Predators Sign Taylor Aronson To A Three Year Entry Level Contract

The Nashville Predators signed Taylor Aronson to a three year entry level contract today.

We first met the young prospect moments after he was taken 78th overall at last June's NHL Entry Draft at the Staples Center. Here's what he had to say...



Here is the full release from the Predators...

PREDATORS SIGN 2010 THIRD ROUNDER TAYLOR ARONSON

Nashville, Tenn. (December 28, 2010) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed defenseman Taylor Aronson (TAY-luhr AIHR-uhn-suhn), the club’s second choice (third round, 78th overall) in the 2010 Entry Draft, to a three-year entry-level contract.

Aronson, who turns 19 on Thursday (12/30/91), has posted 18 points (3g-15a) and 38 penalty minutes in 37 games during his second Western Hockey League season with the Portland Winterhawks in 2010-11. The Placentia, Calif., native is also tied for fifth among WHL blueliners, and tied for eighth among all skaters in plus/minus rating (+18). In his first junior season in 2009-10, Aronson ranked sixth among WHL rookie defensemen in points (5g-25a) in addition to tying for fourth among first-year blueliners in assists, and fifth in goals. Aronson also amassed nine points (2g-7a) in 11 games during the 2010 WHL Playoffs, good for seventh among League rookies, despite the Hawks being eliminated in the second round.

The 6-1, 197-pound blueliner is characterized as a mobile, puck-moving defenseman who has great vision and is very cool and calm with the puck.

More Later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass

The Nashville Predators Select Taylor Aronson in the Third Round of the NHL Entry Draft

The Nashville Predators selected Taylor Aronson from the Portland Pirates of the Western Hockey League with their third round pick (78th overall) at the NHL Entry Draft at the Staples Center.

The 6'0" 196 pounder played in 71 games for Portland last season and scored five goals and picked up 25 assists. He also logged 65 penalty minutes and dropped the gloves a couple of times last year.

In 2008-09 Aronson played for the LA Junior Kings scoring nine goals and picking up 16 assists.

After speaking with Aronson, he fully appears to be a Predators type player who will play a team game and give 110% every night. Several junior hockey experts that I have spoken with feel that we got a steal in a player that has plenty of upside as he develops.

Aronson is from Placentia, California and is friends with Preds prospect Jon Blum who also hails from California. This has been a big year for west coasters as Californians Beau Bennett (20th overall) was taken in the first round breaking Blum's record (23rd in 2007) as the earliest a Californian had been picked. Emerson Etem (29th) was also picked making it the first time two from the Golden State had been taken in the first round.

More Later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass