They Said It: NHL Scouting Combine

More than 100 of hockey's top draft-eligible prospects descended on Buffalo this week for the NHL Scouting Combine, an annual showcase that gives clubs a chance to connect with players and assess their physical fitness ahead of the NHL Draft.

With less than three weeks until they hear their names called from the podium at Bridgestone Arena, several NHL hopefuls reflected on their experience at the Combine itself and their journey to the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville.

Coulson Pitre, RW, Flint (OHL)

"Everything leading up to this day has been a dream come true. This being the last day [of the combine], I think it kind of summarizes all the hard work we've all put into this."

Tristan Bertucci, D, Flint (OHL)

"It's so exciting. A couple of guys down there said to just enjoy it. It's hard to enjoy it, but just enjoy it because you're not really going to get to do this ever again. So make the most of it."

Luca Pinelli, C, Ottawa (OHL)

"This is kind of the last opportunity to show yourself coming into the draft, so I had a really, really fun week. It's kind of cool seeing 100 guys here, and they're all great players, so it's nice connecting with them. If I hear my name called in Nashville, that's something I dreamed of as a kid so that would be a pretty cool experience."

Connor Bedard, C, Regina (WHL)

"You don't really know [what it feels like] until it happens. So to be going through it with a lot of my friends and a lot of people that I grew up playing with, it's really exciting for all of us. I think we're just kind of trying to enjoy every little moment and take it all in. It's wild that it's coming up in two to three weeks, but we're pretty excited."

Nico Myatovic, LW, Seattle (WHL)

"It was awesome to meet with all the teams and talk to all the staff. It was a really cool experience to get in there and portray myself in a good way… This week has been a really good week. I'm just excited for the next couple of weeks and to see what's going to happen in Nashville."

Zach Benson, LW, Winnipeg (WHL)

"It's a dream to play for any team in this league. It doesn't matter how high you go. You just have to wait till your name gets called."

Jayden Perron, RW, Chicago (USHL)

"It doesn't all feel real just yet… It's been a really cool experience just getting to meet all the guys and obviously be here with some extremely good hockey players and even better people. It's been a lot of fun."

Nate Danielson, C, Brandon (OHL)

"It's been a long year and there'll definitely be a bit of relief just to figure out where I end up and put all that behind me. But I've got lots of family coming so it'll be super cool to get to share that with them. I'll just be super pumped about it… I've never been [to Nashville] but I've got some family that has been there and they all say it's pretty incredible, so I'm excited for that."

Tickets are still available for the 2023 NHL Draft on June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena. Visit nashvillepredators.com/draft for more information.