Nashville Predators draft pick Tanner Molendyk shakes hands with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being selected with the 24th pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Predators sign first-round pick to entry-level contract

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Colton Davies | Last updated 7/6/23

Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz announced that the club has signed 2023 first-round pick Tanner Molendyk to a three-year, entry-level contract.

#Preds GM Barry Trotz announced today that the team has signed defenseman Tanner Molendyk to a three-year, entry-level contract.https://t.co/WuDE87E2Db
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) July 6, 2023

Molendyk was selected No. 24 overall by the Predators at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville. He spent the 2022-23 season with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he notched nine goals and 28 assists for 37 points in 67 games.

Molendyk added three goals and five assists for eight points in 18 WHL Playoff games, helping lead his team to the Eastern Conference Final. He shared the lead for goals, finished second, and tied for second in points and assists among WHL defensemen.

The McBride, British Columbian defenseman, also was second on the Blades and 10th among WHL skaters in his position in plus-minus at +31, a career-high.

On the international stage, Molendyk represented Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2022-23 and registered four points in five games, winning a gold medal alongside fellow Preds’ prospects Matthew Wood, Kalan Lind and Dylan MacKinnon.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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