Live Results:
June 29 – 2:50 p.m.
NHL Network had some nice things to say about what we are building here in Flint 😎 #GatewayToTheNHL #FuelTheFire pic.twitter.com/dZnnYxr7qc
— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 2:26 p.m.
Last but certainly not least 👋#NHLDraft | #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/EuNWJJTwXr
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 2:23 p.m.
With the 211th pick in the #NHLDraft, we've selected forward Ethan Hay.
Welcome to the squad, Ethan! pic.twitter.com/hgyYwINvGm
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 2:18 p.m.
Make it FOUR in the #NHLDraft!! Ethan Hay has been selected by @TBLightning!!! #GoBolts #GatewayToTheNHL pic.twitter.com/DPr8P5YpS4
— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 2:04 p.m.
With the 184th overall pick at the #NHLDraft, the #Oilers are proud to select goaltender Nathaniel Day from the Flint Firebirds!
📷: OHL Images @FordCanada | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/rz8LOUvBND
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 1:53 p.m.
Daysie is heading to the @EdmontonOilers!!!! #GatewayToTheNHL #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/n6Ebk52Edz
— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 1:32 p.m.
Coulson Pitre's #NHLDraft moment!!! #GatewayToTheNHL #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/5SD71uJp1o
— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 1:11 p.m.
The moment it became a reality for Tristan Bertucci!! #GatewayToTheNHL #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/V1x11OZ61k
— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 12:19 p.m.
We led off the third round by taking Coulson Pitre, a right winger from Flint of the OHL. #FlyTogether | @Honda pic.twitter.com/ZyGEl5qH5j
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 12:05 p.m.
“When I was younger, Dallas was my favorite team because I loved the colors and Jamie Benn.”
Welcome to the Stars, Tristan!@PellaTexas | #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/ERJcs28ulU
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 11:54 a.m.
Hard-working @FlintFirebirds forward Coulson Pitre is ready to #FlyTogether!
The @AnaheimDucks take the 60-point producer at the top of the third round.#NHLDraft Profile 🎥: https://t.co/iWrZwP8sMq pic.twitter.com/MwLAOrrkRA
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 11:53 a.m.
Another one!!! The @AnaheimDucks have selected Coulson Pitre!! #GatewayToTheNHL #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/ErQEqceso6
— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 11:48 a.m.
From 13 points in his first season to 50 in 2022-23!
The @DallasStars noticed Tristan Bertucci's big gains with the @FlintFirebirds, and select him 61st overall.#NHLDraft Profile 🎥: https://t.co/7CqMeeKkfB pic.twitter.com/CqMC2do6Mo
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 11:46 a.m.
Tristan Bertucci is heading to the @DallasStars!!!! #GatewayToTheNHL #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/7XkTRKdCkk
— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 11:43 a.m.
We have selected Tristan Bertucci from Flint (OHL) with the 61st pick in the #NHLDraft! @PellaTexas | #TexasHockey
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) June 29, 2023
June 29 – 12:11 a.m.
Five #OHL players heard their names called in Round 1 of the 2023 #NHLDraft on Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee.
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 29, 2023
June 28 – 1:05 p.m.
Bright lights, big stage at the #NHLDraft in #SMASHVILLE pic.twitter.com/YhAsOdspDj
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 28, 2023
Draft Preview:
Flint, Mich. – The Flint Firebirds’ streak of having at least one player drafted every year of the NHL Draft since their move to Flint in 2015 will continue this week as the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft is set to take place tonight and tomorrow at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Round 1 begins Wednesday, June 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET, available to watch on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S. and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada. Rounds 2-7 take place Thursday, June 29 at 11:00 a.m., available to watch in the U.S. on NHL Network and ESPN+ and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada.
- Flint Firebirds NHL Draft History
- NHL Draft Live Results
- Channel Finder: ESPN | NHL Network | Sportsnet | TVA Sports
- OHL Draft Preview
- OHL Fan Guide to the 2023 NHL Draft
Tristan Bertucci, Coulson Pitre, Ethan Hay, Blake Smith, and Nathan Day were all included on NHL Central Scouting’s final draft rankings. Five Firebirds being listed not only led the OHL but also set a franchise record for the most players in the final rankings ahead of the NHL Draft.
