The Nashville Predators have hired Chris MacFarland to be their president of hockey operations and general manager, luring him away from their Central Division rival Colorado Avalanche.

MacFarland, who has spent the past 11 seasons with the Avalanche, will take over the duties performed by general manager Barry Trotz. Trotz announced his retirement on Feb. 2, but will stay on with the Predators in an advisory role.

In a news release, Predators majority owner Bill Haslam said that MacFarland was one of their main targets throughout the search. The Avalanche were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Western Conference finals on May 26.

"We conducted an exhaustive search and were able to meet with several very qualified and impressive candidates," Haslam said. "But all along, we were hopeful to interview Chris (MacFarland). He turned out to be a perfect fit for us, just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward."

MacFarland, 56, has been with Colorado since 2015, when he was named assistant general manager. In 2022, he took over the general manager position from Joe Sakic, who was elevated to president of hockey operations.

Sakic will move back the general manager role at least through the start of free agency.

While MacFarland was with Colorado, the Avalanche built a loaded roster that includes Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon and two-time Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar. MacFarland is directly credited with signing MacKinnon to an eight-year deal in 2022, but he also worked alongside Sakic during the Avalanche's rebuild era — an era that developed MacKinnon into a superstar and the drafting of Makar in 2017.

MacFarland also oversaw several key trades, including sending Matt Duchene to Ottawa in 2018 in exchange for three draft picks and defenseman Samuel Girard in a three-team deal.

Colorado's success the past decade is undeniable. After finishing in last place in the league in 2017, the Avalanche have made the playoffs nine consecutive seasons (2018-2026) and won the Stanley Cup in 2022. This season, they won the Presidents' Trophy with the best record in the league. Accurately assigning credit for that success is difficult, but MacFarland had a role during all of it.

Prior to his time in Colorado, MacFarland was director of hockey operations and assistant general manager with the Columbus Blue Jackets for 14 seasons (2000 to 2015).

According to the Avalanche website, MacFarland has "worked in nearly every facet of the organization including scouting at the professional and amateur level, player contract negotiations, salary cap management and arbitration, collective bargaining agreement administration, budgeting and team scheduling issues."

A New York native, MacFarland played hockey at Pace University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business in 1992 and a law degree in 1998. He began his career as an intern in the NHL’s New York office in 1993-94 and also worked in the NHL's productions office.

Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Predators hire Chris MacFarland as president, general manager

On Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights will play Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Puck drop is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. PST. 

Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 12-4 and an average save percentage of .924 in 16 games this postseason. 

Freddie Anderson starts in goal for the Hurricanes. Anderson has a record of 12-1, three shutouts, and an average save percentage of .931 in 13 games this postseason.

Golden Knights Lines

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev

Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner

Colton Sissons — Tomáš Hertl — Mark Stone

Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar

Defense

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson

Jeremy Lauzon — Dylan Coghlan

Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill

Hurricanes Lines

Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake 

Nikolaj Ehlers — Jordan Staal — Jordan Martinook

William Carrier — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson

Defense

Jaccob Slavin — Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller — Sean Walker

Shayne Gostisbehere — Alexander Nikishin 

Goaltenders: Freddie Anderson / Brandon Bussi 

Special Teams

VGK power play: 23.9%, 4th

VGK penalty kill: 87.5%, 5th

Hurricanes power play: 12.5%, 13th

Hurricanes penalty kill: 92.5%, 2nd

Game Notes

The Golden Knights are 14-11 in Game 1s in franchise history. They have won both Game 1s during their two Stanley Cup Final appearances.  

Historically, teams that take a 1-0 series lead go on to win 70.3% of the time. 

The Golden Knights won both games against the Hurricanes during the regular season and outscored Carolina 10-4.

Mitch Marner is the postseason leader in scoring with 21 points (7G, 14A). 

Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden lead the league with ten postseason goals. 

Jack Eichel leads the league in assists this postseason with 16.

During Media Day on Monday, head coach John Tortorella reiterated that the most important thing for a player to have is the right mindset. He says that the Golden Knights have mental toughness, and that’s why they’re winners.

How to Watch 

TV: ESPN

Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340

Colorado’s front office is heading into a familiar-looking transition point, as Chris MacFarland moves on from the Avalanche after more than a decade with the organization to take over hockey operations in Nashville.

Nashville Makes Its Move

The Nashville Predators officially named MacFarland their new president of hockey operations and general manager on Tuesday, filling the most important vacancy in their organization with one of the NHL’s most experienced executives.

