Darren Turcotte: 1999 – 2000 (Top Left), Greg Classen: 2001 – 2003 (Top Right), Sergei Zholtok: 2004 (Bottom Left), Marcel Goc: 2010 – 2011 (Bottom Right), Paul Kariya: 2006 – 2007 (2nd Slide), Filip Forsberg: 2013 – 2024 (3rd Slide).
IN THE SINGLE DIGITS NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
Darren Turcotte was drafted 114th overall by the New York Rangers in 1986. He played 49 games for the Preds, scoring 4 goals and 6 assists.
Greg Classen went undrafted and would play 90 games for the Preds, scoring 7 goals and 10 assists.
Sergei Zholtok was drafted 55th overall by the Boston Bruins in 1992. He played 11 games for Nashville, scoring a goal and an assist. Zholtok was traded from the Wild in March of 2004, and after his time with Nashville, he would never see NHL ice again. Due to the lockout, Zholtok was playing abroad and would pass away due to a Cardiac Arrhythmia in November of 2004.
Paul Kariya was drafted 4th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 1993. He played 164 games for the Preds, scoring 55 goals and tallying 106 assists for a total of 161 points. There's not enough time for me to do this legend proper justice and the fact that he came to Nashville in the first place is honestly a gift. Had Craig Leopold not stated his intentions to sell the team and the possibility of relocation, Kariya may have stayed on and played the remainder of his career with Nashville, but he cited the uncertain future of the franchise as his reason for leaving.
Marcel Goc was drafted 20th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2001. He played 124 games for the Preds, scoring 21 goals and 33 assists.
Filip Forsberg was drafted 11th overall by the Washington Capitals in 2012. He has played 698 games for Nashville, scoring 287 goals and tallying 318 assists for a total of 605 points. Since establishing himself on the roster in the 2014 – 2015 season, he has had 4 20-goal seasons, 2 30-goal seasons, and 2 40-goal seasons. This past season he set a personal best in goals (48), assists (46), and points (94). Hopefully with the additions of Marchessault and Stamkos, we will see the first 50-goal, 100-point player in franchise history.
It's been said a lot throughout this series and all throughout the sub, but I cannot wait until opening night. 9 days… 9. Days. Left.
1 comment
Interesting, the preds haven’t drafted an #9 and there’s a chance we never will if foresberg gets his # retired (I don’t think he will)