The time is done to not years, not weeks or even a day. The time is down to mere hours before the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and the lives of countless players will changed forever.
Some will walk up to the podium tonight in Nashville seeing the beginning of their childhood dreams come true, while others may be sitting in anguish as their names slips back, pick by pick. Those ones are fortunate cause others will get through tonight’s round and not yet see their names called until tomorrow. And then there is the many who will not see their name called at all. As is every year in hockey, players are drafted, there is no guarantee of success at any time. Some players who are not drafted this year, will be back again next year with the last hope of being drafted into the NHL next year as an overage player.
For example this year you have overage players like, Center Attilio Biasca out of the QMJHL and Halifax or Defencemen Hudson Thornton from the WHL who plays for Prince George. Another couple names to watch for is Rodwin Dionicio, a defensemen out of Windsor of the OHL & William Props from the SWE.2 league in Almtuna playing LW. I would also be remiss to not mention Yegor Sidorov playing LW in Saskatoon of the WHl & Kocha Relic. a centre in Sudbury of the OHL.
Some of the players waiting this year or even some mentioned above here may not be drafted this year either. But there are several NHL players who were never drafted and walked on as free agent Signings years later as they developed and worked on their game in the NCAA, Europe, KHL and USports (Formerly CIS) like: Goaltenders Ed Belfour, Sergei Bobrovsky, Alexander Georgiev, Martin Jones, Glen Resch, Dwayne Roloson & Cam Talbot to name a few past and present. Then you have players like: Phil Bourque, Dino Ciccarelli, Dany KeKeyser, Steve Duchesne, Mark Giordano, Yanni Gourde, Tim Kerr, Jonathan Marchersault, Mike Milbury, Joe Mullen, Thomas Nosek, Adam Oates and even Artemi Panarin. (Plenty more but that should help understand how many players are out there that made the NHL without being drafted.
This draft has been focused mostly on Connor bedard until the Draft Lottery and once the Blackhawks won the selection and everyone has known where he will be going, the focus has shifted to the number 2 overall and down. The spotlight has been on Bedard since he was 12. I have followed him in hockey since 10 years of age. The kid is not just special, he is out of this world unreal. The way he handles his modesty, the community, his love for training and to improve his team is second to none. Bedard will change the course of history. There is no crash and burn and easily he can score at 18 years old 30 goals and 30 assists in his first season in the NHL but the ceiling is unlimited. Bedard has skated with NHL’ers like Barzel in the summers since he was 12 years old. Down to earth kid with great integrity and a family guy are perfect traits to have to stay humble as the world spotlight comes on you. Henrik Sedan has said “He has all the attributes that you need to get to the next level’. Barzel who skates with him every year commented “He just seems to get better every year I go back home. It’s going to be fun to see him in the league next year.”
There has been talk of trading up or down by several sources and teams trying to move around in this years NHL Draft again and it makes sense. However little moves usually happen in the Top 10. I expect most 1st round trades that happen within the 1st round will be for actual roster players on NHL teams in order to acquire said player. I would put the under/over at +4, 1st round draft picks are moved in the first round tonight.
Looking forward to an incredible draft party. If you have not planned yet, join us tonight during the last part of the draft as we talk with our Guest tonight from Seacoast Hockey Officials and keep you updated and in time with the ‘live’ draft at the same time. I will attach the links to our Facebook & or Youtube Streams for you. Or just click to the front page of our site here and catch our ‘Live Show’ at 7pm MST right here.
Facebook 2023 NHL Draft LIVE SHOW with TWO GUYS & HOCKEY TALK
YouTube 2023 NHL Draft LIVE SHOW with TWO GUYS & HOCKEY TALK
Keep on Keeping on!
Evan ‘REV’ Renaerts
For more hockey news around the hockey world or different takes or maybe you want to follow Prospects in Jr hockey give a follow @revingev on TWITTER.