MacFarland leaves Colorado after 11 years with the club, including the past several seasons as general manager following Joe Sakic’s transition to president of hockey operations after the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup win.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, MacFarland had conversations with Predators owner Bill Haslam on Monday after being given permission by Colorado to speak with Nashville.

“We could not be more pleased that Chris has elected to join the Predators organization and lead our hockey operations group,” Haslam said in a statement. “We conducted an exhaustive search and were able to meet with several very qualified and impressive candidates, but all along, we were hopeful to interview Chris. He turned out to be a perfect fit for us — just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward."

Nashville had been searching for a permanent hockey operations leader since Barry Trotz stepped away from the general manager role in February.

Colorado Turns The Page Internally

Back in Denver, the Avalanche confirmed that Joe Sakic will step back into general manager duties “for the foreseeable future,” covering key upcoming moments like the NHL Draft and the start of free agency.

Avalanche owner Josh Kroenke expressed gratitude for MacFarland’s long run with the organization and the role he played in shaping the current roster core.

"Chris was instrumental in our success over the last decade and a key part of our 2022 Stanley Cup championship. This was an opportunity for him to take on a bigger role with the Predators while being closer to his family. We wish him and his family all the best in Nashville."

MacFarland officially took over as GM in 2022 and helped maintain Colorado’s status as a consistent contender. The Avalanche reached the playoffs in every season of his tenure as general manager, including a Presidents’ Trophy campaign this year. That season ultimately ended in disappointment with a sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.

Now in Nashville, MacFarland steps into a situation that has been aggressive but inconsistent. The Predators fell just short of the playoffs this season despite major offseason swings, including the additions of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.

“I know this is a proud organization with a solid track record of putting together teams that the fans of Smashville support wholeheartedly," MacFarland said in a statement. "My goal here is to build a winner, working with Bill Haslam, Sean Henry and our hockey operations staff and players to put a team on the ice that will compete for the Stanley Cup. I am excited about our future.”

With the move, Nashville completes its search for a top executive, while Colorado stays the course with a familiar structure under Sakic heading into a crucial offseason.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Stanley Cup Final is finally here.

The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes begin their quest for hockey's ultimate prize when they meet in Game 1 tonight at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC.

With both teams just four wins away from lifting the Stanley Cup, puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET as our Covers experts break down their top NHL picks and predictions for the series opener.

Golden Knights vs Hurricanes expert picks tonight

Odds courtesy of BET99.

img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 with the BET99 promo code COVERSNHL" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/promo-articles/bet99nhlcreative2526.jpeg"Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL.
(not available in Ontario)

Todd Cordell's expert pick: Pavel Dorofeyev Over 0.5 points

Price: -120 at BET99

Pavel Dorofeyev has taken off since being promoted to the top line alongside Jack Eichel. He has averaged an ultra-efficient 3.53 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play while generating expected goals at an elite clip.

Dorofeyev is also a big threat on the man advantage, where he leads the Vegas Golden Knights in goals and shots during the playoffs.

He is an exceptional shooter and generates plenty of looks. He will really test Frederik Andersen, who is riding a high now but posted a highly underwhelming .874 save percentage during the regular season.

Expect Dorofeyev to hit the scoresheet in Game 1.

Betable to -130. 

Todd Cordell's expert pick: Jackson Blake Over 0.5 points

Price: -135 at BET99

The Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson pairing has lost their 5-on-5 minutes on the scoreboard and controlled just 41.20% of the expected goals share, ranking them 16th out of 17 pairings to log 100+ minutes in the playoffs.

John Tortorella is giving them a lot of defensive zone starts, which doesn’t make life easy, but they’re still struggling to limit chances and keep the puck out.

Jackson Blake leads the Carolina Hurricanes in offensive zone start percentage (89.57%), expected goals, and time on ice at 5-on-5. He is the most likely candidate to take advantage. Play to -150.

Quinn Allen's expert pick: Logan Stankoven to score

Price: +220 at BET99

Logan Stankoven is flourishing in these playoffs with nine goals in just 13 games, but the underlying metrics suggest the production is no fluke.

His 4.1 individual expected goals rank third on the Carolina Hurricanes behind only Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake, while he also sits third on the team in high-danger chances created per 60 minutes (17.98).

