The Nashville Predators have called the San Jose Sharks (No. 4 overall) in pursuit of a trade into the top five of the 2023 NHL Draft, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Wednesday.
LeBrun’s report comes with about an hour to go before the start of the first round at Bridgestone Arena. TSN’s Darren Dreger also reported that there is “uncertainty” around the No. 5 overall pick, owned by the Montreal Canadiens
Incoming Predators GM Barry Trotz has not been shy in saying the organization wants to move into the top five to move into position for one of the top forwards in the class.
“We’ve got lots of picks and I’m trying like hell to get a, say, top four or five pick,” Trotz told The Tennessean on Saturday after he traded Ryan Johansen to Colorado. “But you need a dance partner; teams are not going to give it to you.
“So I’m trying to make them uncomfortable with a lot of offers. They know there’s a franchise player in there.”
In the 2023 class, superstar center prospect Connor Bedard is expected to go to the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 1 overall. Swedish center Leo Carlsson, University of Michigan center Adam Fantilli and USNTDP center Will Smith are expected to go somewhere in the top five, with Russian winger Matvei Michkov as the wild card prospect. Many media draft prospect lists have Michkov as the No. 2 or No. 3 prospect overall, but he is signed to the KHL for the next three seasons.
Nashville currently owns the No. 15 and No. 24 overall picks in Wednesday’s first round, and seven picks in the top 100 overall this week.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Predators called San Jose Sharks about No. 4 pick in NHL Draft | Report
