Thursday was a very interesting night as the highly anticipated first round of the 2023 NHL Draft began. Now, of course, we won’t know how to judge this draft for another five years. Once the players that were chosen have a few years of experience in the NHL. However, these are some of the most important takeaways from this historic night.
Brochures Rebuild to a Great Start
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The Flyers have been one of the most active teams so far this NHL offseason. Trading long-serving guys like Ivan Provorov and Kevin Hayes is a sign the Flyers were rebuilding. Which made this first round extremely important. Not picking the right guys could set this rebuild back years. However, the Flyers nailed the first round. In seventh overall, the Flyers pick Matvei Michkov, an absolute steal. According to many experts, Michkov was the second best player in this draft behind Connor Bedard. Michkov is an explosive winger, who is always in a position to score. He has some of the best puck skills in this draft, and his playmaking skills are at a level we haven’t seen in someone so young. He’s sure he’ll be stuck in the KHL for the next few seasons, however, with the position the Flyers are in, why not have him develop there? So get ready to compete when I can come to North America.
Later in the draft, with the 22nd overall pick, the Flyers take Oliver Bonk. He is a proponent of two-way closure. He is very good at defending the zone, forcing teams to drop the puck and waste a possession. He also has a big shot, which makes him a two-way threat. Now, though we’ll see him before Michkov, he’ll need another season in the OHL before he’s ready for the NHL. The perfect start to the Flyers’ rebuild.
Coyotes could have done better
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With all the off-ice drama surrounding the Arizona Coyotes, they needed to have a good draft night more than anything. Something positive for people to stop talking about everything with the franchise, and get excited about the on-ice product. Now, with two top-12 selections, it was a safe assumption that the Coyotes would come away with something to be excited about. However, that was not the case. With the sixth overall pick, the Coyotes selected Dmitriy Simashev, a great physical defender, who has some offensive potential. Then with the 12th overall pick, Daniil But, a striker who has both size and skill.
Now, while they are both very skilled players, they are both seen as far reaching. Most big boards had these two as mid-first-round picks. Going into late teens to early twenties. Not in the top 12. There were much better players on the board like Michkov, who would be the same as in the draft but with many more advantages. Or if the Coyotes were hell-bent on drafting these two players, why not try to trade and get some additional picks, with one of the teams that were desperately trying to move up? So you still get the types you want plus an additional value. Just a waste of assets.
A surprisingly quiet trading market
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The most surprising thing about the first round was the lack of exchanges. There were no trades made in the first round. The reason this was so surprising was because of all the buzz leading up to the draft. There were rumors that there were several teams trying to move into the top 10. Additionally, there was a long-standing belief that the Canadiens were looking to move the number five spot. Even as the draft progressed, rumors surfaced of the Blackhawks trying to get back to the first round. Yet despite all this, all was quiet. They all chose when they were supposed to.
The reason for the lack of trades has to do with the depth of this draft class. This is one of the best draft classes in NHL history. There were at least 30 players with a first round rating on them. Which is unheard of in any sport. Due to the abundance of talent, there was no reason for teams to change. They didn’t have to worry about missing out on a talented player because there were plenty of other players like him. If there was no concern about missing out on a talented player, then there is no reason to give up players or picks to move up.
Carey Price gave us an all time moment
Carey Price had the opportunity to make it as fun as possible and SHE ADVANTED it pic.twitter.com/R3mePWeEwg
—Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) June 28, 2023
A moment that will replay over and over again, Carey Price forgetting David Reinbacher’s last name. Without a doubt the funniest moment of the whole night. And luckily, Price was in a good sport about it.
Boy, was that embarrassing. Sorry David… Reinbacher. 🤦🏻♂️😅
— Carey Price (@CP0031) June 29, 2023
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