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NHL Draft Grades: Analyzing each team's haul at the 2023 event

Julian Catalfo / theScore

The 2023 NHL Draft has come and gone, with teams adding future franchise-altering players, important depth pieces, and, of course, a handful of busts.

Here, we grade and discuss how each team fared over the seven rounds relative to its draft slots.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
2 C Leo Carlsson Orebro (SHL)
33 LW Nico Myatovic Seattle (WHL)
59 C Carey Terrance Erie (OHL)
60 G Damian Clara Farjestad (J20)
65 RW Coulson Pitre Flint (OHL)
85 RW Yegor Sidorov Saskatoon (WHL)
97 LHD Konnor Smith Peterborough (OHL)
129 LHD Rodwin Dionicio Windsor (OHL)
161 RHD Vojtech Port Edmonton (WHL)

The Ducks surprised many when they took Carlsson over Adam Fantilli at No. 2. The Swede has a better hockey sense, which ultimately tempted Anaheim more than his Canadian counterpart.

The rest of their draft left something to be desired. Myatovic, Terrance, Pitre, Smith, and Port are all intriguing but project to be smaller-role players should they reach the NHL. Clara is a fun swing on a raw goaltender with a huge frame. Sidorov had a huge season as a re-entry in the WHL, and Dionicio is among the most fascinating late-round players with his immense skill but woeful skating.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
6 LHD Dmitriy Simashev Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
12 LW Danil But Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
38 G Michael Hrabal Omaha (USHL)
70 C Jonathan Castagna St. Andrews (CAHS)
72 LW Noel Nordh Brynas (J20)
81 C Tanner Ludtke Lincoln (USHL)
88 RW Vadim Moroz Minsk (KHL)
102 LHD Terrell Goldsmith Prince Albert (WHL)
134 G Melker Thelin Bjorkloven (Sweden U18)
160 LHD Justin Kipkie Victoria (WHL)
162 C Samu Bau Ilves (Liiga)
166 G Carsen Musser U.S. NTDP

Nobody expected Simashev to go so high, and the Coyotes doubled down a few picks later by taking his Yaroslavl teammate But. Arizona opted for the tantalizing physical tools of both players over more highly rated prospects. Those tools were a priority for general manager Bill Armstrong, as all but one draftee is listed at 6-foot-2 or above. Five prospects are 6-foot-5 or taller.

Hrabal is a fascinating goaltending prospect with his massive 6-foot-7 frame, and the Coyotes have developed a handful of quality netminders in recent years. But overall, it's a combination of risky bets with premium draft picks and lower-potential players after the second round.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
92 C Christopher Pelosi Sioux Falls (USHL)
124 C Beckett Hendrickson U.S. NTDP
188 C Ryan Walsh Cedar Rapids (USHL)
214 RW Casper Nassen Vasteras (J20)
220 LHD Kristian Kostadinski Frolunda (J20)

The Bruins had one selection in the top 100 and used it on a player ranked 127th among North American skaters by Central Scouting. Boston got value in Hendrickson at No. 124 but failed to land any truly exciting prospects. The Bruins will hope re-entry picks in Walsh and Nassen will continue to produce against better competition after performing well against younger players in the USHL and J20 Nationell, respectively.

Already with one of the NHL's weakest pools, the Bruins didn't do anything to improve their pipeline in any meaningful way.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
13 LW Zach Benson Winnipeg (WHL)
39 C Anton Wahlberg Malmo (J20)
45 RHD Maxim Strbak Sioux Falls (USHL)
86 RHD Gavin McCarthy Muskegon (USHL)
109 LW Ethan Miedema Kingston (OHL)
141 G Scott Ratzlaff Seattle (WHL)
173 LHD Sean Keohane Dexter School (USHS)
205 LHD Norwin Panocha Berlin (Germany U20)

Kevyn Adams must have laughed as the GM saw a prospect with the quality of Benson fall to the Sabres at No. 13. The Winnipeg ICE product could very well be the best two-way winger to come out of the draft and is a perfect fit with Buffalo's youthful, exciting brand of hockey.

