The 2023 NHL Draft promises to be a strong one for prospects from the United States, including a few from New England. As many as eight Americans could be taken in the first round when the draft commences on June 28 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.
This season the NHL Draft returns to the month of June after three years of being in October or July due to implications from COVID-19. It will present a further return to normalcy for NHL brass, scouts, agents and prospects. Nashville previously hosted the annual pilgrimage of the hockey prospect world in 2003.
First-year eligible players for the 2023 NHL draft are those born between September 16, 2004 and September 15, 2005. Players born between January 1, 2003 and September 15, 2004 are in their second or third years of eligibility. In recent years, there has been an uptick in second and third year eligible players being selected.
The first overall pick is projected to be Connor Bedard, a center with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He’s long been considered to be the top prospect eligible for the 2023 draft. The North Vancouver, British Columbia, native scored 51 goals and 49 assists in 62 games during the 2021-22 major junior season. He scored four goals and four assists in seven games as Canada captured the Gold Medal at the 2022 World Junior Championship this August.
The potential second overall pick is a player with ties to the New England region. Late `04 Adam Fantilli, a freshman at the University of Michigan, played for Tim Whitehead at Kimball Union during the 2019-20 season. He spent the past two seasons with the USHL’s Chicago Steel, scoring 37 goals and 37 assists in 54 games during the 2021-22 campaign. From Nobleton, Ontario, he’ll be one of the most watched freshmen in college hockey this winter.
Speaking of college hockey, the most watched player in New England this winter will be an outsider to the region. Connecticut freshman Matthew Wood accelerated to play his draft eligible season with Mike Cavanaugh’s (North Andover, Mass.) Huskies. The big, right-shot center scored 45 goals and 40 assists in 46 games for Victoria in the BCHL last winter. The Nanaimo, British Columbia, native is a presumed first-round pick.
Outside of Fantilli and Wood, two other college freshmen to watch for this year are Michigan right wing Gavin Brindley out of Tri-City in the USHL and Wisconsin right wing Charlie Stramel, who spent the past two years with USA Hockey’s NTDP. Both are late `04s.
A few Hockey East freshmen, Northeastern defenseman Vinny Borgesi and Boston University wing Jeremy Wilmer, could be selected in their second or third year of eligibility. Both are undersized prospects who could prove to NHL organizations that their skill can overcome their slight stature by having successful seasons against older competition in college.
USA Hockey NTDP U18 center Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.) and wing Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) are expected to be first-round picks and are the head of the class in terms of New England players eligible for the 2023 draft. Both Smith and Leonard are committed to Boston College. The duo is off to a hot start, playing on the same line, with the NTDP.
It will certainly be a down year for prep school hopefuls in New England. Dexter Southfield defenseman and Harvard commit Sean Keohane (Milton, Mass.) looks to be the only sure thing in terms of hearing his name called next June in Nashville. Cushing left wing and UConn commit Ethan Gardula (Princeton, Mass.) and Governor’s right wing and Brown recruit Cam Russo could get looks from certain NHL organizations.
With the continued success and proven track record of development in the USHL, more and more players are opting for the junior route across the board. Even in hockey-centric Minnesota, many of the top players have left for the NTDP or USHL. Eden Prairie teammates Teddy Townsend, a forward committed to Minnesota, and Ryan Koering, a defenseman pledged to Colorado College, are two of the top players eligible for the draft in the Minnesota high school ranks. The other top prospect in Minnesota high school is Cretin/Derham Hall center and Northern Michigan recruit Jake Fisher.
A couple of players who have started the year in junior hockey could return to Andover High School in Minnesota. St. Cloud recruit Gavyn Thoreson and St. Lawrence commit Cayden Casey have both started in the USHL and NAHL, respectively, with the option to return to the defending high school champion in Minnesota.
Below is a look at the top 65 skaters and 10 goaltenders from the U.S. who are eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft. Following the NHL Central Scouting grading scale, ‘A’ prospects are considered first round picks. ‘B’ are those prospects I feel could be selected in the second or third round. ‘C’ are prospects who might be selected in the fourth through seventh rounds, or are at least players worth watching for NHL scouts. The players selected and the grades they received are my personal opinion and not reflective of what NHL Central Scouting might publish at a later date. Please note that players are listed alphabetically within their draft grade. All skaters and goaltenders on this list are first-year eligible players. I will add in second- and third-year eligible players once I get more viewings.
