The Nashville Predators selected forward Wyatt Cullen with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26.
Cullen, a left wing with the U.S. National Team Development Program, had 16 goals and 29 assists in 40 games last season. He also scored a team-leading nine points in five games for Team USA at the 2025 World Junior Championships.
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This is the first draft selection made by new Predators general manager Chris MacFarland. With MacFarland and the rest of his staff making the pick remotely from Bridgestone Arena, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman introduced Cullen at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
A 6-foot, 180-pound left-handed skater, Cullen is a highly skilled winger who can create offense from many different angles. He has excellent hands, makes quick decisions and finds routes to the net that others cannot. Maybe not the most physical player, but that doesn’t hurt his projection as a top-six winger.
“(Cullen) has dynamic ability to beat defenders with the puck on his stick,” one NHL scout wrote for Elite Prospects. “Not the quickest skater with his top speed, but his shifty lateral ability is where he can catch players off guard. Might have one of the highest ceilings in the draft class.”
A Moorehead, Minnesota native, Cullen is the son of former NHL center Matt Cullen, who played two seasons with the Predators (2013-15). Wyatt plans to enroll and play for the University of Minnesota next season.
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Cullen is the ninth top-10 pick in Predators history. Last year, they selected Brady Martin at No. 5 overall.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. He never uses artificial intelligence when developing or drafting stories. Contact Alex atjdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Predators select winger Wyatt Cullen at No. 10 in 2026 NHL Draft
