2023 NHL Draft: Metropolitan Division needs

The 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The first round will be June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are June 29 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a look at needs for teams in the Metropolitan Division. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

The 2023 NHL Draft provides an opportunity for teams to strengthen positions of need with young talent.

Here are what Metropolitan Division teams could be looking to do at the draft (listed in alphabetical order):

CAROLINA HURRICANES

Top priority:Best available

First pick:No. 30

The situation:The Hurricanes have a pick in the opening round for the first time since selecting forward Seth Jarvis at No. 13 in the 2020 NHL Draft. Jarvis was quite the find; the 21-year-old has 79 points (31 goals, 48 assists) in 150 NHL regular-season games over two seasons and is one of three first-round picks making a big impact with forwards Andrei Svechnikov (No. 2, 2018) and Martin Necas (No. 12, 2017). Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, a second-round pick (No. 36) in the 2019 NHL Draft, has gained valuable experience the past two seasons and could earn a bigger role in 2023-24 since Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta can each become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Carolina has made 40 picks the past four years and will continue to load up with talent at all positions.

Possible fits:Ethan Gauthier, RW, Sherbrooke (QMJHL); Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George (WHL); Carson Rehkopf, LW, Kitchener (OHL)

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Top priority:Skilled forward

First pick:No. 3

The situation:The Blue Jackets fired coach Brad Larsen on April 15 after they finished last in the Eastern Conference and 31st in the NHL. The new coach will have a lot to look forward to with many promising defenseman prospects including David Jiricek (2022 NHL Draft, No. 6), Denton Mateychuk (2022, No. 12), Corson Ceulemans (2021, No. 25) and Stanislav Svozil (2021, No. 69). Columbus also traded for defensemen Ivan Provorov (Philadelphia Flyers) and Damon Severson (New Jersey Devils) in separate deals. Right wing prospect James Malatesta (2021, No. 133) was named most valuable player of the Memorial Cup after scoring five goals in four tournament games to help Quebec in its championship run. The Blue Jackets may look to fill the pool with some skilled forwards to one day play with Kent Johnson, Johnny Gaudreau and Yegor Chinakhov, and there should be an opportunity with seven picks in the draft.

Possible fits:Adam Fantilli, C, University of Michigan (NCAA); Leo Carlsson, C, Orebro (SWE); Matvei Michkov, RW, St. Petersburg (RUS)

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Top priority:Depth at forward and defense

First pick:No. 58

The situation:After picking among the top 10 of the NHL draft in five of the past six years, the Devils qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in five seasons and do not have an opening-round pick for the first time since 2013. New Jersey traded the No. 26 pick to the San Jose Sharks in the deal for forward Timo Meier on Feb. 26. They are expected to incorporate defenseman Luke Hughes (2021, No. 4) into the lineup out of training camp, and defenseman Simon Nemec (2022, No. 2) made great strides in Utica of the American Hockey League with 34 points (12 goals, 22 assists) and a plus-13 rating in 65 games this season. Forward Nolan Foote (trade with Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 16, 2020) is expected to earn a roster spot out of camp, defenseman prospect Topias Vilen (2021, No. 129) will play in Utica next season, and forward prospect Arseny Gritsyuk (No. 129, 2019) is close after he had 40 points (15 goals, 25 assists) in 66 games for Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League. Goalie Nico Daws (No. 84, 2020) is the top player at his position in the prospect pool, and Akira Schmid (2018, No. 136) could back up Vitek Vanecek after an incredible run in his NHL playoffs debut, going 4-4 with a 2.35 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and two shutouts in nine games (eight starts). New Jersey likely will use its six picks to bolster the prospect tank with forwards and stay-at-home defensemen.

Possible fits:Aydar Suniev, LW, Penticton (BCHL); Kalan Lind, LW, Red Deer (WHL); Andrew Gibson, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Top priority:Lineup depth

First pick:No. 49

The situation: New York traded its top prospect, 20-year-old center Aatu Raty, and forward Anthony Beauvillier (turned 26 on June 8), to the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 30 for Bo Horvat in a move to strengthen its position down the middle before the playoffs. The Islanders lost the Eastern Conference First Round in six games to the Hurricanes. Mathew Barzal had trouble finding his timing after missing the final 23 games of the regular season with a lower-body injury, and Horvat pressed after being acquired and signing an eight-year contract six days later, so the expectations are each player will return to form in 2023-24. The top players in the system include forward William Dufour (2020, No. 152) and defenseman Samuel Bolduc (2019, No. 57), who signed a two-year contract June 20. For the second straight year, the Islanders only have five picks in the draft that does not include a first-round selection, so they'll likely choose the best available player.

