NHL Draft 2023: 1st-Round Mock Predictions and Latest Order

The 2022-23 NHL season is winding down. It won't be much longer until the Stanley Cup playoffs are underway, as the regular season is set to conclude April 14, with the postseason expected to begin a few days later around April 17.

At that point, 16 teams will begin to battle it out for a championship. For the other 16, the focus will quickly shift to the future.

Those franchises will start to think quite a bit about the 2023 NHL draft, which is set to take place June 28 and 29 in Nashville. Of course, every team will be preparing well for the event, which could help dictate how successful a team is in the years to come. It will be easier to do so after the draft lottery occurs May 8 and the order is closer to finalized.

Here's a first-round mock for this year's draft, with the projected order set via Tankathon.

1st-Round Mock Draft

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WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 15: A view of the NHL logo on the net before the game between the Washington Capitals and the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena on March 15, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

1. Columbus Blue Jackets: Connor Bedard, C, Regina (WHL)

2. Chicago Blackhawks: Adam Fantilli, C, Michigan

3. San Jose Sharks: Leo Carlsson, C/W, Örebro HK (SHL)

4. Anaheim Ducks: Will Smith, C, U.S. National Team Development Program

5. Montreal Canadiens: Oliver Moore, C, U.S. National Team Development Program

6. Arizona Coyotes: Matvei Michkov, RW, HK Sochi (KHL)

7. Philadelphia Flyers: Dalibor Dvorský C, AIK (SHL)

8. Vancouver Canucks: Andrew Cristall, F, Kelowna (WHL)

9. Detroit Red Wings: Zach Benson, LW/RW, Winnipeg (WHL)

10. St. Louis Blues: Eduard Sale, F, HC Kometa Brno (CZK)

11. Washington Capitals: Matthew Wood, LW/RW, UConn

12. Arizona Coyotes (via Ottawa Senators): Ryan Leonard, C, U.S. National Team Development Program

13. Buffalo Sabres: Axel Sandin Pellikka, D, Skellefteå AIK (SHL)

14. Montreal Canadiens (via Florida Panthers): Mikhail Gulyayev, D, Omskie Yastreby (MHL)

15. Calgary Flames: Brayden Yager, C, Moose Jaw (WHL)

16. Nashville Predators: Riley Heidt, LW/RW, Prince George (WHL)

17. Pittsburgh Penguins: Colby Barlow, LW, Owen Sound (OHL)

18. Winnipeg Jets: Calum Ritchie, C, Oshawa (OHL)

19. Detroit Red Wings (via New York Islanders): Mikhail Gulyayev, D, Omskie Yastreby (MHL)

20. Seattle Kraken: Gabe Perreault, RW, U.S. National Team Development Program

21. Chicago Blackhawks (via Tampa Bay Lightning): Nate Danielson, C, Brandon (WHL)

22. Nashville Predators (via Edmonton Oilers): Gavin Brindley, RW, Michigan

23. New York Rangers (via Dallas Stars): Otto Stenberg, C/W, Frölunda HC J20 (SHL)

24. Minnesota Wild: Dmitri Simashev, D, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)

25. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Los Angeles Kings): Jayden Perron, C/W, Chicago (USHL)

26. St. Louis Blues (via New York Rangers): Lukas Dragicevic, D, Tri-City (WHL)

27. St. Louis Blues (via Toronto Maple Leafs): Samuel Honzek, C, Vancouver (WHL)

28. San Jose Sharks (via New Jersey Devils): David Reinbacher, D, EHC Kloten (NL)

29. Colorado Avalanche: Daniil But, LW, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)

30. Carolina Hurricanes: Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George (WHL)

31. Vegas Golden Knights: Ethan Gauthier, RW, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)

32. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Boston Bruins): Tanner Molendyk, D, Saskatoon (WHL)

Bedard Is Clear Favorite to Get Taken No. 1 Overall

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LANGLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JANUARY 25: Forward Connor Bedard #98 of the Regina Pats skates for Team Red during the 2023 Kubota CHL Top Prospects Game Practice at the Langley Events Centre on January 25, 2023 in Langley, British Columbia. (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images)

It likely doesn't matter which team wins the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft lottery. That team should be using the top selection on Connor Bedard, who remains the clear top player available in this year's class.

Bedard, a 17-year-old center from Vancouver, is ranked No. 1 in the majority of rankings for the 2023 draft class. And for good reason. He's had an incredible season for the Regina Pats of the WHL, tallying 71 goals and 72 assists in 57 games. He's also served as the team's captain.

Now, Regina is set to take on the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL playoffs, with the first game set for Friday. It will be an opportunity for Bedard to solidify his standing as the top player in the draft class, even though he doesn't need to at this point.

Jason Bukala, Sportsnet's scouting analyst, wrote that Bedard is an "elite talent" and "mature beyond his years." That's been clear to those who have watched him on the ice.

"Bedard is trending to be an NHL superstar someday and projects to be a franchise player," Bukala wrote. "The hype that has followed him is not overblown."

So, which NHL franchise is going to be lucky enough to be in the position to draft him No. 1?

It's a tight group at the bottom of the NHL standings, with the Blue Jackets (53 points) in last place but with the Blackhawks (54), Sharks (55) and Ducks (56) just ahead of them. The team that ends up at the bottom will have a 25.5 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick. The second-best odds are 13.5 percent.

It makes sense that fans of these teams would want to end up with the fewest points in the NHL, because of that significant difference in lottery odds. And when there's a player like Bedard at the top of the class, it makes it even more enticing.

USNTDP Should Again Be Represented Well During 1st Round

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PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 16: Will Smith #20 of the United States stops the puck during the third period of the 2023 BioSteel All-American hockey game at USA Hockey Arena on January 16, 2023 in Plymouth, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

The U.S. national team development program has been well represented in recent NHL drafts. In fact, it has had a player get taken in the top five of each of the past four drafts, becoming the first team to achieve that feat.

Logan Cooley (No. 3 to the Coyotes in 2022), Cutter Gauthier (No. 5 to the Flyers in 2022), Luke Hughes (No. 4 to the Devils in 2021), Jake Sanderson (No. 5 to the Senators in 2020), Jack Hughes (No. 1 to the Devils in 2019) and Alex Turcotte (No. 5 to the Kings in 2019) are the U.S. NTDP players selected in the top five over that span.

This year, the team won't have the first player taken, like it had with Hughes in 2019. None of the U.S. national team development program players are better than Bedard. However, there is another talented group on the way.

Will Smith and Oliver Moore, a pair of talented 18-year-old centers, could both be in the mix within the top five selections. Smith is committed to play at Boston College, while Moore is committed to play at Minnesota. Both likely have big careers ahead of them.

It isn't just Smith and Moore from the U.S. NTDP near the top of this year's draft class, either. Ryan Leonard is another center from the team who could get taken in the top 10.

The U.S. national team development program has only gotten stronger since launching in 1996. Jack Hughes has proved players from there can go on to have NHL success, as he has 40 goals and 46 assists through 70 games for New Jersey this season.

With another talented class on the way, it will be exciting to see where these U.S. NTDP players go from here.