The NHL Draft kicks off on Friday, June 28.
Although the NHL Draft is not the spectacle of an NFL or NBA draft, as most of the players will not immediately contribute in the NHL, DraftKings is still offering plenty of betting markets to get action on the draft.
DraftKings is offering markets for selections 1-5 as well as over/under draft positions, matchups and other various props.
Let's take a look at the first five picks in the draft based on the sportsbook odds.
1. San Jose Sharks
Selection: Macklin Celebrini – Boston University
Odds: Off the Board
Celebrini has been the obvious selection at No. 1 overall for months. The sportsbooks do not even offer odds. Celebrini won the Hobey Baker Award this past season as college hockey's top player as an underage freshman with 64 points in 38 games.
2. Chicago Blackhawks
Selection: Artyom Levshunov – Michigan State
Odds: -300 on DraftKings
This pick could have gone many different ways. It appears as we have gotten closer to the draft that Levshunov is the most likely pick. Levshunov is a smooth-skating defenseman who produced 35 points in 38 games during his freshman season at Michigan State.
3. Anaheim Ducks
Selection: Anton Silayev – HK Sarov (KHL)
Odds: +140 on DraftKings
The Ducks need a defenseman and this is a defensemen-rich draft. There is not a more intriguing defensive prospect than Silayev. At 6'7", he has the size to be a dominant defenseman in the NHL. The question will be the offensive production.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
Selection: Cayden Lindstrom – Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Odds: -170 at DraftKings
Lindstrom is one of the top forwards in the draft and the Blue Jackets will be looking to boost their offensive production. The 6'3", 214-pound forward scored 27 goals, 19 assists and totaled 46 points for the Medicine Cat Tigers in the Western Hockey League.
5. Montreal Canadiens
Selection: Ivan Demidov – SKA 1946 St. Petersburg
Odds: +165 at DraftKings
Demidov is known as one of the top prospects in the draft and could go as high as No. 2 overall. There is a chance he slips, however, and it has nothing to do with his ability as a hockey player. Acquiring players from Russia amid the war with Ukraine has been very difficult, and teams may be hesitant to select Demidov because of that. Demidov had 60 points in 30 games in the Russian junior league.
