NHL Draft 2018 live stream: How to watch Round 1 online

Rasmus Dahlin is widely considered the top prospect in this year’s draft class. | Michael Ainsworth/AP Phot

The 2018 NHL Entry Draft begins Friday night with the first round at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The annual event is split into two days, so Rounds 2-7 will be held Saturday afternoon.

The first round starts at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on NBCSN in the United States. Live streaming coverage will be available on NBC Sports Live.

The Sabres hold the No. 1 pick in the draft as a result of winning the lottery in May. The team finished with the worst record in the NHL and lucked out with those high lottery odds to earn the chance to select the consensus top pick, Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

Opinions on just how good Dahlin is have varied over the months leading up to the draft, but there’s been little doubt about who will go first overall. The defenseman is coming off a stellar season split between the top Swedish professional league and international play, where he was one of Sweden’s top defensemen at the World Junior Championships.

The No. 2 overall pick, held by the Hurricanes, is likely to be Barrie forward Andrei Svechnikov, an impressive two-way winger who should be ready to step into an NHL lineup next season. The Canadiens, Senators and Coyotes round out the top five.

The Blackhawks have two first-round picks in this year’s draft thanks to the Ryan Hartman trade. Their own first-round pick is at No. 8 overall and they also hold the Predators’ first-rounder at No. 27 overall.

This year’s draft is full of high-level talent and represents a huge opportunity for the Blackhawks to replenish their farm system. Here’s how to tune in this evening for the first round.