Everyone loves to hype up the draft every year, but the 2023 class is genuinely the best the league has seen in some time.

A lot of teams will leave Nashville having done a brilliant job reinforcing the organization or perhaps building it anew. Others will rue the decisions that were made as they affect the team negatively for years to come. The NHL is a zero-sum league, as the success of one team means the failure of another and vice versa.

Grading the draft isn't only just about who got the best players. It's about who did the best with what they had. What teams maximized the talent that was available when they were on the clock? That is what we're aiming to measure and analyze.

Here are how all 32 NHL teams graded out at the 2023 NHL draft.

Anaheim Ducks

Leo Carlsson has high odds of becoming a first-line NHL center. He's a superb prospect and should be a big part of what is looking to be a great team in Anaheim down the line. But Adam Fantilli was the best player available at second overall.

I felt that all three of their second-round picks were reaches. Coulson Pitre was good value in round three, though.

Anaheim is a good example of the nuance required in undergoing an exercise like this one. At the end of the day, the Ducks are leaving with a ton of talent. But did they maximize the value available to them? I'd argue not.

Grade: C

Arizona Coyotes

Although Dimitriy Simashev has the talent to eventually become a top-pairing defenseman, he hasn't shown much offense yet and sixth overall is a risky place to take him given how stacked this draft class is. It's a similar case with Daniil But, who is 6'5" and very talented but extremely raw. The Coyotes took him 12th overall, while I thought he was a more appropriate fit in the 20s.

The Coyotes took goaltender Michal Hrabal in Round 2. He's 6'6" and talented, but American Trey Augustine was the best goaltender on my board.

The rest of the draft went in a similar manner for Arizona. That is to say, the team went big. Height is probably the most overrated quality in hockey, and the Coyotes have leaned into it the last few years at the expense of everything else.

Grade: D+

Boston Bruins

The Bruins weren't the most active participant at the draft, having emptied the tank to go all-in on a 2023 Stanley Cup run. They did not pick until Round 3 when they reached hard for USHL forward Christopher Pelosi.

Fourth-round pick Beckett Hendrickson was a much better acquisition. He's 6'2 and knows how to use his size. He has good passing ability and works hard. He has a chance to become the type of rugged bottom-six forward Bostonians love.

Boston didn't exactly have much to work with, but only one pick stands out as a serious NHL prospect.

Grade: C-

Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres landed winger Zach Benson, fifth on B/R's Big Board, at 13th overall. It will be surprising if he does not make it as a top-six winger in the NHL. That alone is enough to earn the Sabres a good grade here.

But I love the rest of their draft as well. Anton Wahlberg and Maxim Strbak are both second-round values, though I don't think either is a steal by any means. Ethan Miedema is exactly the type of swing for upside teams should look for in round four.

The Sabres already had a top prospect pool. It's now even better and they'll have a lot of pieces to work with should they look to make a trade that gets them NHL-ready talent as they look to push into the playoffs.

Grade: A

Calgary Flames

The selection of Samuel Honzek at 16th overall was slightly underwhelming, though there are others who disagree. He's big and has great hands for his size, but I worry that his inability to play at a high speed might limit him to a third-line NHL role.

I like their second and third-round picks a lot more. Étienne Morin, taken 48th overall, was one of the best offensive defensemen in this draft class. Aydar Suniev had 90 points in 40 BCHL games and has the tools to become a top-nine offensive winger in the NHL if he improves his skating.

Grade: B

Carolina Hurricanes

Surprise, surprise. The Hurricanes' drafted small forwards with upside.

Bradly Nadeau, taken 30th overall, is one of the best shooters in the draft. Don't be surprised if he's a 30-plus goal scorer in the NHL one day.

Winger Jayden Perron, who lasted until the end of the third-round, is a borderline first-line talent who dropped because he is 5'8".

The rest of the draft followed that ethos, more or less. The Hurricanes are heavily invested in analytics and understand that trying to find the next Johnny Gaudreau or Jonathan Marchessault holds more purpose than attempting to add fourth-line penalty killers.

