The 2023 NHL Draft, which took place June 28-29, had a few surprises in store for hockey fans.

Here's a look at each team's notable picks this week, and how we rank them.

2023 NHL Draft Notable Picks and Grades

Anaheim Ducks: A

Leo Carlsson (C), Round 1, Pick 2; Damian Clara (G), Round 2, Pick 28

The Ducks raised some eyebrows by passing over Michigan Hobey Baker winner Adam Fantilli at No. 2, but Carlsson spent last season matching up against adults in the Swedish Hockey League, potentially making him a surer bet with regard to immediate NHL readiness.

Anaheim also grabbed 6-foot-6 Italian Damian Clara, an intriguing prospect on his size alone.

Arizona Coyotes: C

Dmitry Simashev (D), Round 1, Pick 6; Danil But (L), Round 1, Pick 12

Both Simashev and But are under contract in the KHL through 2024-25. As they likely won't be ready to join the NHL immediately, why not wait instead for KHL phenom Matvei Michkov, who is signed in Russia through 2026? Michkov was still on the board at No. 6.

Boston Bruins: B-

Christopher Pelosi (C), Round 3, Pick 28

The Bruins took Pelosi at 92nd overall, 35 spots ahead of his pre-draft ranking, so Boston scouts saw something in this 6-foot-1 center they liked in the NAHL and USHL last season. Pelosi will play in the NCAA next season with Quinnipiac, and his performance could show how much of a shot he's going to have in the NHL.

Buffalo Sabres: B+

Zach Benson (L), Round 1, Pick 13

The Sabres' front office has been tracking Benson for two seasons, per NHL.com's Jourdon LaBarber. He played with Matthew Savoie, the Sabres' No. 9 pick of 2022, in the WHL last season. Buffalo might plan to see Benson and Savoie in the NHL together someday.

Calgary Flames: B

Samuel Honzek (L), Round 1, Pick 16

Honzek is 18 years old but already measures in at 6-foot-4 and 194 pounds, giving the Flames reason to hope his success at the WHL level could translate to the NHL. Calgary chose to stick with a sizeable center over some of the higher-scoring wingers still available because the team considered Honzek the best player available overall at No. 16, per The Athletic's Julian McKenzie.

Carolina Hurricanes: B+

Bradley Nadeau (L), Round 1, Pick 30

Nadeau was named the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL)'s MVP last season after leading all skaters with 68 assists and 113 points in 54 games. He could fit in with a team built around skilled scorers.

Chicago Blackhawks: A+

Connor Bedard (C), Round 1, Pick 1; Oliver Moore (C), Round 1, Pick 19

The Hawks added potentially generational scoring talent to a team starved for offense with Bedard. The Hawks also originally wanted to trade up for Moore, who established himself as one of the draft's best skaters with the U.S. National Team Development Program last season, so Chicago likely considers him a steal at No. 19.

Colorado Avalanche: A-

Calum Ritchie (C), Round 1, Pick 27

Ritchie played last season with an injured shoulder, which was part of the reason he dropped to the bottom of the first round. Had he been healthy he likely would have gone much higher and could end up as a steal with NHL potential for the Avs.

Columbus Blue Jackets: A

Adam Fantilli (C), Round 1, Pick 3

The Blue Jackets got to snag one of the draft's most talented scorers when Fantilli was passed over by the Anaheim Ducks at No. 2. For a team struggling despite having Johnny Gaudreau at wing, the addition of a player projected to be a top-line center will be key to a bounce-back season.

Dallas Stars: C

Tristan Bertucci (D), Round 2, Pick 29

The Stars saw 60 picks go by before they got to have a say, so it was a relatively weak draft class for the Stars. Bertucci will still be a prospect to watch. He has developed into a strong skater and a two-way defenseman over the last OHL season.

Detroit Red Wings: A-

Nate Danielson (C), Round 1, Pick 9; Axel Sandin Pellikka (D), Round 1, Pick 17; Trey Augustine (G), Round 2, Pick 9

The Red Wings need a center, defense and goaltending. They got viable prospects in all three areas with their first three picks.

Edmonton Oilers: C

Beau Akey (D), Round 2, Pick 24; Nathaniel Day (G), Round 6, Pick 24

Akey saw his OHL ice time drop toward the end of last season, while Day put up a 3.91 GAA and .874 SV% in 32 games behind a fifth-place OHL team. Their NHL potential remains to be seen.

Florida Panthers: B+

Gracyn Sawchyn (C), Round 2, Pick 31

Scouts like to describe Sawchyn as "gritty" and says he's a fan of Matthew Tkachuk, so he sounds like the exact kind of player Florida wants in their system.

Los Angeles Kings: C

Jakub Dvorak (D), Round 2, Pick 22

Dvorak is a 6-foot-5 defenseman and a lefty, which the Kings need on their blueline, but he suffered multiple injuries last season and is under contract in the Czech Republic for another year.

