80 CHL players selected during the 2023 NHL Draft
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce that a total of 80 CHL players were selected during the seven rounds of the 2023 NHL Draft, which was held over the last two days at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The 80 selections between rounds one through seven accounted for nearly 36% of the 224 picks that were made by the NHL’s 32 clubs.
The first two rounds proved to be among the most successful for CHL prospects as 25 players were chosen within the first 64 picks of the draft. Connor Bedard (Regina Pats, C) led the way by being chosen first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks, one of six Western Hockey League (WHL) players to be drafted in the first round. Among Thursday’s early selections was Ethan Gauthier (Drummondville Voltigeurs, RW). By being taken 37th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Gauthier was the first player from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) to have his name called at this year’s draft. Developed by the Sherbrooke Phoenix, the 18-year-old forward finished third on his team in scoring with a career-high 69 points, having collected 30 goals and 39 assists in 66 appearances with the Phoenix this past season.
Much like the top two rounds, another 25 CHL players were selected between both the third and fourth rounds, before 12 were taken in both the fifth and sixth rounds, while six CHL skaters were chosen in the seventh round to cap off the event’s two-day run. By position, the 2023 NHL Draft saw a total of 129 forwards selected of which 45 were from the CHL. There were also 69 defencemen chosen including 30 from the CHL, and 26 goaltenders highlighted by five from the CHL.
Of the players chosen, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) led the way with 35 drafted players, followed by the WHL with 33 and the QMJHL with 12. In total, 45 CHL clubs had a player picked in this draft led by the WHL Champion Seattle Thunderbirds, who had six of their players selected between both Wednesday and Thursday. Among the other clubs, the Flint Firebirds set a franchise record with four drafted players in 2023, while the London Knights extended the CHL’s longest active draft streak. Dating back to 1969, the Knights have had at least one of their players chosen at an NHL Draft for 54 consecutive years.
30 of the NHL’s 32 clubs drafted at least one CHL player with the Anaheim Ducks leading the way with seven. Following just behind them were the Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken and Nashville Predators who each made five CHL selections, while the Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals each drafted four CHL players to their squads.
37 of the CHL players chosen at this year’s draft competed in the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game that took place back on January 25 in Langley, B.C. Both Quentin Musty and Samuel Honzek, who were unable to play in this game due to injury, were among the 40 CHL players originally chosen for this event. The Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is an annual showcase of draft-eligible talent and features future NHL stars from across the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL. Next year, this event will take place in Moncton, N.B., on January 24, 2024.
Following the 2023 NHL Draft, a total of 5,937 CHL players have been selected since 1969.
80 CHL Players selected in the 2023 NHL Draft
Players with hyperlinked names have video profiles from the #MeetTheFuture series presented by Kubota Canada. Where a player doesn’t have a video profile, a hyperlink is provided to their profile on their respective league’s website.
*denotes players who competed in the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
FIRST ROUND (11)
1. Connor Bedard (Regina Pats, C / WHL)* – Chicago Blackhawks
9. Nate Danielson (Brandon Wheat Kings, C / WHL)* – Detroit Red Wings
13. Zach Benson (Winnipeg ICE, LW / WHL)* – Buffalo Sabres
14. Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw Warriors, C / WHL)* – Pittsburgh Penguins
16. Samuel Honzek (Vancouver Giants, LW / WHL) – Calgary Flames
18. Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack, LW / OHL)* – Winnipeg Jets
22. Oliver Bonk (London Knights, D / OHL)* – Philadelphia Flyers
24. Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon Blades, D / WHL)* – Nashville Predators
26. Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves, LW / OHL) – San Jose Sharks
27. Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals, C / OHL)* – Colorado Avalanche
28. Easton Cowan (London Knights, LW / OHL) – Toronto Maple Leafs
SECOND ROUND (14)
33. Nico Myatovic (Seattle Thunderbirds, LW / WHL)* – Anaheim Ducks
37. Ethan Gauthier (Drummondville Voltigeurs, RW / QMJHL)* – Tampa Bay Lightning (played last couple of seasons with Sherbrooke Phoenix)
