The scouting staff is a veteran group that has seen minimal turnover through the years, and that familiarity with one another allows them to work as a cohesive unit when they come together, especially during draft weekend.
"Our philosophy is to take the best possible player wherever that pick is," Nolan said. "One of the things we're looking for is speed, skill - that's where the game is going right now, so that's our philosophy. That's where we're trying to go, but it's taking the best possible player with that pick."
The Preds will have a chance to do so in the first round this season, something that wasn't available to them last year after the pick was dealt away at the Trade Deadline. Compared to a total of just four picks last June, Nashville currently possesses seven selections right now, a figure that will allow ample opportunity to "restock the cupboard."
"It's certainly not as full as it's been at different times, but I think that's just a product of the competitive state that we've been in," Kealty said of Nashville's prospect pool. "Everybody knows we've traded away picks and prospects and those sorts of things. Last year, we didn't pick until the fourth round… but organizationally, we're all on board with what we're trying to do in terms of winning and winning the Stanley Cup. Everybody understands that. But that being said, you've always got to have young players coming up underneath and pushing to make a team… It's a good opportunity for us to kind of take that step to restock."
June 21 and 22 in Vancouver will serve as the "Super Bowl" for Nashville's scouting staff this summer, the weekend when all of their hard work comes to fruition with a chance to add seven names to the organizational depth chart.
That pick at No. 24 will garner the most attention, and even if it takes a few shouting matches along the way, the Preds are confident there will be plenty of quality options available when their turn arrives.
"You want guys to have passion for players, but I think everybody knows that we're all on the same page and we want to get the best player," Kealty said. "When you have a group that's been together a long time and knows what they're doing and they're all focused on the same goal, I think you usually get good results. We're hoping that's the case again this year."