At the 2022 NHL Draft, teams drafted 32 prospects, with only four playing a game during the 2022-23 season. Those included first-overall Juraj Slafkovsky (39 games), Shane Wright (eight), David Jiricek (four) and Marco Kasper (one).
Those numbers are quite a drop off from the 2021 draft class, now at 13 skaters out of the top 32. Those numbers are vastly different from the 2020 class, with 26 first-rounders having already skated in a game.
Those numbers are relevant now because several top picks from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft are set to make their NHL debuts.
Everyone is familiar with Connor Bedard. Still, the No. 1 overall pick is going to be joined by No. 2 pick Leo Carlsson (Anaheim Ducks), No. 3 Adam Fantilli (Columbus Blue Jackets), and No. 5 David Reinbacher (Montreal Canadiens) on opening-night rosters.
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After destroying opponents in the Western Hockey League, Bedard was dubbed a generational talent in early 2023. Although there is no tanking in the NHL thanks to the draft lottery, the Chicago Blackhawks won the right to select Bedard, 18, and he has already become the face of the franchise.
The Blackhawks are projected to be one of the worst teams in the NHL this season, meaning Bedard will be stuck shouldering most of the offensive workload if the club wants to avoid the cellar again.
Bedard won’t be the only top pick suiting up for their first NHL games. As the second overall pick, Carlsson will eventually make his NHL debut after recovering from a minor injury sustained in practice last week. Ultimately, the 18-year-old from Sweden played senior-level hockey for a year in the SHL, was a surprise performer at the recent World Championships, and is more than ready for the grind of the NHL.
Unfortunately, the Anaheim Ducks are one of the weaker teams in the league despite a young core with stars like Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, and Mason McTavish in the lineup. Even though Carlsson will immediately impact the lineup, the Ducks are still several players short of being playoff contenders.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are about to start the third overall pick, Fantilli, on opening night. After a stellar freshman season at the University of Michigan with 65 points in 36 games, he walked away with the Hobey Baker Award (top collegiate player) and a B1G championship. Additionally, he won a gold medal at the World Juniors and the World Championships last season with Team Canada.
But there’s one highly regarded prospect that we still need to discuss: Logan Cooley from the Arizona Coyotes. As the third-overall pick in 2022, he skipped out on playing in the NHL last season, opting to skate at the University of Minnesota. After 60 points in 39 games, he’s ready to take his game to the next level and, during the preseason, scored a goal-of-the-year candidate.
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Last year, the four players from the first round combined for four 12 points in the NHL. Many hockey experts believe Bedard could tally over 100 points and have already handed him the Calder Trophy. Unfortunately, for Bedard fans worldwide, his journey won’t be easy, and there will be some stiff competition for the rookie scoring race and for the Calder Trophy itself.
Realistically, only some draft classes produced NHL-caliber players months after they walked across the stage. However, the 2023 class has some elite skaters who can play with men as teenagers. Of course, some will exceed projections, and others will fall short, but that’s all associated with the growing pains of forging a career in the world’s best professional hockey league.