The 2022–23 NHL regular season officially came to a close last week. Starting this week, 16 teams will compete for the Stanley Cup, and 16 teams will compete in the draft lottery for a chance to increase their odds of selecting an elite young talent. This year’s draft lottery is set for May 8, and a lottery will be held for the first and second overall selection in this year’s draft. There are several important rules and restrictions in this year’s lottery, but with one of the deepest drafts in recent memory, each lottery team will have a real shot at getting a solid player with their first-round selection.
Top picks from the 2023 NHL Draft
Nothing has changed at the top of the 2023 NHL Draft since the summer: there is a clear cut number one player in Connor Bedard, with an excellent crop of players rounding out the first round or two. Adam Fantilli is the likely number two pick, but Matvei Michkov and Leo Carlsson are not going away quietly in their bid to be selected second.
This year’s draft class features players from a many different nations, and it’s very possible that the top five draft selections are all of different nationalities. The global interest in hockey is rapidly increasing, and the diversity in the draft is a clear indication of that.
Only one player received a first place vote in the rankings we’ve compiled—Bedard. From there, it spread out, if only slightly. Three players received second place votes. Eight players received at least one top-five ranking, 23 received at least one top-10 ranking, and 60 received at least one top-32 ranking. There are more players in each tier compared to our consolidated midterm rankings.
Ranking sources
Our rankings include those from Future Considerations, My NHL Draft, Scouching, Bleacher Report, THW’s Logan Horn, Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino, THW’s Peter Baracchini, The Athletic’s Cory Pronman, DFO’s Steven Ellis, Smaht Scouting, McKeen Hockey, and EliteProspects. If any notable rankings were missed, please let us know and we will adjust our consolidated rankings accordingly.
Without further ado, here’s the full list.
| RANK | PLAYER | TRIMMED MEAN | POS | TEAM | LEAGUE | DOB | HT | WT | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connor Bedard | 1.0 | C | Regina Pats | WHL | Jul 17, 2005 | 5’10” | 185 | R |
| 2 | Adam Fantilli | 2.1 | C | Univ. of Michigan | NCAA | Oct 12, 2004 | 6’2″ | 187 | L |
| 3 | Matvei Michkov | 3.4 | RW | HK Sochi | KHL | Dec 9, 2004 | 5’10” | 148 | L |
| 4 | Leo Carlsson | 3.5 | C/W | Örebro HK | SHL | Dec 26, 2004 | 6’3″ | 194 | L |
| 5 | Zach Benson | 5.7 | F | Winnipeg Ice | WHL | May 12, 2005 | 5’10” | 159 | L |
| 6 | Will Smith | 6.1 | C | U.S. National U18 Team | USDP | Mar 17, 2005 | 6’0″ | 172 | R |
| 7 | Andrew Cristall | 9.4 | LW | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | Feb 4, 2005 | 5’10” | 165 | L |
| 8 | Oliver Moore | 10.3 | C | U.S. National U18 Team | USDP | Jan 22, 2005 | 5’11” | 176 | L |
| 9 | Ryan Leonard | 11.8 | C | U.S. National U18 Team | USDP | Jan 21, 2005 | 5’11” | 181 | R |
| 10 | Eduard Sale | 12.7 | RW | HC Kometa Brno | Czechia | Mar 10, 2005 | 6’1″ | 168 | L |
| 11 | Dalibor Dvorsky | 12.7 | C | AIK | HockeyAllsvenskan | Jun 15, 2005 | 6’1″ | 201 | L |
| 12 | Axel Sandin Pellikka | 13.7 | D | Skellefteå AIK J20 | J20 Nationell | Mar 11, 2005 | 5’11” | 181 | R |
| 13 | David Reinbacher | 14.7 | D | Kloten | NL | Oct 25, 2004 | 6’2″ | 187 | R |
| 14 | Colby Barlow | 14.7 | LW | Owen Sound Attack | OHL | Feb 14, 2005 | 6’1″ | 187 | L |
