Order of first 28 picks set for the 2023 NHL Draft
The 2023 NHL Draft order is nearly set.
The order of the first 28 selections at the 2023 draft have been determined with the end of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The first 16 picks were determined after the Chicago Blackhawks won the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery and the No. 1 pick almost two weeks ago. The Anaheim Ducks will select with the No. 2 pick, and the Columbus Blue Jackets will choose third overall.
The 2023 draft is being held in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena. The first round is set for Wednesday, June 28, with rounds 2-7 taking place on Thursday, June 29. The draft will be broadcast on ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVAS.
Each team that failed to qualify for the playoffs were entered into the lottery to determine picks 1-16. The 12 teams that lost in the opening two rounds of the postseason were slotted with picks 17-28 based on the inverse order of the regular-season standings, not including division winners. The division winners who lost were placed in inverse order of regular-season points.
Four teams remain in the playoffs — the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference and Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars in the Western Conference. The No. 29 pick will go to the team that loses in the conference finals with the fewest points accumulated in the regular season, and No. 30 will go to the other team that loses the conference finals.
The team that loses in the final will get pick No. 31, and the Stanley Cup winner gets the No. 32 selection.
Here’s the order of the first 28 picks in the 2023 draft:
1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. Anaheim Ducks
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
4. San Jose Sharks
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Arizona Coyotes
7. Philadelphia Flyers
8. Washington Capitals
9. Detroit Red Wings
10. St. Louis Blues
11. Vancouver Canucks
12. Arizona Coyotes (from OTT)
13. Buffalo Sabres
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
15. Nashville Predators
16. Calgary Flames
17. Detroit Red Wings (from NYI via VAN)
18. Winnipeg Jets
19. Columbus Blue Jackets (from TBL)
20. Seattle Kraken
21. Minnesota Wild
22. Columbus Blue Jackets (from LAK)
23. New York Rangers
24. Nashville Predators (from EDM)
25. St. Louis Blues (from TOR)
26. San Jose Sharks (from NJD)
27. Colorado Avalanche
28. Toronto Maple Leafs (from BOS via WSH)