Preds News & Notes: Bridgestone Arena Ranked No. 1 in the NHL

The Nashville Predators have entered the offseason riding a wave of optimism with a bevy of draft picks, high-performing prospects and more.

With the 2022-23 season in the books and the NHL Draft just over a month away, there's a roundup of the latest news in SMASHVILLE:

The Picks Are In

The Predators have a whopping 13 picks in the 2023 NHL Draft, including two in the first round. The results of the NHL Draft Lottery confirmed that Nashville's first overall pick will be at No. 15, based on the league standings at the end of the 2022-23 regular season.

The Preds received an additional first-round pick from the Edmonton Oilers at this year's trade deadline - along with forward Reid Schaefer, defenseman Tyson Barrie and a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft - in exchange for veteran blueliner Mattias Ekholm and a sixth-round pick in 2024. With Edmonton's elimination from the Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 14, the Preds are now locked in to make their second overall pick at No. 24.

Best Barn in the NHL

Last week, Bridgestone Arena was ranked No. 1 in Stadium Journey's rankings of all 32 NHL arenas for the 2022-23 season with a score of 4.86/5. The scoring system is based on several criteria including food, atmosphere, neighborhood, fan support, access and return on investment.

"When Nashville was first awarded an NHL franchise in 1997, many did not think hockey in the state, better known for its allegiance to the University of Tennessee and 'Rocky Top' would work," writes David Welch of Stadium Journey. "Nothing could be further from the truth; not only has hockey worked in Nashville, but it has also thrived."

The No. 1 ranking by Stadium Journey comes after Bridgestone Arena was named the 2023 Arena of the Year by Pollstar Magazine.

"We are thrilled to be recognized by Pollstar as Arena of the Year for the third time," Executive Vice President of Entertainment and Venues David Kells said following the announcement in February. "This accomplishment truly reflects our staff and the hard work they put in every day to create an unmatched experience in SMASHVILLE. We strive to make 501 Broadway a highlight of the tour or season for performers and athletes - thank you to all the artists, managers, agents, promoters and fans for supporting Bridgestone Arena every year."

Team Canada's Moving On

Cody Glass and the Canada National Men's Team defeated Czechia 3-1 on Tuesday to secure second place in Group B and advance to the Quarterfinal round of the 2023 IIHF World Championship. Glass recorded three points (3a) in seven games during the preliminary round, including an assist in Tuesday's win. Glass - who was elevated to Canada's top line for Tuesday's game - fired a no-look pass to Peyton Krebs, who scored Canada's first goal on the power play at the end of the first period.

The quarterfinals begin Thursday in Tampere, Finland, and Riga, Latvia. The schedule and matchups will be released upon completion of Tuesday's remaining preliminary round games.

Central Division Champs

For the first time in 17 years, the Milwaukee Admirals are headed to the Western Conference Final of the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Preds AHL affiliate punched their ticket with a 5-2 victory over the Texas Stars in a winner-take-all Game Five of the Central Division Final on Sunday.

The Admirals will now face the Coachella Valley Firebirds, AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken. The winner of the series will move on to face either the Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals) or the Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres) in the Calder Cup Final.

Of note, Luke Evangelista is tied for third among all AHL skaters in playoff points with 13 (4g-9a), and Joakim Kemell has six points (5g-1a) in eight playoff games. Kiefer Sherwood picked up where he left off in the NHL and has a point per game through eight appearances. Yaroslav Askarov has started every game in goal for Milwaukee and is 6-4 with a 2.44 goals-against average.

The Western Conference Final schedule is below:

Game 1 - Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, May 25 at 9 p.m. CT
Game 2 - Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, May 27 at 9 p.m. CT
Game 3 - Coachella Valley at Milwaukee, May 29 at 6 p.m. CT
Game 4 - Coachella Valley at Milwaukee, June 1 at 7 p.m. CT
Game 5 - Coachella Valley at Milwaukee, June 3 at 6 p.m. CT (If necessary)
Game 6 - Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, June 5 at 9 p.m. CT (If necessary)
Game 7 - Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, June 7 at 9 p.m. CT (If necessary)

Preds Prospects Making Waves

Predators prospects Reid Schaefer and Luke Prokop were crowned Western Hockey League champions on Friday with the Seattle Thunderbirds' 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg ICE in Game Five of the Ed Chynoweth Cup Final. The Thunderbirds will now advance to the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia, which will be held from May 26-June 4 in Kamloops, B.C. There, they will face the Kamloops Blazers, Peterborough Petes and Quebec Remparts in a round-robin tournament to determine the 2023 Canadian Hockey League champions.

Meanwhile in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Preds prospect Zachary L'Heureux fell just short of a trip to the 2023 Memorial Cup as he and the Halifax Mooseheads fell to Quebec 5-4 in Game 6 of the 2023 Gilles-Courteau Trophy Final. L'Heureux ranked fourth among QMJHL skaters with 26 points (11g-15a) in 20 playoff games. He finished the 2022-23 regular season - his third with Halifax - with 42 points (21g-21a) in 33 games.