2023 NHL Mock Draft: Post-Stanley Cup edition

Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Reality is starting to sink in.

In just two weeks, the 2023 NHL Draft will finally commence in Nashville, marking the end of another long, grueling season of watching prospects. You’ve heard it all before: this draft class is anything but ordinary. Led by phenom Connor Bedard, the first round is as deep as we’ve seen it in quite some time.

We now know what the first-round draft order will look like, barring any trades. And given the value of first-round picks this year, there’s a very, very low chance this is the exact draft order come June 28.

But this is what we have to work with. After the NHL Draft combine over the weekend, we’ve heard some things linking teams to players in this draft. The top two picks feel safe, but after that? Everything feels completely wide open.

This isn’t a draft ranking – if that’s what you prefer, check out our latest top 100. Here’s a look at how the first round could shake up on Night 1 of the 2023 NHL Draft:

1. Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard, C (Regina, WHL)

The best of the best. There’s no overthinking it here: Connor Bedard will be Chicago’s No. 1 center next year. Enjoy, Hawks fans.

2. Anaheim Ducks: Adam Fantilli, C (Michigan, NCAA)

You can’t stray from the path here if you’re the Ducks. Fantilli is coming off one of the best freshman seasons we’ve seen in the NCAA, capping off the year with the Hobey Baker and gold at the world juniors and World Championship.

3. Columbus Blue Jackets: Leo Carlsson, C (Orebro, SHL)

Columbus, you’re getting a future No. 1 center here – and one that might be able to help you sooner rather than later. He had an impressive showing at the World Championship as the No. 1 center with Sweden, showing some nice skill and confidence. Not only is he skilled and can skate well, but he has some good size at 6-foot-3. With Columbus on the up-and-up, Carlsson can be a big part of that and help the likes of Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine in the very near future.

4. San Jose Sharks: Matvei Michkov, RW (Sochi, KHL)

Mike Grier is still new to the job, so time should be on his side, whereas I can’t see Columbus taking a risk here, especially after going all-in this summer. The Sharks don’t have a great prospect pool, so they’re not going to be contenders in the near future, anyways. If Michkov comes over and lives up to the hype, this is a no-brainer for the Sharks.

5. Montreal Canadiens: Will Smith, C (USNTDP)

The Blue Jackets will take a close look at Smith for sure at No. 3. But if he’s still available, there’s no way Montreal will let him go. He’s a dynamic center that is coming off of two dominant years offensively, and he was often the one creating the scoring chances with the USNTDP.

6. Arizona Coyotes: Zach Benson, LW (Winnipeg, WHL)

You always go for best player available over organizational need, but Benson meets both criteria. A high-scoring forward that can do it all, Benson would be a tremendous shooter to have alongside Logan Cooley or Dylan Guenther. He’s also teammates with Conor Geekie in the WHL, which helps. The Coyotes are building something, people.

7. Philadelphia Flyers: David Reinbacher, D (Kloten, NL)

The Flyers are a bit of a mess right now, and their blueline looks… not so good. Reinbacher can fix that quite shortly after proving his worth in the Swiss National League this year. He already has significant pro experience and isn’t that far away. With Cutter Gauthier up front, Reinbacher gives the team a Grade-A defensive prospect.

8. Washington Capitals: Dalibor Dvorsky, C (AIK)

Dvorsky’s international CV is one thing; his pro experience at a young age is another. The Caps are at the end of their contention window with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov and need to start surrounding themselves with new blood. Dvorsky is still another year or two away from playing in the NHL, but his offensive abilities are something to behold. If he can bake more consistency in his game, watch out.

9. Detroit Red Wings: Ryan Leonard, RW (USNTDP)

I wasn’t sure whether I’d go with Leonard or his teammate, Gabe Perreault, but I just like Leonard’s overall play more. He’s as competitive as they come and brings a wicked shot. He’ll be a top-line winger before too long.

10. St. Louis Blues: Nate Danielson, C (Brandon, WHL)

Danielson is a well-rounded forward that commands attention. He’s reliable at both ends of the ice and makes his linemates around him better. Sound good, Blues fans? It should.

11. Vancouver Canucks: Tom Willander, D (Rogle, SHL)

I’m not sure I agree here, but the rumor mill is too noisy. Willander had an excellent U-18 World Championship, showing why he’s a mobile two-way defender. Having another bullet in the chamber will help the Nucks in the long run.

12. Arizona Coyotes: Gabriel Perreault, LW (USNTDP)

Hey, why not? With their second pick, the Yotes grab a high-scoring winger that just broke the single-season USNTDP single-season points record. That means beating out Auston Matthews, Patrick Kane, Matt Tkachuk, Jack Eichel… and everyone else. As the season wore on, Perreault showed he was more than just a finisher – the skill level is undeniable here.

13. Buffalo Sabres: Oliver Moore, C (USNTDP)

Easily the fastest skater in years, Moore makes everyone around him so much better. Hidden behind all the speed talk is Moore’s electric shot – which also happens to be quite quick. He’s dangerously accurate, and that starts with hard work in practice and warmups before games.

14. Pittsburgh Penguins: Matthew Wood, RW (Connecticut, NCAA)

Some scouts at the NHL Draft combine think Wood is top 10 bound. I can see it, but I also like the fit with Pittsburgh. He’s a natural goal scorer with a ton of skill, and it seems like he just kept improving with every week on the schedule. The ceiling is high for Wood.

