It’s that time of year once again when the National Hockey League eagerly awaits a fresh influx of talent. The NHL Entry Draft is fast approaching, signifying a momentous occasion in professional ice hockey where teams have the opportunity to select the most promising young players who may shape the future of their organizations. 

As we approach the highly anticipated 2023 NHL Entry Draft, anticipation builds among scouts, general managers, and hockey fans, all eagerly awaiting the introduction of the sport’s next generation of superstars. In this article, we delve into the players who have captured attention with their skill, potential, and remarkable performances in junior hockey leagues worldwide. These individuals represent the top prospects to watch for in the upcoming 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

NHL Entry Draft 2023: when and where

First Day: Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Time: 19:00 E.T

Second Day: Thursday, June 29, 2023

Time: 11:00 E.T

Venue: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee.

Livestream: ESPN+, NHL Network, TVA Sports

Top ten 2023 NHL Draft Order by teams

• Chicago Blackhawks
• Anaheim Ducks
• Columbus Blue Jackets
• San Jose Sharks
• Montreal Canadiens
• Arizona Coyotes
• Philadelphia Flyers
• Washington Capitals
• Detroit Red Wings
• St. Louis Blues

Top five players in the 2023 NHL Draft prospects

From a pool of sixteen players expected to be drafted on the first day of the draft, here are the top five players projected to achieve immense success in the league:

Connor Bedard

Position: Center

Country: Canada

At just 17 years old, Bedard is one of the most talented prospects in the 2023 NHL draft class. He has already made significant waves, boasting a commanding lead in the 2022-23 Western Hockey League season with 143 points in 57 games. Bedard’s goal-scoring ability is unparalleled, leading the league with 71 goals. He excels as a playmaker and possesses the physicality to engage in the game’s physical aspects.

Adam Fantilli

Position: Forward

Country: Canada

Fantilli, an 18-year-old Canadian athlete, is an exceptional replacement for teams that missed out on Bedard. With his remarkable strength at a young age, scouts believe he will seamlessly adapt to the demands of the NHL. He exhibits a powerful shot, exceptional passing skills, and outstanding puck-carrying abilities. Fantilli’s versatility on the ice was evident as he recorded 65 points in 36 games during his outstanding season in NCAA hockey.

Matvei Michkov

Position: Forward

Country: Russia

Hailing from Russia, Michkov stands out as the premier winger in this draft class. As a top-tier playmaker representing SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League, Michkov excels in penetrating the middle lanes and connecting with teammates in scoring zones. His exceptional puck-handling skills and agility allow him to maneuver around defenders effortlessly, even in tight situations. Michkov is a coveted gem for teams in need of a talented winger.

Leo Carlsson

Position: Center

Country: Sweden

Carlsson, a standout professional ice hockey center for Örebro HK in the Swedish Hockey League, is primarily recognized for his playmaking abilities in the offensive zone. He possesses exceptional speed in moving the puck, consistently executing one-two passing plays to create opportunities for teammates before the opposition can react.

William Smith

Position: Center

Country: USA

Smith possesses deceptive moves, displaying exceptional finesse in tight spaces and an ability to outmaneuver the defense. The Canadiens are poised to reap significant benefits from his fast-paced style of play. The potential pairing of Smith with Nick Suzuki on the Canadiens’ roster holds great promise for a successful partnership.

As NHL teams navigate through the draft order, they face challenging decisions that will shape the future of professional hockey. Excitement fills the air as fans eagerly anticipate draft day, eagerly awaiting the emergence of these young stars in the making. Stay tuned to HaG for more hockey news, previews, and predictions.

The National Hockey League (NHL) is the most competitive and entertaining. This season of the NHL has been full of surprises, with a couple of teams exceeding expectations as the season approaches halfway. Here we will look at the latest results in this current NHL season and preview favorites and underdogs for the Stanley Cup. Eleven games took place on this day, but we will highlight the key ones and recap how the game went. 

Philadelphia Flyers Vs Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins were at home against the visiting Flyers side. Bruins handed the 76ers a humiliating loss in this game as they won by six goals to nil. The Flyers, who headed into this game on a three-game winning streak, had their good run cut short by a dominant Bruins side. The Bruins were excellent on both ends of the ice in this game, but the defense particularly stood out. The Bruins’ goalie Jeremy Swayman was the star of the game as he made 29 saves to deny the Flyers any scoring opportunity.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers couldn’t get things going for themselves on Sunday. Their main issue was getting past Bruins’ goalie Jeremy Swayman whose performance was simply out of this world. He kept out all of the Flyers’ shots on goal. This was why the team lost by such a considerable margin.

