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- What: 2023 NHL Entry Draft
- Date: June 28-29, 2023
- Location: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN.
- Time: Day 1: 7:00 p.m. ET, Day 2: 11 a.m. ET.
- How to Watch: ESPN, NHLN, SN, TVAS
With the Vegas Golden Knights capturing the 2023 Stanley Cup with a 4-1 series win over the Florida Panthers, the next big event on the NHL calendar, the 2023 NHL Entry draft, is fast approaching. The first round of that event starts on June 28 and takes place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. ESPN will broadcast the first round of the event on that day. The next day, rounds 2-7 go down at the same location. Day 2 of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft begins at 11:00 a.m. ET.
Barring one of the most surprising developments in the history of the NHL entry draft, Connor Bedard will be the first overall selection, and he will play the 2024 NHL season for the Chicago Blackhawks. Oddsmakers are so sure that Bedard will be the first pick that most are not offering odds on that pick. The second pick of the 2023 NHL entry draft belongs to the Anaheim Ducks, and the expectation is that Adam Fantilli will head to Anaheim with that selection. With that, we will look at the players who are in the mix to go third overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Before we look at the picks, odds, and predictions for third overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, check out our tips on betting on the NHL Draft and our best bets for the second overall pick in the NHL Draft.
2023 NHL Entry Draft third overall pick betting picks
| To Go Third Overall in 2023 NHL Entry Draft |  |  |  |
| Leo Carlsson | -115 | -150 | -140 |
| Will Smith | +185 | +175 | +180 |
| Matvei Mitchkov | +385 | +500 | +400 |
| Adam Fantilli | +650 | +800 | +800 |
| Andrew Cristall | +4500 | TBA | +4000 |
Leo Carlsson
Eighteen-year-old Leo Carlsson played for Team Sweden in both the World Junior tournament and the IIHF World Championship contests this year. The top prospect among international hockey players headed into the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Carlsson, played 44 games for the Orebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League. During his time with that club, he had 10 goals and 15 assists. During the World Junior event, he had six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in seven games. The Swedish team won the bronze medal.
A left-shooting forward, Carlsson is 6-foot-3 and weighs 198 pounds.
Will Smith
The three players who make up the United States National Team Development Program’s top line will all most likely go early in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. That line’s center, 18-year-old Will Smith, will be the first of those players picked, and he could go high as No. 3.
Smith’s 127 points were the second most scored in a season by a USNTDP player. His 2023 season was better than current NHL stars Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk, and Cole Caufield.
Smith, who is expected to play for Boston College in 2023-24, is 6 feet tall and weighs in at 172 pounds. He is an excellent playmaking center who can also score goals when called upon.
Matvei Michkov
The big “if” on Matvei Michkov is his contract. The 18-year-old Russian is signed with his KHL team through 2026. With that, whoever drafts him is going to need patience. Michkov is likely worth the wait. From a talent standpoint, he’s second only to Beddard. He is a bit undersized at 5-10 and 172 pounds, but he has skills, confidence, grit, and speed. He will be a first line forward for whatever team picks him, but again, he won’t be eligible to play in the NHL until his KHL deal expires and that could make some teams who need to improve right now reluctant to pick him.
2023 NHL NHL Entry Draft First Round Order
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Anaheim Ducks
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- San Jose Sharks
- Montreal Canadiens
- Arizona Coyotes
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Washington Capitals
- Detroit Red Wings
- St. Louis Blues
- Vancouver Canucks
- Arizona Coyotes (from Ottawa Senators)
- Buffalo Sabres
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Nashville Predators
- Calgary Flames
- Detroit Red Wings (from New York Islanders via Vancouver Canucks)
- Winnipeg Jets
- Chicago Blackhawks (from Tampa Bay Lightning)
- Seattle Kraken
- Minnesota Wild
- Columbus Blue Jackets (from Los Angeles Kings)
- New York Rangers
- Nashville Predators (from Edmonton Oilers)
- St. Louis Blues (from Toronto Maple Leafs)
- San Jose Sharks (from New Jersey Devils)
- Colorado Avalanche
- Toronto Maple Leafs (from Boston Bruins via Washington Capitals)
- St. Louis Blues (from Dallas Stars via New York Rangers)
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Montreal Canadiens (from the Stanley Cup runner-up Florida Panthers)
- Vegas Golden Knights (Stanley Cup winner)
Best betting pick to go third in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft
This really comes down to Leo Carlsson or Will Smith and what the team with the third pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft is looking to do. If the Columbus Blue Jackets, who hold that pick, want a player who is ready to join the NHL for the 2023-24 season, they will go for Carlsson. Will Smith is the best bet to go third in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft if they are willing to wait a few years. The Blue Jackets will likely go with Carlsson.
Betting pick to go third overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft: Leo Carlsson
See below a list of reliable sportsbooks and choose the best one for you.
