U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
Floriš is a 6’3” right-shot Slovak defender who made the jump to Finland last season. After excelling at the U18 level, he played U20 minutes, notching ten goals and 18 points in 38 games. I like his poise, defensive positioning, and skating mechanics; he’s gotten some valuable power-play time in the U20 SM-sarja too. He’s got some potential in the transition game, but those skills still need to grow; he likely won’t be a big-time playmaker at the pro level.
Grade: B
Justin Graf (F) | 118th overall | Cedar Rapids Roughriders (USHL)
Graf is an overager, turning 19 next month. He scored more than a point per game in his rookie USHL season, showcasing good hands, offensive instincts, and a robust shooting arsenal. He’ll need to enhance his skating mechanics, timing, and decision-making as he moves to Harvard for the 2027-28 season.
Grade: D
Philip Hemmyr (F) | 138th overall | IF Björklöven (HockeyAllsvenskan)
The second overage player taken by Nashville, Hemmyr went undrafted in 2025 despite notching 33 points in 49 U20 games in Sweden. This year, he dominated that level with 19 goals and 44 points in 27 games, earning 36 games (with 12 points) in Sweden’s second-tier pro league. IF Björklöven was promoted to the SHL for 2026-27, which will be a good test of Hemmyr’s offensive touch and off-puck details against better competition.
Grade: C
Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte (D) | 179th overall | Val-d’Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
Cossette-Ayotte didn’t stand out much to me the times I saw him this season, but he’s got solid fundamentals: okay skater, decent puck touches, some evasiveness from forecheckers. At this point in the day, you’re drafting for depth, and the right-shot defender has a chance.
Grade: C-
Charlie Puglisi (F) | 202nd overall | The Winchendon School (USHS)
I didn’t have a chance to watch Puglisi this year, but he was heralded as one of the best prep players in the country this season, scoring 26 goals and 76 points in 35 games. He has some filling out to do, but the seventh-round pick will have a nice development path heading to Kitchener and then Cornell. This late in the day, I appreciate any outside-the-box thinking.
Grade: B-
