Predators' first-round pick Philip Tomasino took notice of Nashville in 2017 Stanley Cup Finals
Philip Tomasino is new to the city of Nashville. Without exploring the city, in less than 24 hours, he was expected to impress coaches and hold his own against roster-hungry prospects during last week's development camp.
The 24th overall pick chosen by the Predators from the 2019 NHL Entry Draft was up for the challenge.
From meeting other players to going up against bigger competition, “it’s been pretty cool,” said Tomasino, 17.
“You have a chance to meet a lot of new guys. I really didn’t really know what to kind of expect coming in here. It’s pretty cool. I mean, just getting the chance to play against some higher-end players for sure and, you know, challenge myself. It’s been really fun. Obviously, it’s been a whirlwind for me just under a week or so, but it’s been a lot of fun, and I’m enjoying the process and looking forward to the rest of the week as well.”
The rest of the week was dedicated to Tomasino and his peers looking to impress the coaches, learn about being a pro and of course bonding with each other.
The Predators had been on his radar since 2017 when the team made a run for the Stanley Cup and advanced all to the finals, only to lose to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I think the first time I kind of took notice, if I’m not mistaken, three playoffs ago when they made the finals,” Tomasino said. “Kind of saw the whole atmosphere, I think, ‘You know, that’s awesome.’ Obviously, now getting drafted there and kind of seeing first-hand, it’s been really cool.”
Since 2017 Tomasino has been with the Niagara Icedogs in the OHL, where he had 34 goals and 38 assists last season.
Part of his dream came true when he was drafted. The other part is to actually play in the NHL at a high level. When asked about wearing the practice jersey, he smiled but also kept things perspective.
“At the same time, you want to put on the real Nashville jersey,” Tomasino said. “That’s the goal for me, and hopefully in the near future.”