One last check on last-minute forecasts of the first round didn't alter the top four selections of the final NHL Mock Draft Consensus, despite a late push for Swedish center Leo Carlsson to leapfrog Michigan center Adam Fantilli at the No. 2 overall spot.
There's been considerable movement after the top four.
Defenseman David Reinbacher, center Dalibor Dvorsky and right wing Matthew Wood all moved up to solidify projections in the top 10. And while left wing Samuel Honzek is now the most popular first-round projection for three teams, defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka isn't even listed among the consensus picks due to a wide range of opinions (as high as sixth to the Arizona Coyotes and no lower than 18th to the Winnipeg Jets).
Anyway, this exercise is just to provide additional insight on what the mock drafting community thinks after Connor Bedard is drafted No. 1 overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. Bally Sports' Pete Blackburn and Frank Seravalli are in Nashville to make sense of all the roster-building moves this week. Be sure to check out their excellent coverage of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Pete Blackburn's NHL Draft prospect profiles
| Pick, Team | Player | Pos | Last team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Blackhawks | Connor Bedard | C | Regina |
| 2. Ducks | Adam Fantilli | C | Michigan |
| 3. Blue Jackets | Leo Carlsson | C | Orebro |
| 4. Sharks | Will Smith | C | USA U-18 |
| 5. Canadiens | David Reinbacher | D | Kloten |
| 6. Coyotes | Dalibor Dvorsky | C | AIK |
| 7. Flyers | Ryan Leonard | RW | USA U-18 |
| 8. Capitals | Matvei Michkov | RW | SKA St. Petersburg |
| 9. Red Wings | Matthew Wood | RW | Connecticut |
| 10. Blues | Oliver Moore | C | USA U-18 |
| 11. Canucks | Tom Willander | D | Ogle Jr. |
| 12. Coyotes | Zach Benson | LW | Winnipeg |
| Colby Barlow | LW | Owen Sound | |
| 13. Sabres | Gabriel Perreault | RW | USA U-18 |
| 14. Penguins | Nate Danielson | C | Brandon |
| Matthew Wood | RW | Connecticut | |
| 15. Predators | Samuel Honzek | LW | Vancouver |
| Gabriel Perreault | RW | USA U-18 | |
| 16. Flames | Samuel Honzek | LW | Vancouver |
| 17. Red Wings | Samuel Honzek | LW | Vancouver |
| Eduard Sale | LW | Brno | |
| 18. Jets | Brayden Yager | C | Moose Jaw |
| 19. Blackhawks | Brayden Yager | C | Moose Jaw |
| 20. Kraken | Oliver Bonk | D | London |
| Quentin Musty | LW | Sudbury | |
| 21. Wild | Calum Ritchie | C | Oshawa |
| 22. Flyers | Oliver Bonk | D | London |
| 23. Rangers | Calum Ritchie | C | Oshawa |
| Charlie Stramel | C | Wisconsin | |
| 24. Predators | Otto Stenberg | C | Frolunda Jr. |
| 25. Blues | Mikhail Gulyayev | D | Omsk Jr. |
| 26. Sharks | Lukas Dragicevic | D | Tri-City |
| Quentin Musty | LW | Sudbury | |
| 27. Avalanche | Bradly Nadeau | LW | Penticton |
| 28. Maple Leafs | Lukas Dragicevic | D | Tri-City |
| 29. Blues | (No consensus) | — | — |
| 30. Hurricanes | Gavin Brindley | C | Michigan |
| 31. Avalanche | Ethan Gauthier | RW | Sherbrooke |
| 32. Golden Knights | (No consensus) | — | — |
