Welcome to the 2023 NHL draft.
Well, almost.
The draft, which begins Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville (7 ET, ESPN and ESPN+), is a starting point both for the prospects and the teams that pick them. One thing to remember is that some players will go higher than they were projected, others will go lower and still others won't even get chosen.
But know that the draft is not the be-all and end-all. I played with guys who were late picks or undrafted. Jonathan Marchessault, who just won the Conn Smythe Trophy, was undrafted.