Boston Bruins

On Monday, Boston Bruins forward David Krejci participated in his 1,000th NHL game and assisted on three goals. David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha received his assists. The Bruins, who are arguably the best team in the NHL, currently won for the sixth time in seven games thanks to two goals each from Pastrnak and Zacha. Matt Grzelcyk and Brad Marchand also scored a goal each.

Washington Capitals Vs New York Islanders

The Washington Capitals and New York Islanders faced off for the first time this season, and it was nothing short of exciting. It was a case of an impressive comeback win for the Capitals, who found themselves down by three goals by the second period. The Capitals turned things around in the second and third periods to take the game to overtime. The Capitals scored in overtime to complete the comeback and win the game. 

Washington Capitals

The Capitals looked like a shadow of themselves in this game until the second period. The Capitals’ initial response came from Garnet Hathaway. After his goal, Washington pulled within one three minutes later thanks to a connection between Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom. A backhanded Backstrom pass led to Wilson, whose soaring shot from close range defeated Sorokin. The Capitals pulled even at three minutes into the final frame. T.J. Oshie scored the goal that tied the game. After 60 minutes of play, the teams entered overtime, and Dmitry Orlov scored the game-winning goal.

New York Islanders

Sebastian Aho gave the Islanders the lead early in the first period. Less than 10 minutes later, Matt Martin increased New York’s advantage to two goals with a shot deflection that beat Darcy Kuemper. The Islanders led by two goals at the end of the first period. Early in the second quarter, the Islanders kept up their offensive pressure. Hudson Faschin’s poor effort deflected off the far post and into the goal behind a startled Kuemper. That was the last significant offensive action from the Islanders as the Capitals took over from the second period.

New Jersey Devils Vs San Jose Sharks

This is another exciting game that went to overtime. It was an interconference match between two teams that were in various circumstances. The New Jersey Devils, who were playing on the road, entered the contest fresh off a road win over the Los Angeles Kings in the second game of a back-to-back. Meanwhile, San Jose’s most recent game saw them get destroyed at home by Edmonton on Friday night. The Sabres threatened to pull the upset in this game, but the Devils eventually won the game 4-3.

New Jersey Devils

In what wasn’t the prettiest win for the Devils, Jack Hughes of New Jersey scored with 8.6 seconds remaining in regulation to draw the match. Ryan Graves and Nico Hischier also scored for the Devil. Vitek Vanecek, the goalie, made 28 stops. After extra, the score remained tied, and Tomas Tatar scored the New Jersey Devils’ winning goal in the shootout. This was indeed a hard-fought victory for the Devils.

San Jose Sharks

After going a goal down in the early minutes of the first period, Timo Meier scored to draw level for the Sharks. Erik Karlsson’s power-play goal gave the Sharks the lead at that point. In the third session, their lead was reduced, and the contest appeared to be getting much closer. With a goal from Nick Bonino, the Sharks retook the lead. If not for a late score by the Devils, they would have won the game with this. 

The games above were the highlight of the game day, with the Devils versus Sharks game undoubtedly in contest for the game of the week as it was filled with nerve-wracking moments. 

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The National Hockey League (NHL) is the most competitive and entertaining. The league comprising 32 teams, 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada, is divided into two conferences, the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, with 16 teams each.

In the Eastern Conference, there are the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions, while in the Western Conference, there are the Central and Pacific divisions. The league playoff winner is given the Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, at each season’s conclusion. 16 teams qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This season of the NHL has been full of surprises, with a couple of teams exceeding expectations as the season approaches halfway. Here we will look at the latest results in this current NHL season and preview favorites and underdogs for the Stanley Cup. 

Here are the results of the NHL games that took place at the time of writing this article, 23rd December 2022. Eleven games took place on this day, but we will highlight the key ones and recap how the game went. 

