2023 NHL Entry Draft

[HighOnHockey]

Just gonna list some noteworthy players by region for now.

 

Canada

 

WHL

Connor Bedard  5'9  C

Lukas Dragicevik  6'2  RD

Brayden Yager  6'  C

Zach Benson  5'10  C

Caden Price  6'1  LD

Nate Danielson  6'2  C

Koehn Ziemmer  6'1  RW

Connor Levis  6'2  C

Andrew Cristall  5'9  LW

Riley Heidt  5'11  C

Luca Cagnoni  5'11  LD

Gracyn Sawchyn  5'10  C

 

OHL

Calum Ritchie  6'1  C

Quentin Musty  6'2  LW

Colby Barlow  6'1  LW/RW

Cameron Allen  5'11  RD

Ethan Miedema  6'3  LW

Hunter Brzustewicz  5'11  RD

Coulson Pitre  6'  C

Kalem Parker  6'  RD

 

QMJHL

Tyler Peddle  6'1  C/LW

Mathieu Cataford  5'11  RW

Ethan Gauthier  5'11  RW

Jordan Tourigney  5'11  RD

Etienne Morin  5'11  LD

 

Junior A

Matthew Wood  6'3  LW/C

 

USA

 

NTDP

Will Smith  6'  C

Aram Minnetian  6'1  RD/C

Drew Fortescue  6'3  LD

Ryan Leonard  5'11  C/RW

Paul Fischer  6'  LD

Alex Weiermair  6'1  C

Gabe Perreault  5'10  C/LW

Oliver Moore  5'11  C

 

USHL/NCAA

Adam Fantilli  6'3  C

Charlie Stramel  6'3  C

Gavin McCarthey  6'1  RD

Gavin Brindley  5'9  RW

Tanner Adams  5'11  RW/C

Andrew Strathmann  5'11  LD

Zachary Sharp  6'1  LD

Will McDonough  6'1  C

 

Sweden

Leo Carlsson  6'3  C

Otto Stenberg  5'11  C

Kalle Carlsson  6'  C

Theo Lindstein  6'  LD

Lukas Sagranden  5'8  RW

Noah Dower Nilsson  5'11  C

Tom Willander  6'1  RD

Zeb Forsfjall  5'9  LW

 

Finland

Kasper Halttunen  6'3  RW

Emil Jarventie  5'10  LW

Jesse Nurmi  5'11  LW

Arttu Karki  6'2  LD

Otso Ylitalo  6'3  C

Tuomas Uronen  5'11  RW

Tom Leppa  6'  C

Lenni Hameenaho  6'  RW

Jesse Kiiskinen  5'11  RW

 

Russia

Matvei Michkov  5'10  RW

Mikhail Gulyayev  5'10  LD

Roman Kantserov  5'9  LW

Daniil But  6'4  LW

Yegor Zavragin  6'2  G

 

Czechia

Eduard Sale  6'1  LW

Dominik Petr  6'2  C

Martin Matejicek  6'1  LD

Michael Hrabal  6'6  G

 

Slovakia

Dalibor Dvorsky  6'1  C

Max Strbak  6'2  RD

Ondrej Molnar  6'  LW

Samuel Honzek  6'3  C

Martin Misiak  6'2  C

Alex Ciernik  5'10  LW/RW

Samuel Barcik  6'2  RD

 

Just a few notes: Looks to be one of the best classes ever out of the Dub. Could be as many as what? Four top 10 picks? And ridiculous depth, as most of the 12 players listed are potential first rounders and all should likely go within the first three rounds or so. I also just learned as I was making this list that Gracyn Sawchyn is jumping ship from the NTDP for WHL Seattle. Fairly stacked OHL class as well. QMJHL class looks embarrassing. Not sure they'll have a single first rounder at this point. They've been losing a lot of top talent to the USHL/college route in recent years.

 

I would call it an above average NTDP. Certainly not as loaded as 2019 or 2022 but probably better than 2020 or 2021.

 

Finland and Sweden both look very strong as usual. Might be slightly below average for Sweden and above average for Finland. Remember this is the birth-year of that WSI mega team a few years ago that had 7 players upwards of 2 p/g, although their top two players aren't eligible until next year in Hynninen and Kiviharju.

 

Russia has a handful of sensational top end talents with 5 potential first rounders, but not too sure about their depth beyond that. And in Eastern Europe Slovakia actually looks clearly better than Czechia for the 2nd year in a row.

 

Initially I wasn't planning to include any goalies, but came across a couple putting up stellar numbers playing above their age group and with NHL size, so I had to add them.

[-AJ-]

Had no idea Bedard was so small. I wonder if that will scare anyone off?

[Bingo Chili]

philly will get will smith

[VegasCanuck]

I like Will Smith on the USA list, hear he slaps the $&!# out of people...

 

[canuckpuckluck1]

Please for the love of god can we NOT be in on the Bedard sweepstakes with our own pick. I am tired of not seeing play off games.

 

I just want to see another improved season. No more regression, Im too old and too tired for it!!!

[Herberts Vasiljevs]

I'm excited to see who lands Halttunen.

[HighOnHockey]

5 hours ago, -AJ- said:

Had no idea Bedard was so small. I wonder if that will scare anyone off?

I can't imagine it. Nobody had a single reservation about Sidney Crosby at 5'10, and that was coming out of the dead puck era where most centers in the league were 6'3 and up. The league is generally more open to smaller players now days, and like Crosby, Bedard is well-built at already 180+ lbs. He's just too good. Only one who might have pushed him for top spot is Matvei Michkov, but given the Russia situation and his contract through 2026, it's Bedard first overall with a bullet.

