MONTREAL – A final step awaits this year’s prospects on their way to the 2023 NHL Draft.
The league evaluation session, which will be attended by 106 candidates, will be held June 4-10 at the KeyBank Center and HarborCenter in Buffalo.
According to NHL.com, 65 forwards, 34 defensemen and seven goalies are expected to participate in the annual event, which includes physical tests, medical exams and one-on-one interviews.
Among the guests are the most promising talents such as Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson and William Smith.
Here is a brief timeline of planned events:
- June 4: Arrival
- June 5th to 9th: The 32 NHL teams can meet the players individually
- June 7: Medical examinations take place in the KeyBank Center
- June 9: Media availability will be at 4:30 p.m. ET
- June 10th: Beginning of physical examinations
Mike G. Morreale, editor for NHL.com, confirmed that seven of the eleven physical tests will be held at HarborCenter: measuring upper limb height and wingspan, long jump, vertical jump on the power plate, bench press, flexibility test, pull-ups and the anaerobic Wingate test.
The other four stations included in the evaluation session last year are aerobic conditioning, body composition and fat percentage, grip strength, and functional movement review.
This year, advanced technology will play a big part in the judging session with the addition of a new mobile app. Players can rely on the software to organize their schedule and update their profile daily.
Stay tuned to Canadiens.com and follow @CanadiensMTL on social media for updates from Buffalo, including media availability and behind-the-scenes content from the Canadiens scouting team.
The 2023 NHL Draft will take place June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
The Canadiens currently have 11 picks at the 2023 auction, including two first-round picks. In addition to the fifth overall pick, the Habs also have a late first-round pick acquired through a trade with the Panthers in 2022. With Florida still in the playoffs, that pick’s final rank will be determined at the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals.
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