NHL Draft prospects 2023: Ranking the best players still available after Round 1

Nick Brinkerhoff

Bryan Murphy

NHL Draft prospects 2023: Ranking the best players still available after Round 1 image

When the music stopped in Nashville on Wednesday night, 32 new players had a seat at the NHL table. 

But the Music City is famous for its party scene, and this year's draft party is far from over. 

As expected, Connor Bedard headlined the draft after being selected No. 1 overall by the Blackhawks. And while most of the attention will be trained on him and whether success follows, Nashville 2023 is about more than the stars. 

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Sometimes, it's about strolling down Broadway, walking into a local honky-tonk and checking out some of the talent that's waiting to be discovered. You might be amazed at what you find. 

All 32 teams will be in discovery mode Thursday, hoping to find the next big thing. Those diamonds in the rough might be the ones that help etch a team's name into the Stanley Cup someday. 

Another 192 names are set to be adopted into the NHL family on Day 2. Here is a look at the best of the rest for Rounds 2-7 of the 2023 NHL Draft. 

MORE: NHL Draft Round 1 grades

NHL Draft prospects 2023: Best players still available for Day 2

Round 1 is in the books, leaving the final six rounds for what will be a hectic Thursday. The Sporting News ranks the top 50 players remaining:

RankPlayerPositionTeam (League)HeightWeight
1. Andrew CristallLWKelowna (WHL)5-9167
2. Jayden PerronRWChicago (USHL)5-9163
3. Lukas DragicevicDTri-City (WHL)6-1190
4. Gavin BrindleyCMichigan (NCAA)5-8165
5. Riley HeidtCPrince George (WHL)5-10178
6. Ethan GauthierRWSherbrooke (QMJHL)5-11175
7. Caden PriceDKelowna (WHL)6-0185
8. Gracyn SawchynCSeattle (WHL)5-11157
9. Michael HrabalGOmaha (USHL)6-7215
10. Oscar Fisker MolgaardCHV71 (SHL)6-0163
11.Etienne MorinDMoncton (QMJHL)6-0180
12.Hunter Brzustewicz DKitchener (OHL)6-0190
13.Maxim StrbakDSioux Falls (USHL)6-1198
14.Danny NelsonCUSA U18 (NTDP)6-3212
15.Anton WahlbergCMalmo (J20 Nationell)6-3192
16.Andrew GibsonDSault Ste. Marie (OHL)6-3202
17.Felix NilssonCRogle Jr. (J20 Nationell)6-0187
18.Kasper HalttunenRWHIFK (Liiga)6-3215
19.Carson RehkopfCKitchener (OHL)6-2195
20.Nick LardisLWHamilton (OHL)5-11168
21.Lenni HameeenahoRWAssat (Liiga)6-1185
22.Luca CagnoniDPortland (WHL)5-9182
23.Trey AugustineGUSA U18 (NTDP)6-1190
24.Juraj PekarcikLWNitra (Slovak Extraliga)6-1183
25.Alex CiernikLWSodertalje (HockeyAllsvenskan)5-10174
26.Martin MisiakRWYoungstown (USHL)6-2200
27.Jesse KiiskinenRWPelicans (Liiga) 6-0190
28.Jakub DvorakDLiberec (Czech Extraliga)6-5210
29.Ethan MiedemaLWKingston (OHL)6-4208
30.William WhitelawRWYoungstown (USHL)5-9175
31.Nico MyatovicLWSeattle (WHL)6-2180
32.Carson BjarnasonGBrandon (WHL)6-3190
33.Noah Dower NilssonLWFrolunda (SHL)6-0185
34.Alexander HellnemoGSkelleftea Jr. (J20 Nationell)6-2183
35.Kalan LindLWRed Deer (WHL)6-0158
36.Cameron AllenDGuelph (OHL)6-0192
37.Mathieu CatafordCHalifax (QMJHL)5-11190
38.Noel NordhLWBrynas (J20 Nationell)6-2200
39. Andrew StrathmannDYoungstown (USHL)5-11185
40.Beau AkeyDBarrie (OHL)6-0175
41.Arttu KarkiDTaapara Jr. (U20 SM-sarja)6-2176
42.Carey TerranceCErie (OHL)6-0178
43.Juha JatkolaGKalPa (Liiga)6-1176
44.Coulson PitreRWFlint (OHL)6-1170
45.Jesse NurmiLWKooKoo Jr. (U20 SM-sarja)5-11168
46.Roman KantserovRWMagnitogorsk (MHL)5-9176
47.Adam GajanGChippewa (NAHL)6-3180
48.Quinton BurnsDKitchener (OHL)6-1185
49.Jaden LipinskiCVancouver (WHL)6-4210
50. Alexander RykovRWChelmet (VHL)6-0176

Nick Brinkerhoff

Nick Brinkerhoff is a content producer at The Sporting News covering the NFL, NBA and other sports. A proud New Jerseyan, Nick is also a graduate of Rutgers University. He is always in the mood for a good joke, the day’s best bets, or a debate about the mediocrity of the New York sports scene.

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.