Minnesota Wild: B+

Charlie Stramel (C), Round 1, Pick 21

The Wild need depth down the middle. Stramel, who proved himself to be a viable two-way center at the University of Wisconsin last season, could be that center.

Montreal Canadiens: B-

David Reinbacher (D), Round 1, Pick 5; Jacob Fowler (G), Round 3, Pick 5

The Habs wanted a defender, and they passed on Michkov to get him. Can this team, which needs a dynamic scorer, afford that? Boston College goalie Fowler, meanwhile, adds depth to Montreal's net.

Nashville Predators: B+

Matthew Wood (R), Round 1, Pick 15; Tanner Molendyk (D), Round 1, Pick 24

Nashville got goalscoring potential in Wood and a quick-skating center in Molendyk. Both are likely to earn shots at the NHL as the Predators begin a rebuild.

New Jersey Devils: B-

Lenni Hameenaho (R), Round 2, Pick 26

Hameenaho skated last season with adults in the Finnish pro league and saw his ice time progress throughout the year, but says he will need "a few more years" before he's NHL-ready.

New York Islanders: B+

Danny Nelson (C), Round 2, Pick 17

Nelson played as a defenseman before transitioning to center, giving him a rare skill range that makes him an intriguing pick.

New York Rangers: A

Gabriel Perreault (R), Round 1, Pick 23

Perreault was projected by some to go in the top 10 of the draft and has the potential to end up as a top-six winger after a record-breaking season with the USNTDP.

Ottawa Senators: C

Hoyt Stanley (D), Round 4, Pick 12

The Senators had no picks in the first three rounds. Stanley will be going to Cornell next season, where he will have the chance to develop NHL potential over the next few years.

Philadelphia Flyers: A

Matvei Michkov (R), Round 1, Pick 7

Michkov might not play in the NHL until 2026-27, but for a player seen by some as the best Russian prospect since Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin he might be worth the wait.

Pittsburgh Penguins: B-

Brayden Yager (C), Round 1, Pick 14

The Penguins cited Yager's two-way game as the reason they chose him over more highly-ranked prospects still available. He will likely need at least another season in the minors before he is ready for the NHL.

San Jose Sharks: A-

William Smith (C), Round 1, Pick 4; Quentin Musty (L), Round 1, Pick 26

The Sharks passed over Michkov in favor of Smith, who will play at Boston College next season. For a team needing improvements in the near future, having a player develop in North America is a plus. Musty, who has NHL potential as a top-six wing, is a solid late first-rounder.

Seattle Kraken: A-

Eduard Sale (L), Round 1, Pick 20

Sale was likely the best overall asset available at No. 20. He was ranked higher on several mock draft boards after being named the top Czech league's rookie of the year last season.

St. Louis Blues: B

Dalibor Dvorsky (C), Round 1, Pick 10

Dvorsky was the Blues' first top-10 pick in 15 years after stellar international U18 showings for Sweden, but it remains to be seen how he will play at the NHL level. His numbers have excelled in the junior Swedish circuits but fallen when playing against pros.

Tampa Bay Lightning: B

Ethan Gauthier (R), Round 2, Pick 5

The Lightning did not pick until Round 2 but still found a winger with NHL potential in Gauthier, who stood out as a deft skater last year in the QMJHL.

Toronto Maple Leafs: B-

Easton Cowan (R), Round 1, Pick 28

Cowan was not projected as a first-round pick, so his selection by the Leafs at No. 28 came as a surprise. Toronto will hope his recent surge, where he scored 18 points in 20 playoff games for the London Knights, is an indication of his ceiling.

Vancouver Canucks: B+

Tom Willander (D), Round 1, Pick 11

The Canucks have been "very high" on Willander for some time, per The Athletic's Rick Dhaliwal. They want a right-shooting defenseman to play alongside Quinn Hughes. To get their guy, however, they passed on forwards which could have added some much-needed scoring to the lineup.

Vegas Golden Knights: B+

David Edstrom (C), Round 1, Pick 32

Edstrom has proven to be a solid two-way center in the Swedish junior leagues and at international tournaments. He made his first jump to the SHL last season and has the potential to develop into an NHL center.

Washington Capitals: B

Ryan Leonard (R), Round 1, Pick 8

The Capitals just missed out on Michkov and grabbed Leonard instead. Leonard was not a consensus top-10 pick, but earned power play and penalty kill experience with the USNTDP last season, upping the value of the role he could play for Washington.

Winnipeg Jets: A-

Colby Barlow (L), Round 1, Pick 18

Barlow's OHL highlights feature a heavy, by all appearances NHL-ready shot which helped him put up 46 goals in his draft season. Scouts report his overall game needs rounding out, but the Jets are betting they can build on that scoring potential.