Grade: A

Chicago Blackhawks

I mean, look, ping-pong balls fell the Blackhawks' way and they got to draft the best prospect since Connor McDavid. They could have forfeited their remaining picks and still come away the draft's big winner.

They accented that moment with other savvy moves, too. Oliver Moore was ninth on B/R's Big Board. He dropped to Chicago at 19. Nick Lardis, 32nd on our board, was snapped up at 67th overall. Those are the best some solid Day Two acquisitions. It was a great two days for the rebuilding Blackhawks.

Grade: A+

Colorado Avalanche

With no picks in rounds two, three, and four, the weight of this draft for Colorado exclusively hinged on what they did with two first-round picks.

They did well with both. Calum Ritchie, who was 21st on B/R's board, was snagged at 27. Ritchie is one of the best players in this draft class when it comes to his away from the puck. He always knows how to position himself to support the puck, get open, close down lanes, cut off the opposition's options, and so on. He also has good hands and will once in a while hit the highlight reel with a toe-drag past a defender or a breakaway move. He won't be a star in the NHL, but he's the kind of player who can play on a star's line and maximize his output.

Next, Colorado took defenseman Mikhail Gulyayev at 30. The Russian defenseman ranked 20th on B/R's Big Board. He's a fantastic skater who can move the puck up the ice both with his feet and passing. Despite his smaller stature, he's a good one-on-one defender. He'll need some time to polish his game but he has a top-four upside as an offensive defenseman.

The Avalanche got strong value out of both of their first-round picks.

Grade: A

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets win the exercise of getting the most bang for their buck. They probably could not believe their luck when Adam Fantilli, a first-round pick in most drafts, was available at third overall.

Gavin Brindley, who is Fantilli's linemate at Michigan, went to Columbus at 34th overall. He was 29th on our board.

William Whitelaw has first-round talent, but will need a lot of tough love and patience in his development. We noted him as one of the best players available after the first round and Columbus grabbed him at 66th.

Finally, Andrew Strathmann is a high-upside defenseman who is underbaked. He has No. 4/5 upside as a defenseman and that's great value for round four. Even the final pick of the draft,. Tyler Peddle, is a legitimate NHL prospect.

Grade: A+

Dallas Stars

The Stars did a lot with a little on the second day of the NHL Draft.

Tristan Bertucci is a high-upside offensive defenseman drafted at 61st overall. He's a big favorite among data enthusiasts.

Aram Minnetian was the best defenseman on the US National Team Development program and I liked his performances at the U18 World Championship. He is a good puck-moving defenseman and he was a borderline second-round value. The Stars got him two rounds later.

Most teams will leave Nashville having accrued more talent, but the Stars did close to the best they could given where they were slotted to draft.

Grade: B

Detroit Red Wings

It's a mixed bag for Detroit.

Nate Danielson was taken too early at ninth overall. He's big, defends well and skates nicely for his size, but his hands are average and he may top out as a third-line center.

I did like the selection of Axel Sandin-Pellikka at 14th overall a lot better. The offensive defenseman has some quirks in his game he needs to figure out. He needs to become much better defensively and make better decisions with the puck. But he's a great skater who makes highly skilled plays in the offensive zone and could become a top-four defenseman.

They invested too soon on low-upside defensemen in Round 2, but the one selection that stands out is Trey Augustine. The 6'1" goaltender does not have the size of the two goaltenders drafted ahead of him, but his skating and reflexes are much better. He was the top goaltender on my draft board.

I also love the gamble on crafty Swede Noah Dower-Nilsson in the third round.

Grade: C+

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers only had one pick in the first five rounds of the draft but they got it absolutely right.

Beau Akey is a smooth-skating defenseman who creates zone exits out of thin air and loves to join play offensively. He has work to do to become a threat with the puck but he was one of the best players available after the first round and the Oilers got him at 56th overall. Akey has palpable top-four upside, which is more than can be said about a handful of defenseman taken ahead of him in this draft.

Grade: A

Florida Panthers

The Panthers selected Gracyn Sawchyn with their first pick of the draft at 60th overall. B/R had him ranked as the 30th player in this draft class. The center is extremely skilled with the puck but was buried behind a number of older players on the Seattle Thunderbirds depth chart. I think he takes off next season with more icetime and teams regret letting him drop this far.

They also selected a couple of defensemen who skate and transition the puck well in Albert Wikman (round three) and Luke Coughlin (round 6). Those are the types of players who tend to become depth defensemen in the modern NHL.

It's tidy work by the Panthers' scouting staff.

Grade: B+

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings took Jakub Dvorak, a very good shutdown defenseman with limited offensive upside, too early. He was more of a third or fourth-round value.

But then they drafted Koehn Ziemmer, who should have gone early in the second round, in the middle of round three. Ziemmer is a pure goal-scorer who works hard but needs to get lean and improve his skating. He has a middle-six upside in the NHL. Switch where Ziemmer and Dvorak were drafted and nobody blinks.

I also love Matthew Mania in the sixth round. He's a very good skater and moves the puck well. He could have gone in round three or four.

Grade: B

Minnesota Wild

I groaned when the Wild took Charlie Stramel at 21st overall. He's 6'3" and is a menace physically. He also has good hands for his size. But he was so used to dominating junior-level players from a young age.

Reality hit during his freshman season at Wisconsin, where he was lacking in the more cerebral elements of the game and became exposed. He's going to make the NHL as a bottom-six forward and a good one. But he should have gone in round two.

The Wild then made up for it by drafting Riley Heidt, 27th on our board, at the start of the third round. Heidt is one of the most gifted offensive players in this draft but his play away from the puck is a mess. Still, he's worth a swing on the upside.

Grade: B-

Montreal Canadiens

Carey Price's flubbing of the announcement of the Canadiens' fifth-overall pick was appropriate. David Reinbacher is a very good defenseman who showed well against pros in Switzerland. He's big, he skates well, and he transitions the puck. But he has not shown the offensive upside to justify a selection in the top-ten, let alone top-five. The Habs passed on potential stars in order to draft a player who appears destined for a second-pairing role.

Goaltender Jacob Fowler was a good bet in round three. He's a talented goaltender who can become even better by improving his skating. But the damage is done. The draft offers no guarantees but one take I'm willing to put my chips behind is that Habs fans will remember the first round years from now, and not with nostalgia.

Grade: D

Nashville Predators

Barry Trotz told the Predators' scouting staff to "swing for the fences" and they did.

Matthew Wood is 6'3" and one of the most talented players in the draft when it comes to having the puck on his stick. It would be a stretch to call him the next Tage Thompson, but their builds are very similar. Nashville drafted him 15th overall. He was 11th on B/R's board.

Tanner Molendyk, drafted 27th overall, did not make our top-32 board, but he was strongly considered for it. He's an unbelievable skater who moves the puck up the ice extremely well. As it stands, he looks like a top-four shutdown and transition defenseman. If he can add some more offense to his game? Watch out.

Nashville also made some good day-two bets. I like forwards Jesse Kiiskanen and Joey Willis in rounds three and four, respectively. They both play honest two-way games that could lead to careers as bottom-six forwards.

Grade: A-

New Jersey Devils

The Devils have possibly the best group of young players in the league, but this draft was not their shining moment.

Second-round pick Lenni Hämeenaho played well in Finland's top league, which is not easy for a 17-year-old. He's a very cerebral forward who makes good decisions and finds himself in the right spots. His offensive upside is limited, though. He's not the worst pick at 61st overall, but they did leave upside on the board.

Cam Squires is an analytics pick, as his near point-per-game output in the QMJHL is better than the inputs of his game; mediocre skating and hockey sense.

Chase Cheslock is a physical defenseman who can handle the puck competently.

