2023 NHL Draft Reactions: Breaking down every pick in the first round

Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

What a night.

The first round of the 2023 NHL Draft has come and gone, with Connor Bedard going to Chicago to kick things off. And then after that? All hell broke loose.

There were some interesting picks throughout the first round, and it’s interesting to see how teams view players compared to the public consensus.

So, let’s break down all 32 prospects taken on Wednesday evening in Nashville:

1. Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard, C

There was never any doubt. Enjoy, Hawks fans.

2. Anaheim Ducks: Leo Carlsson, C

This was speculated in the rumor mill all week long, but it still felt surprising. The Ducks got a guy who can jump into the lineup sooner rather than later, bringing a good mix of size, speed and skill. I would have liked Fantilli here more, but Carlsson is an excellent pickup.

3. Columbus Blue Jackets: Adam Fantilli, C

What a moment for the Blue Jackets. With all respect to Rick Nash, I fully expect Fantilli to be the best draft pick in Blue Jackets’ history. Dominant college prospects like Fantilli don’t come around this often. Fantilli has excellent size, speed, hockey IQ and a lethal wrist shot he can pull off from anywhere. He’d be first overall in most other draft years.

4. San Jose Sharks: Will Smith, C

I would have preferred Michkov here, but can’t go wrong with Smith. Smith was MVP of the U-18 World Championship, capping off one of the best seasons in USNTDP history. He can score, set up plays, run the PP, just about everything. The Sharks needed a true No. 1 center of the future, and two years from now, he’ll challenge for it.

5. Montreal Canadiens: David Reinbacher, D

Look, Reinbacher will be an excellent pick. Do I love it at No. 5? No. But the Habs have a promising blueline, and now Reinbacher will help spice things up.

6. Arizona Coyotes: Dmitri Simashev, D

I didn’t love his game in the first half, but his late-season play really grew on me, especially during the MHL playoffs. Against his own age group, he can carry the load on the blueline and can be physically intimidating. With Arizona drafting well up front, they hit a home run here.

7. Philadelphia Flyers: Matvei Michkov, RW

It might be understated just how good Michkov’s time with Sochi was. An unbelievable talent that was neck and neck with Connor Bedard when they faced off against each other. Michkov is going to be a superstar one day for the Flyers, but they’re just going to have to wait a few years. My favorite pick.

8. Washington Capitals: Ryan Leonard, RW

The Caps have their Tom Wilson replacement, someone who can land some blows while battling for every scoring chance. He was a big reason why the USNTDP set scoring records with their top line this year, and someone I could have seen gone earlier.

9. Detroit Red Wings: Nate Danielson, C

Not who I’d pick here, but Danielson is a safe pick that can take control of the second C spot one day. He’s a good shooter, great straight-line skater and does a lot defensively. I’m not sure he’s more than a 45-50 point guy in the NHL, but he’s consistent and valuable enough at both ends of the ice that he’ll have a solid, young career.

10. St Louis Blues: Dalibor Dvorsky, C

Most hype has quieted down for Dvorsky over the past year, but he still put decent numbers playing against men and dominated junior-aged talents. Few players work as hard as Dvorsky, too. The Blues are in a rebuild, and Dvorsky is a big part of the next phase.

11. Vancouver Canucks: Tom Willander, D

The Canucks needed some defensive depth, so Willander made a ton of sense here. He’s one of the best skating defenders in the draft class and loves to rush the puck. There’s a ton of raw talent that needs refining, but I think he’s capable of it.

12. Arizona Coyotes: Daniil But, RW

But could be a huge value pick here. He’s much more skilled than your average 6-foot-5 forward, which is very intriguing. He can do a lot of damage around the crease, both with his shot and how he pushes players around.

13. Buffalo Sabres: Zach Benson, LW

This might be my favorite pick of the draft. The biggest issue is his 5-foot-9 frame scares some, but his skill, speed and playmaking ability rank among the top in the class. But from an offensive perspective? Downright lethal. And he’ll have a chance to continue his career with good buddy Matthew Savoie.

14. Pittsburgh Penguins: Brayden Yager, C

Yager has mainly been a center throughout his career, but I see him moving to the wing. He’s a strong shooter, but he had 50 assists and showed he can be a highlight-reel machine. There have been enough off-games to get some scouts concerned. He can play all situations, but he rarely engages physically and most scouts wanted to see more goals out of him. If you give Yager a more responsibly sound center to work with, I think Yager will become quite the scoring threat.

15. Nashville Predators: Matthew Wood, RW

A point-per-game average as a freshman on one of the best teams in Hockey East is a solid way to kick off your college career. All he has done at every level is produce points and excel on the power play. Wood has everything it takes to be a highly impactful forward with the Predators. Once his skating improves, he’ll be a more complete prospect.

16. Calgary Flames: Samuel Honzek, LW

A mutiny is happening in Calgary, making it look like they’re headed for a full rebuild. Honzek feels like a low-risk pick here, someone who could challenge for a spot in a year or two thanks to some solid NHL-level qualities. An injury at the world juniors didn’t help him, but I think he’s worth the move here. He’s someone that could be a solid top-six option.

