Predators select Tommy Bleyl No. 31 overall in 2026 NHL Draft
The Nashville Predators have selected defenseman Tommy Bleyl with the No. 31 overall selection of the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Predators traded up to take Bleyl, moving the No. 42 and 57 spots in this year’s draft to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Bleyl was projected to be selected around 27th overall on average across all of the main draft rankings, going as high as 20th and as low as 56th. He was also ranked 17th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis projected him to go right at the average at 27th overall.
Ellis had this to say about Bleyl in his most recent draft rankings:
“Bleyl feels like the type of guy the general public loves significantly more than NHL Central Scouting. Personally, there’s a lot to love. He’s a highly skilled two-way defender who came out of nowhere to register 81 points as a QMJHL rookie. He’s exceptionally crafty, skates very well and doesn’t let bigger competition bother him. Bleyl plays a calm, collected game defensively while consistently getting himself into scoring lanes in the other zone. Right now, he needs to get stronger – he gets pushed around too often, especially in front of the net. But his mobility and raw hockey sense are definitely there. I’m interested to see if he can keep the numbers flowing at Michigan State.”
Bleyl spent the entirety of his 2025-26 season with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. He played 63 games in the regular season, accumulating 13 goals and 68 assists for 81 points as the Wildcats finished first in the QMJHL with a 50-10-2-2 record. The Schenectady, New York product finished eighth in the league in points and led all defensemen, with both totals leading Moncton. His performance earned him both defenseman of the year and defensive rookie of the year honors.
Bleyl also had six goals and 22 assists for 28 points in 21 games in the playoffs as Moncton went all the way to the QMJHL Final before losing to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Bleyl finished third in points amongst both his teammates and the league in the playoffs, and was first among defensemen.
After one more year with the Wildcats, Bleyl is committed to Michigan State University for the 2027-28 season.