At the start of the 2024-25 season, the Nashville Predators didn't think they'd be in a position to have nine draft picks, one of them being in the top five.
They were fresh off their fourth playoff appearance in five years and had just signed two of the top free agents in the market: Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos.
However, a 30-44-8 record in the 2024-25 season suddenly put Nashville in a position to look toward the future, specifically needing more depth down the middle.
At the 2025 NHL Draft, the Predators drafted six players: four defenseman, a winger, a goalie and a center. They also traded away five picks, two of which were for future considerations.
With all that has conspired over the last two days, here are three takeaways from the Predators' transactions in Los Angeles.
Nashville Predators 2025 NHL Draft transactions
Round 1, Pick 5 - Brady Martin, Center, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
*Traded 23rd and 67th picks to Ottawa Senators for 21st pick
Round 1, Pick 21 - Cameron Reid, Defense, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Round 1, Pick 26 - Ryker Lee, Forward, Madison Capitols (USHL)
Round 2, Pick 35 - Jacob Rombach, Defense, Lincoln Stars (USHL)
*Traded 55th pick to Vegas Golden Knights for 58th and 122nd picks
Round 2, Pick 58 - Jack Ivankovic, Goalie, Brampton Steelheads (OHL)
Round 4, Pick 122 - Alex Huang, Defense, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)
*Traded 131st pick to Edmonton Oilers for 2026 fifth round pick
Round 6, Pick 163 - Daniel Nieminen, Defense, Pelicans (SM-liiga, Finland)
*Traded 182nd pick to Utah Mammoth for 2026 sixth round pick
Trotz believed Martin had an 'it' factor, drafting him over Hagens, Martone
Fans were left a bit confused when the Predators selected 6-foot, 178-pound center Brady Martin. Nashville needed a center, but more so on the scoring end of things than anything else.
While Martin had 72 points in 57 games with the Soo Greyhounds, he also had 68 penalty minutes, showing a more physical side to his game than an offensive one.
The Predators picked him over Boston College center James Hagens, who had 37 points in 37 games, and Porter Martone, who is a winger but had a whopping 98 points in 57 games.
However, general manager Barry Trotz explained that Martin had an "it" factor that you don't see in many players.
"A guy shows up and has all those intangibles, the work ethic, all those things," Trotz said. "There are not a lot of things that are going to get in this guy's way. We had some tough decisions, but there was total passion on this pick...He's got that whatever it is."
Trotz added that Martin will set a tone of competing for a roster spot when training camp arrives.
"I definitely want to try and crack that roster if I can," Martin said. "If I don't, it's meant to be. I'll go back to the Greyhounds, work hard and try to crack the [Predators] roster as soon as I can."
Predators had trade for top 12 pick that 'fell through'
There was so much chatter ahead of the chat about the number of trades there'd be in the top 15. There was only one, with the Flyers trading up to get the Rangers' pick at 12th overall.
However, that doesn't mean teams didn't try to make that happen. Trotz told the NHL Network that he was on the phone for picks 7-18, trying to orchestrate a trade for a top-12 pick.
Nashville didn't end up getting a second top 15 pick of the night, but was able to trade up to 21st overall and land defenseman Cameron Reid.
"I actually had a deal and our player fell through," Trotz told NHL Network. "We were trying to get another player in the top 12, 13 picks. We had the deal in place, and one team grabbed the player, and we had to move on."
It's speculated that this player may have been Brandon Wheat Kings center Roger McQueen, who was one of the prospects forecasted to be taken at 5th overall. He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks 10th overall.
He's a tall center who is coming back from injury and showed a lot of promise in the few games he played.
Predators drafted 4 defensemen despite need for scoring
The Predators scored the fewest goals in the league last season, with 130, which is 10 fewer than the second-worst scoring team in the NHL, the Ottawa Senators.
Nashville had a ton of success scoring on the power play, ranking seventh in the league, but as a cohesive unit, it struggled to find the back of the net. With there being a need to score, the Predators selected only two forwards in the draft, both in the first round.
It's possible that the Predators believe their offense just needs to find its rhythm or will make some signings by July 1, but the Predators remain committed to the idea that they are a team composed of big and physical players.
"It is called Smashville, correct?" Trotz said when asked about the Predators being known as a team that is big and physical.
Nashville didn't shy away from drafting "big" players. Defenseman Jacob Rombach is 6 feet 6 inches, and five of the other draft picks are at least 6 feet tall. Goalie Jack Ivankovic is the exception, at 5-foot-11-inches.
When it comes to the physical factor, the draft picks averaged 30 penalty minutes, with Martin leading the way with 68 minutes. Even Ivankovic got into a goalie fight this season in the OHL.