2023 NHL Draft: How To Watch, Top Prospects Odds, & Best Bets
The 2023 NHL Draft is here! Connor Bedard is the jewel of a loaded first round with multiple top-tier talents. While the Chicago Blackhawks are guaranteed to take Bedard overall, there are tons of question marks in the top five — and even more, as the round goes on!
2023 NHL Draft: How To Watch, Top Prospects, & Best Bets
2023 NHL Draft: Time & TV
Date: Wednesday, June 28th
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN, ESPN+
Rounds 2-7 will take place on Thursday beginning at 11 a.m. ET.
2023 NHL Draft Top Pick Odds
2023 NHL Draft Best Bets
Matvei Michkov 2nd overall (+2000) or 3rd overall (+1800)
Michkov is the Russian forward with some question marks heading into the draft. Mainly, teams are concerned if the winger will ever come over to North America — his KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg runs through the 2025-26 season. However, Michkov is undoubtedly one of the best three hockey players in this draft class.
It would take the Anaheim Ducks and/or Columbus Blue Jackets taking a chance on Michkov rather than the safer options of Fantilli, Carlsson, or Smith. However, there is always the possibility of a team trading up, and the odds of 20/1 for the second-best player to go second overall in the draft is kind of silly.
Michael Hrabal Draft Position Over 32.5 (+100)
Hrabel is the top goalie prospect of this year’s draft, but goaltenders rarely get selected in the first round. He could end up going at the very end to someone like the Avalanche, but even money for a goalie to not go in the first round is a solid bet.
Oliver Bonk to be drafted before Mikhail Gulyayev (-210)
Bonk is projected in most mock drafts to be selected in the first round as high as 20th overall. The right-handed defenseman is a position of need for really any team, which gives a slight edge to Bonk over the left-handed Gulyayev.
On top of that, Gulyayev is also coming over from Russia and could have similar question marks to Michkov for some teams. But most importantly, most of the credible mock drafts have Bonk going way before Gulyayev.