17. Detroit Red Wings: Axel Sandin Pellikka, D

ASP is one of the best puck-moving blueliners and easily the most skilled in a class lacking many quality options. He’s 5-foot-11, which isn’t ideal, but if you pair him with a steady, stay-at-home option, you can unleash ASP. It’ll be interesting to see how many defenders the Red Wings take on Day 2, but he’ll be a big piece of the team’s future.

18. Winnipeg Jets: Colby Barlow, LW

Barlow was one of the best shooters in the CHL, one I’d fully expect to score 55 goals in the OHL if everything goes right in Owen Sound. He showed a bit of two-way prowess at the U-18 World Championship, showing a bit more versatility in his game that we didn’t see as often with the Attack.

19. Chicago Blackhawks: Oliver Moore, C

It’s a travesty that Moore fell this far in the draft. He’s the fastest skater in the draft, bar none. He’s an incredible playmaker that plays a nice defensive game, too. There’s no shortage of scouts who think Moore could be one of the best players out of the USNTDP.

20. Seattle Kraken: Eduard Sale, LW

Sale showed enough big-game potential at that event, though, that I’m still quite intrigued. He’s best when he’s being deceptive, which comes more with confidence. I do wonder if he’ll go to the AHL and follow a similar route as Buffalo’s Jiri Kulich, which could be beneficial. Some good high-reward potential.

21. Minnesota Wild: Charlie Stramel, C

Some scouts loved this pick, others questioned it a bit more. Mike Hastings is set to coach Stramel at Wisconsin next year, and Hastings has worked with the Wild as a development camp coach before. That must mean GM Bill Guerin trusts Hastings’ judgment, which is good. Stramel feels like a boom-bust pick, but if he can add more offense to his massive frame, oh my.

22. Philadelphia Flyers: Oliver Bonk, D

The son of former NHLer Radek Bonk, Oliver played a ton of minutes this year thanks to his strong own-zone play. He’s capable of creating damage in the O-zone, too. He fits the mold of a modern-day defender who can do some of everything. Nice pickup for the Flyers, who needed a good defensive pick.

23. New York Rangers: Gabriel Perreault, LW

When it comes to hockey IQ, very few in the draft come close to Perreault. He also broke the USNTDP scoring record set by some guy named Auston Matthews. He’s an offensive machine, but he’s a rough skater right now. Let’s see if he fixes that in college.

24. Nashville Predators: Tanner Molendyk, D

A strong playoff run with Saskatoon got scouts talking. I’m not super high on him, but a lot of scouts are, and he is one that I’ve been asked for feedback on quite a bit. All the raw tools, like skating and athleticism, are there. New GM Barry Trotz said he wanted to take a swing – this qualifies.

25. St. Louis Blues: Otto Stenberg, C

He looked out of place in the SHL but was excellent against kids his own age. The raw talent is there, especially as a 200-foot threat that can be dangerous around both nets. His biggest asset might be his play-reads. Ended the year off so strong.

26. San Jose Sharks: Quentin Musty, LW

The Sharks added a 200-pound beast that can hit and score. Smith was the sure-bet prospect, but Musty has top-six potential, giving the Sharks an extra boost. The first pick in the 2021 OHL Draft had a solid 78-point season, and he’s only just getting started.

27. Colorado Avalanche: Calum Ritchie, C

He should have gone earlier, period. Ritchie didn’t score a ton this year, but there was only so much he could do with a low-scoring Generals squad. He did become a more dominant two-way threat, though. He decimated the Hlinka Gretzky with Canada before the season started before finishing off with a good U-18 World Championship despite dealing with a shoulder injury. He’s going to be a dependable two-way center in the NHL, and one that I think we’ll look back at as being one of the more effective players from this class.

28. Toronto Maple Leafs: Easton Cowan, RW

I don’t get this, at all. Is he a sleeper? I guess. But the reaction among scouts and other prospect media was clear: nobody understood the decision. He played his best hockey during the playoffs, though, recording 21 points in 20 games. And while it feels like he’s just scratching the surface, I have a hard time believing the Leafs really thought he was the best player available at this point.

29. St. Louis Blues: Theo Lindstein, D

Again, don’t love this pick, but I understand the potential. He was once regarded as one of the best defensemen in the draft, but he didn’t have a great draft year. The raw talent is there, and I hope he shows what he’s made of more often against men.

30. Carolina Hurricanes: Bradley Nadeau, LW

The Hurricanes tend to be a favorite of the internet at every draft, and taking Nadeau would help continue that trend. The BCHL scoring star had one of the best Canadian Junior A seasons we’ve seen in well over a decade and he’s set to become a leader at the University of Maine. He’s one of the best shooters in the draft and could be quite the pickup for a Canes team that not only has a good roster, but a good prospect pool, too.

31. Colorado Avalanche: Mikhail Gulyayev, D

Nice little pickup for the Avs this late. Gulyayev had confidence to burn in the MHL this year, looking like a man among kids. He uses the open space to his advantage and is fairly quick in bursts. He’ll bring value as a puck-moving transitional defender.

32. Vegas Golden Knights: David Edstrom, C

Edstrom’s skating and hockey IQ stand out, and he’s a strong dual threat as a shooter and a passer. Edstrom has a big frame at 6-foot-3 and uses it to his advantage, and he scored everywhere he played this year. This guy has long-term NHL future written all over him, and this is a slam-dunk pick, in my eyes.

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