The 2023 NHL Draft begins Wednesday night in Nashville, Tennessee and fans of the NHL's most popular teams will be waiting to see who their squad selects in the first round. It is now time to continue our NHL Draft odds series with draft predictions and picks for popular teams.

Some of the most popular teams in the NHL pick further down the draft board. It is now time to predict who some of the most popular franchises in the NHL will be choosing with their first-round pick.

Detroit Red Wings 9th Overall

Most projections have the Red Wings going with a forward in this years draft. Furthermore, with Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp both playing the center position, plus two young centers who saw time for them this year, the Red Wings could be looking to replace some aging wings.

Zach Benson will fit all of those needs. Benson, an 18-year-old out of Canada is a great fit. He has a high motor and is an amazing skater. Scouts have noticed his effort on the ice, and this fits perfectly with a player like Dylan Larkin. Even better, he is a great puck handler.  NHL Central Scouting has him projected to join the NHL within the next few years and has him ranked sixth among North American skaters. The only down side to making this the surefire pick, he may be gone by the time the Red Wings pick.

That leaves two other major players for this pick. Gabe Perreault is first. The 18-year-old currently plays for the United States Under 18 team. He is ranked tenth among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting. Even better, he is a finisher. Perreault is elusive and can finish almost anywhere on the ice. Matthew Wood is the other player here. Wood provides a big body that adds a different dimension to the offense. He is not as ready as the other two, but Steve Yzerman has never steered away from a project.

NHL Draft Prediction and Pick for the Detroit Red Wings: Zach Benson (+340)

Pittsburgh Penguins 14th Overall

The Penguins pick 14th and the first thing to notice on their odds board is Zach Benson is listed third behind “any other player” and Axel Sandin Pellikka. That is because if for some reason Benson slips to 14th, he is gone right here. He is not slipping that far. He may not make it to the Red Wings at nine. The Penguins will be looking for more than just a forward in this draft. Kris Letang cannot play forever and this leaves the door open for the Penguins to select someone on defense. That can be Pellikka. The defensemen out of Sweeden have a similar skill set to Letang. He can get the puck out of trouble with ease and score when needed. He is also a strong defender who can lay some quality hits.

Another option for the Penguins is for them to go with a center that could help replace Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The most likely option is Brayden Yager. Yager, like Malkin, has an amazing shot. He is not powerful, he has accuracy as well. Yager could be a 40-plus goal scorer in the NHL and has a quick release. He also is starting to develop passing. He is also not nearly the puck handler at this state Malkin or Crosby was. If Benson is available here, Yager will not even be in the discussion.

NHL Draft Prediction and Pick for the Pittsburgh Penguins: Axel Sandin Pellikka (+480)

New York Rangers are 23rd Overall

The Rangers ended last year in disappointment, and also have some salary cap concerns. Compounding things, the Rangers have very few picks in the draft and will need to hit big with this first pick. Three areas of need stand out for the Rangers. They do not have good depth at right wing, with right-handed defensemen, or center. Center is very interesting as they only have one player, 2017 pick Filip Chytil, in the pipeline. This leads to the heavy possibility of Brayden Yager being the pick here. That comes with the notion he is available. If not, the next best option is Calum Ritchie.

Ritchie is a big-bodied center who was a point-per-game type of player. At the World Juinor Game, he put up nine points in seven games. Ritchie is a very balanced center. He skates well, is above average on the defensive end, can make nice assists, and can score. If Ritchie is not the pick, Otto Stenberg may be. The Swedish player is versatile and can play both wing and center. Like Ritchie, he is not a guy who is going to score 50 goals, but he can put in 30 with 50 or more assists. He seems to be a little more NHL-ready, which could give him the nod.

Still, there are other holes to fill for the Rangers. Odds lead the Rangers to pick a center, but this is a deep draft class for centers.  They are pretty loaded at defense, but that is where their cap issue lies.  The best bet here is to go off the board with this selection.

NHL Draft Prediction and Pick for the New York Rangers: Any other player (-120) 

Colorado Avalanche 27th Overall

The Avalanche are just a year removed from winning a Stanley Cup. Now they want to keep filling their roster with young guys to produce a dynasty like run. With many of their players entering their prime, they will be looking for a versatile player who can play in the future. That is Otto Stenberg. Stenberg can play either wing or the center position. This gives huge flexibility to the Avalanche as they look to build their dynasty. He is also someone who is developing. He started as more of a shooter than a playmaker last year but improved into a much more balanced player as the year went on.

This is also an area where a long-shot bet can be made. The Avalanche can afford to wait for talent to develop. Kasper Halttunen fits that mold. He has a similar skill set to Mikko Rantanen but is a little larger. He is not a big goal scorer or assists man yet, but that will come with time. Right now, he is a raw and talented player who could help the organization for years to come. The opposite of him is Bradly Nedeau. He has put up huge stat lines, unlike Halttunen. He has a solid shot already, but is small, and may not be the physicality the Avalanche are looking for.

NHL Draft Prediction and Pick for the Colorado Avalanche: Kasper Halttunen (+2000) 

Toronto Maple Leafs 28th Overall

One of the major favorites here is Otto Stenberg. The biggest question for him is does he fall. If he does, he will most likely be the pick. If they move away from the center, Olive Bonk and Etienne Morin seem the most likely. The Maple Leafs are looking for an uptempo style of play, which is what Morin could provide. He can be a quality point producer in the NHL, while also providing solid defense.

Regardless, the Maple Leafs need a center. Stenberg can play there. He is a versatile player who has good defensive skills. He forechecks well and can make plays in transition. He also fits the uptempo style of play for Toronto. This makes him the pick here.

NHL Draft Prediction and Pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs: Otto Stenberg (+390)