1
Connor Bedard (C)
Center
Swedes in the NHL DraftSwedes in the 2023 NHL Draft
Cohort: 2005
Highest selection
#2
ANALeo Carlsson (C)
Swedes selected
25
of 224 picks
In round 1
6
of 25 Swedes
Share of the draft
11 %
of all picks
The 2023 NHL Draft took place on June 28–29, 2023 in Nashville, TN, USA. 25 Swedes were selected, including 6 in the first round. Leo Carlsson was the first Swede selected, at number 2 in round 1. This ranked number 3 among the highest draft selections for a Swede in history.
6 of the 25 Swedes (24%) have played at least one NHL game since the draft. The class leaders in NHL games played are Leo Carlsson (207 GP, 150 P), Tom Willander (79 GP, 24 P), and Axel Sandin-Pellikka (74 GP, 22 P).
Across the draft archive, the year ranks 5 in Swedes selected and 2 in Swedish first-round selections. The Swedish draft class has combined for 212 points in 413 NHL regular-season games. That ranks as the 44th best Swedish draft class of all time by total points. 6 of 25 (24%) are still active in the NHL today.
The draft's top picks
The first 10 selections
Every drafted Swede
25 Swedes were drafted
25
Swedes
19
Teams
7
Rounds
Round 1
6 PICKS
2
11
17
25
29
32
David Edstrom (C)Center
Round 2
3 PICKS
39
Anton Wahlberg (C)Center
43
Felix Nilsson (C)Center
62
Round 3
2 PICKS
72
Noel Nordh (L)Left wing
73
Noah Dower Nilsson (L)Left wing
Round 4
2 PICKS
107
Vilmer Alriksson (L)Left wing
127
Albert Wikman (D)Defenseman
Round 5
5 PICKS
130
Axel Landen (D)Defenseman
134
Melker Thelin (G)Goaltender
152
Rasmus Larsson (D)Defenseman
156
Melvin Strahl (G)Goaltender
159
Olof Glifford (G)Goaltender
Round 6
3 PICKS
165
Filip Eriksson (C)Center
167
Milton Oscarson (C)Center
180
Zeb Forsfjall (C)Center
Round 7
4 PICKS
208
Axel Hurtig (D)Defenseman
209
Dennis Good Bogg (D)Defenseman
214
Casper Nassen (R)Right wing
220
Kristian Kostadinski (D)Defenseman
The draft class in the NHL
Best Swedish players from the 2023 Draft
NHL regular-season statistics: games played, goals, assists, points, plus save percentage, wins, and shutouts for goalies.
Skaters · most points
Leo Carlsson (C)
Drafted #2ANA
GP
207
G
63
A
87
P
150
Tom Willander (D)
Drafted #11VAN
GP
79
G
5
A
19
P
24
Axel Sandin-Pellikka (D)
Drafted #17DET
GP
74
G
7
A
15
P
22
Otto Stenberg (C)
Drafted #25STL
GP
32
G
3
A
7
P
10
Theo Lindstein (D)
Drafted #29STL
GP
20
G
2
A
3
P
5
Drafting teams
Teams that drafted Swedish players
Sorted by the number of Swedish players selected.
The road to the NHL
The draft class's NHL debuts
6 of the class's Swedes have made their NHL debuts, the first in 2023-2024. Pick a season to see every debutant.
More about the NHL Draft and the Swedes
Explore Swedish Draft history
Best draft classes→The best Swedish draft classes by NHL career output.First round→Every Swedish first-round selection, ordered by pick number.Teams→Which NHL teams have drafted the most Swedes?
From draft pick to NHL contract – what an entry-level contract means and how salary, bonuses and AAV work.