NHL DRAFT EXPLAINED: Where to watch, who to keep an eye on and which teams own the top picks
NHL DRAFT EXPLAINED: Where to watch, who to watch and which teams own the top picks as the future of the league changes TONIGHT
- The newest batch of NHL-ready rookies will be selected starting Wednesday
- Connor Bedard is the expected top choice, but who else could be selected early?
- DailyMail. com provides all the latest international sports news
Wednesday night sees the first of seven rounds in the NHL Draft, where some of the most promising players in the world will have their say.
A pool of talent around the world is up for grabs as a number of exciting and raw talents will be chosen to shape the future of the 32 league franchises.
But what are the details of one of the NHL’s most important nights?
Here, Mail Sport takes you through the event.
Connor Bedard has been the highly anticipated top pick in this year’s NHL Draft
When is it?
The draft will take place on Wednesday, June 28 and Thursday, June 29.
The first round will be selected on Wednesday night, while the remaining rounds will air on Thursday.
Where is it?
The draft takes place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
The arena is home to the NHL’s Nashville Predators, as well as college basketball’s SEC men’s basketball tournament.
The draft takes place at Bridgestone Arena, home of the NHL’s Nashville Predators
Where can I look?
The first round will air Wednesday night on ESPN and the ESPN app in the United States.
In Canada, the draft is broadcast in English on Sportsnet, while TVA Sports handles French-language broadcasts.
For Thursday’s rounds 2-7, the NHL Network will take over broadcasting duties in the United States.
Who has the number 1 pick?
The Chicago Blackhawks were awarded the No. 1 overall pick after winning the lottery on May 8.
The Anaheim Ducks pick next at number 2 and the Columbus Blue Jackets round out the top three selections.
Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has the first overall pick at his disposal
Who are the big names to watch out for?
Connor Bedard, one of the most hyped draft prospects the league has seen in years, is the presumptive first pick.
It would be incredibly shocking if Chicago – a team in the throes of a rebuild – didn’t choose him for this pick, especially after moving from captain Jonathan Toews playing in Bedard’s position.
After Bedard, Canadian Adam Fantilli and Swede Leo Carlsson are expected to be selected in the top three in a specific order. It gets harder outside of them.
Connor Bedard can already start looking for real estate in Chicago, barring a huge shock
After Bedard is elected, Adam Fantilli is expected to be selected
Swede Leo Carlsson, the best European skater, is also expected to finish in the top-3
Who are the favorites to win next year’s championship?
Despite being eliminated in the second round by the Seattle Kraken, the 2022 champions – the Colorado Avalanche – opened up as favorites to win the Stanley Cup again at odds of +800, according to FanDuel.
Two Canadian teams – the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers – trail them each at +1100.
Rounding out the top five, the New Jersey Devils have the fourth best odds of +1200.
Finally, there’s a four-way tie for second-best +1300 odds with the Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lighting alongside the President’s Trophy-winning Boston Bruins and the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights.