Connor Bedard, a center from the Regina team in the Western Hockey League (WHL), has secured the top spot in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters for the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft. The rankings for North American and International skaters and goalies were released on Tuesday, with Leo Carlsson from the Swedish Hockey League leading the International skaters list.
The rankings were finalized during a five-day in-person meeting in Toronto after a two-day video conference session. The 2023 NHL Draft will be held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, with the first round scheduled for June 28 and the remaining rounds on June 29. The NHL Draft Lottery, which will determine the first 16 picks, will take place on May 8 at the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Central Scouting Vice President Dan Marr praised Bedard for his elite skills and attributes that top NHL players possess. Bedard has the potential to become the second player from Regina to be picked first in the NHL draft, following Doug Wickenheiser who was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in 1980.
The 17-year-old Bedard led the WHL in several categories, including goals (71), points (143), shots on goal (360), points per game (2.51), and goals per game (1.24) in 57 regular-season games. He also shone during the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, earning the title of the tournament's top forward and most valuable player, while helping Canada secure its second consecutive gold medal.
The top three North American skaters remained unchanged from the midterm rankings released in January, with Adam Fantilli from the University of Michigan at number two and William Smith from the USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team at number three. Matthew Wood from the University of Connecticut and Ryan Leonard from the NTDP rounded out the top five.
Nate Danielson from Brandon (WHL) made one of the most significant jumps in the final rankings, moving up to the seventh spot from number 13 in the midterm list. Meanwhile, Carson Bjarnason from Brandon (WHL) leads the final ranking of North American goalies, with a record of 21-19-6, a 3.08 goals-against average, .900 save percentage, and three shutouts in 47 games.