The Devils' big work this offseason won't be at the draft table. They're gearing up for a contention window.

Grade: C+

New York Islanders

The Islanders made decent work of unfortunate circumstances. The team traded what would become the 17th-overall pick to Vancouver in return for Bo Horvat; a decision that looks regrettable now.

Still, they got good value with their first pick of the draft. Danny Nelson was a fringe first/second-round value whom the Islanders landed all the way back at 49th overall. He plays a high-energy game, but has the hands and poise to complement it. I really like his chances at becoming a third-line NHLer who does a bit of everything.

The rest of their picks were defendable but uninspiring. The Islanders came out as losers from this draft the moment they parted with that first-round pick. It's a prospect pool that badly needed it. But what's done is done. We're here to grade the players they did draft, and Nelson was a good pick in the second round.

Grade: B

New York Rangers

Gabriel Perreault, who was ranked No. 8 on the B/R Big Board, dropped all the way to 23rd overall. He has every chance to become a top-six offensive winger in the NHL. Pound-for-pound, that was one of the best picks of the first round.

Drew Fortescue, a defenseman taken in Round 3, needs to work on his skating mechanics, but he plays a shutdown game and has good instincts and the ability to transition the puck from the defensive zone.

I don't love what the Rangers did in Rounds 5 and 6, taking big players with skating issues and low upside, but they hit a home run at the most important moment. That outweighs all else.

Grade: B+

Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators, who did not make the playoffs last season, did not own a draft pick until round four. It's indicative of a bigger problem, but that's not why we're here.

Fourth-round pick Hoyt Stanley is a project, but that's what the fourth round is for. He's a 6'2" defenseman who skates well and can move the puck up the ice. He played in the BCHL, a second-tier junior league in Canada where college-bound prospects usually play to preserve NCAA eligibility and that type of underexposure could retroactively explain why an NHL-caliber defenseman might have fallen.

Their remaining picks in rounds six and seven were investments in big players with low upside, but they at least did a decent job in round four. The bigger question Ottawa management must ask itself is how they ended up without draft capital in the first place.

Grade: C+

Philadelphia Flyers

One of many reasons the Flyers ended up in such a deep hole is that the previous regime failed to draft and develop true difference-makers. If the 2023 class is any indicator, then that's about to change under GM Danny Brière.

Michkov, whom the Flyers landed at 7th overall, was the second-best player available in this draft. And he is closer to Bedard than he is to Carlsson or Fantilli. Yeah, there were mitigating circumstances that led to his fall down the board, but so what? Philadelphia was the team that did not shy away and they should have a bonafide superstar winger in three years when he comes over to North America.

I did not love the selection of Oliver Bonk at 22nd overall, as I see him as more of a #4/5 defenseman in the NHL, but he's still a solid prospect.

And I like some of the Flyers' day-two picks. Denver Barkey may be 5'8" but he plays the gutsy, antagonistic style Philadelphians will love. Alex Ciernik, a round-four pick is a great skater who loves to carry the puck up the wing. He could become a key checking-line forward.

But this really is all about Michkov. What serendipity for a Flyers team that was overdue for some.

Grade: A+

Pittsburgh Penguins

In Kyle Dubas' first draft as GM of the Penguins, the team showed up and completed its assignment; no better and no worse.

Brayden Yager, who was 13th on the B/R Big Board, went to Pittsburgh at 15th overall. He's a good two-way center with a lightning-quick release as a shooter. He has almost made improvements to his skating. I see his upside as a future second-line center.

My favorite pick of theirs on day two was Emil Järventie all the way in the seventh round. He did not have the best draft year, but I liked his play for Finland in various tournaments. He lacks standout skills, but he is an intelligent player with decent hands. He has a chance to become a depth forward in the NHL.

The Penguins more or less got slot value at the draft. Fans should be content, though not elated.

Grade: B

San Jose Sharks

They passed on Michkov and history will judge that decision, but Will Smith is a future top-six NHL center who performs every single aspect of the game at a proficient level. He is worthy of a fourth-overall selection and should be the future face of the Sharks.

