Overview
- The Nashville Predators moved up in the 2026 draft on Saturday by sending picks Nos. 42 and 57 to Carolina and using the No. 31 selection to take right-shot defenseman Tommy Bleyl.
- Bleyl broke the QMJHL rookie-defenseman points record with 81 points (13 goals, 68 assists) in 63 games and added 28 points in 21 playoff games as Moncton reached the league final.
- Scouts describe him as an undersized, highly mobile puck-moving defenseman who excels in skating, edgework and passing but who needs to add strength and physicality to defend at a pro level.
- NHL Central Scouting ranked Bleyl 17th among North American skaters while public boards varied widely, reflecting a split between valuing his offensive upside and worrying about his frame.
- Bleyl is committed to Michigan State for 2027–28 and is expected to return to junior hockey first, so the pick is a multi-year investment that signals Nashville’s push to add transition-capable blueliners and to monitor his strength and development next season.