Juuso Pärssinen: 2019 Seventh Round Pick Key to Predators Future

The 2023 NHL draft is a little over a week away, and David Poile, incoming GM Barry Trotz, and the Predators scouting team is hard at work finalizing their reports and preparing their draft board. It will be an important draft with the Predators heading in a new direction under new head coach Andrew Brunette. With thirteen picks in this year's draft, there is a lot of potential to jump start a youth led reset. 

There are plenty of players hand picked by Poile from previous draft years that could be be important pieces as the Predators move forward. Today we'll look at a late round surprise who had a statement first season in the NHL.

Juuso Pärssinen 2019 7th Round Pick

It may seem surprising that a seventh round draft pick could be a key piece to the Predators' success moving forward, but Predators fans already know even an eight round pick can change the entire trajectory of a franchise. (God bless 2004 8th round selection, Pekka Rinne.) 

Juuso Pärssinen, the 210th overall pick four years ago, steadily drew attention in his development camps with the Predators and with his play in the Finnish league from 2018-2022. In his four seasons with TPS Turku, Pärssinen played 134 game and earned 87 points. In 2021-2022, the 6'3" center scored 32 points in 41 games before joining the Milwaukee Admirals for their postseason run. 

The focused Finn began last season in Milwaukee with the Admirals before making his NHL debut on November 12 against the New York Rangers on a Saturday in Smashville. Pärssinen quickly showed the Predators fan base the skill set that caught the eye of Nashville scouts, scoring his first NHL goal just 4:58 minutes into his first game. The goal he will be most remembered for - and likely the Predators goal of the season - happened in overtime against the Minnesota Wild on April 13 as Pärssinen scored the game winner with a show stopping between the legs score.