Winger Quentin Musty, who was 12th on the B/R Big Board, dropped to San Jose at 26th overall. He has some kinks to work out in his game and he does not show up on a consistent enough basis, but he's big and highly talented. He can make plays with the puck that not many can match.

I do think they took winger Kasper Halttunen too early. He's big and has a wicked shot, but those can only take a player so far. He needs a lot of work on his skating and ability to read the game. He was more of a late-second-round value for me.

Luca Cagnoni, drafted in round four, was one of the draft's better values. Yeah, he's a 5'9" defenseman, but he's a great skater who processes the game at a high level. Maybe he doesn't make the NHL, but if he does, he's a top-four offensive contributor.

Grade: A-

Seattle Kraken

The Kraken are a team whose investment in analytics is demonstrable at the draft.

Eduard Šalé, whom the team drafted at 20th overall, was 10th on the B/R Big Board. He's a skilled winger who skates well in open ice and has soft hands in the offensive zone. He needs to mature physically in order to keep up in the Czech league but he has a top-six upside.

I really love their second-round efforts. Carson Rehkopf and Oscar Fisker Mølgaard have solid two-way games and could turn into third-liners in a few years.

But the best of the bunch was Lukas Dragicevic. The offensive defenseman was ranked 28th on B/R's big board. He produced 75 points in 68 WHL games for a brutal Tri-City Americans team. Yeah, he can't defend, but neither can lots of offensive defensemen in the NHL. Getting him all the way at 57th overall is an unbelievable value.

Grade: A

St. Louis Blues

The Blues utilized three first-round picks. I love what they did with two of those selections.

Dalibor Dvorský would have earned top-five consideration in practically any other draft year. Despite being on the younger side of this draft class, he plays an incredibly mature game. His hands are above-average and his wrist shot is a major threat. I think the worst-case scenario for him is a long career as a third-line center, his upside is much higher than that. If he can improve his skating then the sky is the limit. He reminds me of former Blues center David Backes, coincidentally enough.

Otto Stenberg is the kind of high-risk, high-reward gamble I can appreciate at 25th overall. Stenberg is some of the best hands in this draft. He routinely makes plays in small spaces of the ice to make defenders look silly. At times he has dominated international play. But his league season was average and he needs to have good showings rather than the pivots between "dominant" and "average."

The selection of Theo Lindstein at 29th is where I diverge from the Blues' thinking. He's a good skater and is calm with the puck, but I see no high-end upside. He is not a great thinker of the game nor does he show any offensive prowess. I think the Blues will be very fortunate if he becomes even a No. 4 defenseman and I had him pegged for the third round.

Certainly, the good outweighs the bad.

Grade: B+

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning acquired the 37th-overall pick from Colorado Avalanche in return for forward Ross Colton.

They used that pick on a player who could assume Colton's role in a few years. Ethan Gauthier is a jack-of-all-trades type of winger. He knows his game, which is chipping pucks up the ice, forechecking, and creating havoc down-low. He has good hands, scores his share of goals, and shows surprising dexterity as a playmaker. Gauthier won't "Wow" you but he should seamlessly fit on Tampa Bay's third line in a few years. The Circle of Life!

I also like a few of their late-round picks of Jayson Shaugabay and Ethan Hay. Hay, drafted in the 7th round, scored 17 goals in 64 games for the Flint Firebirds, and what's noteworthy here is that he was 10th on the team in icetime, per InStat. Had he received more icetime, maybe he proves himself and goes multiple rounds earlier.

Nice draft for the Lightning, who have built multiple Stanley Cups through churning out replaceable forward depth and may have done so again here.

Grade: A

Toronto Maple Leafs

Easton Cowan plays the game at full throttle and he thinks the game at a high level as well. But wow. Twenty goals and 33 assists in 68 games is tepid production for a player drafted 28th overall. And Cowan was fourth among London Knights forwards in ice time, per InStat, so it's not as if he lacked opportunity.