15. Nashville Predators: Dmitri Simashev, D (Lokomotiv, MHL)

Simashev plays hard, is defensively responsible and might be the best shutdown blueliner in the draft. He hits like a truck and makes life miserable for opponents around the net.

16. Calgary Flames: Axel Sandin Pellikka, D (Skelleftea, SHL)

ASP is the best puck-moving defenseman in the draft and can run the power play. His defensive game still needs work, but he’d be a huge boost to the team’s long-term defensive depth.

17. Detroit Red Wings: Samuel Honzek, LW (Vancouver, WHL)

Honzek will give the Red Wings some speed, skill and size up front. Honzek projects to be a valuable middle-six forward that can do a lot of everything. There’s a lot he does away from the puck that’ll make him a popular figure.

18. Winnipeg Jets: Colby Barlow, LW (Owen Sound, OHL)

Very few prospects can shoot the puck like Barlow, who just missed the 50-goal mark this season. He’s a high-volume shooter that can capitalize from anywhere. Next year will be a big one for the Owen Sound Attack forward as he continues to terrorize goaltenders.

19. Chicago Blackhawks: Calum Ritchie, C (Oshawa, OHL)

His offensive totals weren’t where most were expecting after a hot start, but Ritchie proved his worth defensively this year, too. He’s a well-rounded prospect that can dazzle with the puck and take over when needed. Players that work as hard as Ritchie bring value.

20. Seattle Kraken: Quentin Musty, LW (Sudbury, OHL)

The Kraken are lacking a big winger in the system, with David Goyette and Jagger Firkus both being on the smaller side. Musty, a 200-pound beast that can hit and score, will help fill that gap a little bit. The first pick in the 2021 OHL Draft had a solid 78-point season, and he’s only just getting started.

21. Minnesota Wild: Brayden Yager, C (Moose Jaw, WHL)

Yager’s game is built upon competing hard, beating players with speed and scoring from difficult angles. He also had 50 assists and showed he can be a highlight-reel machine. I like him as a complementary winger more than a center down the road, though.

22. Philadelphia Flyers: Andrew Cristall, LW (Kelowna, WHL)

It might seem like a stretch, but one worth making for the Flyers. The high-risk, high-reward potential is so high with Cristall’s game. His good buddy Connor Bedard is a big believer in Cristall’s game, and if you’ve seen the way he beats defensemen with skill, you’ll become one, too.

23. New York Rangers: Riley Heidt, C (Prince George, WHL)

One of the best point producers in the WHL, Heidt was a huge part of Prince George’s resurgence this year. I know scouts were hoping to see him remain a consistent producer throughout the year – no issues there. It’s his play away from the puck that some are more concerned about.

24. Nashville Predators (from Edmonton Oilers): Eduard Sale, RW (Brno, Czechia)

Consistency was an issue for Sale, especially in the second half after the World Junior Championship. However, he showed enough big-game potential at that event 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.

25. St. Louis Blues (from Toronto Maple Leafs): Mikhail Gulyayev, D (Omskie, MHL)

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. After getting a quality forward early, the Blues will snag a solid defenseman here.

26. San Jose Sharks (from New Jersey Devils): Daniil But, LW (Yaroslavl, MHL)

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

27. Colorado Avalanche: Otto Stenberg, C (Frolunda, Sweden U-20)

Will an excellent U-18 World Championship give the Avalanche confidence in Stenberg? 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.

28. Toronto Maple Leafs (from Boston Bruins via Washington Capitals): Oliver Bonk, D (London, OHL)

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.

29. St. Louis Blues: Gavin Brindley, C (Michigan, NCAA)

A bit of a stretch? Maybe, but with three first-round picks (for now), I think the Blues could get a home-run pick out of Brindley. If it wasn’t for Fantilli’s exploits with the Wolverines, Brindley’s 38-point freshman season would have received a lot more attention. He’s fast, smart and aggressive for his size, and he gives you his full effort every night. I think there’s a chance they get an absolute hit here.

30. Carolina Hurricanes: Bradly Nadeau, C (Penticton, BCHL)

The Hurricanes have built up quite the player base in recent years, including some nice hits along the way. Nadeau just feels like the next one. The BCHL scoring star had one of the best Jr. A seasons we’ve seen in decades, and now he’s set to rip apart the competition with the University of Maine. The extra time in college for the fast, skilled forward should be enticing for a Hurricanes team that’s in their contention window now.

31. Montreal Canadiens: Ethan Gauthier, RW (Sherbrooke, QMJHL)

At one point, it almost looked like the Canadiens were snagging two picks in the top 10. Then, Florida went on a rampage, and the rest is history. Having an extra first-pick will still be nice, and it could turn out to be Gauthier they take. Gauthier is fierce, aggressive and never stops moving. He saw his offensive output jump by 30 points to a nice 69 this year, establishing himself as a strong goal-scorer. His power-forward style suits him well in a middle-six role.

32. Vegas Golden Knights: Oscar Fisker Molgaard, C (HV71, SHL)

Could the Golden Knights take a swing here? OFM made his mark in the SHL, playing the full year with HV71. He also showed some promise at the World Championship, even though he failed to record a point. Molgaard is one a lot of scouts feel could be a nice late-round pickup – and maybe one a team could look to trade up for.

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