2023 NHL Mock Draft: Full Round 1 Projections for Every Team

University of Michigan's Adam Fantilli, the projected second overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft, is officially the best player in college hockey.

The center followed in the footsteps of Jack Eichel (2015) and Paul Kariya (1993) to become the third freshman in NCAA history to win the Hobey Baker Award on April 7.

Fantilli led college skaters with 65 points, tied for first with 30 goals and, as the award committee put it, "displayed a remarkable knowledge of the game and a dynamic offensive skillset that set him apart from his peers."

The award capped off a season that took Fantilli's Wolverines to the NCAA semifinals and helped cement the expectation that the 6'2" center will follow top pick WHL phenom Connor Bedard in the draft.

The rights to draft Fantilli will not just be decided by the end-of-season standings. This year, the draft will feature two lotteries for the first and second picks.

Teams can only jump up 10 spots in the lottery, so only the bottom 11 teams will have a shot at Bedard, while the lowest 12 in the standings can hope to get Fantilli with a lucky bounce.

Let's take a peek at the latest projected mock draft courtesy of Tankathon, then inspect the three teams with the best lottery odds to claim these coveted top two picks.

1st-Round Mock Draft

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SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - MAY 10: Commissioner of the National Hockey League Gary Bettman presides over the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery on May 10, 2022 at the NHL Network's studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

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

2. Chicago Blackhawks: Adam Fantilli, C, University of Michigan (NCAA)

3. Anaheim Ducks: Matvei Michkov, RW, SKA (KHL)

4. San Jose Sharks: Leo Carlsson, C, Orebro HK (SHL)

5. Montreal Canadiens: Will Smith, C, USNTDP

6. Arizona Coyotes: Zach Benson, C, Winnipeg Ice (WHL)

7. Philadelphia Flyers: Oliver Moore, C, USNTDP

8. Washington Capitals: Dalibor Dvorsky, C, AIK (HockeyAllsvenskan)

9. Vancouver Canucks: Eduard Sale, RW, HC Kometa Brno (Czech Extraliga)

10. St. Louis Blues: Brayden Yager, C, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)

11. Detroit Red Wings: Andrew Cristall, LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

12. Arizona Coyotes (received pick from Ottawa Senators): Ryan Leonard, C, USNTDP

13. Buffalo Sabres: David Reinbacher, D, EHC Kloten (Swiss League)

14. Nashville Predators: Axel Sandin-Pellikka, D, Skelleftea AIK (SHL)

15. Calgary Flames: Nate Danielson, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

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

17. Detroit Red Wings (received pick from New York Islanders): Riley Heidt, C, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

18. Montréal Canadiens (received pick from Florida Panthers): Matthew Wood, LW/C, University of Connecticut (NCAA)

19. Winnipeg Jets: Mikhail Gulyayev, D, Omskie Yastreby (MHL)

20. Chicago Blackhawks (received pick from Tampa Bay Lightning): Gabe Perreault, RW, USNTDP

21. Seattle Kraken: Calum Ritchie, C, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

22. Columbus Blue Jackets (received pick from Los Angeles Kings): Gavin Brindley, RW, University of Michigan (NCAA)

23. Minnesota Wild: Samuel Honzek, C, Vancouver Giants (WHL)

24. New York Rangers (received pick from Dallas Stars): Dmitri Simashev, D, Loko Yaroslavl (KHL)

25. Nashville Predators (received pick from Edmonton Oilers): Jayden Perron, LW/C/RW, Chicago Steel (USHL)

26. St. Louis Blues (received pick from New York Rangers): Quentin Musty, LW, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

27. St. Louis Blues (received pick from Toronto Maple Leafs): Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

28. San Jose Sharks (received pick from New Jersey Devils): Lukas Dragicevic, D, Tri-City Americans (WHL)

29. Colorado Avalanche: Tanner Molendyk, D, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

30. Carolina Hurricanes: Otto Stenberg, C/W, Frolunda HC J20 (SHL)

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

32. Toronto Maple Leafs (received pick from Boston Bruins): Bradly Nadeau, C, Penticton Vees (BCHL)

Anaheim Ducks

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: Trevor Zegras reacts after being selected ninth overall by the Anaheim Ducks during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

No. 1 pick: 11.5 percent

No. 2 pick: 11.5 percent

No. 3 pick: 7.4 percent

The Anaheim Ducks have slowly but steadily begun building a new, young core with four top-10 picks in as many drafts.

Trevor Zegras (No. 9, 2019) and Mason McTavish (No. 3, 2021) anchor Anaheim's top two lines. Jamie Drysdale (No. 6, 2020) is, when healthy, a huge boost to the Ducks' blue line. Pavel Mintyukov (No. 10, 2022) is a strong defensive prospect developing in the OHL.

Pro: Zegras tied Troy Terry as the Ducks' leading goal scorer this season, making him a great pick. Con: Zegras and Terry both have scored 22 times, meaning the Ducks have no skater ranked among the top 90 scorers in the NHL.

Anaheim is well on its way to building a new core with these draft picks, but the Ducks have yet to add a skater who can rack up the points needed to change their identity as one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL.

The lottery balls landing on the Ducks for the first—or even the second—pick in this year's draft could help increase those stats and kick-start the club's return to postseason competitiveness for the first time since 2018.

Chicago Blackhawks

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 21: Kirby Dach reacts after being selected third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

No. 1 pick: 13.5 percent

No. 2 pick: 14.4 percent

No. 3 pick: 32.0 percent

The Chicago Blackhawks have chosen a top-10 pick three times in the past five years, selecting Adam Boqvist (No. 8, 2018), Kirby Dach (No. 3, 2019) and Kevin Korchinski (No. 7, 2022).

Last year, the team deployed zero out of the three. Boqvist is in Columbus, Dach is in Montréal and Korchinski has yet to make his NHL debut. The Hawks got ice-time leader Seth Jones out of the Boqvist trade but nothing tangible to show for Dach.

Now the Blackhawks are set to select at the top of the draft again in 2023. This time, they would like to get a prospect they can keep.

Given the impressive talent within the top picks of the draft, Chicago has decent chances of finding that player in 2023. Projected No. 3 pick Matvei Michkov, who has committed to play in Russia through 2025-26, will require a wait. Selections like Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli or Leo Carlsson, however, already look ready to take on the NHL.

Selecting a top prospect who is ready to hit the ice in October would be an immediate boost for a team searching for a new core to build around as uncertainty continues about the health of captain Jonathan Toews.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: Liam Foudy poses after being selected eighteenth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

No. 1 pick: 25.5 percent

No. 2 pick: 18.8 percent

No. 3 pick: 55.7 percent

The Blue Jackets have selected within the top six picks for two consecutive drafts. That, combined with the signing of free-agent bombshell Johnny Gaudreau last summer, was supposed to help get Columbus back in the playoff picture this season.

Now, with less than one week left in the campaign, the Blue Jackets are ranked 32nd in the NHL.

Winger Kent Johnson (No. 5, 2021) put up 40 points and 16 goals on the Blue Jackets' second line this season. Defenseman David Jiříček (No. 6, 2022) has played just three games. Neither of them, so far, have been transformative players for the Blue Jackets.

In this year's draft, during which the team has good odds to pick within a strong top three, Columbus finally has a chance to acquire that game-changing prospect.

There is no question that Columbus would love to add Connor Bedard to their forward mix, especially given what playing Gaudreau on his wing could potentially do to both of their production numbers. However, any of the players projected to go in the top three (and maybe top four, considering SHL forward Leo Carlsson's climbing draft stock) could finally be the offensive spark the Blue Jackets have been looking for to propel them out of the basement.