Carolina is also controlling 67.8% of shots on goal with Stankoven on the ice at 5-on-5, highlighting his ability to drive offensive-zone pressure. He registered 11 shots across the final two games of the Eastern Conference Final and scored in both contests.

I'll play this pick to +180. 

---

More Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes Game 1 picks

• Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes prediction
• Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes props
• Golden Knights vs Hurricanes goal scorer predictions
• Free NHL picks
• Best NHL betting sites

---

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Montreal Canadiens are one of the most exciting teams in the NHL. They not only made it to the Eastern Conference Final this year but also have plenty of promising prospects in their system. Florian Xhekaj is among them, as the 21-year-old forward has the potential to emerge as an impactful NHL forward. 

Xhekaj appeared in his first five career NHL games this season with the Canadiens, where he recorded an assist, seven penalty minutes, and nine hits. Down in the AHL with the Laval Rocket this season, he had 17 goals, 29 points, and 182 penalty minutes in 64 games. This is after he had 24 goals, 35 points, and 175 penalty minutes in 69 games for Laval in 2024-25. 

Overall, Xhekaj has shown promise at the AHL level. Because of this, the 6-foot-3 forward is a breakout candidate to watch for the 2026-27 season. It would not be surprising in the slightest if the young forward takes another step forward in his development and cements himself a spot in the Canadiens' bottom six because of it. 

Xhekaj's toughness and grit are hard to ignore, but he has also shown at the AHL level that he has a bit of a scoring touch. It will be interesting to see if he can translate this kind of play over to the NHL next season with Montreal, but it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future with the club. 

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Bettors are backing the Vegas Golden Knights in their quest to win the Stanley Cup over the Carolina Hurricanes, beginning with Tuesday’s Game 1 showdown.

Key Takeaways

• The Knights just swept the Stanley Cup favorite Colorado Avalanche.
  
  
• BetMGM shortened the Hurricanes from -140 at opening to -155 in Game 1.
  
  
• DraftKings bettors submitted more player props on Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev than any other player.

Betting insights from BetMGM shared with Covers showed that, among all Golden Knights versus Hurricanes picks, 58% of tickets and 68% of the Game 1 moneyline handle are on Vegas. That’s despite the team moving from +115 at opening to +125, while Carolina is now -155. 

The Knights - currently +120 to be crowned champions - also have the public series advantage at BetMGM, claiming 10.4% of all tickets and 21% of the money wagered in the Stanley Cup odds future market. The Hurricanes (-145 series odds) have just 10% of wagers and 15.7% of the handle supporting them. 

“Bettors have backed the Golden Knights throughout the season, making them a liability for us on the futures market,” said BetMGM senior sportsbook trader Matthew Rasp. “The Hurricanes are favorites to lift the Cup and that would be a favorable outcome for the book.”

FanDuel told a similar story, with 62% of bets and 59% of the pot supporting the Knights in the series. However, 53% of tickets and 69% of the Game 1 moneyline handle are on the Hurricanes, who will begin the series on home ice.

The Hurricanes were tied for the shortest Stanley Cup odds in the Eastern Conference when the playoffs began, tying the Tampa Bay Lightning at +500. They shortened to +275 in the second round and +175 in the conference finals before falling to their current value of -145, per BetMGM.

The Golden Knights followed a much different path. Their +1,000 odds at the beginning of the playoffs were well behind the Avalanche (+300) and tied with the Dallas Stars. They shortened to +600 in the second round but only moved to +575 in the conference finals, where they were sizable underdogs against the Avs.

However, a wildly unexpected 4-0 sweep in the Western Conference Final helped the Knights surge up the oddsboard to the +120 value at the time of writing.

Setting the tone

Tuesday’s series opener represents just one of the four wins needed to claim the title, but history suggests it can go a long way toward shaping the series outcome.

Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-seven series own a 546-255 all-time record (68.2%), according to NHL Records. That number jumps to 74.7% for teams that open the series at home, while road teams that take a 1-0 lead have gone on to win 57.2% of the time.

Game 1 player props

Individual moments of brilliance and glaring mistakes often shift the balance of power throughout a series.

DraftKings Sportsbook shared with Covers that the most-bet NHL player props of the day all involve possible goal-scorers. Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev (+220), who scored 10 goals in 16 playoff games, topped the board, followed by Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (+250) and Knights winger Mark Stone (+320). 

Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (+1,200) is responsible for the fourth most-bet prop of the day, claiming the most tickets for first goal-scorer. Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (+270 anytime goal-scorer) rounded out DraftKings’ five most popular player props.