| 15 | Nate Danielson | 14.9 | C | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | Sep 27, 2004 | 6’1″ | 185 | R |
| 16 | Brayden Yager | 15.5 | C | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | Jan 3, 2005 | 6’0″ | 165 | R |
| 17 | Riley Heidt | 18.3 | F | Prince George Cougars | WHL | Mar 25, 2005 | 5’11” | 179 | L |
| 18 | Mikhail Gulyayev | 20.2 | D | Omskie Yastreby | MHL | Apr 26, 2005 | 5’10” | 170 | L |
| 19 | Dmitri Simashev | 20.6 | D | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | KHL | Feb 4, 2005 | 6’4″ | 201 | L |
| 20 | Jayden Perron | 20.8 | F | Chicago Steel | USHL | Jan 11, 2005 | 5’8″ | 157 | R |
| 21 | Samuel Honzek | 21.6 | C | Vancouver Giants | WHL | Nov 12, 2004 | 6’4″ | 185 | L |
| 22 | Matthew Wood | 21.8 | F | Univ. of Connecticut | NCAA | Feb 6, 2005 | 6’3″ | 190 | R |
| 23 | Gavin Brindley | 22.0 | RW | Univ. of Michigan | NCAA | Oct 5, 2004 | 5’9″ | 157 | R |
| 24 | Calum Ritchie | 23.3 | C | Oshawa Generals | OHL | Jan 21, 2005 | 6’2″ | 187 | R |
| 25 | Quentin Musty | 24.7 | LW | Sudbury Wolves | OHL | Jul 6, 2005 | 6’2″ | 205 | L |
| 26 | Otto Stenberg | 25.4 | C/W | Frölunda HC J20 | J20 Nationell | May 29, 2005 | 5’11” | 181 | L |
| 27 | Gabe Perreault | 26.6 | RW | U.S. National U18 Team | USDP | May 7, 2005 | 5’11” | 165 | L |
| 28 | Ethan Gauthier | 26.8 | RW | Sherbrooke Phoenix | QMJHL | Jan 26, 2005 | 5’11” | 176 | R |
| 29 | William Whitelaw | 29.2 | C | Youngstown Phantoms | USHL | Feb 5, 2005 | 5’9″ | 172 | R |
| 30 | Daniil But | 30.1 | LW | Loko Yaroslavl | MHL | Feb 15, 2005 | 6’5″ | 203 | R |
| 31 | Lukas Dragicevic | 31.1 | D | Tri-City Americans | WHL | Apr 25, 2005 | 6’2″ | 181 | R |
| 32 | Charlie Stramel | 31.6 | F | Univ. of Wisconsin | NCAA | Oct 15, 2004 | 6’3″ | 216 | R |
| 33 | Tanner Molendyk | 32.0 | D | Saskatoon Blades | WHL | Feb 3, 2005 | 5’11” | 176 | L |
| 34 | Adam Gajan | 32.0 | G | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | May 6, 2004 | 6’4″ | 176 | L |
| 35 | Bradly Nadeau | 32.2 | C | Penticton Vees | BCHL | May 5, 2005 | 5’10” | 163 | R |
| 36 | Koehn Ziemmer | 34.3 | RW | Prince George Cougars | WHL | Dec 8, 2004 | 6’0″ | 194 | R |
| 37 | Luca Pinelli | 36.0 | C | Ottawa 67’s | OHL | Apr 5, 2005 | 5’9″ | 161 | L |
| 38 | Oliver Bonk | 36.6 | D | London Knights | OHL | Jan 9, 2005 | 6’1″ | 176 | R |
| 39 | Luca Cagnoni | 38.0 | D | Portland Winterhawks | WHL | Dec 21, 2004 | 5’10” | 172 | L |
| 40 | Caden Price | 38.0 | D | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | Aug 24, 2005 | 6’1″ | 181 | L |
| 41 | Oscar Fisker Molgaard | 38.3 | F | HV71 | SHL | Feb 18, 2005 | 6’0″ | 163 | L |
| 42 | Alex Ciernik | 39.5 | LW/RW | Södertälje SK J20 | J20 Nationell | Oct 8, 2004 | 5’10” | 179 | L |
| 43 | Michael Hrabal | 41.2 | G | Omaha Lancers | USHL | Jan 20, 2005 | 6’6″ | 209 | L |
| 44 | Gracyn Sawchyn | 41.5 | C | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | Jan 19, 2005 | 5’11” | 165 | R |
| 45 | Timur Mukhanov | 42.5 | C | Omskie Yastreby | MHL | Jun 17, 2005 | 5’8″ | 170 | R |
| 46 | Trey Augustine | 43.8 | G | U.S. National U18 Team | USDP | Feb 23, 2005 | 6’1″ | 179 | L |
| 47 | Maxim Strbak | 44.0 | D | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | Apr 13, 2005 | 6’2″ | 198 | R |
| 48 | Carson Bjarnason | 46.8 | G | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL | Jun 30, 2005 | 6’3″ | 181 | L |
| 49 | Kasper Halttunen | 47.2 | RW | HIFK | Liiga | Jun 7, 2005 | 6’3″ | 207 | R |
