Report: Predators favorites to host 2023 NHL Draft

The Predators have hosted the NHL Draft once before, in 2003 when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Marc-Andre Fleury No. 1 overall. The Predators selected defenseman Ryan Suter with the No. 7 overall pick that year and made 13 selections all told.

20 years later, Nashville has evolved into a hockey city with a unique culture surrounding the Predators, so the prospect of them hosting an NHL Draft is an exciting one.

The 2023 NHL Draft will also have a tremendous amount of hype because of top prospect Connor Bedard, who’s expected to be a franchise-changing, potentially generational talent. Bedard scored 100 points in 62 games for the Regina Pats of the WHL this season and he scored five points in two games for Team Canada at the 2022 World Juniors before it was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

The Florida Panthers are the only team that doesn’t have its first-round pick in next year’s draft. They traded it to the Canadiens at the this year’s trade deadline for Ben Chiarot.