GDT: The 2023 NHL Entry Draft, June 28 - 29, 2023

[SoupNazi]

Here it is: The 2023 NHL Draft GDT.

Our list of picks is for reference below. I will update the OP if we make any deals with some of these picks throughout the day.

Will also try to update the OP as picks are made, and link to each prospect's discussion thread.

Round	Pick	#OA	Conditions	Pick Made/Disposition
1st	DET	9	N/A	9OA: Nate Danielson
1st	NYI	17	From Vancouver (1 Mar 2023). Hronek Trade.	17OA: Axel Sandin Pellikka
2nd	DET	41
2nd	STL	42	From St. Louis (21 Mar 2022). Leddy Trade
2nd	Van	43	From Vancouver (1 Mar 2023). Hronek Trade.
3rd	DET	73
4th	MIN	117	From Minnesota (3 Mar 2023). Sundqvist Trade.
5th	DET	137
6th	DET	169
7th	DET	201

Click to read more...

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Least shocking pick

 

[RedHawkDown]

That’s at least good.

This tells me the problem is Draper. He needs to go. 2nd round picks under him are usually trash, other than Mazur. Hakan has continued to make great picks. We need a new NA scout.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Remember how happy everyone was with Seider pick?

How long are we going to use this?

 

[Umingmak]

Finally, a pick I like!

The only ones I’ve liked have been Swedes.

W Nick Lidstrom.

 

[WaW]

Noah Dower Nilsson was talked about by some as a 1st rounder earlier in the year. Skill pick, don't mind this at all.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

Or, hang with me for a second, maybe they have a plan that they like and put into place. Just because you don't agree with what they are doing doesn't mean they have no plan or are doing it wrong.

You're saying that they PLANNED to trade back 4 spots for free? There were only 8 picks before us this morning, they should have had a really good idea of who would have been available and known exactly who they wanted at those positions. They should have announced them in the same breath, instead they traded back because they likely needed more time after the guys they wanted went right before us. That says poor planning to me.

 

[WaW]

How long are we going to use this?

Until Yzerman actually whiffs on a high 1st round pick with us. No one's saying his draft record is flawless (I.e. the Cal Foote pick in Tampa) but you can hardly blame people for trusting his judgement over that of HF Boards posters.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

If you honestly think SY knows more than every other hockey mind combined and does so 100% of the time then thats your prerogative.

Im just not sure thats true.

If you think its possible to have differing opinions then you're welcome on this site

 

[TCNorthstars]

You're saying that they PLANNED to trade back 4 spots for free? There were only 8 picks before us this morning, they should have had a really good idea of who would have been available and known exactly who they wanted at those positions. They should have announced them in the same breath, instead they traded back because they likely needed more time after the guys they wanted went right before us. That says poor planning to me.

The more likely scenario is they had a group of players they would be happy with and were guaranteed to get one of them while acquiring an additional pick. Not because they needed more time.

 

[RedWingzz]

That Brady Cleveland pick is so confusing.

After doing some research, looks like his absolute ceiling is a rugged 6/7 D. I have no idea how using a 2nd round pick in a deep draft can be justified on a guy that likely never plays, and if everything goes absolutely right, he's a Brian Lashoff.

I just don't get it...if we were set on this guy for some reason, trade back? or just pick him later?

 

[Realgud]

I'm fine with having the little bro. He ended up in my HMs (so out of my top 100). He was a strong top 60 pick for most of the year for me. I soured a little on him but it's more because this draft is deep so he naturally dropped down. He's a great pick at 73rd. I saw some great stuff out of him and his forechecking was amazing sometimes so I'm hoping he keeps growing his game and he has a lot of potential I think.

 

[RRhoads]

How long are we going to use this?

Everytime on draft day when an armchair gm throws doom and gloom over the picks

 

[Holden Caufield]

The more likely scenario is they had a group of players they would be happy with and were guaranteed to get one of them while acquiring an additional pick. Not because they needed more time.

Pretty sure Cleveland was their guy.
They knew full well nobody was taking Cleveland that high.

In that sense the trade down made sense. The pick itself is up for debate.

