David Poile’s Final Pick as an NHL General Manager Joins Preds at Development Camp in Nashville
“We have a trade to announce.”
All eyes inside Bridgestone Arena were on the Nashville Predators table in the middle of the NHL Draft floor on June 29 when NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly made the proclamation. Tom Fitzgerald, General Manager of the New Jersey Devils and Nashville’s first-ever captain, had traded his team’s seventh-round pick to Nashville for a 2024 seventh-round pick so that Preds GM David Poile could make his team’s final pick in the final round of his final NHL draft.
After thanking everyone who made the trade possible, Poile leaned forward and spoke into the microphone in front of him:
“For my last pick of all time, Aiden Fink from Brooks.”
The full-circle moment, which resulted in a standing ovation from every team on the floor and every fan in the stands in celebration of Poile’s illustrious career as an NHL general manager, will forever be part of Nashville Predators lore. But one question remained:
Who is Aiden Fink?
“He’s an offensive player who is competitive and hard on pucks,” Predators North American Amateur Scout Brett Carson said. “He’s a puck hound and likes to shoot and score. It’s a good swing for us late on a guy who hopefully will produce and get a lot of opportunity at Penn State next season.”
A 5-foot-9, 153-pound winger out of Calgary, Alta., Fink is expected to play collegiate hockey for Penn State in 2023-24. He was not physically present at the draft, but the 18-year-old quickly learned that his name had been etched in Predators history.
“It’s actually a funny story,” he said. “I was just walking out of my class for Penn State and I got a call from my agent that I had been drafted by the Nashville Predators. He texted me that it was David Poile’s last pick as well. Once I saw the recording that my dad sent me, I got goosebumps. I’m very honored to be that pick.”
Fink served as an alternate captain for the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) title-winning Brooks Bandits in 2022-23, notching a league-high 97 points (41g-56a) while racking up several accolades, including the league’s MVP.
“I think I’m a humble and caring person off the ice,” he said. “I always care about my teammates. I’m always trying to make them better every day. On the ice, I feel like I’m smart, skilled and hardworking… I’m always on the puck trying to create second chances for my teammates. I’m very smart on the ice and I know where everyone else is.”
Fink has spent the week in Nashville getting to know the Predators staff and fellow prospects at Development Camp, and he is eager to continue developing his game and make impactful contributions to the organization in the future.
“Before the draft, I kind of knew I was going to come to dev camp if something did happen, so I was ready for it,” Fink said. “After the draft, I got on the phone and it was a quick turnaround. I flew in here Saturday morning. So I’m excited to be here, and I’m very excited to be part of this organization.”
