Long before the Predators were scheduled to make the fifth overall selection at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles, Nashville General Manager Barry Trotz and Co. had a pretty good idea of who they were hoping to add with the pick. So, when the Preds were up on Friday night at the Peacock Theater, they didn’t hesitate.

The Nashville Predators traded up in the 2025 NHL Draft on June 27 with their second first-round selection, getting Cameron Reid at No. 21.

Every prospect picked in first round. 1. New York Islanders: Defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Erie. Kirby Lee, Imagn Images

An 84-game season is coming to the NHL as part of an extension of the collective bargaining agreement, which is expected to be announced as soon as Friday before the first round of the draft. The league and the NHL Players’ Association are on the verge of reaching a deal that two people told The Associated Press on Thursday includes adding two games to the regular season,

The NHL and NHL Players' Association are on the verge of extending the collective bargaining agreement more than a year before it expires.

The NHL and its players union announced Friday that the two sides have agreed to an extension of their collective bargaining agreement that includes an expansion of the regular season from 82 to 84 games.