Connor Bedard has long been the consensus top prospect in the 2023 NHL draft class. That's why there shouldn't be any suspense when the Chicago Blackhawks are on the clock at No. 1 on Wednesday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

The two-day draft will continue into Thursday, as the league's 32 teams add players who could become building blocks for many years to come. After Bedard likely gets picked by Chicago at No. 1, then the draft will be much less predictable.

There are sure to be some surprises. No mock is likely to get everything exactly right.

Regardless, here's a mock draft for this year's opening round, followed by a look at several players who have been on the rise leading into the event.

1st-Round Mock Draft

1. Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard, C, Regina

2. Anaheim Ducks: Adam Fantilli, C, Michigan

3. Columbus Blue Jackets: Leo Carlsson, C, Örebro HK

4. San Jose Sharks: Matvei Michkov, RW, Ska St. Petersburg

5. Montreal Canadiens: David Reinbacher, D, Kloten

6. Arizona Coyotes: William Smith, C, USA U-18 NTDP

7. Philadelphia Flyers: Ryan Leonard, RW, USA U-18 NTDP

8. Washington Capitals: Dalibor Dvorsky, C, Aik

9. Detroit Red Wings: Gabriel Perreault, RW, USA U-18 NTDP

10. St. Louis Blues: Nate Danielson, C, Brandon

11. Vancouver Canucks: Tom Willander, D, Rogle Jr.

12. Arizona Coyotes (via Ottawa Senators): Matthew Wood, RW, UConn

13. Buffalo Sabres: Axel Sandin Pellikka, D, Skellefteå AIK

14. Pittsburgh Penguins: Zach Benson, LW, Winnipeg

15. Nashville Predators: Colby Barlow, LW, Owen Sound

16. Calgary Flames: Samuel Honzek, LW, Vancouver

17. Detroit Red Wings (via New York Islanders): Eduard Sale, LW, Brno

18. Winnipeg Jets: Oliver Moore, C, USA U-18 NTDP

19. Chicago Blackhawks (via Tampa Bay Lightning): Calum Ritchie, C, Oshawa

20. Seattle Kraken: Dmitri Simashev, D, Yaroslavl Jr.

21. Minnesota Wild: Brayden Yager, C, Moose Jaw

22. Philadelphia Flyers (via Los Angeles Kings): Oliver Bonk, D, London

23. New York Rangers: David Edstrom, C, Frolunda Jr.

24. Nashville Predators (via Edmonton Oilers): Etienne Morin, D, Moncton

25. St. Louis Blues (via Toronto Maple Leafs): Charlie Stramel, C, Wisconsin

26. San Jose Sharks (via New Jersey Devils): Michael Hrabal, G, Omaha

27. Colorado Avalanche: Quentin Musty, LW, Sudbury

28. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Boston Bruins): Bradly Nadeau, LW, Penticton

29. St. Louis Blues (via Dallas Stars): Tanner Molendyk, D, Saskatoon

30. Carolina Hurricanes: Danny Nelson, C, USA U-18 NTDP

31. Montreal Canadiens (via Florida Panthers): Carson Rehkopf, LW, Kitchener

32. Vegas Golden Knights: Gavin Brindley, C, Michigan

Leo Carlsson, C, Örebro HK

There's a decent chance Leo Carlsson will get drafted by either the Anaheim Ducks at No. 2 or the Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 3. He solidified his standing as one of the top prospects in the class with his performance for Sweden at the 2023 IIHF World Championship.

At that event, the 18-year-old center had three goals and two assists in five games. It was an impressive showing after he tallied 10 goals and 15 assists for Örebro during the SHL season.

"I think he's proved he's a great talent at every level he's played," NHL Central Scouting chief European scout Janne Vuorinen said last month, per NHL.com's Aaron Vickers. "I like how he stays on the puck in close areas, close to the boards, and make plays through that. Nowadays hockey is played so much close to the boards and he's really strong there."

Carlsson's skill set should make him one of the first players selected Wednesday night. If he's still there after three picks, it would be quite a surprise.

Tom Willander, D, Rogle Jr.

There are some strong defensemen in this year's draft class, quite a few of whom should get taken during the opening round. One of them is Tom Willander, who has been "rising quickly," according to The Athletic's Corey Pronman.

Willander, who played in the SHL this past season, is committed to attend Boston University. The 18-year-old should be a good fit there, given his impressive skill set and high effort.

"He's one of the best skaters in this draft, while also having decent size, he plays hard and showed more offense as the season progressed," Pronman wrote.

A good landing spot for Willander could be with the Vancouver Canucks, who own the No. 11 overall pick. But with how much his stock has been on the rise during the leadup to the draft, he may even get taken during the top 10.

William Smith, C, USA U-18 NTDP

Here's another player who has worked his way up the draft rankings and should be selected within the first 10 picks. It's also quite possible William Smith may even get taken in the top five, given just how much his stock has risen in recent months.

Smith, who is committed to play at Boston College, put up huge numbers while playing for the U.S. U18 National Team Development Program this past season. In 60 games, the center collected 51 goals and 76 assists.

"Smith is a dynamic offensive player who stands out every game with his talent," Pronman wrote in May. "He has tremendous puck skills, vision and overall offensive creativity and projects to be a major asset on an NHL power play."

If the 18-year-old doesn't go in the top five, he may not fall further than No. 6, as he could be a great target for the Arizona Coyotes. Wherever he lands, he has the potential to develop into a strong offensive player at the NHL level.