Predators Cheer for Golden Knights in Playoff Push for Draft Pick Upgrade

The Nashville Predators find themselves with a vested interest in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, albeit from the sidelines. Although their own playoff hopes were extinguished back in early April, the Predators are rooting for the Vegas Golden Knights as they pursue a deeper run. The reason? A conditional 2027 NHL Draft pick that could be upgraded if Vegas advances to the Western Conference Final.

This opportunity stems from a 2025 trade that saw Nashville send Colton Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon to the Golden Knights in exchange for Nic Hague. As part of that deal, the Predators acquired a conditional third-round pick in the 2027 draft, which has the potential to elevate to a second-round selection if Vegas wins two rounds in the playoffs.

Currently, the Golden Knights are facing the Utah Mammoth in a critical Game 6 on Friday in Salt Lake City. Following a thrilling 5-4 double-overtime victory on Wednesday, they have narrowed the series to 3-2, putting them one win away from the Western Conference Final.

The relationship between Nashville and Vegas has been marked by several transactions over the last two years. Notably, star forward Jonathan Marchessault, who won the 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy, signed with Nashville in the 2024 offseason. Additionally, Nashville traded Cole Smith to the Golden Knights at the 2026 trade deadline, acquiring a 2028 third-round pick and defenseman Christoffer Sedoff in return.

The contributions from former Predators players have proven valuable for Vegas in the playoffs. Both Sissons and Smith have tallied three points in five games, providing a much-needed boost from the bottom six of the lineup. Meanwhile, Hague has made an impact in his first season in Nashville, registering 15 points in 62 games. In contrast, Marchessault’s performance has dipped, as he recorded a career-low 31 points in the same number of games.

As for Sedoff, the Predators’ latest acquisition, he has yet to find the scoresheet this season with the Milwaukee Admirals, appearing in just one of their three playoff games.

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