2023 NHL Draft Open Thread: Day 2

Back in the days when I was covering the NHL Draft in person, it was my favorite event of the year, and especially the second day, which is nonstop action from beginning to end.

Team picks a player. Player goes to the team’s table. Writers write up a blurb about the player. Player goes to the media area where they answer the same four questions regardless of who they are or what position they play. (Sure, kid, you might pattern your game after Jonathan Toews, but you’re a sixth round pick and you’re not at all likely to actually be the second coming of Jonathan Toews.) Media returns to the media risers, just in time for the team to make their next selection. Lather, rinse and repeat, over and over again.

It moves at warp speed, too. They will finish the final six rounds of the draft in no more than about three hours, or in less time than a single round took yesterday.

Then you throw in a trade or two, and things really get frantic. It’s so much fun, but it is so exhausting. The first round is like a “Joy of Painting” episode compared to the chaos of day two.

Last night was the first time in 15 years that the first round of the draft didn’t see a single trade made. If that pattern continues today, that will be good news for the media but somewhat disappointing for everyone who expects the draft to be a nonstop swap meet every year.

The Hurricanes have the following picks today:

• Round 2: #62
• Round 3: #71 (from Flyers)
• Round 4: #126
• Round 5: #139 (from Canucks), #158
• Round 6: #163 (from Blackhawks), #190
• Round 7: #222

The curtain goes up at 11:00 on NHL Network. Enjoy!