After taking another smaller forward in the first round, the Sabres added plenty of size on Day 2. All of Wahlberg, Strbak, McCarthy, and Miedema are listed at 6-foot-1 or taller but weren't just picked for their size. Wahlberg and Strbak have impressed internationally, while McCarthy and Miedema have had solid results in the USHL and OHL, respectively. Overall, another very strong draft for Buffalo.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
16 LW Samuel Honzek Vancouver (WHL)
48 LHD Etienne Morin Moncton (QMJHL)
80 LW Aydar Suniev Penticton (BCHL)
112 C Jaden Lipinski Vancouver (WHL)
176 G Yegor Yegorov Moscow (MHL)
208 LHD Axel Hurtig Rogle (J20)

Honzek is an excellent pick at No. 16 as a toolsy winger with a massive frame and big upside. Had he not been injured at the world juniors, the Slovakian could have easily gone higher.

Calgary took more big swings on Day 2 with Morin and Suniev. Morin was the top-scoring draft-eligible defenseman out of the QMJHL and was lauded by Central Scouting's Dan Marr as his favorite North American-based blue-liner. Suniev had a monster season in the BCHL, tallying 45 goals and 90 points, and heads to UMass in the NCAA this fall. A promising first draft for GM Craig Conroy.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
30 LW Bradly Nadeau Penticton (BCHL)
62 RW Felix Unger Sorum Leksand (J20)
94 RW Jayden Perron Chicago (USHL)
100 RW Alexander Rykov Chelmet (VHL)
126 RW Stanislav Yarovoy Vityaz (KHL)
139 RHD Charles-Alexis Legault Quinnipiac (NCAA)
158 G Ruslan Khazheyev Chelyabinsk (MHL)
163 LW Timur Mukhanov Omsk (MHL)
190 RW Mikey Emerson Chicago (USHL)
222 G Yegor Velmakin Voronezh (VHL)

If the Hurricanes continue to have trouble converting their shots into goals when Nadeau is ready to make the jump in a few years, he'll help with that. The 5-foot-10 winger dominated the BCHL this season, scoring 62 goals over 71 regular-season and playoff games with Penticton. He's a textbook swing on potential at the end of Round 1.

Had Unger Sorum been born two days later, he would've been in the 2024 draft instead. That makes his point-per-game campaign in the J20 Nationell and excellent U18s even more impressive.

The rest of the draft was very Carolina Hurricanes: five Russians, two Chicago Steel forwards, and an overage defenseman from the NCAA. Perron, Rykov, and Mukhanov are exciting picks for their potential, but the Hurricanes have yet to see their pipeline of Twitter favorite prospects turn into legit NHLers.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
1 C Connor Bedard Regina (WHL)
19 C Oliver Moore U.S. NTDP
35 G Adam Gajan Chippewa (NAHL)
44 RW Roman Kantserov Magnitogorsk (MHL)
55 RW Martin Misiak Youngstown (USHL)
67 LW Nick Lardis Hamilton (OHL)
93 C Jiri Felcman Langnau (Swiss U20)
99 C Alex Pharand Sudbury (OHL)
131 LW Marcel Marcel Gatineau (QMJHL)
167 C Milton Oscarson Orebro (SHL)
195 LHD Janne Peltonen Karpat (Finland U20)

The Blackhawks won the 2023 draft when they landed the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery. Bedard is a legitimate franchise-changer who alters the trajectory of the franchise and is expected to be among the league's most threatening goal-scorers for many years. But their high grade isn't just for that slam dunk pick.

After Bedard, Chicago added the best skater in the draft in Moore, solidifying immense depth down the middle in their prospect pool. The Blackhawks then took the first goaltender in the draft at No. 35 in Gajan, who starred for Slovakia at the world juniors.

