Photo Credit: Loren Nelson/Legacy Hockey

The 2023 NHL Draft, which was held June 28-29 in Nashville, Tennessee, featured the selection of 15 Minnesotans and 49 Americans. The 2023 NHL Draft featured the most Minnesotans selected since the 2017 NHL Draft.

The first round was highlighted by a pair of selections, with the first one being Oliver Moore, who played his youth hockey for Mounds View-Irondale before playing at Totino-Grace and the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP) and was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the 19th pick in the draft. Charlie Stramel, who played his youth and high school hockey for Rosemount before he went to the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP), was selected two picks later by the Minnesota Wild.

In the second round, Danny Nelson was selected by the New York Islanders with the 49th pick in the draft. Before playing for the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP), Nelson played youth hockey for Osseo-Maple Grove and high school hockey with Maple Grove.

The third round saw two Minnesotans selected: William Whitelaw, who played youth hockey for Rosemount before going to the Youngstown Phantoms (USHL), and Tanner Ludtke, who played for Lakeville as a youth player and Lakeville South High School before he went to the Lincoln Stars (USHL).

The fourth round was the first of two rounds in a row that saw three Minnesotans selected, including the first Minnesota-born goalie. Youth and high school teammates Jayson Shaugabay and Hampton Slukynsky, who both played for Warroad and helped power their team to the Class A State Championship game this March, were selected three picks apart. Beckett Hendrickson was selected later in the round. Hendrickson played youth and high school hockey for Minnetonka before he went to the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP).

The fifth round saw Eric Pohlkamp selected with the fourth pick of the round. Pohlkamp played youth and high school hockey for Brainerd before he went to play for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the USHL. Aaron Pionk, who played youth and high school hockey for Hermantown before playing for the Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL, was followed shortly after by Chase Cheslock, who played his youth and high school hockey for Rogers, where he helped lead a highly skilled Rogers team to their section final.

The sixth round saw the second Minnesota-born goalie selected, Carson Musser. Musser played his youth hockey for Fairmont before moving to the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP).

In the seventh round of the NHL Draft, three more Minnesotans were selected. Jack Harvey was the first pick of the round. Harvey played his youth hockey for North Branch. Shortly after, Luke Mittelstadt, who played youth and high school hockey before going to the University of Minnesota, was selected. James Clark was drafted by the Minnesota Wild with their seventh-round pick. Clark played his youth and high school hockey for Edina before he played for the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL).

Minnesota led all U.S. states with 15 selections, followed by New York (6), Michigan (5), Illinois (5), and Massachusetts (4).

Minnesota Hockey just celebrated its 75th year of its unique and successful community/high school model of hockey. Further proof of this model’s success was evidenced by the 2023 NHL Draft, in which Minnesota led all states in players drafted. This is the eighth straight year that Minnesota has led or tied all states in players drafted.

• Minnesota has had the most players drafted of any state since 2000, with 302 Minnesotans selected by NHL teams.
• With 302 players drafted, Minnesota has made up 23% of all American-born players who have been drafted since 2000.
• This is the second straight year that two Minnesotans have been drafted in the first round.
• This is the third straight year that two high school teammates have been selected in the same draft.
• Since 2000, there have been ten or more Minnesotans drafted in 18 of the 23 NHL Drafts. In three of the other drafts, nine Minnesotans were selected.
• All fifteen players that were selected participated in the CCM Minnesota Hockey High Performance League.
• Hometown players: The Minnesota Wild selected three Minnesotans (Stramel, Pionk, and Clark).
• 13 different non-profit community associations were represented in the 2023 draft.