The 2023 NHL Draft began on Wednesday with the first round taking place in Nashville. Many expected a lot of trade action. Perhaps involving St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, who held three first-round picks. However, we didn't exactly see a ton of trade action. In fact, there were no trades made at the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday.
After the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights closed out the first round, Armstrong spoke with the media. The Blues shopped two of their three first-round picks ahead of Wednesday night. Unfortunately, no one took the bait.
“It seemed like everything got quiet, quiet around the league. We didn't see anything today,” Armstrong explained. “Usually you see picks flying back and forth and everything. It was just a quiet night.”
In the interest of fairness, trades flew in the lead-up to the 2023 NHL Draft. The Los Angeles Kings acquired Pierre-Luc Dubois in a blockbuster with the Winnipeg Jets. And the New Jersey Devils acquired Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames.
Even on draft day, a trade was made. The Tampa Bay Lightning traded restricted free agent Ross Colton to the Colorado Avalanche. In exchange, the Lightning received a second-round pick.
Those moves certainly gave hockey fans something to sink their teeth into. However, they had nothing to break apart during the 2023 NHL Draft itself. And that came as a disappointment given the rumors heading into Wednesday night.
Armstrong said tomorrow may bring a bit more movement from teams around the league. The Blues GM also offered an explanation for the lack of trades during the first round. “People were excited about the depth of the draft. Everyone felt comfortable, the old, ‘I can't believe he was there when we picked.' I think that played out tonight,” he said.
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