The 2023 NHL Entry Draft kicked off in Nashville last night, as the stars of tomorrow found out what teams they’d be joining this season. Evidently the front offices of all 32 NHL clubs have been enjoying themselves in the Music City. Local “Honky Tonk Bar” Tootsies received multiple shoutouts on the broadcast as GMs and their staffs took the stage.
With a distinct lack of trades taking place, zero in fact, the draft hummed along at a fairly steady pace for most of the evening. Here’s who was ultimately selected once all was said and done.
Round 1
1. Chicago Blackhawks – F CONNOR BEDARD
2. Anaheim Ducks – F LEO CARLSSON
3. Columbus Blue Jackets – F ADAM FANTILLI
4. San Jose Sharks – F WILL SMITH
5. Montreal Canadiens – D DAVID REINBACHER
6. Arizona Coyotes – D DMITRI SIMASHEV
7. Philadelphia Flyers – F MATVEI MICHKOV
8. Washington Capitals – F RYAN LEONARD
9. Detroit Red Wings – F NATE DANIELSON
10. St. Louis Blues – F DALIBOR DVORSKÝ
11. Vancouver Canucks – D TOM WILLANDER
12. Arizona Coyotes (from OTT) – F DANIIL BUT
13. Buffalo Sabres – F ZACH BENSON
14. Pittsburgh Penguins – F BRANDON YAGER
15. Nashville Predators – F MATTHEW WOOD
16. Calgary Flames – F SAMUEL HONZEK
17. Detroit Red Wings (from NYI via VAN) – D AXEL SANDIN PELLIKKA
18. Winnipeg Jets – F COLBY BARLOW
19. Chicago Blackhawks (from TB) – F OLIVER MOORE
20. Seattle Kraken – F EDUARD SALE
21. Minnesota Wild – F CHARLIE STRAMEL
22. Philadelphia Flyers (from LA via CBJ) – D OLIVER BONK
23. New York Rangers – F GABE PERREAULT
24. Nashville Predators (from EDM) – D TANNER MOLENDYK
25. St. Louis Blues (from TOR) – F OTTO STENBERG
26. San Jose Sharks (from NJ) – F QUENTIN MUSTY
27. Colorado Avalanche – F CALUM RITCHIE
28. Toronto Maple Leafs (from BOS via WSH) – F EASTON COWAN
29. St. Louis Blues (from DAL via NYR) – D THEO LINDSTEIN
30. Carolina Hurricanes – F BRADLY NADEAU
31. Colorado Avalanche (from FLA via MTL) – D MIKHAIL GULYAYEV
32. Vegas Golden Knights – F DAVID EDSTROM