Conn Smythe Trophy odds

Despite not being mentioned in any of the most popular player prop bets, Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner is the Conn Smythe odds leader at +150 at BetMGM. He has 11% of tickets and 17.5% of the handle, both the leading amounts for players still active in the playoffs.

Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is a close second at +250 with 7.8% of bets and 14.6% of the pot backing him. Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall (+650) leads the chase pack but is only responsible for 2.3% of wagers and 2.2% of the money.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Philadelphia Flyers may have just gotten a major boost in their pursuit of a No. 1 center, and they won't have to look very far.

Two of the Flyers' biggest weaknesses are center depth and speed, and those go hand in hand when superimposed.

Top center prospect Jett Luchanko may be able to help in that aspect, but he's just 19 years old, needs to develop his offensive game, and has yet to play a full pro season.

To bridge the gap, the Flyers will need to explore the NHL trade market, as offer sheets for the top RFAs this year are just plain unrealistic at this point in time.

Fortunately, the Flyers just got a clear new No. 1 trade target to address the center position and lack of speed, and that's none other than New York Islanders star Mat Barzal, who is, perhaps surprisingly, a candidate to be traded this summer.

As reported by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, "A league executive told The Citizen that the New York Islanders are exploring the market for forward Mathew Barzal. The club would like to clear some cap space, but it’s a big financial commitment with four years left at $9.15 million through 2030-31."

Barzal's $9.15 million cap hit is chump change to the Flyers, who are now free of the cap charges left behind by Kevin Hayes, Scott Laughton, and Cam Atkinson.

Even after they inevitably re-sign Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, the Flyers will have plenty of cap space to fit in a No. 1 center, and they can give themselves further breathing room by moving on from Rasmus Ristolainen and his $5.1 million cap hit, as they are widely expected to.

NHL Insider's Latest Gives Flyers-John Carlson Dream New LifeThe Philadelphia Flyers' chances of signing John Carlson in NHL free agency just got a major boost.

Barzal, 29, does have a 22-team no-trade list that presents as a roadblock for the Flyers, but other than that, there's no reason a deal can't work between the two sides.

For the Flyers, Barzal has played center on and off throughout his 10-year NHL career, though he's been more of a winger in recent seasons.

To that end, though, Barzal is a two-time 80-point scorer with a respectable 42% career faceoff percentage, and he's a right-shot center that the Flyers would covet for matchup purposes.

In the 2023-24 season, when Barzal scored 22 goals and 80 points in 80 games, he ranked in the 97th percentile in max skating speed and in the 98th percentile in miles skated per game, according to NHL EDGE.

That's a player who can help the Flyers with their woeful transition and zone entry game on both the power play and even strength, and someone whose playmaking skills and speed would be big helps for someone like Matvei Michkov.

Given that the Islanders reportedly want to clear cap space, they're likely seeking a strictly future-oriented package for their best forward.

The Flyers could make a bid involving center prospects like Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt, and they have three first-round picks in the next two drafts, including the 21st overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Some combination of these assets should be a good starting point to entice the Islanders to make an in-division deal with the Flyers, whom it would behoove to strike while this iron is hot.

Former New York Rangers forward Manny Malhotra has been named head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. 

The Canucks finished last in the NHL standings with 58 points, and after sweeping front-office changes that included bringing in Ryan Johnson as general manager and Henrik and Daniel Sedin as co-presidents, the previous head coach, Adam Foote, was fired.

Malhotra most recently served as the head coach of the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks, while he also has experience in an assistant coaching role with both the Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

“Manny and I have been in the battle together before, so I know firsthand what a good teacher, leader, and quality person he is,” Johnson said. 

“Connection, consistency and putting in place the proper foundation will be key for our group moving forward. Manny is a great coach who has the right skillset and mentality to help players develop and get better each day. We both believe that pressure is a privilege, and learning to become a good pro takes patience, dedication, and a ‘be better than yesterday’ mindset. He loves the game and getting to know what makes his players tick and I am very confident Manny will help us ice a competitive and hard-working team that our fans will be proud of moving forward.”

The Mississauga native started his NHL career with the Rangers, being drafted by the Blueshirts in 1998 with the seventh overall pick in the first round. 

Over four seasons and 206 games playing for the Rangers, Malhotra recorded 19 goals, 22 assists, and 41 points. 

