Predators Promote Jeff Kealty to Director of Player Personnel

Nashville, Tenn. (December 1, 2017) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Friday that Jeff Kealty - formerly the team's Chief Amateur Scout - has been promoted to Director of Player Personnel.
Kealty, who is in his 17th season with the Predators franchise, will assist Poile and Assistant General Manager Paul Fenton on all player personnel decisions in addition to the duties he is already responsible for as Chief Amateur Scout.
"Jeff has been with the franchise since our early years, and our growth and success in the draft and beyond is a reflection of him and his staff," Poile said. "Given his eye for talent, it is appropriate for Jeff to assume a larger role in the hockey operations department while still managing amateur scouting and the draft. We look forward to his insight on all player personnel decisions from this point forward."

The Boston, Massachusetts, native has overseen Nashville's past 10 NHL Drafts and spearheads the team's scouting of draft-eligible players and development of prospects within the Predators system. With his knowledge of junior players across North American and Europe, 13 players who were drafted by the Predators during Kealty's tenure are on the team's current roster, including homegrown selections such as Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm.
Since being promoted to Chief Amateur Scout in 2007, Kealty has selected 42 forwards, 25 defensemen and 10 goalies, and his scouting played an integral role in the acquisitions of forwards Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen.
A first-round draft pick (22nd overall) by the Quebec Nordiques in 1994, Kealty signed in Nashville as a free agent in 1998 following a four-year college career at Boston University. He played one professional season for the International Hockey League's Milwaukee Admirals in 1998-99 before his career was cut short due to injury. He joined the Predators organization as an Amateur Scout in 2001.