• The NHL Draft starts live on Wednesday, June 28th at 7:00pm ET with Round 1 on ESPN and ESPN+
• Connor Bedard is the odds-on lock to go with the top pick to the Chicago Blackhawks.
• Keep reading for props, best bets, and some shots in the proverbial dark!

The NHL Draft comes to Nashville, Tennessee this week as the third part of a “sports trifecta” of sorts. NASCAR invaded the suburbs over the weekend with the NHL Awards on Monday night. Now, the draft takes center stage over two days. Will there be trades and further intrigue to go along with the usual reaches?

Wednesday night features Round 1 on network television but do not worry. Streamers can watch online via ESPN+ both days. Day two begins at 11:00am ET and can be found on NHL Network as well. In Canada, Sportsnet will carry the English feed with TVA Sports on the French side of things.

Again, Connor Bedard has no odds available because he has been expected to go number one for months and months. What props and bets do we have in mind for Round 1 and beyond? That is the fun part. Let’s dig in!

2023 NHL Draft #5 Pick Odds

The odds to be the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft see Ryan Leonard and David Reinbacher as the co-favorites at +170.

Now, the Montreal Canadiens possess the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Some believe that after the first two picks, the draft could veer in a number of different directions. However, this spot may be a pivot point in of itself.

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Odds as of June 27th at DraftKings. Claim the DraftKings Sportsbook promo code to bet on the NHL Draft.

Could It Be Matvei Michkov At Number Five?

The uncertainty on when the Russian forward gets taken is polarizing. Michkov could very well be the second-best player in this draft. Now, that is in terms of pure talent. The debate will rage for months if not years on that one. However, the 18-year-old possesses clear talent.

Hearing #GoHabsGo are one of the teams scheduled to meet with Matvei Michkov early this week in Nashville.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 26, 2023

Though he is probably two or three years away, Michkov could sneak on the right roster in a year or so. So, teams have to weigh the risk of whether they can wait for the forward. Montreal, Arizona, and a few others are at least exploring the notion of drafting Michkov.

Which team makes the most sense? Honestly, it feels more and more this is a pick Montreal could make. Michkov could be one of the future solutions for a team that is woeful on the power play. The betting percentages are with Michkov and the Montreal Canadiens at +275.

• Pick: Matvei Michkov to be Fifth Selection (+275)

NHL Draft Position Odds

NHL Draft Position Analysis

These are always the props that get tougher and tougher to gauge. This is because all it takes is a trade or two and someone goes tumbling down the draft board. Fallers never fail to amaze along with those dreaded reaches. It is why gauging draft position is truly a challenging guessing game.

David Reinbacher is a name on many lists and his stock keeps rising. Reinbacher is a lock to be the first defenseman chosen in this year’s draft. The only question now is where in the top ten does he wind up? Now, the rationale is he could end up with Montreal possibly but more likely Arizona.

David Reinbacher is a defenseman with EHC Kloten.

He moved from Austria to Switzerland at age 14 to advance his career. Away from the ice he likes to read & does recruitment for companies in Switzerland as part of his curriculum at school. #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/5RfHhHNTXV

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 20, 2023

After that, there is the question of whether Zach Benson could go eighth. This makes that +200 for the Under look juicy. It’s quite a risk but that reward is tangible. He’s certainly not a name to sleep on in the Calder Trophy odds.

Oliver Moore is one of the biggest coin flips of the opening round. Moore could go around the top ten but could drop out of the top twenty potentially. This boils down to team and fit. Moore is one of those players who may drop easier than rise at this point.

• Prediction: Oliver Moore Over 14.5 (-115)

First To Be Drafted Odds

Head-to-head draft matchups on DraftKings allow you to bet on which player you believe will be selected first.

Head-to-Head Draft Position Predictions

Now, this looks like something straight out of a duel. Calum Ritchie might be a reach for a team in the teens. Again, this is about finding value. Then there is that epic Simashev versus Honzek battle. Honestly, Dmitri Simashev could sneak up a few draft boards. If his number gets back to Even or even slightly plus, then make that wager.

Our best bet for the NHL Draft head-to-head odds is to take Calum Ritchie at +150 vs Braden Yager. Expect a lot of unexpected this year and do count on a number of trades on Wednesday and even Thursday, which could shake up the Stanley Cup odds.

• Best Bet: Calum Ritchie to be drafted before Braden Yager (+150)

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