NHL Draft winners and losers 2023: Blackhawks hit jackpot, Maple Leafs flop

2023 NHL Draft winners and losers with the Blackhawks landing the stud in Connor Bedard and the Maple Leafs completely missing the mark.

The 2023 NHL Draft is a two-day affair but Day 1 was completed on Wednesday night with the top prospects in hockey being selected.

As a whole during the first round, 32 lucky prospects heard their name called. However, not every NHL franchise came out with the same level of optimism moving forward, particularly in regard to the fan bases.

Some teams did well, but others made questionable choices. Here are some winners and losers from Wednesday’s festivities.

2023 NHL Draft winners and losers

NHL Draft Winner: Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks had a stellar draft night, securing top pick and generational talent Connor Bedard and landing Oliver Moore at No. 19 as well, considered the best skater in the draft class. GM Kyle Davidson didn’t need to move up from 19 as the team was already high on Moore. He went to bed with the enriched class’s best player and best skater in his pocket.

NHL Draft Winner: Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers chose Matvei Michkov with the No. 7 pick, despite his KHL contract. He won’t join Philadelphia in 2026-27 but is a top player. He has the most potential in the draft outside of Bedard. It makes sense for Philadelphia, who don’t need him right away. When he does join, he will be a force.

With the 22nd pick, Philadelphia took defenseman Oliver Bonk. Bonk is one of the most well-rounded players in the draft. The 6-foot-1, 176-pounder has demonstrated his ability to play significant minutes and make smart offensive plays. It makes Danny Briere’s first draft round as GM an impressive success.

NHL Draft Winner: Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus capitalized on the silver platter put before them. The Anaheim Ducks’ selection of Leo Carlsson with the No. 2 overall pick allowed Adam Fantili to go to his desired Blue Jackets. With their new star, the Blue Jackets view themselves as a team with a center good enough to slot between Johnny Gaudreau and Patrick Laine.

During his freshman season with the Michigan Wolverines in 2022-23, Fantilli scored 30 goals and had 65 points in only 36 games. As a result, he was awarded the Hobey Baker Award and Big Ten Tournament MVP. In other years, this would have been impressive enough to make him the first pick in the draft — this year, he was surpassed by Bedard.

NHL Draft Loser: Toronto Maple Leafs

It was a lousy pick for a franchise that occupied the 28th overall selection. Easton Cowman isn’t a first or second-round pick. He’s a good player, but several scouts buried him in the third round in their mock drafts for a reason. It was a reach that has already turned fans against new GM Brad Treliving after less than a month on the job.

NHL Draft Loser: Arizona Coyotes

Arizona drafted defenseman Dmitry Simashev with the sixth pick and forward Danil But at 12, two promising Russian players. However, they passed on other talented prospects, including Matvei Michkov. Arizona will watch these picks closely as they aim for future playoff appearances. Time will tell if they made the right call.

NHL Draft Loser: Ottawa Senators:

Ottawa had a piece to move, and they didn’t. They could’ve engaged with several teams over an Alex Debrincat trade but stood pat. In all fairness, there were no trades on the draft floor for the first time since 2007. It shows how special this class is perceived to be. It’s two rounds deep of first-round quality players.

Still, Ottawa missed an opportunity to select a player that fit their specific needs and may have to acquire from another team’s system later.