ESPN staff5 minutes of reading
Welcome to the 2023 NHL Draft. From the first round no. Until you select 224, this page, Ryan S. This will be your portal to tracking every pick, including tips on team fit for the 32 players taken in the first round from Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyszynski.
ESPN will televise the first round of the draft via simulcast on ESPN+. Rounds 2 through 7 will be played on Thursday at 11 a.m. ET and will be available to stream on ESPN+ on the NHL Network.
Also: Prospect Rankings
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Draft week hype
The Rise of Connor Bedard
Group: Regina (WHL) | Rank: NAS1
DOB: 07/17/05 | Ht: 5-9.75 | Wt: 185 | Shot: R
2022-23 Stats: GB: 57 | G: 71 | A: 72 | P: 143
How he fits in: There’s a reason it’s colloquially known as the “Bedard draft.” Bedard is considered by many evaluators to be a generational talent. He gives the rebuilding Blackhawks a playmaking core. The 17-year-old scored 71 goals and 143 points for the Regina Pats in the WHL this season. Why Bedard offers hope he can be the face of a new Blackhawks era as the club enters its first season without Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews for the first time since 2007. — Vyshinsky
Team: Örebro (Sweden) | Rank: INS1
DOB: 12/26/04 | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 198 | Shot: L
2022-23 Stats: GB: 44 | G: 10 | A: 15 | P: 25
How he fits in: Getting a center was a priority for the Ducks, who had several options. They surprised many by calling Leo Carlson. The 6-foot-3 center will play for Orebro in the SHL, the highest division of Swedish hockey, in 2022-23 and has represented Sweden at various international tournaments, showcasing his talents at all levels. The hulking two-way center adds to an already promising core that includes Jamie Drysdale, Mason Marchment, Troy Terry and Trevor Zekras. — Vyshinsky
Group: Michigan (BIG10) | Rank: NAS2
DOB: 10/12/04 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195 | Shot: L
2022-23 Stats: GB: 36 | G: 30 | A: 35 | P: 65
How he fits in: Columbus needed a player like Adam Fantilly — and Anaheim’s surprising selection of Leo Karlsson at No. 2 left Fantilly at the Blue Jackets’ feet. Fantilli — a standout freshman at the University of Michigan and the reigning Hobe Baker winner as the NCAA’s top men’s hockey player — is a stuffy center who makes Columbus immediately more dangerous in the middle (of course, if he decides to leave the college scene). Whenever Fantilly slots in, he can run his own lineup, elevate teammates and generate consistent production across the board. He already put together a 65-point season for the Wolverines. How will his NHL output look out of the gate? After a bitterly disappointing season the Blue Jackets have endured, they’ll have to hope the answer comes soon. — Shilton
Group: USA U-18 (NTDP) | Rank: NAS3
DOB: 03/17/05 | Ht: 5-11.75 | Wt: 181 | Shot: R
2022-23 Stats: GB: 52 | G: 42 | A: 62 | P: 104
How he fits in: The first thing we recognize about Will Smith — the centerpiece of the US national team development program — is that he has a healthy sense of humor: After choosing the theme song, the Sharks draftee chose his walkout song — naturally — “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. ” It should be appreciated. What San Jose appreciates is the high-level skill set Smith brings to its ranks. A smart two-way center, Smith is a skilled puck handler and prime-time playmaker who can create better skaters around him and contribute on special teams, especially in a penalty-killing role. And the promise of what Smith will add on a regular basis in recent years in San Jose’s rebuilding system should be truly exciting. Smith is a spark plug who should eventually be the Sharks’ top-line skater. — Shilton
Group: Balls (SWISS) | Rank: INS5
DOB: 10/25/04 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 185 | Shot: R
2022-23 Stats: GB: 46 | G: 3 | A: 19 | P: 22
How he fits in: We finally have a defender off the board! And — fun fact — Reinbacher was tied for the same 5th spot in 2003 as fellow Austrian Thomas Vanek. The 18-year-old Reinbacher — a right-shot blueliner — played last season in Switzerland’s top professional league. The team excelled at HC Kloten and had ample opportunities for a productive season (three goals, 22 points in 46 games, the most points by a draft-eligible player in the league’s history). Reinbacher is made in every situation for Gloton, and that bodes well for Montreal, who can add Reinbacher to a growing crop of young talent that will carry the franchise forward for seasons to come. While Reinbacher will be overseas this coming season to fulfill school obligations, he should have plenty of runway ahead of him in the NHL. — Shilton
Team: Yaroslav Jr. (Russia-Jr.) | Rank: INS19
DOB: 02/04/05 | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 198 | Shot: L
2022-23 Stats: GB: 33 | G: 1 | A: 11 | P: 12
How he fits in: The coyotes captured the Russian. not at all That Russian. With Matvi Michkov still in sight, Arizona caved and selected defenseman Dmitry Simashev of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the KHL. The 18-year-old is 6-foot-4, with great skating ability and speed. He played 18 games in the KHL last season, and 33 games in the lower-tier MHL. He’s a physical presence the Coyotes can wait for. Obviously, they are a group with needs in every area. Surprisingly, many mock drafts have him going outside the top 10. But GM Bill Armstrong has gotten the benefit of the doubt as a draft expert. — Vyshinsky
Team: SKA St. Petersburg (Russia) | Rank: INS2
DOB: 12/09/04 | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 172 | Shot: L
2022-23 Stats: GB: 30 | G: 9 | A: 11 | P: 20
How he fits in: This is great for flyers. Could it be a steal of the draft? The Russian winger is signed to the KHL through the 2025-26 season, which will give Michov time to prepare to be a key factor in Philadelphia’s rebuilding offense. He definitely has potential. Michov is a talented winger. Last season with Sochi HC of the KHL, Michkov had nine goals and 20 points in 27 games. Not bad for an 18 year old, eh? The Flyers may have made a franchise-changing pick in Nashville. — Shilton
Group: USA U-18 (NTDP) | Rank: NAS5
DOB: 01/21/05 | Ht: 5-11.5 | Wt: 192 | Shot: R
2022-23 Stats: GB: 49 | G: 42 | A: 34 | P: 76
