2023 NHL entry draft


The 2023 NHL entry draft was the 61st entry draft for the National Hockey League. The draft was held on June 28–29, 2023, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
The first three selections were Connor Bedard by the Chicago Blackhawks, Leo Carlsson by the Anaheim Ducks, and Adam Fantilli by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Eligibility

Ice hockey players born between January 1, 2003, and September 15, 2005, are eligible for selection in the 2023 NHL entry draft. Additionally, un-drafted, non-North American players born in 2002 are eligible for the draft; and those players who were drafted in the 2021 NHL entry draft, but not signed by an NHL team and who were born after June 30, 2003, are also eligible to re-enter the draft.

Draft lottery

Beginning with the 2014–15 NHL season the NHL changed the weighting system that was used in previous years. Under the new system the odds of winning the draft lottery for the four lowest finishing teams in the league decreased, while the odds for the other non-playoff teams increased. As the league reduced the number of lottery drawings before the 2021–22 season, this resulted in two lotteries being held instead of three. Since the 2022 draft lottery, the teams winning one of the two drawings are allowed to move up a maximum of ten spots in the draft order and a team is only allowed to win the lottery twice in a five-year period.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks won the two draft lotteries that took place on May 8, 2023, giving them the first and second picks overall. Chicago moved up two spots to receive the first pick, while Anaheim and Columbus each moved down one spot. During the broadcast ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes revealed that the Columbus Blue Jackets had received the third overall pick before the top three picks were officially revealed, which was attributed to a teleprompter mistake.
Indicates team won first overall
Indicates team won second overall
Indicates teams that did not win a lottery

Team1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th
Anaheim25.5%18.8%55.7%
Columbus13.5%14.1%30.7%41.7%
Chicago11.5%11.2%7.8%39.7%29.8%
San Jose9.5%9.5%0.3%15.4%44.6%20.8%
Montreal8.5%8.6%0.3%24.5%44.0%14.2%
Arizona7.5%7.7%0.2%34.1%41.4%9.1%
Philadelphia6.5%6.7%0.2%44.4%36.5%5.6%
Washington6.0%6.2%0.2%54.4%30.0%3.2%
Detroit5.0%5.2%0.2%64.4%23.5%1.7%
St. Louis3.5%3.7%0.1%73.3%18.4%0.9%
Vancouver3.0%3.2%0.1%79.9%13.4%0.5%
Ottawa5.3%85.7%8.9%0.2%
Buffalo4.3%90.7%5.1%>0.0%
Pittsburgh3.1%94.7%2.1%>0.0%
Nashville1.1%97.9%1.1%
Calgary1.0%98.9%

Top prospects

RankingNorth American skatersEuropean skaters
1

Selections by round

The order of the 2023 entry draft is listed below.

Round one

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
1Connor Bedard

Round two

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
33Nico Myatovic

Round three

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
65Coulson Pitre

Round four

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
97Konnor Smith

Round five

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
129Rodwin Dionicio

Round six

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
161Vojtech Port

Round seven

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
193Jack Harvey

Draftees based on nationality

North American draftees by state/province

Broadcasting

In Canada, coverage of the draft was televised on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
In United States, coverage of the opening day of the draft was televised on ESPN and ESPN+. Coverage of the second day of the draft was televised on NHLN and ESPN+.