The Nashville Predators will have a top-five selection at the NHL Entry Draft for the first time in more than ten years; they’ll also have two other first-round picks. With a significant opportunity to strengthen its prospect pool, Nashville will be looking for potentially underrated gamebreakers later in the round. To that end, here are three interesting forwards that could be available.
Cullen Potter | F | Arizona State University (NCAA)
As you’ll see with the other two players below, Cullen Potter fits an archetype that comes about in every draft class. He’s supremely skilled, a good skater, and he’s barely 5’10”. Potter has had a unique path to this point; after a season with the U.S. National Team Development Program U17 squad, he chose to jump straight to college, debuting for the Arizona State Sun Devils this year. As a freshman, Potter scored 13 goals and 22 points in 35 games, finishing 34th among first-year skaters.
When you watch Cullen Potter’s game, his speed stands out right away. He moves well in all four directions, can switch edges with ease, and change his angle of attack on and off the puck in the blink of an eye. Despite his speed, you could see Potter having to adjust to the collegiate game throughout the season. On too many shifts, Potter took wide turns when a quick stop and start was needed; he’s got the speed to win plenty of battles, you just want to see a little more consistency.
Potter is a great puck handler. His hands coordinate well with his feet, and he can navigate tough lanes at top speed. His transition play is good, but as you’d expect from a college freshman, he worked himself into tough spots here and there when driving possession. With his pace, Potter thrives on give-and-go offense, giving his teammates good puck support, finding open ice, and more. With the puck, he needs to find his way off the boards in the offensive zone more. His scoring touch is good, and with time and space, his shot is at the better end of this class; I’d like to see a little quicker decision making, but that will come as college defenders challenge him further.
Potter’s off-the-puck details are excellent, particularly in the defensive zone. He can be overpowered by bigger opponents, but he’s smart with his stick, sound in his positioning, and quick to reverse play away from his netminder.
I like Potter’s game a lot, and I wouldn’t be upset if Nashville selected him with one of their back two first-round picks. There are natural concerns about his size, but I think he’s got the intelligence to be a middle-six scorer in the NHL.
Bill Zonnon | F | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
Much like Cullen Potter, Bill Zonnon fits a familiar archetype. The 6’2″ prospect is a high-motor, high-intensity power forward; he’s also not the world’s greatest skater. Regardless, Zonnon put together an impressive draft year and has steadily risen up many draft boards, posting 28 goals and 83 points in 64 games this season.
As mentioned, Zonnon’s skating isn’t the smoothest, but his mechanics are fairly interesting. He generates a good amount of power but isn’t overly explosive; he’s quick, but his heels kick in recovery and his pivots are clunky. Regardless, Zonnon has such a relentless motor that he still won a ton of foot races in the QMJHL this season. On top of that, his long reach helps him with those battles and in protecting puck possession too.
Zonnon is a strong forechecker who makes up for his skating limitations with good angles, forcing opponents into poor puck decisions. The second there is a loose or contested puck, it feels like Zonnon is pouncing on possession; I don’t think he’ll be as successful at that in the NHL, but it’s encouraging that his compete level really is top of this class.
His offensive skills are good but also blunt. There isn’t a ton of finesse to his game, but he’s got a decent shot and manages the puck well. At higher levels, Zonnon projects more as a playmaker than a scorer; he won’t deke defenders out of their skates often, but he’ll work hard to drive around opponents and put teammates in good positions with the puck.
There is a lot of soundness to Zonnon’s game. He isn’t flashy, but he works hard and projects as a reliable bottom-six forward. His decision making with the puck remains inconsistent—and his playmaking speed and confidence in transition will need to improve as he goes against better defenders—but I like his chances and willingness to fight for every puck.
Cole Reschny | F | Victoria Royals (WHL)
I’ll be happy to be proven wrong, but consider me skeptical of Cole Reschny. The 5’10” forward led the Victoria Royals this year with 26 goals and 92 points in 62 games, and he chipped in five goals and eight points in five games at the U18 World Junior Championship. His point totals suggest he’s a first-round pick—and I won’t dispute that, but I’m having a hard time seeing him translate to more than a depth piece in the NHL.
Evaluators are split on Reschny’s skating; some see it as a strength and others, correctly in my opinion, see some limitations. His top speed in a straight line is pretty good, but he lacks a full leg extension/recovery and explosive change-of-direction speed. My guess is he ends up as an NHL average skater, but he might need to be better given his size. Regardless, Reschny makes up for any limitations with good forechecking skills. While he doesn’t have the reach that Bill Zonnon does, Reschny attacks at smart angles to cover as much ice as he can.
Reschny is also a sound 200-foot player. He won’t stand out on every shift (although that became more commonplace later in the year), but his pace of play is strong, and he won’t shirk any responsibilities at either end of the ice. He’s a confident puck carrier with good hands, but he isn’t physically dominating in puck battles, and I saw some struggles with puck protection this season.
Throughout the year, Reschny grew as a puck hound, demanding the puck with his offensive skills and pushing defenders back on their heels as he barreled down the wall. Like Potter, he thrives on short passes and a give-and-go game, and I like his finishing ability around the net. His playmaking abilities are some of the best in this class, and his distribution skills really shined in the WHL playoffs.
All that said, there is a legitimate chance Reschny becomes an NHL scorer, but I think he’ll need to be a relentless offensive pest to do so. Based on my viewings, I think he ends up in more of a valuable checking role in the long term.