Kantserov, one of the top-scoring prospects out of the Russian junior league, and Lardis, who had a superb second half in the OHL after being traded midseason, stand out among the nine picks on Day 2. But of course, the Blackhawks could've drafted 10 randoms off of the street after Bedard and still would've been ecstatic.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
27 C Calum Ritchie Oshawa (OHL)
31 LHD Mikhail Gulyayev Omskie (MHL)
155 RHD Nikita Ishimnikov Yekaterinburg (MHL)
187 LHD Jeremy Hanzel Seattle (WHL)
219 C Maros Jedlicka Zvolen (Slovakia)

Ritchie was a projected top-10 prospect coming into the season and is a great bet to bounce back next year with Oshawa. Gulyayev has set scoring records among junior-aged Russian defensemen and is a splendid fit in Colorado's system with his electrifying offense and skating.

The Avalanche ended their draft with two of the oldest draftees in Hanzel and Jedlicka, players who could play in the AHL as soon as this fall. Hanzel was a dominant two-way defenseman with the WHL champion Thunderbirds, while Jedlicka has been a consistent scorer for two years in the improving Slovakian league.

After making their first pick at No. 193 a year ago, the Avalanche did incredibly well to replenish a fairly barren prospect pool.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
3 C Adam Fantilli Michigan (NCAA)
34 RW Gavin Brindley Michigan (NCAA)
66 RW William Whitelaw Youngstown (USHL)
98 LHD Andrew Strathmann Youngstown (USHL)
114 C Luca Pinelli Ottawa (OHL)
156 G Melvin Strahl MoDo (J20)
194 C Oiva Keskinen Tappara (Finland U20)
224 LW Tyler Peddle Drummondville (QMJHL)

Fantilli fell into the Blue Jackets' lap at No. 3, and the fit is perfect in terms of style and positional need. He could step into their lineup as soon as this fall and be a contributor in the top nine, and he's a future top-line pivot.

Then, at the top of the second round, Columbus snagged Fantilli's linemate Brindley, a diminutive but speedy and tenacious winger who would've been a slam dunk first-rounder if he were 3 inches taller.

The Blue Jackets absolutely crushed this draft. They didn't overthink things when Fantilli became available at No. 3 and identified high-potential prospects with their remaining picks. That's exactly what a team like Columbus should be doing on draft day.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
61 LHD Tristan Bertucci Flint (OHL)
79 C Brad Gardiner Ottawa (OHL)
125 RHD Aram Minnetian U.S. NTDP
157 G Arno Tiefensee Mannheim (DEL)
189 C Angus MacDonnell Mississauga (OHL)
221 LW Sebastian Bradshaw Elite Hockey Academy (18U AAA)

The Stars love to draft out of the OHL and added another three Ontario-based prospects Thursday. Bertucci underwhelmed at the U18s, and Gardiner was outproduced significantly by his teammate Pinelli, who went much later to Columbus. Dallas failed to come out of the draft with a prospect that carries easily identifiable potential to play a meaningful NHL role.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
9 C Nate Danielson Brandon (WHL)
17 RHD Axel Sandin Pellikka Skelleftea (J20)
41 G Trey Augustine U.S. NTDP
42 RHD Andrew Gibson Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
47 LHD Brady Cleveland U.S. NTDP
73 LW Noah Dower Nilsson Frolunda (J20)
117 LHD Larry Keenan Culver (USHS)
137 RHD Jack Phelan Sioux Falls (USHL)
147 LW Kevin Bicker Mannheim (Germany U20)
169 G Rudy Guimond Taft School (USHS)
201 C Emmitt Finnie Kamloops (WHL)

The Red Wings added more of the same at No. 9 with Danielson after taking a similar prospect in Marco Kasper a year ago. That's not necessarily a bad thing; Danielson could become a top-six, two-way center - but Detroit had the opportunity to go for a higher-upside scorer in the top 10.

