The Nashville Predators have selected defenseman Tanner Molendyk with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The Canadian spent the entirety of his season with the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League, with 9 goals, 28 assists, and 37 points in 67 regular season games.
He also had three goals, five assists, and eight points in 18 playoff games for the Blades on their run to the Eastern Conference Final before they were swept in four games by the Winnipeg Ice.
Daily Faceoff’s own prospect expert Steven Ellis did not have Molendyk projected to go in the first round in his mock draft of the 2023 NHL Draft, Molendyk landed at No. 24 to the Predators. Ellis had this to say about him in his prospect rankings:
“Molendyk sometimes feels like a fourth forward out there with how he moves the puck and generates chances. But the offense didn’t seem to follow like most expected, bumping him down a few pegs. It feels like he’ll have a breakout next year, but I just wanted to see more this time around.”
Molendyk is the second selection by Nashville in the first round of the 2023 draft, also selecting Matthew Wood with the No. 15 pick earlier in the round. Barring any trades, the Predators will make their next pick in the second round with the No. 46 overall selection.
The Predators finished with a 42-32-8 record in the 2022-23 season, giving them 92 points that was good enough for fifth in the Central Division and 18th in the league. They missed the playoffs as a result.
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