Boston Bruins Vs New Jersey Devils

Boston faced the challenging job of travelling to New Jersey to take on a fantastic Devils squad on the second night of a back-to-back. After defeating the Panthers on Wednesday

day night, the New Jersey Devils ended their six-game losing streak and returned to the win column. The Boston Bruins began the contest, still having a successful season. After falling behind 2-0 to the Jets the previous night, they had a fantastic comeback victory, winning 3-2. There was fear of fatigue for the Bruins, but they squeezed a 4-3 victory.

Boston Bruins

On Friday night, the Boston Bruins defeated the New Jersey Devils thanks to two goals from forward David Pastrnak and two assists from linemates David Krejci and Pavel Zacha. For the Bruins, Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk also scored, while Linus Ullmark recorded his NHL-best 19th victory while making 36 saves. With four straight wins and 56 points going into the Christmas break, Boston is in first place in the NHL.

New Jersey Devils

Jack Hughes gave the Devils the lead in the first period, giving them a 1-0 advantage. After falling three goals down by the end of the second period, Tomas Tatar and Yegor Sharangovich scored for New Jersey, but it was not enough to even rescue a point in this game. Before being replaced after two quarters, goalkeeper Mackenzie Blackwood recorded 14 saves. It’s now seven losses in eight games for the Devils.

Philadelphia Flyers Vs Carolina Hurricanes

The Philadelphia Flyers were on the road as they travelled to the Carolina Hurricanes. In their last game, Philadelphia played the Toronto Maple Leafs. After playing Pittsburgh on Thursday, Carolina played its second game in two nights. Before its back-to-back games, Philadelphia defeated the Columbus Blue 5-3 and had won two of its last three games. Carolina has won six straight games and most recently defeated the New Jersey Devils.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers could have started the game better. They were already down by two goals at the end of the first period as the Hurricanes put three past them. Defender Travis Sanheim scored the only goal for the Flyers in the first period. In the second period, the Flyers made it a goal margin as Tony DeAngelo scored off a Joel Farabee assist.

The Flyers conceded three goals again in the second period and were trailing by four goals at the end of the period. The third period was all about the Flyers. They scored all three goals in the period via Nick Seeler, Scott Laughton, and Travis Konecny, but it was all in vain as the Flyers lost for the third time in four games. 

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes dominated the first two periods of this game and did enough in those two quarters to win despite a subpar performance in the third period. The Hurricanes won their eighth straight game with two goals from Jesper Fast in the first period, along with goals from Stefan Noesen, Andrei Svechnikov, Martinook, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Martinook, Martin Necas, and Brett Pesce all had two assists each, while Jordan Staal got three. Antti Raanta, the Hurricanes’ goalie, made 27 saves.

St. Louis Blues Vs Vegas Golden Knights

In a Western Conference matchup, the St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights squared off at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. St. Louis Blues entered this game having lost 5-2 against the Seattle Kraken, snapping their four-game winning streak. The Vegas Golden Knights, meanwhile, ended a two-game losing streak this past Wednesday. They defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. By narrowly defeating the Blues 5-4 in this contest, the Golden Knights made it two victories in a row.

St. Louis Blues

After going down by a goal in the first period, forward Pavel Buchnevich tied the game for the Blues at the start of the second period. Vladimir Tarasenko, Justin Faulk’s goal, and Noel Acciari scored as the game ended in a draw at the end of regular time. St. Louis Blues lost the shootout, which meant back-to-back losses for the team.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Knights have won back-to-back home games going into the holiday break after losing six of their previous seven at T-Mobile Arena. The Amadio, Chandler Stephenson, and Mark Stone line excelled for the second straight game. The three players combined for three goals and six assists. Stephenson tied the shootout in overtime, and Stone sank the winning shot.

Worthy Mention

On the last game day before the Christmas break, the Washington Capitals played the Winnipeg Jets. History was made as Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin passed Gordie Howe for second on the NHL all-time goal list by scoring two goals to reach the 802 goal mark. Ovechkin gave Washington the lead in the first period to bring his tally to 801 goals, consequently matching Gordie Howe’s goal record.

A minute left in the third period was when Ovechkin passed the legend as he scored an empty-net goal. This brings his overall tally for the season to 22 goals in 36 appearances. This was a worthy mention, as history was made right in this game. The Jets posed little or no threat to the Capitals as they won 4-1 in a game that was an obvious walk in the park for them. 

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