Landing Sandin Pellikka - possibly the draft's best offensive defenseman - at No. 17 significantly helps this grade. He adds to an already stacked group of young blue-liners in the Red Wings' system but brings a more offensive element than what Detroit already has.

It never hurts to snag one of the draft's top goaltenders, which the Red Wings did with Augustine. Dower Nilsson - the younger brother of Detroit prospect Liam - adds a scorer to an otherwise fairly bland draft.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
56 RHD Beau Akey Barrie (OHL)
184 G Nathaniel Day Flint (OHL)
216 C Matt Copponi Merrimack (NCAA)

With just three picks and none inside the top 50, it was going to be tough for the Oilers to make an impression. Taking Akey at No. 56, however, did exactly that.

The right-shot defenseman is one of the top neutral-zone defenders in the entire class. Edmonton's pipeline on defense is barren, and adding a player like Akey is a great way to spend the team's lone pick in the first five rounds. That selection does the heavy lifting here.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
63 C Gracyn Sawchyn Seattle (WHL)
127 LHD Albert Wikman Farjestad (J20)
159 G Olof Glifford HV71 (Sweden U18)
191 LHD Luke Coughlin Rimouski (QMJHL)
198 LW Stepan Zvyagin Dinamo (MHL)

Sawchyn and the Panthers are a perfect stylistic match. The Thunderbirds forward has plenty of skill and isn't afraid to mix it up physically despite being undersized. Ranked as high as No. 13 by Elite Prospects, he's exactly the type of player Florida should be drafting in the absence of a top-50 selection.

Coughlin is an undersized defenseman with pedigree as a former top-five pick in the QMJHL. He was injured to start his draft campaign but finished the year on a strong note. That's a quality sixth-round swing.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
54 LHD Jakub Dvorak Liberec (Czechia)
78 RW Koehn Ziemmer Prince George (WHL)
118 G Hampton Slukynsky Warroad (USHS)
150 RHD Matthew Mania Sudbury (OHL)
182 RW Ryan Conmy Sioux City (USHL)

Dvorak is massive at 6-foot-5 and can move well for his size, but he has yet to produce any notable results. Ziemmer scored a bunch of goals in the WHL, while Mania has a great name and an exciting blend of skills.

It's difficult to evaluate skaters out of high school, let alone a goaltender like Slukynsky. Conmy produced in the USHL and is a reasonable sixth-rounder. It's a decent draft for the Kings, but nothing that gets you particularly excited.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
21 C Charlie Stramel Wisconsin (NCAA)
53 C Rasmus Kumpulainen Pelicans (Finland U20)
64 C Riley Heidt Prince George (WHL)
149 LHD Aaron Pionk Waterloo (USHL)
181 RHD Kalem Parker Victoria (WHL)
213 LW Jimmy Clark Green Bay (USHL)

Stramel struggled mightily as a freshman at Wisconsin after a strong career previously with the U.S. NTDP. The Wild will hope to see the big, mobile pivot rediscover his form as a sophomore.

Kumpulainen is on the younger side of the class and produced in Finland's junior league and at the U18s. Heidt was superb value at the end of the second round, having matched Bedard for the WHL lead in assists. He likely shifts to the wing but has significant power-play upside and doesn't shy away from physicality. A solid draft that addressed premium positions.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
5 RHD David Reinbacher Kloten (NL)
69 G Jacob Fowler Youngstown (USHL)
101 LW Florian Xhekaj Hamilton (OHL)
110 RHD Bogdan Konyushkov Torpedo (KHL)
128 G Quentin Miller Quebec (QMJHL)
133 LW Sam Harris Sioux Falls (USHL)
144 G Yevgeni Volokhin Khanty-Mansiysk (MHL)
165 C Filip Eriksson Vaxjo (J20)
197 LHD Luke Mittelstadt Minnesota (NCAA)

It's hard to get too upset when you land the draft's top defense prospect. The Canadiens valued Reinbacher's handedness and professional profile; after all, he played the entire season in the top four of a Swiss pro team. But passing on immense potential in Matvei Michkov, or even Ryan Leonard, is a tough pill to swallow.

