panoo

Written by: Josh Collopy
on 07/25/2007

The Nashville Predators made nine selections in the 2007 Entry Draft -- two goalies, two defensemen, and five forwards. With their first round choice they selected one of the highest rated defensemen in the draft in Jonathon Blum. The Predators were leaders of the charge on Americans, selecting four, including their top two picks.

Jonathon Blum, D -- Vancouver, WHL
1st Round, 23rd Overall, 6’00, 160lbs

Blum may be slightly built at only 6’0 and 160 pounds, but he has proven he can handle a full workload playing in all 99 games by the Giants this season on way to a Memorial Cup Championship. Nashville Assistant General Manager Paul Fenton said at the draft that the Predators are not concerned with his size at all. “We have been able to put size and weight and strength on all the kids we’ve drafted,” Fenton said, “Just because you are small in stature doesn’t mean you’re not wiry strong.”

Blum anchored the Giants blue line where he tallied eight goals and 43 assists on his way to 51 points in 72 regular season games. His 51 points were good enough to tie him for sixth in WHL defensemen scoring. Blum’s +37 rating led the entire WHL. Blum possesses outstanding mobility in the defensive end and often times carries the puck up the ice for the Giants. Fenton also praised Blum's hockey sense. “This kid is a very very smart player, as you’ve seen with our past drafts that’s the most important thing we look for,” Fenton said.

Blum started playing roller hockey at age 5 in California, then making the switch to ice. When asked if some of the guys who grew up playing on the pond look down some on the roller guys, Blum responded, “Yeah, especially going back east and into Canada they say we’re soft and ask 'where’s your surfboard, why do you have a hockey stick' and stuff like that. We won a lot of tournaments and that‘s how we would roll back into the states.” Blum will continue to anchor the blue line for Vancouver next season and will also look to make the US World Junior Team.

Jeremy Smith, G -- Plymouth, OHL
2nd Round, 54th Overall, 5’11, 160lbs

Smith split the Plymouth goaltending duties with Michal Neuvirth (WAS) on the way to an OHL Championship in 2006-07. Smith posted a record of 23-6-0-1 with a 2.59 GAA, a .923 save percentage and four shutouts during the regular season. Smith’s draft stock fell slightly when Neuvirth got hot during the OHL playoffs and got the starting job the rest of the season. Even with the lack of playing time in the playoffs, the Dearborn, Mich. native proved he has the potential to be a solid netminder. Smith is a butterfly style goaltender and boasts excellent positioning. Smith is very solid on rebound attempts and plays the puck well. When asked what he needed to do to make the jump to the NHL in the next few years, Smith responded “I just need to keep working hard, keep maturing and getting better is the key.” Smith will return to Plymouth in 2007-08 where he will again compete with Neuvirth for the starting goalie job.

Nick Spaling, C -- Kitchener, OHL
2nd Round, 58th Overall, 6’00, 180lbs

FULL STORY