Could this draft be a homecoming?
So rarely does a kid get to play in the NHL for not only his hometown team, but the same team his father played for.
Second-year Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman, Blake Fiddler, is expected to go 26th overall in the 2025 NHL entry draft on June 27 to the Nashville Predators.
His dad, Vern Fiddler, coincidentally born in Edmonton, Alberta, played six years plus one game for the Predators to begin his NHL career, and it looks like his son will do the same.
Of course, it’s too early to throw the party just yet, but a team vying for players like Mitch Marner would be a good destination spot for a young first-rounder looking to improve his value on the blue line.
During the NHL combine, Fiddler came in sixth for grip strength on his right and left hand, tied for sixth with a wingspan of 79.75 inches, and tied for sixteenth on pro agility, moving left at 4.35 seconds.
At 6’4, 209 lbs, and 17 years old, these are all positive signs, and the scouting reports would agree.
“When Fiddler has the puck in the offensive zone, he succeeds at creating open lanes for his teammates and getting the puck to the house,” began Chase Windsor. “Blake is incredibly active and does it in a way that doesn’t risk an odd-man rush the other way.
“In the defensive zone, he often shuts down attackers by angling them toward the boards and finishing with a physical edge. He has a noticeable wingspan, which aids in his ability to get his stick in lanes and control his gap. He’s a fantastic rush defender.”
Fiddler will likely spend another year in juniors with the Oil Kings before moving on to a year or two in the minors, depending on which team were to select him.
As of now, the main options are the Predators (picks 23 and 26), the Los Angeles Kings (24), Chicago Blackhawks (25), Washington Capitals (27), Winnipeg Jets (28), and Carolina Hurricanes (29). With some reports having Fiddler go as high as 21 with the Ottawa Senators—Save for a trade and moves up and down the draft.
While the Jets, Capitals, Kings, and Hurricanes are not in need of a young defenceman that can help them five or ten years from now as he develops his game, the Blackhawks, however, are.
Teams going through rebuilds are easier paths to the NHL than those making it into the Eastern Conference final, second round of playoffs, or playoffs all together.
Especially those in need of big, stay-at-home defencemen.
“In the defensive zone, he often shuts down attackers by angling them toward the boards and finishing with a physical edge,” added Windsor in his scouting report. “He has a noticeable wingspan, which aids in his ability to get his stick in lanes and control his gap. He’s a fantastic rush defender.
“Now that his size and mobility are in sync—usually difficult for a player of his stature—a crucial dimension has been added to his game.”
Add in that the Blackhawks and Predators each have picks in the top five (third and fifth, respectively), in which they will undoubtedly choose centermen or wingers, a blueliner serves to hit more areas of need.
To compare Fiddler’s value, let’s turn back to the scouting report:
“The player that comes to mind when watching Blake Fiddler is Brandon Carlo (Toronto Maple Leafs),” continued Windsor. “Both players are big, mobile, right-shot defenders known for their defensive zone coverage, penalty killing, and quiet effectiveness. Much like Carlo, Fiddler isn’t expected to produce a staggering amount of offence.
“What he will do is be a physically reliable, minute-crunching defender who will anchor a second or third pairing.”
All fantastic things, but one can not get more storybook than this: Fiddler Sr. ended his NHL and hockey career playing one final game for the Predators in 2016-17, I find it hard to believe Fiddler Jr. does not wish to pick up where his family left off.
