By Bob Trask – As the end of the NHL playoffs inch closer, more and more fans will be turning their attention to the NHL entry draft and wondering what the prospects for their favorite team will be. Montreal Canadiens fans focus on the #5 overall pick and the fact that Kent Hughes currently holds eleven picks in the upcoming draft. But how does that stack up with the rest of the league?
I did a little exercise that awarded points to each team based on the following. While it is an arbitrary assignment of values, it does provide food for thought.
- First round picks – 6 points
- Second round picks – 4 points
- Third round picks – 3 points
- Fourth and fifth round picks – 2 points
- Sixth and Seventh round picks – 1 point
- First overall pick – 9 bonus points
- Second to fifth overall pick – 6 bonus points
- Sixth to tenth overall pick – 3 bonus points
I’ve presented this will little comment but this draft holds the potential to shift the balance of power in the NHL down the road.
The Top Ten
| Team | Points |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 47 |
| Nashville Predators | 40 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 39 |
| San Jose Sharks | 37 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 37 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 36 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 35 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 35 |
| St Louis Blues | 33 |
| Seattle Kraken | 28 |
The surprise here might be the Nashville Predators who quietly acquired a multitude of early round picks.
The Middle Twelve
| Team | Points |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 24 |
| Buffalo Sabers | 23 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 21 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 19 |
| Minnesota Wild | 18 |
| Washington Capitals | 18 |
| Calgary Flames | 14 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 14 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 14 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 14 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 12 |
| New York Rangers | 12 |
Bottom Ten
| Team | Points |
| Colorado Avalanche | 10 |
| Dallas Stars | 10 |
| New Jersey Devils | 10 |
| New York Islanders | 10 |
| Florida Panthers | 10 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 9 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 8 |
| Boston Bruins | 8 |
| Ottawa Senators | 7 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 3 |
Takeaways
This table exposes some glaring differences among the current draft capital of varying teams. Having said that, trades can substantially alter the landscape but some teams are going to struggle to add talent on draft day.
Given the perceived depth of this draft and the uncertainty surrounding Russian players there are bound to be a few surprises. Some teams will perform better at the draft than what shows in this ranking and some will fall short.
Keep on eye on the post draft commentary by the experts to find out who they rank as the winners and losers in the 2023 NHL entry draft!