NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Everyone says the Hurricanes need to add goal-scoring talent. It might take a few years, but their first round pick in Wednesday’s NHL Draft specializes in just that.
With the 30th overall pick, Carolina selected winger Bradly Nadeau out of Penticton of the BCHL. Nadeau — ranked 30th in NSJ’s list of the top 100 prospects in the 2023 draft — is among the best skaters in the draft, but he is really known for his lethal shot.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to bring that there and kind of make an impact for that team and help them win,” Nadeau said a few minutes after joining Carolina’s braintrust on the Bridgestone Arena stage.
The New Brunswick-born Nadeau, who will join his brother Josh at the University of Maine this fall, will have to add muscle — he’s listed at 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds — but had a BCHL-high 45 goals and 113 points in 54 games with the Vees last season.
“I’m a hard-working offensive forward, kind of creative player,” Nadeau said. “I take a lot of pride in my shot. I think it’s one of my good attributes.”
The Hurricanes have often targeted players they view as “winners,” and Nadeau has done plenty of that. He and Josh led Penticton with 35 playoff points — Bradly had one more goal, 17, than his year-older brother — in leading the powerhouse Vees to the BCHL’s Fred Page Cup for the second consecutive season. Nadeau won both regular season and playoff MVP honors in the league last season.
Nadeau also projects to be a weapon on the power play thanks to his one-timer, which The Athletic’s Corey Pronman called “excellent” and should down the road be able to “beat NHL goalies from distance.”
Nadeau will have plenty of time to develop with the Bears. Maine, a once-proud powerhouse NCAA program, has fallen on hard times. The three-time national champions haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2012 and the Frozen Four since 2007. Nadeau is the first Maine player to be selected in the first round since 1999.
Nadeau said he didn’t know much about the Hurricanes — “That’s my plan here, to kind of do my research and learn more about the organization the next few days” — but added that one Carolina player has been a benchmark for him.
“I want to get my skating to Seth Jarvis (level),” he said.
Nadeau also said he patterns his game after Maple Leafs star winger Mitch Marner.
“I think (Marner) is one guy I’ve been watching a lot in the NHL and kind of try to model my game around him,” he said.
What was expected to be a busy first round with 32 teams wheeling and dealing instead had no trades. Carolina GM Don Waddell and Boston GM Don Sweeney touched base briefly before the Hurricanes’ pick, but Carolina opted to select Nadeau.
The Hurricanes have picks in each of the remaining six rounds set for Thursday, including two picks in the fifth and sixth rounds. Carolina is set to draft at Nos. 62, 71, 126, 139, 158, 163, 190 and 222.
