Matt Cullen said the Predators expect to make the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft. Chris MacFarland laid out that plan Thursday morning at Bridgestone Arena, with Buffalo set to host the draft room decisions a day later.
The Predators held 11 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft as of Friday morning, and the top-10 selection gives them a clear starting point. MacFarland said the organization is looking at the draft as one piece of an incremental improvement plan, not a one-shot overhaul.
Bridgestone Arena Draft Plans
MacFarland called it his first Draft with his new team and said, "Draft time is always exciting". He also said, "The expectation, for me, would be to make a pick at 10."
That line set the baseline for how the Predators approached the first round. With 11 picks to work with, the front office can stay active without needing to force a move at the top of the board.
Ross Colton and Jack Drury
The last two weeks brought two trades that added Ross Colton and Jack Drury to the organization, and MacFarland pointed to those moves as part of the wider build. He said, "You're bringing in new players into the system, and everybody's organization, after [Friday] night, it’s going to feel like they're better, right?"
He also tied the draft to the rest of the roster work, saying development is a really important part of the puzzle. His list included strength and conditioning programs, development teams, and what was going on in Milwaukee.
10th Pick, No Rush
MacFarland added the team would be careful with its first-round picks and would not rush into trades. "We’ve got to be careful with our first-round picks, because right now it's pick 10, and we’re going to get a good player there, but we'll be in the conversations on anything that we feel can make us better," he said.
That keeps the 10th pick live but not locked in. The Predators have a draft position, a pile of selections, and a front office willing to listen if a move fits the larger plan.
He closed the picture with the same steady line: "We’ll have a plan, we'll work it, but I don't think it's going to be something that we’re rushing into." The Predators enter the 2026 NHL Draft with a clear first-round expectation and enough picks to keep shaping the roster beyond that first choice.
