What to know about Felix Nilsson, the Nashville Predators' first big swing of 2023 NHL Draft

After a first round that went without a single trade, the Nashville Predators opened the second round with the draft’s first, sending the 47th and 147th pick for the 43rd.

Swedish center Felix Nilsson was the player Nashville selected with their traded asset.

Incoming general manager Barry Trotz has long been eager to make a big swing in the draft and his effort to take Nilsson was the first proof of that.

Here’s what you need to know about the incoming Swedish national.

Injuries hurt his draft stock

In spite of his impressive intangibles and baseline skillset, Nilsson flew under the radar and saw his draft stock fall largely because of an injury he sustained in the playoffs of his U20 season for Rögle BK. The wrist injury he suffered kept him out of a U20 championship run. Nilsson also missed the entirety of the U18 World Championship, a tournament he would have also featured in, representing Sweden.

The absence of playing opportunities meant Nilsson failed to draw much of any first round intrigue from scouts, leading him to be projected as low as the third round.

One of his idols is fellow Swede Filip Forsberg

Sweden is brimming with hockey culture, so it’s no surprise Nilsson has a great admiration for Predators alternate captain Filip Forsberg.

Forsberg is a celebrity in Sweden and won a silver medal with his national team in the World Championships as a U18 prospect. Since being the third-youngest player to suit up for the Predators in his debut in 2013, Forsberg has accumulated numerous scoring records for the franchise.

Along with being the leading goal scorer in franchise history, Forsberg was the youngest to score a regular season hat trick, the youngest to score a playoff goal.

Nilsson has already been welcomed to the franchise by his idol. "That's so fun," Nilsson said in response to the video message.

Stand out vision and IQ make him a prospect with great upside

With several score-first forwards who lead the attack, the Predators could use a savvy playmaker. Nilsson brings exactly that with a very calculated approach to the game. Although he’s equipped with a serviceable shot, he seems to prefer deferring to his teammates and surveying the ice.

Nilsson also plays with a level of competitiveness that should see him grow into a quality defender. He has awareness and a solid positioning ability that allows him to thrive at all parts of the ice. The Predators certainly can mold Nilsson into a forward of their choosing if he develops favorably.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Nashville Predators traded up to get Felix Nilsson in NHL Draft