40. Andrew Cristall (Kelowna Rockets, LW / WHL)* – Washington Capitals
42. Andrew Gibson (Soo Greyhounds, D / OHL) – Detroit Red Wings
46. Kalan Lind (Red Deer Rebels, LW / WHL)* – Nashville Predators
48. Étienne Morin (Moncton Wildcats, D / QMJHL)* – Calgary Flames
50. Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers, LW / OHL)* – Seattle Kraken
51. Carson Bjarnson (Brandon Wheat Kings, G / WHL)* – Philadelphia Flyers
56. Beau Akey (Barrie Colts, D / OHL)* – Edmonton Oilers
57. Lukas Dragicevic (Tri-City Americans, D / WHL)* – Seattle Kraken
59. Carey Terrance (Erie Otters, C / OHL)* – Anaheim Ducks
61. Tristan Bertucci (Flint Firebirds, D / OHL) – Dallas Stars
63. Gracyn Sawchyn (Seattle Thunderbirds, C / WHL)* – Florida Panthers
64. Riley Heidt (Prince George Cougars, C / WHL)* – Minnesota Wild
THIRD ROUND (12)
65. Coulson Pitre (Flint Firebirds, RW / OHL)* – Anaheim Ducks
67. Nick Lardis (Brantford Bulldogs, LW / OHL)* – Chicago Blackhawks
74. Quinton Burns (Kingston Frontenacs, D / OHL) – St. Louis Blues
75. Hunter Brzustewicz (Kitchener Rangers, D / OHL)* – Vancouver Canucks
77. Mathieu Cataford (Halifax Mooseheads, C / QMJHL)* – Vegas Golden Knights
78. Koehn Ziemmer (Prince George Cougars, RW / WHL)* – Los Angeles Kings
79. Brad Gardiner (Ottawa 67’s, C / OHL) – Dallas Stars
83. Dylan Mackinnon (Halifax Mooseheads, D / QMJHL)* – Nashville Predators
84. Caden Price (Kelowna Rockets, D / WHL)* – Seattle Kraken
85. Egor Sidorov (Saskatoon Blades, LW / WHL) – Anaheim Ducks
89. Sawyer Mynio (Seattle Thunderbirds, D / WHL) – Vancouver Canucks
95. Denver Barkey (London Knights, C / OHL) – Philadelphia Flyers
FOURTH ROUND (13)
97. Konnor Smith (Peterborough Petes, D / OHL) – Anaheim Ducks
99. Alex Pharand (Sudbury Wolves, C / OHL)* – Chicago Blackhawks
101. Florian Xhekaj (Brantford Bulldogs, LW / OHL) – Montreal Canadiens
102. Terrell Goldsmith (Prince Albert Raiders, D / WHL) – Arizona Coyotes
104. Patrick Thomas (Brantford Bulldogs, C / OHL) – Washington Capitals
109. Ethan Miedema (Kingston Frontenacs, LW / OHL)* – Buffalo Sabres
111. Joey Willis (Saginaw Spirit, C / OHL) – Nashville Predators
112. Jaden Lipinski (Vancouver Giants, C / WHL)* – Calgary Flames
114. Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s, C / OHL)* – Columbus Blue Jackets
116. Andrei Loshko (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, C / QMJHL) – Seattle Kraken (played last two seasons with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens)
122. Cam Squires (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, RW / QMJHL) – New Jersey Devils
123. Luca Cagnoni (Portland Winterhawks, D / WHL)* – San Jose Sharks
128. Quentin Miller (Québec Remparts, G / QMJHL) – Montreal Canadiens
FIFTH ROUND (12)
129. Rodwin Dionicio (Windsor Spitfires, D / OHL) – Anaheim Ducks
131. Marcel Marcel (Gatineau Olympiques, LW / QMJHL) – Chicago Blackhawks
135. Carter Sotheran (Portland Winterhawks, D / WHL) – Philadelphia Flyers
136. Cameron Allen (Guelph Storm, D / OHL)* – Washington Capitals
140. Matthew Andonovski (Kitchener Rangers, D / OHL) – Ottawa Senators
141. Scott Ratzlaff (Seattle Thunderbirds, G / WHL)* – Buffalo Sabres
145. Justin Gill (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, C / QMJHL) – New York Islanders (played the better part of the last three seasons with the Sherbrooke Phoenix)
146. Jacob Julien (London Knights, C / OHL) – Winnipeg Jets
148. Kaden Hammell (Everett Silvertips, D / WHL) – Seattle Kraken
150. Matthew Mania (Sudbury Wolves, D / OHL) – Los Angeles Kings
151. Thomas Milic (Seattle Thunderbirds, G / WHL) – Winnipeg Jets
160. Justin Kipkie (Victoria Royals, D / WHL) – Arizona Coyotes
SIXTH ROUND (12)
161. Vojtech Port (Edmonton Oil Kings, D / WHL) – Anaheim Ducks
164. Cole Brown (Brantford Bulldogs, LW / OHL) – New Jersey Devils
170. Matthew Mayich (Ottawa 67’s, D / OHL) – St. Louis Blues
174. Cooper Foster (Ottawa 67’s, C / OHL) – Pittsburgh Penguins
175. Austin Roest (Everett Silvertips, C / WHL) – Nashville Predators
178. Dylan Roobroeck (Oshawa Generals, C / OHL) – New York Rangers
181. Kalem Parker (Victoria Royals, D / WHL) – Minnesota Wild
184. Nathaniel Day (Flint Firebirds, G / OHL) – Edmonton Oilers
185. Noah Chadwick (Lethbridge Hurricanes, D / WHL) – Toronto Maple Leafs
187. Jeremy Hanzel (Seattle Thunderbirds, D / WHL) – Colorado Avalanche
189. Angus Macdonell (Mississauga Steelheads, C / OHL) – Dallas Stars
191. Luke Coughlin (Rimouski Océanic, D / QMJHL) – Florida Panthers
SEVENTH ROUND (6)
199. Matteo Mann (Chicoutimi Saguenéens, D / QMJHL)* – Philadelphia Flyers
200. Brett Hyland (Brandon Wheat Kings, D / WHL) – Washington Capitals
201. Emmitt Finnie (Kamloops Blazers, C / WHL) – Detroit Red Wings
210. Connor Levis (Kamloops Blazers, RW / WHL)* – Winnipeg Jets
211. Ethan Hay (Flint Firebirds, C / OHL) – Tampa Bay Lightning
224. Tyler Peddle (Drummondville Voltigeurs, LW / QMJHL)* – Columbus Blue Jackets
(PHOTO CREDIT: NATALIE SHAVER)