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Teams You Forgot Nashville Predators Players Were Drafted By

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Preds
By Rob Couch | Last updated 3/18/24

The Nashville Predators, like many team, are filled with players collected from all over the NHL, whether it be through trades, free agency, or waivers to complement the players drafted. What stands out for the Predators is just how interesting it is to look at where half of the roster came from as you may have forgotten about which teams these players were actually drafted by.

Whether you think you know which team every player on the Predators was drafted by, I am betting at least one or two will surprise you.

Filip Forsberg - Washington Capitals, 11th overall

Filip Forsberg has become a staple in Nashville and the team's leader in points this season, but surprisingly, the Predators didn't actually draft him despite it seeming like they did. He was drafted in the 2012 draft by the Washington Capitals, but was traded less than a year later before playing a game for them. He suited up for five games that season after being acquired by the Predators and only started his rise from there.

Ryan O'Reilly - Colorado Avalanche, 33rd overall

Ryan O'Reilly has played for five teams in his career and has made an impression everywhere he has gone. It seems like so long ago that he played for the team that drafted him, the Colorado Avalanche. He entered the NHL the season after being drafted and put together six solid years in Colorado before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, then finally signing with the Predators this past offseason. As he arguably made the biggest impact in St. Louis, that is where you might remember him best.

Gustav Nyquist - Detroit Red Wings, 121st overall

While Gustav Nyquist has played for five different teams in the past six years and been traded twice, he actually spent the majority of his career with the team that drafted him in 2008, the Detroit Red Wings. He has had a very consistent career and has been underrated the entire time. As he is about to set a new career high in points this season, the Predators are fortunate he has bounced back and they signed him for multiple years. He is a nice example of a late round pick working hard and breaking through.

Ryan McDonagh - Montreal Canadiens, 12th overall

Maybe the most surprising player here is Ryan McDonagh as many think of the New York Rangers or Tampa Bay Lightning when they think of the veteran defenseman. This is because he was dealt from the Montreal Canadiens two years after being drafted and one year before making his NHL debut. He was a necessary piece to be moved so that the Canadiens could acquire Scott Gomez at the time. McDonagh has only played for three NHL teams despite being a part of four organizations.

Jason Zucker - Minnesota Wild, 59th overall

Jason Zucker has spent the last four seasons with either the Pittsburgh Penguins organization or with the Arizona Coyotes until being traded to the Predators, but he has some of the best seasons of his career with the team that drafted him, the Minnesota Wild. Despite spending parts of nine seasons in Minnesota, it seems like a long time ago and a lot has happened in his career since then.

Jeremy Lauzon - Boston Bruins, 52nd overall

Jeremy Lauzon has turned into quite a good defenseman in his role with the Predators, but it did take him a little time to get his feet under him in the NHL. He slipped through the Boston Bruins' hands and then was traded to the Predators by the Seattle Kraken. Since he is still on the younger side and didn't leave the Bruins that long ago, this might not be as surprising as some of the others.

Tyson Barrie - Colorado Avalanche, 64th overall

Tyson Barrie was a mid-round steal in the draft by the Colorado Avalanche and turned out to be a very good NHL player despite his struggles this season where he doesn't fit in with the Predators. While playing some of his best hockey in Colorado for many years, he has more recently gotten a ton of attention while playing for the Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers. He was traded from the Oilers, where he was impressive offensively, to a much different role in Nashville.

Luke Schenn - Toronto Maple Leafs, 5th overall

Luke Schenn has played for eight different teams in his career and returned to a team he previously played for twice. Now that he is in Nashville after such a long journey in the NHL, it may be difficult to remember that he was a high pick for the Maple Leafs that they traded to the Philadelphia Flyers after just four seasons. Not only did he play for the Maple Leafs on two separate occasions, he also made a return to the Vancouver Canucks three years after he left. After signing a three-year deal to stay in Nashville, he is likely relieved to be staying put on a talented up-and-coming team.

Anthony Beauvillier - New York Islanders, 28th overall

Anthony Beauvillier's roots might be a little more fresh in your mind, or since he has played for so many teams recently, his past could have gotten jumbled. In just over a year, he has been traded three times and has played for four different teams during that span. He was originally drafted by the New York Islanders late in the first round and looked promising, but has had a tough past couple of seasons. The hope is that he can find his game for the Predators and get back to the game he was used to playing.

Cody Glass - Vegas Golden Knights, 6th overall

Cody Glass is the most recently drafted player to appear here, but since he initially made his mark on the Milwaukee Admirals when he put up 62 points in 68 games the season he got traded from the Vegas Golden Knights, you may have forgotten he was acquired in a trade and not developed by the Predators.

Mark Jankowski - Calgary Flames, 21st overall

Mark Jankowski played too well in the AHL this season to be left down there, and since being recalled, has contributed a fair bit to the success of the team. While he is turning 30 years old later this year, he has only played seven seasons in the NHL. He was a bit of a late bloomer that did his time in college despite being drafted in the first round by the Calgary Flames. After having a couple of solid seasons, he somewhat fell off the map, only to build himself back up with the Predators. He last played for the Flames in 2019-20, but has also spent time on the Pittsburgh Penguins and Sabres between Calgary and Nashville.

Michael McCarron - Montreal Canadiens, 25th overall

Michael McCarron was picked in the first round in 2013 by the Canadiens, but he has never been able to stick in the NHL, being a fringe player his entire career. He has only played for two teams, but has been a member of the Predators organization since 2019-20. He has put in some good work and has earned his spot on the team's fourth line this season, finally becoming a full-time NHL player at age 29.

The Predators have a very interesting group of players that have come together from all sorts of NHL journeys and formed this team that is showing something special this season.