Predators' top pick Wyatt Cullen, son of Matt Cullen, no stranger to Nashville
· Yahoo Sports
Wyatt Cullen, the Predators' pick at No. 10 overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, is no stranger to Nashville.
Years before hearing his name called at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, he was in Nashville attending Predators practices — not as a fan, but as family. Wyatt's father, Matt Cullen, spent two seasons with the Predators (2013-15) during a somewhat brief stop in his 21-year NHL career.
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Despite being just 6 years old at the time, Wyatt Cullen remembers it fondly.
"I was around the rink a lot, just running around the practice rink," he said June 26. "Those are the memories that I have, just watching (the Predators) practice. Those are really good memories that I'll definitely remember forever."
Cullen, a left wing with the U.S. National Team Development Program, became the Predators' ninth top-10 pick in franchise history and the first under new general manager Chris MacFarland. Cullen had 16 goals and 29 assists in 40 games last season after recovering from an injury in the fall.
A 6-foot, 180-pound left-hander, Cullen projects as a top-six winger in the NHL, but some scouts say his ceiling is higher than that. He's fast, has excellent puck-handling skills, and can create offense from many areas.
A year ago, he wasn't a high first-round draft projection, but a steep growth spurt — he reportedly grew 5 inches in one season — saw his draft stock rise in recent months.
He credits his father for helping him adjust to his growing body.
"He helped me so much with ideas on using my body, coming in and making plays with my bigger body," Cullen said. "After Christmas, I really figured out a way to use my body a lot better. Create more space for myself with the bigger body. Growing, I got so much faster and stronger throughout the course of the year so I could beat guys more one-on-one."
Cullen is committed to the University of Minnesota for next season. After his collegiate hockey career is finished, his path should take him to Nashville, where there's at least one skill he'll have to work on before he arrives.
"I'm not the biggest country (music) guy, so I'll have to get into that," Cullen said.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. He never uses artificial intelligence when developing or drafting stories. Contact Alex at [email protected]. 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: Predators' top pick Wyatt Cullen, son of Matt Cullen, no stranger to Nashville