Nashville Predators News & Notes:
I’m going to bundle Eric Dunay’s fantastic Preds draft coverage together in one paragraph.
The Predators selected forward Philip Thomasino, a natural center who played wing last year, with the 24th pick. The first round of the draft was very weird and a lot of good players fell; an early run on defenders skewed everything. Thomasino was an optimistic but not impossible pick for the Preds (Eric had previously selected him in the SBNation mock draft as well).
In less fun news…
Rumors: Preds could sign Corey Perry, trade P.K. Subban to clear cap space | On the Forecheck
I will make this brief: I like P.K. Subban. I don’t like Corey Perry. I didn’t like writing that post.
Other News & Notes:
2019 NHL Entry Draft: Round 1 Recap and Team Grades | On the Forecheck
I don’t usually associate the Tampa Bay Lightning with making choices that are weird and kind of bad, but I guess it happens to all of us sometimes.
Follow the money: Salary cap could spawn NHL trade frenzy | AP News
The most recent number I saw floated as a possibility for the cap was $80.5M, which is going to be brutal if it’s even close to accurate. We’ll know for sure later today. This is a good look around the league at who has cap space, who needs it, and who might be looking to make a deal.
How Noelle Needham and Hayley Wickenheiser are smashing hockey’s glass ceiling | ESPN
I love what Kyle Dubas says here about market inefficiencies. Also, Hayley Wickenheiser is incredible, but I already knew that.
NHL Draft: USA Hockey big winner of Round 1 | ProHockeyTalk
That’s a lot of US-born players. There’s an ESPN article from a few weeks ago talking about the burgeoning success of the USNTDP; that promise has, I think, been–if not fulfilled yet, at least given the chance to be fulfilled.
Canucks risk ‘Russian Factor’ with Podkolzin at No. 10 | ProHockeyTalk
The article is a lot less inflammatory than the headline, and Jim Benning sounds…actually like he’s thought about what he’s doing. Will wonders never cease.
San Jose Sharks get a puppy named Finn for the 2019-20 season | Russian Machine Never Breaks
The Sharks won draft day, or at least helped the rest of us get through it, by getting a puppy and setting up a puppy cam! Best add of the first day of the draft imo.
Today:
The NHL draft continues starting at noon, and will air on NHL Network and Sportsnet. We’ll have more draft coverage for you here at On The Forecheck.
It’s also the first day of the Nashville Pride Festival; the Predators will be sending representatives as part of their Hockey Is For Everyone outreach.
Whatever you’re doing with your day, please stay safe—it’s going to be stormy around Nashville, with high winds, thunder, risk of hail, and heat index values near 100. Keep an eye or ear on the weather report in case of any new developments. (If you’re not local, still stay safe, but I’m afraid I can’t do weather reports for everywhere.)