2023 NHL Draft

Ryan Leonard Selected By Washington Capitals At No. 8: NHL Draft Reactions

Ryan Leonard Selected By Washington Capitals At No. 8: NHL Draft Reactions

The 2023 NHL Draft is at the Bridgeport Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Ryan Leonard became the eighth pick of the night for Washington Capital.

Jun 29, 2023 by Martina Gil
2023 NHL Draft Profile: Ryan Loenard

The 2023 NHL Draft began Wednesday at the Bridgeport Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. After months of anticipation and selection predictions, the results are finally in. The eighth pick of the night for Washington Capital goes to Ryan Leonard. 

The top three choices of the night went to Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, and Adam Fantilli. It’s no surprise that the Chicago Blackhawks claimed  Bedard, the consensus first pick of the 2023 Draft. 

The excitement only built as the night continued.

FloHockey predicted  Leonard to be the fifth pick for the Montreal Canadiens in the 2023 Mock Draft. But the Canadiens took David Reinbacher instead. Leonard currently plays right wing for the U.S. National Under-18 Team. His teammate, Will Smith, who plays center was selected by the San Jose Sharks earlier in the draft. 

FloHockey Mock Draft 2.0

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WATCH: Ryan Leonard Announce No. 8 For Washington Capitals At NHL Draft 

Fans Predict Leonard Will Be A Strong Addition to the Capitals

NHL Draft 2023 Order

  1. Chicago Blackhawks- Connor Bedard
  2. Anaheim Ducks - Leo Carlsson 
  3. Columbus Blue Jackets - Adam Fantilli
  4. San Jose Sharks - Will Smith 
  5. Montreal Canadiens - David Reinbacher
  6. Arizona Coyotes - Dmitri Simashev
  7. Philadelphia Flyers - Matvey Michikov
  8. Washington Capitals - Ryan Leonard
  9. Detroit Red Wings - 
  10. St. Louis Blues - 
  11. Vancouver Canucks
  12. Arizona  Coyotes (from Ottawa)
  13. Buffalo Sabres
  14. Pittsburgh Penguins
  15. Nashville Predators
  16. Calgary Flames
  17. Detroit Red Wings (from New York)
  18. Winnipeg Jets
  19. Chicago Blackhawks (from Tampa Bay) 
  20. Seattle Kraken
  21. Minnesota Wild
  22. Philadelphia Flyers(from Los Angeles) 
  23. NY Rangers
  24. Nashville  Predators (from Edmonton)
  25. St. Louis Blues (from Toronto)
  26. San Jose Sharks(From New Jersey)
  27. Colorado Avalanche
  28. Toronto Maple Leafs (From Boston)
  29. St. Louis Blues (From Dallas)
  30. Carolina Hurricanes
  31. Montreal Canadiens (from Florida) 
  32. Vegas Golden Knights

How to Watch the NHL Draft 2023

The NHL draft first round will air on ESPN, ESPN+ and the rest on the NHL Network.

FloHockey’s podcast, Talking Hockey Sense, is providing breakdowns before and during the draft.