It was boring, the majority of picks were taken roughly where they were expected to, only a couple of surprises and no trades. There! Recap complete!
The 2023 NHL Draft didn’t play out the way that anyone would have imagined and that’s and understatement. And if you somehow predicted this, stop everything you’re doing and run to the corner store to pick yourself up a lottery ticket!
For some, the draft can feel like a slow burn because you watch names get announced, some young kid in a sharp suit walk down to the stage to put on a jersey and then listen to analysts break down each pick. Listen, I get it! But for the hockey nuts out there, we love the excitement of seeing the next generation of talented hockey players find their new homes, all the while waiting with bated breath for a trade featuring your favourite team. Draft floor deals were the biggest reason I even watched the event when I was younger. The excitement of seeing one GM stroll up to another GMs table and start talking. “Oh! Could we have a deal going down in front of our very eyes?!”
That was certainly not the outcome of this draft, although it did feel like it went by quicker than in the past. So maybe we just discovered the silver lining?
To recap, here’s how the Top 10 played out:
Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard (because obviously)
Anaheim Ducks: Leo Carlsson (small surprise, but some had him ranked second)
Columbus Blue Jackets: Adam Fantilli (they couldn’t get to the stage quick enough)
San Jose Sharks: Will Smith (one heck of an awesome scorer)
Montreal Canadiens: David Reinbacher (the second biggest surprise of the night)
Arizona Coyotes: Dmitry Simashev (wasn’t in my top 40)
Philadelphia Flyers: Matvei Mitchkov (going to be a superstar)
Washington Capitals: Ryan Leonard (plays with bite and will be a fan favourite)
Detroit Red Wings: Nate Danielson (off the charts hockey IQ)
St Louis Blues: Dalibor Dvorsky (a really strong two way centre)
Biggest Surprises
The first surprise for me was the Montreal Canadiens making the shocking move in choosing David Reinbacher with the fifth overall pick. Now, don’t get me wrong, he’s a good player and I definitely saw him going in the first round, but definitely thought it would have been closer to the 15-20 range. Interesting to find out what made them so high on this player that they chose to use that pick on him rather than trading that pick and dropping down to take him. Oh to be a fly on the wall during those discussions!
Speaking of wanting to be a fly on the wall, maybe the biggest surprise of the entire evening for me was the Maple Leafs choosing Easton Cowan, whom I didn’t even have in my top 40 players! Some had him in the 50-60 range but talk about a swing for the fences kind of pick! Some have speculated that the Leafs took this player because he wouldn’t be around when had picks in the later rounds, but I just think that there we other, more complete, closer to NHL ready players available with this pick.
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These players are going to be amazing when they finally make their teams and I really do believe this draft helped secure the high talent level of the NHL. But overall, despite being hailed as an incredibly deep and exciting draft class, I really didn’t feel it delivered on that.
Another thing I was surprised to not see happen was some sort of answer when it comes to the Alex DeBrincat situation. Hoping he’d re sign, but also being ready for a trade. Instead, nothing happened on that front either.
After it ended, I remember sitting there wondering if I could have just followed it on social media instead.