2009 NHL Draft open thread

In case you're not joining us at one of the official Predators Draft Parties, jump into the comments below and let's see what David Poile pulls out of his hat tonight. Might we see a player traded so Nashville can move up on the draft board? Or will they trade down in a bid to still get a decent player but obtain some value in future drafts?

If they sit tight, John Glennon's made his call as to who he thinks the Preds will take at #11, and the voters here are strongly in favor of Jordan Schroeder, the diminuitive University of Minnesota star. I know many fans are desperate to see Nashville select a goal-scoring forward, but I really am comfortable with them taking the best player available, even if it's a defenseman, in the first round. If you project 2-4 years down the road, you don't know which current players will need to be replaced, and even if there is a logjam at a particular position, assets can always be traded.

Remember, too, that Nashville has a pretty good history now of developing effective NHL blueliners, but not so much when it comes to snipers.

Tonight will only cover the first round (beginning at 6:00 Central on Versus), with rounds 2-7 taking place tomorrow in Montreal. The picks that Nashville holds are as follows:

1st Round: #11

2nd Round: #41 & 42 (the second coming from the Marek Zidlicky/Ryan Jones trade)

3rd Round: #70 & 72 (the first coming from Ottawa when the Preds moved down in the 1st round last year and took Chet Pickard)

4th Round: #98, 102, & 110 (the first from a swap with San Jose last year, the last via the Rangers)

5th Round: #132 & 148 (the last coming when Darcy Hordichuk was traded to Carolina - he never played for the Hurricanes, and signed with Vancouver as a free agent)

6th Round: none

7th Round: #192 & 202 (the last coming from Philadelphia along with Triston Grant for Janne Niskala)