Nashville Predators Make Key Picks and Trades on Day 2 of the NHL Draft

The Nashville Predators capped off an eventful Day 2 of the NHL Draft in Buffalo, following a strong first round where they selected forward Wyatt Cullen with the 10th overall pick and defenseman Thomas Bleyl at 31st overall. After trading away both of their second-round picks to acquire the 31st selection from the Carolina Hurricanes, the Predators had a quieter start to Saturday, beginning the day in the third round with eight remaining slots to fill.

They kicked off the day by selecting their first goaltender of the draft, Dmitri Borichev, with the 70th overall pick. Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 188 pounds, Borichev hails from Vologda, Russia, and spent the last season with Loko 76 Yaroslavl in the MHL junior league. In 24 games, he posted a commendable 12-8-3 record, including three shutouts, a .929 save percentage, and a 2.25 goals against average. Recognized as the top-ranked international goaltender by NHL Central Scouting, Borichev is expected to return to the MHL next season.

In a significant trade, the Predators acquired forward Adam Edstrom from the New York Rangers in exchange for center Massimo Rizzo and the 148th overall pick. Edstrom, a towering presence at 6-foot-7 and 232 pounds, played 35 games for the Rangers last season, recording five points from three goals and two assists. His season was hampered by injuries, including a fractured ankle that sidelined him for a significant period. Rizzo, who has not seen action in Nashville since being acquired from the Boston Bruins in 2025, played 13 games with the Milwaukee Admirals, tallying five points.

Continuing their draft strategy, Nashville selected Jakub Floris, a promising right-shot defenseman from Bratislava, Slovakia, with the 106th overall pick. At 6-foot-3 and 183 pounds, Floris played in Finland’s U-20 league last season, where he amassed 18 points in 38 games, including 10 goals and eight assists. He also represented Slovakia at the IIHF U-18 World Championship, contributing four points in seven games. Floris is poised to step up to Liiga, Finland’s top professional league, this coming season.

The Predators then added another American talent, selecting Justin Graf, a 6-foot-1, 174-pound left-shot center from Boston, Massachusetts, at 118th overall. Graf had an impressive first season in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, racking up 55 points in 52 games, including 23 goals and 32 assists. He also earned a Gold Medal with Team USA at the U19 World Junior A Challenge, where he recorded an assist in five games. With NHL connections through his brother Colin Graf, who plays for the San Jose Sharks, Graf is set to play at Harvard University starting this fall.

The Predators’ next pick saw them select Philip Hemmyr, a left-winger from Umeå, Sweden, at 138th overall. Hemmyr, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 170 pounds, played primarily with Björklöven in Sweden’s second-tier league, where he scored 12 points in 36 games. He had a standout performance in Sweden’s U-20 league prior, netting 44 points in just 27 games. Hemmyr is expected to compete in the Swedish Hockey League this coming season.

In the later rounds, Nashville secured Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-shot defenseman from Trios-Rivières, Quebec, with the 179th overall pick. He played for the Val-D’Or Foreurs in the QMJHL last season, tallying 38 points in 62 games and serving as an assistant captain. Finally, the Predators concluded their draft by selecting Charlie Puglisi, a 6-foot, 162-pound right-shot center from Latham, New York, at 202nd overall. Puglisi had an outstanding high school season, scoring 76 points in 35 games and is committed to play with the Kitchener Rangers next season before heading to Cornell University in 2027-28.

With these selections, the Predators have now set their sights on the 2028 NHL Draft, where they hold 10 picks, including two in the fifth round.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.