Bertucci soared up the rankings all year and checks in at #32 for North American skaters in the final draft rankings, which projects him to go in Rounds 2-3. The Firebirds’ first-round pick in the 2021 Priority Selection is coming off a career year finishing with 50 points (11 G, 39 A), which was tied for 12th among OHL defensemen and the second most among OHL draft-eligible blueliners.
Coulson Pitre burst onto the scene in his first year in Flint producing 44 points (23 G, 21 A) in 52 GP while being named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team. He followed that up with a successful 2022-23 season, adding 60 points (25 G, 35 A) in 59 GP for the Firebirds. The Stouffville, Ont. native checked in at #37 among North American skaters which also projects him to also go in Rounds 2-3.
Two-way forward Ethan Hay finished the year ranked 83rd for North American skaters after scoring 17 G and adding 11 A in 64 GP. He was awarded the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award as OHL’s Top Academic High School Student and was named the second-best in faceoffs and second-best defensive forward in the Western Conference in the end-of-season OHL coaches poll. He projects to go in Rounds 3-6.
6-foot-4, 202-pound defenseman Blake Smith rounds out the Firebirds skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final draft rankings, checking in at #155 overall. The Oshawa, Ont. native was acquired by Flint back in November and quickly made a shutdown impact on the blue line. In 41 GP with the Firebirds, he had 6 A while finishing +2 on the year, including going +10 over the final two months of the year. Smith is projected to go anywhere in Rounds 5-7.
Nathan Day was the top-ranked OHL netminder in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings partly due to a strong finish to the season. The Grimsby, Ont. native finished the season going 9-1-0 with a .916 SV% in his final 11 games of the year. For the 2022-23 campaign Day finished 17-10-0 with a 3.91 GAA and .874% and came in at #14 overall among North American netminders. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound goalie projects to go in Rounds 4-7.
The 2023 NHL draft is first-year 2005-born prospects are eligible to be drafted. Additionally, select 2003 and 2004-born players will be eligible as well. To be eligible, players must be 18 years old by Sept. 15 and under 20 years old by Dec. 31 in the draft year.
Flint’s best showing at an individual NHL Draft is two players selected, which has happened in five of the seven NHL Drafts since the Firebirds have been a member of the OHL. Flint can set a franchise record this week if three or more Firebirds hear their name called.
Last year, the 2022 NHL Draft once again saw multiple Firebirds get drafted as both Gavin Hayes (Chicago – 3rd round, 66th overall) and Amadeus Lombardi (Detroit – 4th round, 113th overall) were selected by Original Six franchises. Both players went on to sign their entry-level contracts this past season after careers years that saw Hayes become just the third Firebird in history to score 40+ goals in a season and Lombardi set the record for single-season points with 102.
Since the Flint Firebirds’ inception seven seasons ago in 2015, the club has already had 25 drafted or NHL-signed players on its roster consisting of Will Bitten (Montreal), Dennis Busby (Arizona), Nick Caamano (Dallas), Connor Chatham (New Jersey), Will Cranley (St. Louis Blues), Ty Dellandrea (Dallas), Artem Guryev (San Jose), Fedor Gordeev (Toronto), Gavin Hayes (Chicago), Kyle Keyser (Boston Bruins), Ethan Keppen (Vancouver), Braeden Kressler (Toronto), Vladislav Kolyachonok (Florida), Dmitry Kuzmin (Winnipeg), Amadeus Lombardi (Detroit), Nick Mattinen (Toronto), Brent Moran (Dallas), Alex Nedeljkovic (Carolina), Evgeniy Oksentyuk (Dallas), Brennan Othmann (NY Rangers), Alex Peters (Dallas), Vili Saarijarvi (Detroit), Kole Sherwood (Columbus), Jalen Smereck (Arizona), Tyler Tucker (St. Louis) and Josh Wesley (Carolina).
For more information, contact:
Jack Sznewajs
Director of Broadcasting & Communications
Flint Firebirds Hockey Club
[email protected]