Malhotra also went on to play for the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks, Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Montreal Canadiens before officially retiring in 2016.

Buffalo Sabres team captain Rasmus Dahlin was one of three finalists for the Norris Trophy after leading his club to their first playoff appearance in 15 years, but on Tuesday it was announced that Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski won the annual award for the league’s best blueliner, finishing ahead of two-time winner Cale Makar for his first Norris Trophy. 

Werenski who led or was near the top of several categories for NHL defensemen in 2025-26 and tied the single-season Blue Jackets franchise records for assists, finished with 113 first-place votes and 1,589 points. Makar had 47 first place votes and 1,191 points. Dahlin had 13 first-place votes and 657 points, 104 points ahead of Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard, and 297 points ahead of Detroit’s Moritz Seider. 

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

Dahlin was also named one of the three finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey” along with Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog and Winnipeg’s Jonathan Toews. The winner will be announced at some point during the Stanley Cup Final. 

While the Carolina Hurricanes host the Vegas Golden Knights in Raleigh for the first two games on Tuesday and Thursday, the rest of the hockey world is descending on Buffalo for the annual NHL Scouting Combine at the LECOM Harborcenter. Most team representatives are already here, interviewing perspective draftees and talking with other clubs about possible trades ahead of or during the NHL Draft later this month.

The Sabres have the 27th pick in the first round, but it would be surprising if GM Jarmo Kekalainen dealt the pick with Buffalo hosting the draft this year. Buffalo does not have a second-round pick, which was traded to Ottawa in the Dylan Cozens / Josh Norris deal in March 2025, and their third round pick was sent to the NY Rangers in the Sam Carrick deal.  

With just under $13 million in cap space, Kekalainen has limited flexibility unless he sheds some salary on the roster, which is likely the reason why the chances of re-signing winger Alex Tuch are slim. The Sabres have RFA’s Michael Kesselring, Peyton Krebs, and Zach Benson to re-sign, as well as UFA Beck Malenstyn, which could mean some significant changes to the Buffalo roster next season. 

Tuch reportedly is looking for more than $10 million per season on a new deal, and with a very thin unrestricted free agent class and the NHL salary cap increasing to $104 million, it appears to be a perfect storm for the Sabres winger to hit the jackpot on July 1. The same goes for Malenstyn, who was extremely effective as a fourth-line crash-and-bang winger, and will look for a raise from his $1.35 million salary. 

Kesselring, who was injured on multiple occasions last season, is unlikely to crack the Sabres top-four blueline group, and with one year until qualifying for unrestricted free agency, the 26-year-old may be looking to go somewhere where he can get more playing time. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

NEW YORK (AP) — Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman, the league announced Tuesday.

Werenski was second in points at the position with 81 on 22 goals and 59 assists. It’s the first time he has won the award in his career.

The 28-year-old was first on 113 ballots in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Colorado’s Cale Makar was second, Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin third and Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard fourth.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

A new lead as emerged in the Nashville Predators' general manager search as the Colorado Avalanche have given GM Chris MacFarland permission to speak to the Predators. 

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Tuesday that MacFarland met face-to-face with Predators owner Bill Haslam and the goal is for the Predators to close the deal quickly. 

Rumors about MacFarland's interest in Nashville have swirled for weeks, some suggesting that he is being interviewed for the President of Hockey Operations position and not the GM job. 

He joined the Avalanche organization back in 2015 as an assistant general manager after serving in the same role with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2007 to 2015. From 2013 to 2015 he also served as the general manager of the Springfield Falcons, Columbus's AHL affiliate. 

MacFarland took over the general manager role in July 2022, following the Avalanche's Stanley Cup championship and Joe Sakic's move to become President of Hockey Operations. 

Since taking over the role, Colorado has placed in the top three in the Central Division for the last four seasons, winning the division twice. This season, Colorado posted a 55-16-11 record to win their second President's Trophy in the six seasons. 

It was stunned by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals, getting swept. 

The Avalanche have put together a talent squad that's included the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Brock Nelson, Martin Necas, and former Predators Nick Blankenburg and Scott Wedgewood. 

In February, GM Barry Trotz announced that he'd be retiring as soon as a replacement had been found, with the search commencing immediately.

Trotz has remained the GM through the rest of the 2025-26 season and nearing the start of the NHL Draft at the end of this month. 

The Nashville Predators own the 10th overall pick in the upcoming draft, which will be held in Buffalo on June 26.