The rest of the Canadiens' draft was ... odd. They took three goaltenders, with Fowler being the most compelling of the bunch after leading Youngstown to the USHL championship.

Taking the younger Xhekaj at No. 101 was rich, considering he was a re-entry who scored just 25 points in the OHL. It was a slightly strange draft for Montreal, which took players from all over but left with a conservative top-five selection and only one or two other picks to really like.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
15 RW Matthew Wood UConn (NCAA)
24 LHD Tanner Molendyk Saskatoon (WHL)
43 C Felix Nilsson Rogle (J20)
46 LW Kalan Lind Red Deer (WHL)
68 RW Jesse Kiiskinen Pelicans (Finland U20)
83 RHD Dylan MacKinnon Halifax (QMJHL)
111 C Joey Willis Saginaw (OHL)
121 G Juha Jatkola KalPa (Liiga)
143 C Sutter Muzzatti RPI (NCAA)
175 C Austin Roest Everett (WHL)
218 RW Aiden Fink Brooks (AJHL)

GM Barry Trotz wanted his scouts to target prospects with high upside. He got exactly that early in the draft with Wood, a big and skilled winger who scored at a high rate as a freshman in the NCAA. The Predators followed that up with one of the top-skating blue-liners in Molendyk, a terrific rush defender who's just waiting to unlock more offensive upside.

Nashville continued to take fun swings on Day 2. All of Nilsson, Lind, Kiiskinen, Willis, and Fink have exciting elements to their game. MacKinnon is a mean defenseman who helps diversify the class too. And Jatkola, Muzzatti, and Roest are re-entry prospects who enjoyed strong campaigns. An incredibly promising start to the Trotz era.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
58 RW Lenni Hameenaho Assat (Liiga)
122 RW Cam Squires Cape Breton (QMJHL)
154 RHD Chase Cheslock Rogers (USHS)
164 LW Cole Brown Hamilton (OHL)
186 LHD Daniil Karpovich Yekaterinburg (MHL)

The Devils had a perfectly average draft. Hameenaho played regular shifts in Finland, and Squires hovered near a point per game in the QMJHL. Throw in a trio of typical late-round swings, and New Jersey has to be content with Thursday's outcome.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
49 C Danny Nelson U.S. NTDP
113 LW Jesse Nurmi KooKoo (Finland U20)
145 C Justin Gill Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
177 LHD Zach Schultz U.S. NTDP
209 LHD Dennis Good Bogg AIK (J20)

Nelson was getting some first-round hype at the end of the season, so it was a slight surprise to see him available when the Islanders chose at No. 49. Nurmi scored a bunch in Finland's junior league, but New York's draft ultimately lacks the high-end upside to warrant a higher grade.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
23 LW Gabe Perreault U.S. NTDP
90 LHD Drew Fortescue U.S. NTDP
152 LHD Rasmus Larsson Vasteras (J20)
178 C Dylan Roobroeck Oshawa (OHL)
183 LW Ty Henricks Muskegon (USHL)

Perreault has known faults; he's a small winger whose skating isn't a positive trait. But he also broke the U.S. NTDP's single-season scoring record. The Rangers have to be thrilled to add a prospect with his potential at No. 23. The rest of New York's draft is lackluster, but landing Perreault largely makes up for it.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
108 RHD Hoyt Stanley Victoria (BCHL)
140 LHD Matthew Andonovski Kitchener (OHL)
204 C Owen Beckner Salmon Arm (BCHL)
207 G Vladimir Nikitin Barys Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan U20)
215 RW Nicholas Vantassell Green Bay (USHL)