 

[ShanahanMan]

Honestly, I'm disappointed with the selections but I will say this:

- This group has done an amazing job drafting the last four years, and if they think these are the guys, they deserve the benefit of the doubt. There are gripes and rage over every pick over the last four years and despite having preferences, they've built up and unbelievable pipe and often times a lot of these takes end up looking super silly in 18 months

- Collectively, 3 out of our last 6 1st Rd picks: (Danielson, Kasper, Raymond / Sandin-Pellika Edvinsson, Cossa) have been forwards. It's not like we haven't invested in talent up front. We have. Its just two of them haven't gotten there yet.

Have they? We got Raymond and Seider. Raymond is basically playing right in line with expectations and Seider is good. What other draft picks are sure fire NHLers?

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

Until Yzerman actually whiffs on a high 1st round pick with us. No one's saying his draft record is flawless (I.e. the Foote pick in Tampa) but you can hardly blame people for trusting his judgement over that of HF Boards posters.

Yzerman trusts Draper, and Draper is a terrible scout.

Outside of Mazur, who might not even make the NHL, we haven't had a single NA drafted player hit their potential since 2014.

The constant from 2014 to now is Draper.

 

[ShanahanMan]

That Brady Cleveland pick is so confusing.

After doing some research, looks like his absolute ceiling is a rugged 6/7 D. I have no idea how using a 2nd round pick in a deep draft can be justified on a guy that likely never plays, and if everything goes absolutely right, he's a Brian Lashoff.

I just don't get it...if we were set on this guy for some reason, trade back? or just pick him later?

One has to think Draper is calling the shots in the second+ rounds. His picks seem eerily similar to Wright picks.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Everytime on draft day when an armchair gm throws doom and gloom over the picks

Try again.

 

[stillwater]

Have they? We got Raymond and Seider. Raymond is basically playing right in line with expectations and Seider is good. What other draft picks are sure fire NHLers?

Is that a rhetorical question?

Do you actually follow this team at all?

 

[ShanahanMan]

Is that a rhetorical question?

Do you actually follow this team at all?

Are we gonna call Kasper and Edvinsson great picks at this point? Please tell me, besides those two picks I mentioned, what other guys have developed into NHLers?

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

The more likely scenario is they had a group of players they would be happy with and were guaranteed to get one of them while acquiring an additional pick. Not because they needed more time.

Again, that doesn't fit Yzerman's M.O. He likely could've traded back a couple spots and still gotten Seider. Instead he "reached" because he was confident in who he wanted and wasnt willing to risk losing him. Same with Danielson. Trading back and adding nothing feels more like throwing darts than a can't miss strategy.

 

[Detroit Knights]

Are we gonna call Kasper and Edvinsson great picks at this point? Please tell me, besides those two picks I mentioned, what other guys have developed into NHLers?

I mean, edvinsson definitely showed he belonged in those 9 games. The first and/or second game was maybe iffy, but after that he did pretty well.

 

[izlez]

Are we gonna call Kasper and Edvinsson great picks at this point? Please tell me, besides those two picks I mentioned, what other guys have developed into NHLers?

Whether or not you think they are great picks, do you not think Kasper and Edvinsson are sure fire NHLers?

 

[ShanahanMan]

Whether or not you think they are great picks, do you not think Kasper and Edvinsson are sure fire NHLers?

I think both will probably play a lot in the NHL but that shouldn’t determine if they were good picks are their spots taken.

 

[DanielMarois]

Someone is going to absolutely steal Jayden Perron by picking him this late

 

[izlez]

I think both will probably play a lot in the NHL but that shouldn’t determine if they were good picks are their spots taken.

I mean, ok. I just think we should get on the same page of what we're discussing. You asked "What other draft picks are sure fire NHLers?". I interpreted that as you meant there are 0.

And what is an "NHLer" according to you? 100+ NHL games played? Because I'd say there are a number of other guys that are sure fire NHLers, and its perfectly reasonable that draft picks in the 2nd round and beyond from 2020 and after have not played in the NHL yet, even when they are tracking very well