Predators Could Get Scoring and Speed from Liam Foudy

On Saturday the Nashville Predators announced that they had claimed forward Liam Foudy off waivers. Foudy was drafted in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2018 and played 90 games since making his NHL debut in the 2019-20 season. Foudy scored seven goals and 19 points in his NHL games with the Blue Jackets but only played one game this season on October 14 before the Blue Jackets placed him on waivers. 

Foudy is an interesting addition to a Nashville Predators team playing a different style of hockey than they have in recent seasons. Under Andrew Brunette, the Predators are focused on paying a faster, more offensive style of game, and Foudy's skill set may make Nashville a perfect destination for a fresh start. 

"Foudy is a great skater and very fast," says The Hockey News' Columbus Blue Jackets site manager Jason Newland. 

"He has good hands and can control the puck with ease. With the talent he has, he should be able to put up some good scoring numbers if given the opportunity."

In Columbus, Foudy wasn't able to earn much playing time in the top six, but perhaps some of that may be due to when he joined the franchise and what then-head coach John Tortorella was looking for. 

"He was drafted when former coach John Tortorella was in charge, who demanded a defensive game, a style that Foudy never really was able to learn," Newland said.

Foudy's performance may also have been affected by COVID, Newland speculates. 

"It's been said that COVID stunted his growth. He had been in the Columbus system since 2018, and played less than 90 NHL games. Meanwhile, he's only played 41 AHL games, so his experience is extremely limited."

Foudy did have plenty of experience in the OHL playing 230 games with the London Knights. While there, he scored 97 goals and 191 points and had his best season in 2019-20 before COVID in which he played 45 games and scored 28 goals and 68 points. 

Some of Foudy's 40 assists that season were with new Predators teammate Luke Evangelista. Foudy and Evangelista played two seasons together in London.