[HighOnHockey]

2 hours ago, Herberts Vasiljevs said:

I'm excited to see who lands Halttunen.

I'm a big Halttunen fan as well. I think he's almost a lock for top 10 and could push for top five. He plays big, he plays skilled, and he plays fast, everything NHL scouts are looking for in a power winger.

[Warhippy]

I'm still waiting for the Micheal Misa draft year.  that's what, 2026?  Ya baby.....

 

Also.  Aside from bedard I know jack about next year so will be fun watching.

 

I do like the looks of Brzustewicz and Strbak at RHD, but also like Dower Nilsson and Hrabal as my throwaway choices

[Muttley]

3 hours ago, HighOnHockey said:

I'm a big Halttunen fan as well. I think he's almost a lock for top 10 and could push for top five. He plays big, he plays skilled, and he plays fast, everything NHL scouts are looking for in a power winger.

a little hard to differentiate but you get the idea...

 

 

[Ilunga]

12 hours ago, -AJ- said:

Had no idea Bedard was so small. I wonder if that will scare anyone off?

Yeah who wants a 5 foot 9 inch centre.

 

Will be emailing 31 NHL GM's telling them they don't need a midget on their team.

[-AJ-]

27 minutes ago, Ilunga said:

Yeah who wants a 5 foot 9 inch centre.

 

Will be emailing 31 NHL GM's telling them they don't need a midget on their team.

All part of the plan!

[Ilunga]

1 hour ago, -AJ- said:

All part of the plan!

 

Just being a smart arse brother.

 

As Oscar Wilde stated 

 

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence.

[StanleyCupOneDay]

On 7/27/2022 at 12:47 PM, -AJ- said:

Had no idea Bedard was so small. I wonder if that will scare anyone off?

No generational talent will ever have teams scared off them regardless of their size. This kid is the next if not soon to be better Crosby, Ovechkin, McDavid level player barring catastrophic injury. Those don’t come along very often, maybe once a decade. Every single team will be clamoring for him.

[Bure_Pavel]

The top 5 is going to be ridiculous in 2023

 

1. Connor Bedard  5'9  C

2. Matvei Michkov  5'10  RW

3. Adam Fantilli  6'3  C

4. Leo Carlsson  6'3  C

5. Dalibor Dvorsky  6'1  C

[Bure_Pavel]

7 hours ago, StanleyCupOneDay said:

No generational talent will ever have teams scared off them regardless of their size. This kid is the next if not soon to be better Crosby, Ovechkin, McDavid level player barring catastrophic injury. Those don’t come along very often, maybe once a decade. Every single team will be clamoring for him.

This draft has two though the next Crosby and Ovechkin. I think you take the Canadian 10 times out of 10 though. 

[HighOnHockey]

3 hours ago, Bure_Pavel said:

The top 5 is going to be ridiculous in 2023

 

1. Connor Bedard  5'9  C

2. Matvei Michkov  5'10  RW

3. Adam Fantilli  6'3  C

4. Leo Carlsson  6'3  C

5. Dalibor Dvorsky  6'1  C

 

While that all looks well and good right now, we know predictions this early are always gonna change. Wright, Lambert, Savoie was the consensus top three at this time last year. It's not about a top 5 this year though; after the big two that whole top 15 or so could be in the mix to go top 5. My best guesses to break into the top 5 are Halttunen and Dragicevik, but nobody would be surprised if any of Will Smith, Calum Ritchie, Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow, Eduard Sale found their way into that mix. And maybe more of a long shot but I have a gut feeling Aram Minnetian could really fly up the charts.

[Bure_Pavel]

35 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

 

While that all looks well and good right now, we know predictions this early are always gonna change. Wright, Lambert, Savoie was the consensus top three at this time last year. It's not about a top 5 this year though; after the big two that whole top 15 or so could be in the mix to go top 5. My best guesses to break into the top 5 are Halttunen and Dragicevik, but nobody would be surprised if any of Will Smith, Calum Ritchie, Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow, Eduard Sale found their way into that mix. And maybe more of a long shot but I have a gut feeling Aram Minnetian could really fly up the charts.

I think the top 4 will be really hard to displace, they all look like the really deal from what Ive seen. I am pretty high on Eduard Sale as well out of that second group. 

[HighOnHockey]

1 hour ago, Bure_Pavel said:

I think the top 4 will be really hard to displace, they all look like the really deal from what Ive seen. I am pretty high on Eduard Sale as well out of that second group. 

Actually I would tend to agree with that, to some extent. I have Carlsson ahead of Fantilli right now but they do seem a slight cut above the rest of the class so far. Maybe we just disagree on the extent of the gap after 4. I definitely think Halttunen is right there with them, but I suppose they get the edge for being centers. And then Dragicevik is that smooth skating right shot 6'2 offensive defenseman every team is searching for. I think I'd take those two over Dvorsky at this point, but yeah for me that 3-7 group is razor close.

[Bure_Pavel]

54 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

Actually I would tend to agree with that, to some extent. I have Carlsson ahead of Fantilli right now but they do seem a slight cut above the rest of the class so far. Maybe we just disagree on the extent of the gap after 4. I definitely think Halttunen is right there with them, but I suppose they get the edge for being centers. And then Dragicevik is that smooth skating right shot 6'2 offensive defenseman every team is searching for. I think I'd take those two over Dvorsky at this point, but yeah for me that 3-7 group is razor close.

For me the fact that Halttunen is a winger is a big hit in his value compared to Carlsson and Fantilli. In my opinion Carlsson is the second best prospect to come out of Sweden this decade after Dahlin at his age. Fantilli is just extremely well rounded and kind of a whole package player, I would agree Carlsson probably has the higher ceiling though.