2023 NHL Draft Live Updates: News, Draft Selections, Trades and More
By Jim Lynch
The 2023 NHL Draft is here! Throughout the entire first round you can check in here with any trades, news or draft picks to get an instant update on what is going on. There was a lot of news ahead of the draft in regards to signings, trades and more so let’s dive in.
2023 NHL Draft Live Updates: News, Draft Selections, Trades and More
Connor Bedard is expected to get drafted first overall, he is projected to become a generational talent, even though he is not even 18 yet. After the first overall pick, things get a little murkier on why will get drafted, Adam Fantilli is currently the most likely pick to go to Anaheim.
The Golden Knights made some news a few hours ahead of the draft. They traded Reilly Smith, one of the original Golden Knights, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a third round pick. In doing so, they freed up some cap space to extend Ivan Barbashev for the foreseeable future.
The New Jersey Devils also made some news re-signing Timo Meier to a long term contract extension. Meier signed a massive eight-year, $70.4 million contract. The deal will make him the highest paid Devils’ forward, ahead of Jack Hughes.
2023 NHL Draft Updates:
7:16 p.m. ET: The Blackhawks officially drafted Connor Bedard with the first overall pick at the NHL Draft. This was their second time drafting first overall in NHL history, their first was in 2007 when they drafted Patrick Kane.
7:32 p.m. ET: In a shocking move, Adam Fantilli fell to third overall when the Ducks passed on Fantilli to draft Leo Carlsson. The Blue Jackets landed one heck of a center with the third overall pick.
7:53 p.m. ET: When the Canadiens drafted David Reinbacher fifth overall Carey Price announced the pick. It did result in a bit of a funny moment on live tv, you can see the video below.
https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1674203725425184768?s=20
8:00 p.m. ET: The Philadelphia Flyers might have one of the biggest steals of the draft as they took Matvei Michkov with the seventh overall pick. Michkov could very well be the second best player behind Connor Bedard. Now, the Flyers will start working on getting Michkov to come to Philadelphia in three or four years.
8:35 p.m. ET: For giving every team three minutes to make the pick, it really is a bit odd that it has taken an hour and a half to just get to the 13th overall pick. Although I do understand we have to shoutout every draft party going on in insert city here….
9:09 p.m. ET: Jim Nill, General Manager of the Dallas Stars, was named General Manager of the year. Nill led the Stars to the Western Conference Final. His team was near the top of the Western Conference standings all season and will be back next year trying to win the Stanley Cup.
10:33 p.m. ET: Reminder, day two of the draft will begin at 11 a.m. ET tomorrow (Thursday Jun. 29). The draft will be on ESPN+ as well as on NHL Network.
10:39 p.m. ET: that will conclude our night one coverage of the 2023 NHL Draft. Tomorrow is another full day of news and draft picks. Stay tuned!
2023 NHL Draft Order and Selections:
- Chicago Blackhawks – Connor Bedard
- Anaheim Ducks – Leo Carlsson
- Columbus Blue Jackets – Adam Fantilli
- San Jose Sharks – Will Smith
- Montreal Canadiens – David Reinbacher
- Arizona Coyotes – Dmitriy Simashev
- Philadelphia Flyers – Matvei Michkov
- Washington Capitals – Ryan Leonard
- Detroit Red Wings – Nate Danielson
- St. Louis Blues – Dalibor Dvorsky
- Vancouver Canucks – Tom Willander
- Arizona Coyotes (via Senators) – Daniil But
- Buffalo Sabres – Zack Benson
- Pittsburgh Penguins – Brayden Yager
- Nashville Predators – Matthew Wood
- Calgary Flames – Samuel Honzek
- Detroit Red Wings (via Islanders) – Axel Sandin Pellikka
- Winnipeg Jets – Colby Barlow
- Chicago Blackhawks (via Lightning) – Oliver Moore
- Seattle Kraken – Eduard Sale
- Minnesota Wild – Charlie Stramel
- Philadelphia Flyers (via Kings) – Oliver Bonk
- New York Rangers – Gabriel Perreault
- Nashville Predators (via Oilers) – Tanner Molendyk
- St. Louis Blues (via Maple Leafs) – Otto Stenberg
- San Jose Sharks (via Devils) – Quentin Musty
- Colorado Avalanche – Calum Ritchie
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via Bruins) – Easton Cowan
- St. Louis Blues (via Stars) – Theo Lindstein
- Carolina Hurricanes – Bradly Nadeau
- Colorado Avalanche (from Canadiens, via Panthers) – Mikhail Gulyayev
- Vegas Golden Knights – David Edstrom