Cole Smith: 2021 – 2024, J.J. Daigneault: 1999 (Left, 2nd Slide), Robert Schnabel: 2003 – 2004 (Top Right, 2nd Slide), Zac Rinaldo: 2019 (Bottom Right, 2nd Slide).
Not pictured are Niklas Andersson: 2000 and Sean Haggerty: 2001.
J.J. Daigneault was drafted 10th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 1984. He would play 35 games for the Preds, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists. Over a 16 year career Daigneault played for 10 different teams and a total of 899 games, scoring 53 goals and 197 assists.
Niklas Andersson was 68th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1989. He would play 7 games for Nashville, tallying just 1 assist.
Sean Haggerty was drafted 48th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1994. He played 3 games for the Preds and had 1 assist.
Robert Schnabel was drafted 79th overall by the New York Islanders in 1997. He played 22 games and registered 3 assists. He also wore #42 for the Preds.
Zac Rinaldo was drafted 178th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2008. He would play 23 games for Nashville, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists.
Cole Smith went undrafted after a very successful college career with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. Due to COVID-19, UND was unable to compete for the Conference and National Championships in his final year, but would be named as a finalist in the NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year Award. He would sign a contract with the Nashville Predators on March 19, 2020 and originally was going to wear #15, but out of respect for veteran Brad Richardson, he gave up the number and settled for #36. He would sign a 2-year, $2,000,000 deal on January 24, 2024 after reaching his career high in points, 17, in just 46 games, and would only put up another 6 total points in the remaining 34 games he played that season. Currently Smith has played 158 games, scoring 13 goals and 27 assists. Hopefully, we will see him break 30+ points this season now that there is more depth on the team.
1 comment
Cole Smith got that dog in him
I love how he’s gone from criticism fodder and the epitome of the shitty Hynes offensive system to a legit team player, valuable grinder and PP killer under Bruno’s actual system of hockey.