Aiden Fink will go down in history as the final pick of David Poile’s long NHL career.
Poile retired Saturday after 40 years as a general manager in the NHL, the last 26 with the Nashville Predators.
Incoming G-M Barry Trotz and and Scouting Director Jeff Kealty sent Poile out in style Thursday at the NHL Draft when they worked New Jersey G-M Tom Fitzgerald to acquire a 7th round pick and allow Poile to have that final pick in that final round of his career.
That pick was the 218th of the Draft and Poile used it on 18-year old forward Aiden Fink from Penn State.
Fink got the call, packed his bags and was in Nashville less than 48 hours later for Development Camp. He is not your typical 7th round pick and he knows it, “I was just walking out of my class for Penn State, just walking out of there, I got a call from my agent that I got drafted by the Nashville Predators. He texted me it was David Poile’s last pick as well, so. Once I saw the video that my dad sent me I got goose bumps. I’m very honored to be that pick.”
Fink went far below his draft rankings. Many services had him in the top 150 headed into the draft. He looked the part Sunday in his first day on the ice at the Predators Development Camp finding the net several times.
That is nothing new for Fink who scored 60 goals in 114 games the last two years he played for the Brooks Bandits in Canada. He also scored 14 more goals in 28 playoff games.
“When they picked me I was very excited.” Fink said, “I’ve always watched games here, the electric culture here for the playoff games is unbelievable, so I’m excited to be a part of this organization.”
After camp finishes this week he heads back to Penn State. Will Fink ever be a part of that culture? That remains to be seen and we will not know just how special Poile’s last pick will be for at least three or four years.