As the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft rolled on, Teddy Stiga turned to Rivers forward Will Hatten, one of two best friends he brought along to Las Vegas.
“Geez,” Stiga said. “We could be sitting here awhile.”
Stiga, a Sudbury, Mass., native, cracked that joke as the 55th pick approached. With that 55th selection, the Nashville Predators took Stiga.
They would wait no longer.
“It’s kind of a blur,” Stiga said of the moments after being taken. “I remember the walk down felt like a while. Putting on the jersey was awesome (as was) getting to shake (Predators general manager) Barry Trotz’s hand and say thank you to all the people who helped draft me. And then I went back and did all the media and pictures and whatnot.
“It was all fun because it was such a surreal moment. It was awesome.”
In the leadup to the draft, Stiga knew he was going to be taken. But he hadn’t really ever considered going to an actual team.
