2023 NHL Draft Picks & Predictions: Gabe Perreault, Leo Carlsson, Will Smith
The highly anticipated 2023 NHL Draft is set for this upcoming Wednesday and Thursday (6/28 – 6/29) from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The first round is Wednesday, while rounds 2-7 take place the following day. The first overall pick will be Connor Bedard, which means he'll go to the Chicago Blackhawks as they were awarded the top pick in May's NHL Draft Lottery.
How much of a lock is the Regina centerman to go first overall? So much so that the sportsbooks aren't even offering odds on Bedard to have his name called first.
After Bedard, there's an 81% implied probability that Michigan's Adam Fantilli (-425) will go second to the Anaheim Ducks. Fantilli won the Hobey Baker Award in 2023, which is issued to the top college hockey player each season. Notable recent winners are Cole Caufield (2021), Cale Makar (2019), and Jack Eichel (2015). I think I speak for all Ducks fans in saying they'll be pleased if the centerman can develop into a similar asset at the professional level.
Once the top two go, the waters get murkier, and it's really anyone's guess who gets called next. But we can speculate, and if you're like me, then you'll want to sprinkle a little bit of your bankroll on Wednesday night's first round to keep things interesting. Here is a trio of bets that I'm locking in for the 2023 NHL Draft.
2023 NHL Draft Betting Guide
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Number 3 Draft Pick: Leo Carlsson (-175)
I'm riding with the chalk pick right out of the gate and going with Leo Carlsson to go third overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Carlsson is an 18-year-old out of Sweden who stands at 6-foot-3. He played center with Orebro HK, a team in the Swedish Hockey League.
The general vibe around the centerman is that he'll be able to step in and contribute at the professional level from day one. That suits the Jackets' needs more than Will Smith (below), who still likely needs time to develop.
While the 25-48-9 record (8th in Metropolitan) may not indicate it, Columbus is looking to win right now. That's exemplified by the fact that they brought in Mike Babcock to head up the squad moving forward. The front office also traded for defenseman Ivan Provorov, further bolstering the argument that they want to contend as quickly as possible. Carlsson boasts the best skill set to help the team right away, so I'm fine laying the -175 juice here.
Number 4 Draft Pick: Will Smith (-150)
After the blockbuster trade that sent Timo Meier to New Jersey, it was evident that the San Jose Sharks were blowing it up and starting a rebuild. Unlike the Blue Jackets, the Sharks will likely take their time getting back to prominence. Enter Will Smith, the 18-year-old centerman who has the same ceiling as Carlsson but simply isn't refined enough to step in and contribute big minutes professionally. I'm sticking with the chalk through the first four and riding with Smith to San Jose.
Gabe Perreault Draft Position: Over 11.5 (-125)
Gabe Perreault played alongside Will Smith on the U.S. National U18 team this past season, where he amassed 132 points (53G, 79A). They each broke Auston Matthews' single-season point record of 117 points, as Smith tallied 127 (51G, 76A).
However, Perreault isn't as highly-touted of a prospect as Smith (despite recording more points). The reports say that he has some skating issues, but he makes up for it with his superior intellect on the ice.
I'm taking Perreault to be drafted either 12th or later Wednesday night. I've seen mock drafts with him cracking the top 10, but most have him in the mid-teens or even into the 20s. Is it possible that a team reaches and scoops him up? Or course. But I think it's more likely that he falls to around 15th or so based on the research I've done. The right winger will likely develop into a solid piece in the future, but it'll take some time. Look for Perreault to slide to at least 12th.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts