Minnesota connections to 2023 NHL Draft
NHL hockey teams participate in the second day of the draft Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Twenty players with connections to Minnesota high schools and/or colleges were taken in the 2023 National Hockey League Entry Draft – including three selected by the homestate Minnesota Wild, four Minnesota Gophers, four Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs and one each from Bemidji State, St. Cloud State and St. Thomas.
The first Minnesotan off the board was Mounds View native, former Totino-Grace standout and soon-to-be Gopher Oliver Moore. He was the 19th overall selection, taken by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Two picks later, the Wild selected Rosemount native and current Wisconsin Badger Charlie Stramel.
RELATED: Wild draft Rosemount’s Stramel in 1st round, Mounds View’s Moore taken by Chicago
Later in the draft, the Wild drafted Hermantown-native Aaron Pionk in the 5th round and Edina’s Jimmy Clark in Round 7.
Seventeen players with connections to Minnesota high schools were drafted.
The Gophers were represented by Moore and Clark, as well as Boston’s 4th-round pick Beckett Hendrickson – whose father Darby is a Wild assistant coach and also played for the Gophers, and 7th-rounder Luke Mittelstadt from Eden Prairie.
Minnesota-Duluth is represented by Chicago’s 2nd-rounder Adam Gajan, Vancouver’s 4th-rounder Matthew Perkins, Tampa Bay 4th-rounder Jayson Shaugabay (Warroad) and Pionk.
Round 5 saw St. Thomas commit Chase Cheslock (Rogers) selected by New Jersey, and San Jose draft Bemidji-State commit Eric Pohlkamp (Brainerd). St Cloud State commit Warren Clark went to Tampa Bay in Round 6.
MINNESOTA CONNECTIONS IN 2023 NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE DRAFT:
| Round | Pick # | Team | Player | High School / Hometown | College |
| 1 | 19 | CHI | Oliver Moore | Totino-Grace / Mounds View | Minnesota |
| 1 | 21 | MIN | Charlie Stramel | Rosemount | Wisconsin |
| 2 | 35 | CHI | Adam Gajan | Poprad, Slovakia | Minn-Duluth |
| 2 | 49 | NYI | Danny Nelson | Maple Grove | Notre Dame |
| 2 | 63 | FLA | Gracyn Sawchyn | Chaska/Chanhassen / SSM | |
| 3 | 66 | CBJ | William Whitelaw | Rosemount | Wisconsin |
| 3 | 81 | ARI | Tanner Ludtke | Lakeville South | Nebraska-Omaha |
| 4 | 115 | TBL | Jayson Shaughabay | Warroad | Minn-Duluth |
| 4 | 118 | LAK | Hampton Slukynsky | Warroad | N. Michigan |
| 4 | 119 | VAN | Matthew Perkins | Saskatchewan, Canada | Minn-Duluth |
| 4 | 124 | BOS | Beckett Hendrickson | Minnetonka | Minnesota |
| 5 | 132 | SJS | Eric Pohlkamp | Brainerd | Bemidji St. |
| 5 | 149 | MIN | Aaron Pionk | Hermantown | Minn-Duluth |
| 5 | 154 | NJD | Chase Cheslock | Rogers | St. Thomas |
| 6 | 166 | ARI | Carsen Musser | Fairmont | Colorado College |
| 6 | 179 | TBL | Warren Clark | Ontario, Canada | Minn-Duluth |
| 6 | 183 | NYI | Ty Henricks | Woodbury / SSM | W. Michigan |
| 7 | 193 | TBL | Jack Harvey | Stacy / Gentry Academy | Boston Univ. |
| 7 | 197 | MTL | Luke Mittelstadt | Eden Prairie | Minnesota |
| 7 | 213 | MIN | Jimmy Clark | Edina | Minnesota |