NHL 2023 Mock Draft: Blackhawks lead a generational year

11. Vancouver Canucks: David Reinbacher (D)

12. Arizona Coyotes (From OTT): Axen Sandin Pellika (D)

13. Buffalo Sabres: Tom Wallinder (D)

14. Pittsburgh Penguins: Dalibor Dvorsky (C)

15. Nashville Predators: Dmitry Simashev (D)

16. Calgary Flames: Andrew Crystall (LW)

17. Detroit Red Wings (from NYI via VAN): Eduard Sale (RW)

18. Winnipeg Jets: Otto Stenberg (C)

19. Chicago Blackhawks (via TB): Quentin Musty (LW)

20. Seattle Kraken: Oliver Moore (C)

21. Minnesota Wild: Brayden Yager (C)

22. Philadelphia Flyers (From LAK): Calum Ritchie (C)

The middle of the first round can literally go in any order as nothing is certain.

No defenseman went in the top ten of this mock draft. If that were to happen in real life, it would be the first time since the early 80s.

However, that likely means a run of defensemen would go from picks 11-22 and they did in this mock.

Seeing a team like the Nashville Predators draft a guy like that would not be a shock at all as they have been a defense-developing factory for years now.

The Chicago Blackhawks make a second pick here after taking Connor Bedard with the first overall pick. Selecting someone like Quentin Musty could prove to be very smart one day as he could become a great winger on the same line as Bedard.

Eduard Sale, selected by the Detroit Red Wings in this mock, is someone to keep an eye on in real life while the draft is happening. He is the one guy who could truly go in the top five or in the late teens. This portion of the draft should be a lot of fun.