Nashville's entry at next month's three-team event will rely on a pair of free agent goaltenders

The Nashville Predators hope 13 is a lucky number.

That’s how many of their draft picks will be on the team they send to the 2018 NHL Prospects Showcase next month in Florida. The majority of those will be late-round selections.

Eeli Tolvanan, the Predators’ first-round pick in 2017 (30th overall), will headline the team that will compete against squads from the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals.

He and defenseman Alexandre Carrier, a fourth-round pick in 2015, are the only ones with any NHL experience. Tolvanen appeared in three games for Nashville late last season after having spent the bulk of the campaign in the Kontinental Hockey League. Carrier appeared in two games with the Predators during the 2016-17 season.

None of the 13 draft picks are goalies. There the Predators will rely on a pair of European free agents signed this offseason, 23-year-old Miroslav Svoboda of the Czech Republic and 21-year-old Niclas Westerholm of Finland.

A rundown of the Nashville Predators draft picks who will compete during the 2018 NHL Prospects Showcase: Eeli Tolvanen, F – first round, 2017

Jack Dougherty, D – second round, 2014

Yakov Trenin, F – second round, 2015

Justin Kirkland, F – third round, 2014

Frederic Allard, D – third round, 2016

Anthony Richard, F – fourth round, 2015

Alexandre Carrier, D – fourth round, 2015

Joonas Lyytinen, D – fifth round, 2014

Vladislav Yeryomenko, D – fifth round, 2018

Emil Petterson, F – sixth round, 2013

Tyler Moy, F – fifth round, 2015

Pavel Koltygin, F – sixth round, 2017

Jacob Paquette, D – seventh round, 2017

The Predators released the full 22-man roster this week.

The group will report for training camp and have one practice together on Sept. 6 before they depart for Florida. They will face Washington’s prospects on Sept. 8 and Sept. 11 and will play Tampa Bay’s prospects on Sept. 9.

Veterans report for the start of training camp Sept. 13 and will have their first on-ice session the next day.



