Luke Bryan Called His Name at the NHL Draft and Wyatt Cullen Nearly Blacked Out

Wyatt Cullen got drafted by the Nashville Predators with the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. That alone would have been a big deal. But then Luke Bryan walked out to announce it.

The country star was in Buffalo for a concert at the same time as the draft, so the Predators worked him into the show. When Bryan called Cullen’s name from the stage, the kid was standing there trying not to lose his mind.

“Not at all, it was really cool to see him come out,” Cullen said, when asked if he ever imagined that moment. “It was a special moment for sure.”

The Emotion Hit Him Hard

Cullen admitted the whole thing got to him more than he expected. He said he nearly blacked out from the rush of it.

“A lot of emotions, I think I blacked out a little bit,” he said. “But I’m super overjoyed and something I dreamed of my whole life. And it’s finally here, and it happened.”

Fair to say that’s about as honest a reaction as you’ll get from a guy who just heard his name called at an NHL draft. Most players talk about being excited or honored. Cullen went with “I blacked out.” Respect.

His father Matt Cullen played for the Predators during his own NHL career, so there’s a family connection to Nashville already. But having a music superstar welcome you to the organization? That’s a different level of surreal.

He Didn’t Forget Who Got Him There

Cullen took a moment to thank his parents for helping him through the ups and downs of his development. He was pretty open about the fact that it hasn’t always been smooth.

“It means so much,” he said of his parents’ support. “I mean, I’ve had a tough – not a tough year, but some ups and downs. And I think persevering through them, they helped me a lot to go through all of that, and yeah, it was super special. I mean, they care so much about me, and they’ve done so much for me in my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful for them.”

It’s the kind of thing guys say in the moment after getting drafted, sure. But Cullen sounded like he meant it.

This season with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program U-18 team, he put up 16 goals and 29 assists. Not bad for a kid who just heard his name called by one of the biggest names in country music.

The Predators like what they see. And Cullen’s first memory with the franchise will always involve Luke Bryan.