The Senators like what the Senators like. Yet again, Ottawa exits the draft with a few more 6-foot-2-plus skaters who didn't score much in their respective leagues. Maybe it will work out this time.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
7 RW Matvei Michkov SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
22 RHD Oliver Bonk London (OHL)
51 G Carson Bjarnason Brandon (WHL)
87 G Egor Zavragin Khanty-Mansiysk (MHL)
95 RW Denver Barkey London (OHL)
103 C Cole Knuble Fargo (USHL)
120 LW Alex Ciernik Sodertalje (HockeyAllsvenskan)
135 RHD Carter Sotheran Portland (WHL)
172 C Ryan MacPherson Leamington (GOJHL)
199 RHD Matteo Mann Chicoutimi (QMJHL)

GM Daniel Briere has made his mark on the Flyers in a matter of weeks. Philadelphia got arguably the second-best talent in the draft with Michkov at No. 7. The red flags are well known, but there was too much value to pass up in the back half of the top 10.

It's not just Michkov, either. Philadelphia did well to identify numerous Day 2 talents, including Barkey, Knuble, Ciernik, and Sotheran, who immediately improve the Flyers' pipeline.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
14 C Brayden Yager Moose Jaw (WHL)
91 LHD Emil Pieniniemi Karpat (Finland U20)
142 RW Mikhail Ilyin Cherepovets (MHL)
174 C Cooper Foster Ottawa (OHL)
217 LW Emil Jarventie Ilves (Finland U20)
223 LHD Kalle Kangas Jokerit (Finland U20)

Yager immediately becomes the Penguins' top prospect, while Jarventie is an excellent value pick in the seventh round. Kyle Dubas drafted someone from Sault Ste. Marie to keep that meme alive and well. A decent first draft for Dubas in Pittsburgh.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
4 C Will Smith U.S. NTDP
26 LW Quentin Musty Sudbury (OHL)
36 RW Kasper Halttunen HIFK (Liiga)
71 C Brandon Svoboda Youngstown (USHL)
123 LHD Luca Cagnoni Portland (WHL)
130 RHD Axel Landen HV71 (J20)
132 RHD Eric Pohlkamp Cedar Rapids (USHL)
196 C David Klee Waterloo (USHL)
203 RW Yegor Rimashevskiy Dynamo (MHL)

The Sharks added talent everywhere except in the crease. Smith is a legit potential top-line center, and Musty was among the highest-upside prospects available at No. 26. Halttunen was a wicked shot, and Cagnoni is a perfect mid-round swing on a small but excellent puck-moving defenseman. There's a ton to like here.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
20 LW Eduard Sale Brno (Czechia)
50 LW Carson Rehkopf Kitchener (OHL)
52 C Oscar Fisker Molgaard HV71 (SHL)
57 RHD Lukas Dragicevic Tri-City (WHL)
89 LHD Caden Price Kelowna (WHL)
116 C Andrei Loshko Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
148 RHD Kaden Hammell Everett (WHL)
168 G Visa Vedenpaa Karpat (Finland U20)
180 C Zeb Forsfjall Skelleftea (J20)
212 RW Zaccharya Wisdom Cedar Rapids (USHL)

The Kraken didn't have a top-five pick for the first time in their short history, so they went out and had one of the best cumulative drafts instead. Sale and Dragicevic have huge potential. Rehkopf, Molgaard, and Wisdom can play anywhere in the lineup. Even swings like Price, Loshko, and Forsfjall stand out. Another eye-catching draft class for Seattle.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
10 C Dalibor Dvorsky AIK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
25 C Otto Stenberg Frolunda (J20)
29 LHD Theo Lindstein Brynas (SHL)
74 LHD Quinton Burns Kingston (OHL)
76 LW Juraj Pekarcik Nitra (Slovakia)
106 C Jakub Stancl Vaxjo (J20)
138 LHD Paul Fischer U.S. NTDP
170 LHD Matthew Mayich Ottawa (OHL)
202 RW Nikita Susuyev Spartak (MHL)