| 50 | Theo Lindstein | 49.6 | D | Brynäs IF | SHL | Jan 5, 2005 | 6’0″ | 181 | L |
| 51 | Hunter Brzustewicz | 49.7 | D | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | Nov 29, 2004 | 6’0″ | 187 | R |
| 52 | Kalan Lind | 50.0 | F | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | Jan 25, 2005 | 6’0″ | 154 | L |
| 53 | Noah Dower Nilsson | 50.0 | C | Frölunda HC J20 | J20 Nationell | Apr 25, 2005 | 6’0″ | 183 | L |
| 54 | Tom Willander | 50.2 | D | Rögle BK J20 | J20 Nationell | Feb 9, 2005 | 6’1″ | 179 | R |
| 55 | Danny Nelson | 50.5 | F | U.S. National U18 Team | USDP | Aug 3, 2005 | 6’3″ | 203 | L |
| 56 | Etienne Morin | 53.3 | D | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL | Mar 9, 2005 | 6’0″ | 183 | L |
| 57 | Denver Barkey | 53.5 | C | London Knights | OHL | Apr 27, 2005 | 5’8″ | 174 | L |
| 58 | Beau Akey | 55.0 | D | Barrie Colts | OHL | Feb 11, 2005 | 6’0″ | 170 | R |
| 59 | Martin Misiak | 56.0 | C | HC Nove Zamky | Slovakia | Sep 30, 2004 | 6’2″ | 198 | L |
| 60 | Carson Rehkopf | 56.0 | C/LW | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | Jan 7, 2005 | 6’1″ | 194 | L |
| 61 | Lenni Hameenaho | 56.0 | F | Ässät | Liiga | Nov 7, 2004 | 6’0″ | 174 | R |
| 62 | Nick Lardis | 56.7 | RW | Peterborough Petes | OHL | Jul 8, 2005 | 5’10” | 154 | L |
| 63 | Alexander Rykov | 56.7 | RW | Chelmet Chelyabinsk | VHL | Jul 14, 2005 | 5’11” | 170 | L |
| 64 | Aydar Suniev | 58.3 | LW | Penticton Vees | BCHL | Nov 16, 2004 | 6’2″ | 205 | L |
| 65 | Felix Nilsson | 59.7 | C/W | Rögle BK J20 | J20 Nationell | Jun 22, 2005 | 6’0″ | 174 | L |
| 66 | Jacob Fowler | 60.0 | G | Youngstown Phantoms | USHL | Nov 24, 2004 | 6’2″ | 201 | L |
| 67 | Cameron Allen | 60.7 | D | Guelph Storm | OHL | Jan 7, 2005 | 5’11” | 190 | R |
| 68 | Noel Nordh | 61.0 | LW/RW | Brynäs IF J20 | J20 Nationell | Jan 25, 2005 | 6’2″ | 194 | L |
| 69 | Anton Wahlberg | 61.5 | C | Malmö Redhawks J20 | J20 Nationell | Jul 4, 2005 | 6’3″ | 185 | L |
| 70 | Roman Kantserov | 62.0 | F | Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk | MHL | Sep 20, 2004 | 5’9″ | 176 | L |
| 71 | Andrew Strathmann | 62.0 | D | Youngstown Phantoms | USHL | Feb 27, 2005 | 5’11” | 174 | L |
| 72 | Mathieu Cataford | 63.5 | RW | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL | Mar 1, 2005 | 5’11” | 187 | R |
| 73 | Jakub Dvorak | 64.0 | D | Bili Tygri Liberec | Czechia | May 25, 2005 | 6’5″ | 203 | L |
| 74 | Carter Sotheran | 64.0 | D | Portland Winterhawks | WHL | Jun 26, 2005 | 6’3″ | 185 | R |
| 75 | Arvid Bergstrom | 64.0 | D | Djurgårdens IF J20 | J20 Nationell | Jun 12, 2005 | 5’11” | 163 | L |
| 76 | Aram Minnetian | 67.0 | D | U.S. National U18 Team | USDP | Mar 19, 2005 | 6’0″ | 170 | R |
| 77 | Matthew Soto | 68.5 | RW | Kingston Frontenacs | OHL | Aug 31, 2005 | 5’11” | 168 | R |
| 78 | Tuomas Uronen | 72.0 | F | HIFK U20 | U20 SM-sarja | Mar 19, 2005 | 6’0″ | 187 | R |
| 79 | Jesse Nurmi | 75.3 | LW | KooKoo U20 | U20 SM-sarja | Mar 7, 2005 | 5’11” | 165 | L |
| 80 | Zeb Forsfjall | 76.0 | C | Skellefteå AIK J20 | J20 Nationell | Jan 16, 2005 | 5’9″ | 168 | L |
| 81 | Emil Jarventie | 79.0 | F | Ilves U20 | U20 SM-sarja | Apr 4, 2005 | 5’10” | 168 | L |
| 82 | Matthew Mania | 79.7 | D | Sudbury Wolves | OHL | Jan 11, 2005 | 6’0″ | 187 | R |
| 83 | Arttu Karki | 81.0 | D | Tappara U20 | U20 SM-sarja | Dec 8, 2004 | 6’2″ | 176 | L |
| 84 | Jordan Tourigny | 83.0 | D | Shawinigan Cataractes | QMJHL | Feb 28, 2005 | 5’11” | 168 | R |
| 85 | Jaden Lipinski | 90.0 | F | Vancouver Giants | WHL | Dec 2, 2004 | 6’3″ | 198 | R |
