Connor Bedard vs Will Smith: Comparing projected #1 & #4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft

The 2023 NHL Draft is set to take place on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. While many have dubbed this year's draft as the "Connor Bedard Draft" there are several ultra-talented players who may have gone under the radar among casual fans.

Aside from Matvei Michkov and Ryan Leonard, the top half of the 2023 NHL Draft is dominated by the center position. While Connor Bedard has the highest ceiling of the class, the likes of Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson and Will Smith are expected to be taken within the top six selections of Wednesday night's draft.

Among the talented players who will be selected after Bedard in the 2023 NHL Draft is Will Smith. The talented American center is a highly-regarded playmaker who may claim to be among the most creative in the class.

"Will Smith played last season with @USAHockeyNTDP. Just like the other Will Smith, Will Smith knows every word to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He also grew up an @NHLBruins fan and will attend Boston College for the 2023-24 season. #NHLDraft" - @PR_NHL

As of right now, many experts have Will Smith being selected by the San Jose Sharks with the fourth overall pick, which would help usher in a new era of Sharks hockey. His elite playmaking ranks him among the top in the 2023 draft class, which could see him rise above his current projection.

Another strength of his that fans and experts have clamored over are his hands. A human highlight reel, Will Smith should leave fans in awe as he is able to dangle his way out of any situation. Aside from playmaking and handles, there are two key differences between Connor Bedard and Will Smith: shooting and defense.

Two of the key differences between Connor Bedard and Will Smith heading into the 2023 NHL Draft are their shooting ability and defense

Connor Bedard is as near to a finished product as one could hope for at his age. One of his biggest strengths is his shooting abilities, not only because of the danger he creates, but the high level of efficiency that he can produce. This is not one of Smith's strengths, while he is a talented scorer, his track record on the powerplay leaves something to be desired given his low efficiency and accuracy.

"Will Smith has a ton of skill, but his D zone behavior is awful imo (and I almost never say that). The way he lunges at plays, tries to jump passing lanes and puck handle through guys is WAY below average NHL defense. It’s like Zherdev level. Torts would flip on this kid.": - @PuckTherapy

Defensively, both Bedard and Smith leave something to be desired as the two are far from becoming the next Patrice Bergeron as a two-way center. However, Bedard has shown a higher level of defensive ability so far, and while they will both likely improve in the NHL, this is a clear difference between two of the top prospects in the 2023 NHL Draft class.