St. Louis clearly values the opinion of their Swedish scouts, having used each of their three first-round picks on players based in the region. Dvorsky, Stenberg, and Lindstein each fill organizational needs. The rest of the draft was a bit underwhelming, but the first-round trio are enough to be excited about.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
37 RW Ethan Gauthier Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
115 RW Jayson Shaugabay Warroad (USHS)
179 RHD Warren Clark Steinbach (MJHL)
193 C Jack Harvey Chicago (USHL)
211 C Ethan Hay Flint (OHL)

Gauthier fits the style of player the Lightning look to round out their lineup with. He's physical but brings a scoring touch, particularly as a goal-scorer. Shaugabay and Harvey add much needed skill to a depleted prospect pool.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
28 LW Easton Cowan London (OHL)
153 C Hudson Malinoski Brooks (AJHL)
185 LHD Noah Chadwick Lethbridge (WHL)

Cowan wasn't anticipated to be drafted in the first round, but the London Knights forward ticks a lot of boxes the Maple Leafs typically covet in the draft. He's intelligent, immensely competitive, and can play in all situations.

Malinoski is a late bloomer out of the AJHL, someone who we'll get a better read on once he plays against better competition in the fall at Providence. Toronto finally drafted its first defenseman since 2020 at No. 185 with Chadwick, a 6-foot-4 Saskatoon native with a solid two-way base.

The reach on Cowan at No. 28 hurts the overall grade for what was a fine draft for the Maple Leafs, but one that doesn't add much high-end upside.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
11 RHD Tom Willander Rogle (J20)
75 RHD Hunter Brzustewicz Kitchener (OHL)
89 LHD Sawyer Mynio Seattle (WHL)
105 C Ty Mueller Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA)
107 LW Vilmer Alriksson Djurgarden (J20)
119 C Matthew Perkins Youngstown (USHL)
171 RHD Aiden Celebrini Brooks (AJHL)

The Canucks have an organizational need on defense and addressed it early and often in this draft. All three of Vancouver's top 100 selections were used on rearguards.

Passing on Benson at No. 11 is tough, but Willander is still a player to be amped for. He's a smooth-skating, two-way blue-liner who is exactly what the Canucks have been hoping to get on their right side. He heads to Boston University in the fall.

Brzustewicz was a quality value pick in the third round, and Mynio will play a much bigger role with the Thunderbirds in the fall. A solid draft from GM Patrik Allvin that addressed a significant organizational weakness.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
32 C David Edstrom Frolunda (J20)
77 C Mathieu Cataford Halifax (QMJHL)
96 LHD Arttu Karki Tappara (Finland U20)
192 RW Tuomas Uronen HIFK (Finland U20)

The Stanley Cup champions seemingly carried their positive momentum onto the draft floor. Edstrom is a 6-foot-3 pivot who excelled at the U18s and gives the Golden Knights a legit center prospect. Cataford scored a bunch in the QMJHL, and Karki gives off Nic Hague vibes with his bomb of a shot from the point.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
8 RW Ryan Leonard U.S. NTDP
40 LW Andrew Cristall Kelowna (WHL)
104 C Patrick Thomas Hamilton (OHL)
136 RHD Cameron Allen Guelph (OHL)
200 C Brett Hyland Brandon (WHL)
206 G Antoine Keller Geneve (Swiss U20)

The Capitals come away with one of the draft's most intriguing hauls. Leonard is a nightmare to play against, Cristall decimated WHL competition, and Allen was once expected to be the first defenseman off the board. We could look back in a decade at a class that landed Washington two-thirds of a top line and a top-four blue-liner.

PICK PLAYER TEAM
18 LW Colby Barlow Owen Sound (OHL)
82 RW Zach Nehring Shattuck St. Mary's (USHS)
146 C Jacob Julien London (OHL)
151 G Thomas Milic Seattle (WHL)
210 RW Connor Levis Kamloops (WHL)

Barlow will excite fans in Winnipeg as a goal-scorer who plays a rugged, physical style. It was also good to see Milic finally drafted after being one of the top WHL netminders for three years and helping Canada earn gold at the world juniors.

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