![]() ![]() He scored 82 goals and 190 points across 167 junior league games the last four years. He’s a grinder who wins a lot of puck battles and is a menace along the boards. L’Heureux has a heavy snapshot and he thrives skating through sticks and heavy traffic and emerging with the puck. He’s a tenacious power forward who loves dishing out hits as much as he likes scoring goals. Compared to Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, L’Heureux has a wrecking-ball style of play gets under the opposition’s skin. 27 overallĪ dark horse to make the Predators opening-night roster, there’s no question L’Heureux will make an impact as he makes the jump from junior leagues to the professional ranks. ![]() The Predators can’t afford to let him become the next Eeli Tolvanen.ħ- Zachary L’Heureux, LW, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)ĭrafted: first round, 2021, No. The 2023 season should be Tomasino’s coming out party. ![]() He should also get some run on the second power-play unit. Brunette’s best course of action would be pairing Tomasino with other offensive-minded players like Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly on the top line or Cody Glass and Gustav Nyquist on the second line and just let him go to work. He also scored four goals and six points on the power play too. Tomasino was a near point-per-game player with the Admirals (12 goals, 32 points in 38 games), and he produced when called up to Nashville at the end of the season as well (five goals, 18 points in 31 games). How much better can he be if finally given the opportunity to play a top-six role? The 22-year-old forward scored 11 goals and 32 points as a rookie two seasons ago playing primarily fourth-line minutes with the Nick Cousins, Michael McCarrons and Matt Luffs of the world. Perhaps no player in the Predators organization will benefit more from the hire of Andrew Brunette than Tomasino will, and I expect him to flourish under an offensive-minded head coach who finally knows how to use the skillset he possesses. He could be a potential top-four defenseman for the Predators within the next three to four seasons.Ħ- Philip Tomasino, C/RW, Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)ĭrafted: first round, 2019, No. ![]() The 18-year-old defenseman has the speed and ability to lead a rush and make plays in transition, and he played a lot of minutes on Saskatoon’s top power-play unit, where he logged 10 points on the man advantage. Molendyk is the prototypical Predators blue-liner - an offensive-minded defenseman (his 28 points were third-most among Blades defensemen) with great speed, excellent edge, evasive skating who’s strong in transition with the ability to change direction on a dime. Wood has the potential to be the playmaking power forward the Predators have lacked since parting with James Neal in 2017.ĥ- Tanner Molendyk, D, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)ĭrafted: first round, 2023, No. He’s got quick hands and a deadly shot from the slot, making him a bona fide scoring threat anytime he has the puck on his stick. (Sources indicated to Nashville Hockey Now that Wood will likely switch to center during the 2023 season).Ī dominant player in the offensive zone, Wood is a savvy shooter with a nose for the net. He was the youngest in college hockey and UConn’s leading scorer as a freshman (11 goals, 34 points) while playing on the wing after moving from center, where he played primarily in the junior leagues. 18-ranked prospect in the NHL per The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, the 6-foot-4 Wood has future 30-goal, top-six potential, which is why the Predators swung big on him with the first of their two 2023 first-round picks. ![]()
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