Preds Selection of Wyatt Cullen Brings Full-Circle Moment for Cullen Family at 2026 NHL Draft

For most NHL Draftees on Friday night in Buffalo, the moment they slipped on the jersey of their respective new clubs was the first time they had ever sported the logo. 

But not Wyatt Cullen.

Prior to a game at Bridgestone Arena back in March 2015, Cullen stood next to his father, Matt, then a winger playing for the Predators, along with his brothers, Brooks and Joey. 

Little did the middle sibling know, the full-circle moment of a lifetime was just 11 short years away. 

With the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Preds selected Wyatt, a skilled, point-producing forward with a slew of upside for the future. 

In true Nashville fashion, country music superstar, Luke Bryan - who just happened to be playing a show in Buffalo on Friday - made his way to KeyBank Center to announce the pick and welcome Wyatt to an organization the Cullen family knows well. 

Of course, they would’ve been happy to see their son and brother go to any NHL team. 

But the Preds? 

“It feels unbelievable,” Wyatt said of the moment. "I mean, just being at the Draft has been a dream, but I think being selected by Nashville, having my dad play there all the way back, it's super special, and that's something I'll never forget.”

“Knowing that people in the organization and having a lot of really close friendships that we built there, it makes it extra special,” Matt Cullen said. “Nashville was always a special place for us. We had some awesome years there and built some really close bonds with people, and now to see him get the opportunity to play there, and knowing the people in the organization makes you feel really good as a parent. I know he's in a great place.”

Sure, the connection is nice, but the Predators weren’t just going for nostalgia with their selection either. 

Wyatt recorded a 45-point (16g-29a) campaign in just 40 games with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program U-18 team with an offensive outburst that came following an early season injury. 

A native of Moorhead, Minnesota, Wyatt has represented the United States on the international stage several times, most recently at the 2026 U-18 World Championship, where he was named to the tournament’s All-Star Team after leading the Americans in points with nine (3g-6a). 

And perhaps most impressive? When the 2024-25 season began, Cullen was listed at 5-foot-8. In just one year, he shot up five inches to 6-foot-1. 

That growth spurt is indicative of not only how his physical attributes have improved, but also his overall game - and the ceiling many scouts believe the 17-year-old possesses. 

His dad thinks so, too. 

“I just love watching him play,” Matt said. “He plays such a creative, offensive game. He just plays such a free, high-skill game, and he makes plays, and he makes things happen when you don't think there's something there. He's really creative with a puck on his stick, and really skilled. I just always just love watching him, because he's the kind of guy that gets you on the edge of your seat. He just makes plays, and he can score, and as he's grown, he's developed so much more confidence in the puck, and he hangs on to it.

“He makes things happen and makes his teammates better around him, and he's always been super driven and really competitive. He’s just kind of a quieter kid, so one of those guys you don't really know the fire that's kind of burning underneath… I just really enjoy his style of play. He plays a really creative, offensive game, and brings a lot to the table.”

Clearly Wyatt’s on-ice capabilities are worth noting. But what does Matt want Preds fans to know about his son as a person? 

“I guess probably just how much it all means to him,” Matt said. “He loves the game…and when you watch a player like Wyatt, you think he's a really naturally gifted, talented player, but the amount of work that he put in to get to where he is, and the work that he'll continue to put in, because he's so committed and driven. Everything he has, he's really worked for, and I just think that the fans of Nashville are really going to enjoy watching him play when he gets there. He's just a player that kind of gets you out of your seat, he makes plays, and he's dynamic and fun to watch.”

Matt then added, with a laugh: “So, a lot different player than I was when I was in Nashville. He’ll fill a different role, probably.”

Wyatt is committed to the University of Minnesota next season, where his father was recently named Director of Player Development in April. That connection won’t hurt either, but Wyatt’s progression into the college game is sure to help his development into the player the Preds believe he can be. 

But his experiences with the USNTDP have certainly helped him get a head start. 

“[Playing with the USNTDP has helped me] so much,” Wyatt said. “Especially those college games, playing those teams were super hard games and something that I really took pride in, trying to play a good game in those games and show people that I can play at the next level. And just those international experiences, too, were unbelievable, traveling around the world and playing against the best players in the world. All of that was so special, and just the Development Program in general, I’m so grateful to play there…just two of the most special years of my life.”

For now, Wyatt is looking forward to getting back to Nashville for Predators Development Camp, which begins on Sunday with off-ice testing before the first on-ice session on Monday. 

Next week will mark the start of a journey with the Preds the entire Cullen family hopes will end with Wyatt becoming a star player in Tennessee.

But for the moment, Friday was a night to simply soak it all in - and deservedly so. 

“It means a lot to him, and obviously, our family, we've been around the game forever,” Matt said. “Just the emotion of it, and just probably how happy I am for him is what I’ll remember most. It’s been a long road here. It's a stop along the way, but I think it's just a great mile marker and a milestone in his life. I'll never forget just that happiness on his face when he turned to give me a hug. It’s just one of those things I'll never forget as a dad.”