2023 NHL Draft: Pacific 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, we examine draft needs for teams in the Pacific Division. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

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

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

ANAHEIM DUCKS

Top Priority: No. 1 center

First pick: No. 2

The situation:The Ducks were 31st in the NHL with an average of 2.51 goals per game this season, the fifth straight season they've finished in the bottom eight of the League. There is prospect help coming, including this season's top defensemen in the Western Hockey League (Olen Zellweger), the Ontario Hockey League (Pavel Mintyukov) and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (Tristan Luneau). Up front Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish are building blocks, and they have forward prospects coming along in Sasha Pastujov (2021, No. 66), Nathan Gaucher (2022, No. 22), Jacob Perreault (2020, No. 27) and Brayden Tracey (2019, No. 29), but more is needed. Having the No. 2 pick in a draft loaded with top-end forward talent gives Anaheim a chance to find a needed game-breaker.

Possible fits: Adam Fantilli, C, Michigan (NCAA); William Smith, C, USA U-18 (NTDP); Matvei Michkov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg (RUS)

CALGARY FLAMES

Top Priority: Center

First pick: No. 16

The situation:Elias Lindholm is going into the last season of his contract, leaving the future of their No. 1 center unclear. They still have Nazem Kadri going into the second season of a seven-year contract, and Connor Zary, a first-round pick (No. 24) in the 2020 NHL Draft, could be ready to make an NHL impact after he had 58 points (21 goals, 37 assists) in 72 games with Calgary of the American Hockey League. The draft is deep in skilled forwards at all three spots, so the Flames shouldn't have to reach to find a player they like. But if the opportunity to select a center is there, it's likely the choice they'll make.

Possible fits: Otto Stenberg, C, Frolunda Jr. (SWE-JR); Brayden Yager, C, Moose Jaw (WHL); Samuel Honzek, LW, Vancouver (WHL)

EDMONTON OILERS

Top Priority:Defensemen

First pick:No. 56

The situation: Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg were the only defensemen younger than 28 to play at least 40 games for the Oilers this season, and their ice-time leaders at the position were 28-year-old Darnell Nurse (23:30) and 33-year-old Mattias Ekholm (20:47). There's a lack of depth at the position in the prospect pipeline, so this could be the direction the Oilers look when their turn comes in the second round. It also wouldn't be a surprise to see Edmonton select a goalie in this spot that could be the long-term replacement for Stuart Skinner or Jack Campbell. Edmonton traded its first-round pick to the Nashville Predators as part of the deal for Ekholm.

Possible fits: Cameron Allen, D, Guelph (OHL); Maxim Strbak, D, Sioux Falls (USHL); Carson Bjarnason, G, Brandon (WHL)

LOS ANGELES KINGS

Top Priority:Wings

First pick: No. 54

The situation:The Kings have done well stockpiling young centers, including Quinton Byfield (2020, No. 2), Francesco Pinelli (2021, No. 42) and Alex Turcotte (2019, No. 5). So finding the best wing available in the second round could be the direction they go. Finding a defenseman also could be an option after trading two of their better prospects at the position (Brock Faber to the Minnesota Wild last year for Kevin Fiala; Helge Grans to the Philadelphia Flyers as part of a three-team trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 6). Los Angeles traded its first-round pick (No. 22) to the Blue Jackets as part of the deal for goalie Joonas Korpisalo and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.

Possible fits: Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George (WHL); Theo Lindstein, D, Brynas (SWE); Jesse Kiiskinen, Pelicans Jr. (FIN-JR)

SAN JOSE SHARKS

Top Priority:Game-breaking forwards

First pick: No. 4

The situation:The Sharks won 22 games this season, the fewest in the NHL. Part of that was because of an offense that averaged 2.84 goals per game, 25th in the NHL, despite having defenseman Erik Karlsson finish 11th in the League with 101 points (25 goals, 76 assists) in 82 games. San Jose has young players close to being ready for full-time NHL work, including forwards Filip Bystedt (2022, No. 27), William Eklund (2021, No. 7) and Thomas Bordeleau (2020, No. 38). But they need more talent around them, and at the top of a very talented draft crop the Sharks should have no problem finding the right player. They also have No. 26 in the first round, acquired from the New Jersey Devils as part of the Timo Meier trade.

Possible fits: William Smith, C, USA U-18 (NTDP); Matvei Michkov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg (RUS); Leo Carlsson, C, Orebro (SWE)

SEATTLE KRAKEN

Top Priority: Defensemen

First pick: No. 20

The situation:Seattle invested heavily in centers at the top of its first two drafts, selecting Calder Trophy finalist Matty Beniers at No. 2 in 2021 and Shane Wright at No. 4 in 2022. Now seems like the right time to find a defenseman to build around after they selected four among their 18 picks in their first two drafts. Another option could be finding a wing with size to potentially play alongside Beniers or Wright.

Possible fits: Lukas Dragicevic, D, Tri-City (WHL); Mikhail Gulyayev, D, Omsk Jr. (RUS-JR); Danil But, LW, Yaroslavl Jr. (RUS-JR)

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Top Priority: Defensemen

First pick: No. 11

The situation: The Canucks have selected two defensemen in the top two rounds of the draft since 2017, Quinn Hughes and Jett Woo with their first two selections in the 2018 NHL Draft. Finding more talent at that position is imperative for the Canucks, who won't pick again until the third round.

Possible fits:Tom Willander, D, Rogle Jr. (SWE-JR); Axel Sandin Pellikka, D, Skelleftea Jr. (SWE-JR); Matthew Wood, C, Connecticut (NCAA)

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Top Priority: Goalie

First pick:No. 32

The situation:The Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup starting five goalies during the regular season, only one of whom they drafted (Jiri Patera, two games). Vegas has yet to draft a goalie in the first three rounds, but they have an opportunity to change that this year. Vegas had one player it drafted in the lineup when they won the Cup in Game 5 against the Florida Panthers and the front office has not been shy about moving future players for present-day help, so there's a need to stockpile young players at all positions. But with so much focus on the talented skaters in the 2023 draft, the Golden Knights should be able to get the goalie they have ranked the highest on their board.

Possible fits: Michal Hrabal, G, Omaha (USHL); Carson Bjarnason, G, Brandon (WHL); Quentin Musty, LW, Sudbury (OHL)

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