Moorhead native Wyatt Cullen, a 17-year-old winger and University of Minnesota commit, is officially heading to Smashville. The Nashville Predators grabbed him with the 10th overall pick at the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, where he stepped onto the KeyBank Center stage Friday and wrapped his father, former NHL veteran Matt Cullen, in a long hug after hearing his name. The pick gives Nashville a high-upside playmaker whose breakout season with the U.S. National Team Development Program pushed him up draft boards in a hurry.
As reported by the Star Tribune, Cullen told ESPN after being selected, “It’s crazy… It’s everything I ever dreamed of,” and he ended up as the first Minnesotan taken in the first round that night. The paper notes that cameras caught the embrace with his dad on the KeyBank Center floor, and it framed Cullen as a teenager intent on carving out his own identity in the sport, even with a well-known hockey name on the back of his jersey.
NTDP production and a Gophers future
According to his USA Hockey NTDP roster page, Cullen closed the 2025-26 campaign with 16 goals and 29 assists for 45 points in 40 games, which put him first in points per game for the program despite missing time early in the season. Those numbers were fueled by strong outings against both USHL and NCAA opponents, performances that helped move him firmly into first-round territory. He is committed to the University of Minnesota and is set to join the Gophers after draft weekend.
Scouting and rankings
Cullen’s stock climbed sharply in the spring as scouts took a closer look. NHL.com highlighted how quickly he reads the play and praised the way he bounced back from an early-season injury, while the Star Tribune reports that NHL Central Scouting moved him from 23rd on its midseason list to 13th among North American skaters by the final rankings. His showings at U18 international events added more high-speed tape for evaluators and reinforced the view of him as a creative playmaker in real time, not just on paper.
Why Nashville made the pick
The choice fits a broader Predators plan to inject more skill and offensive creativity into their prospect pool. New president of hockey operations Chris MacFarland had already signaled that the club expected to keep and use the No. 10 pick. Yahoo Sports noted MacFarland’s emphasis on methodical roster building and his expectation that Nashville would make the selection rather than flip it in a trade. Coming on the heels of recent moves aimed at shoring up depth, the Cullen pick gives the Predators another potential top-tier offensive piece in their pipeline.
Back home in Moorhead
In Minnesota, the reaction was exactly what you would expect when a hometown kid goes in the top 10. KSTP spotlighted Cullen’s NTDP production and his status as a Gophers recruit. His father, Matt Cullen, is a familiar figure in the state’s hockey community, and NHL.com notes his long NHL career and three Stanley Cup rings. The father-son hug quickly became one of the most replayed scenes from draft coverage. Local coaches point out that Cullen’s next chapter involves development at Minnesota, followed by a closer look from Nashville’s staff as they track his readiness for the pro game.
In the short term, Cullen’s path runs straight through the University of Minnesota and into the Predators’ development system. Longer term, Nashville is betting that the 10th overall pick turns into a core piece of its future lineup. For Moorhead and the rest of the State of Hockey, his selection is another reminder that Minnesota keeps churning out first-round talent, and it is an encouraging sign for the Gophers class he is about to join.