Possible fits:Mathieu Cataford, C, Halifax (QMJHL); Beau Akey, D, Barrie (OHL); Kasper Halttunen, RW, HIFK (FIN)

NEW YORK RANGERS

Top priority: Forward depth

First pick:No. 23

The situation: The Rangers fired coach Gerard Gallant five days after a 4-0 loss to the Devils in Game 7 of the first round and hired Peter Laviolette on June 13. The change comes after the Rangers went all-in before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, acquiring forwards Vladimir Tarasenko, Patrick Kane and Tyler Motte, and defenseman Niko Mikkola. Each can become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and decisions need to be made on pending restricted free agent forward Alexis Lafreniere and defensemen K'Andre Miller and Libor Hajek. The good news is New York still has a solid nucleus with defenseman Adam Fox, forwards Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad and goalie Igor Shesterkin. Left wing prospect Brennan Othmann (2021, No. 16) had 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) in 23 playoff games to help Peterborough to the Ontario Hockey League championship. New York has five picks in the upcoming draft, so it could bolster its prospect pool at all positions.

Possible fits:Bradly Nadeau, LW, Penticton (BCHL); Lenni Hameenaho, RW, Assat (FIN); Danny Nelson, C, USA U-18 (NTDP)

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Top priority:Defensemen and forward depth

First pick:No. 7

The situation:The Flyers finished 26th in the NHL (31-38-13) and missed the playoffs for the seventh time in 11 seasons. They allowed 3.37 goals per game (10th most) and were last on the power play (15.6 percent). Injuries to forwards Cam Atkinson and Sean Couturier allowed Philadelphia to get longer looks at several young forwards, including Morgan Frost, 24, Noah Cates, 24, Owen Tippett, 24, and Tyson Foerster, 21. Forwards Cutter Gauthier (2022, No. 5) and Bobby Brink (2019, No. 34) each took steps toward a full-time NHL role. Brink had 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 41 games for Lehigh Valley of the AHL; Gauthier had 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) in 32 games as a freshman at Boston College. The Flyers have 10 picks in the draft, including two in the first round (No. 7, No. 22), so look for first-year general manager Daniel Briere and the front office to deepen the prospect pool at forward and defenseman.

Possible fits:Ryan Leonard, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP); Matvei Michkov, RW, St. Petersburg (RUS); Dalibor Dvorsky, C, AIK (SWE)

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Top priority:Center depth

First pick:No. 14

The situation:Pittsburgh fired president of hockey operations Brian Burke, GM Ron Hextall and assistant GM Chris Pryor on April 14 after failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2006. It ended a 16-year postseason run, the longest streak in the NHL. The good news is the Penguins will pick in the top 20 for the first time since 2012, when they chose defenseman Derrick Pouliot at No. 8. Drafting and developing will be a priority since Sidney Crosby, 35, Evgeni Malkin, 36, and Kris Letang, 36, aren't getting any younger. The Penguins have drafted 20 players the past four years, including four centers and three defensemen. They have six picks this year, so look for them to go best available at each slot. They have three goalie prospects, Filip Lindberg (free agent, 2021), Joel Blomqvist (No. 52, 2020) and Sergey Murashov (No. 118, 2022).

Possible fits:Brayden Yager, C, Moose Jaw (WHL); Otto Stenberg, C, Frolunda Jr. (SWE); Calum Ritchie, C, Oshawa (OHL)

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Top priority:Best available

First pick:No. 8

The situation:Washington failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14 after qualifying for eight straight seasons. Laviolette's three-year contract that expired June 30 wasn't renewed after the Capitals finished 12 points behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Injuries were a major factor with forwards Nicklas Backstrom (hip resurfacing surgery), Tom Wilson (ACL surgery) and defenseman John Carlson (skull fracture, severed temporal artery) all out for significant chunks of the season. The Capitals made 22 picks the past four years, and centers Connor McMichael (2019, No. 25) and Hendrix Lapierre (2020, No. 22), left wing Ivan Miroshnichenko (2022, No. 20) and defensemen Ryan Chesley (2022, No. 37) and Vincent Iorio (2021, No. 55) are considered the best prospects. The Capitals will pick in the top 10 for the first time since 2007, when they chose defenseman Karl Alzner at No. 5.

Possible fits:Matvei Michkov, RW, St. Petersburg (RUS); Oliver Moore, C, USA U-18 (NTDP); Nate Danielson, C, Brandon (WHL)

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