He very well could turn into a third-liner in the NHL but that looks like the absolute limit. There were a number of players available who had significantly higher upside without risking anything in terms of the likelihood of making it. He should have gone 30 picks later.

The Leafs only drafted twice more, in rounds five and six. Granted, the Leafs' scouting staff has historically done very well in Ontario. But they are really sticking their necks out with the selection of Cowan.

Grade: D

Vancouver Canucks

I was higher on Tom Willander than a good number of people, but I had him 18th on B/R's Big Board. Vancouver took him 11th. There were far worse decisions made in round one, as Willander is a great shutdown defenseman who can skate and handle the puck. I'd bet on him as a second-pairing NHL defenseman, but they passed on higher-upside forwards such as Gabriel Perreault, Matthew Wood, and Brayden Yager.

Their best value was Hunter Brzustewicz in the third round. The American defenseman is a heady puck-mover who sets his teammates up for goals in the offensive zone. His skating is average and he's an unremarkable defender, but I think he could turn into a second-pairing defenseman.

The rest of their picks were, for the most part dreadful. This draft encapsulates everything about the Canucks over the last number of years. It wasn't the worst by any means and there are some things to feel good about, but the overall product leaves you wanting more.

Grade: C

Vegas Golden Knights

The Stanley Cup winners were of course not swimming in draft assets, but the scouting team did a nice job with what they had available to them.

Vegas was, funny enough, one of the few contenders from last season to still hold its first-round pick. The Golden Knights selected center David Edstrom at 32nd overall, and he is an appropriate player for that slotting. He's a big, physical center with good hands and hockey sense to complement them. His game seamlessly translates to the NHL style, and it's easy to imagine him as a future third-line checking center in the mold of Adam Lowry.

Mathieu Cataford is also a respectable value at 77th overall. He's a well-rounded winger with a checking-line upside.

Arttu Karki, drafted in Round 4, was a point-per-game defenseman in Finland's U20 league. He's good at dishing the puck, but his defensive game is subpar, and he may not have enough offense to offset that. He's a good gamble at this stage of the draft, though.

Vegas did nothing exciting with its picks, but it got appropriate value at every slot.

Grade: B

Washington Capitals

I am lower on Ryan Leonard than others. I had him 14th on B/R's Big Board and the Capitals drafted him eighth overall. But I get it. He is big, fast, plays hard, and has good hands to complement it all. I don't think he is superlative in any way and that's why I see him as more of a future second and third-line tweener, but I won't be mindblown if he becomes more. Among the picks I disagree with, this is the one where I can see the competing argument.

Andrew Cristall at 40th overall is one of the draft's best values. He was 15th on B/R's Big Board. His hands and vision are some of the best in the draft and there's a reason he registered 95 points in 54 WHL games despite having little help around him. No doubt, he is a risk. He's 5'11", doesn't skate well, and plays something of a perimeter game. But the Capitals drafted someone with All-Star potential in the middle of the second round.

Those are two really, really good prospects to leave the draft with. The retool in Washington is on its way.

Grade: B

Winnipeg Jets

Cobly Barlow was not the best player available at the time, but he did rank 17th on B/R's Big Board. The Jets drafting him at 18 is an appropriate value. He's physically mature, skates well north-south and has an absolutely wicked shot release. He'll be a top-nine winger in Winnipeg soon enough, and I err closer to the top-six than the third line.

The third round was probably too soon for a project like high school winger Zach Nehring, though admittedly more research on him is needed.

Goaltenders are historically good value in the late rounds of the draft and 6'0" Tomas Milic has proven himself in the WHL and internationally.

Winger Connor Levis, drafted with one of the last picks of the draft, was a point-per-game 18-year-old in the WHL last season. Not a bad bet.

I think the Jets left some value on the table but they didn't do anything egregious. Barlow is a good prospect and they have some upside in the later rounds.

Grade: B-