2023 NHL Entry Draft

[Smashian Kassian]

I'm watching some more UNTDP game footage & I'm really coming around on Smith, and to a lesser extent Moore.

 

Smith is just a superb playmaker. Has eyes in the back of his head, it takes him a split second (when under pressure aswell) to find an option & execute a perfect pass. He also sees defenders coming in his periphery & is able to make quick plays on them. His shot is just 'good' I would say, not bad & not great. He can definitely beat a goalie when he's inside the top of the circle down but its not a cannon. 

 

I'm still not sold Smith is a 1C either, but he'll be a legit top 6 offensive player. I heard the commentator compare him to Jack Hughes but the big difference is skating. Smith's playmaking is elite but he just doesn't skate like Hughes (most dont to be fair, its what makes Jack special). So I do think skating is a bit of a concern in regards to his ultimate upside (being a smaller playmaking C) but it wont hold him back from being a good player, he'll be a great top 6 creator. 

 

Moore's speed is so impressive, he takes off so quickly & he's a better playmaker than I first thought but I'm still not sure about his offensive NHL upside. He'll be a really useful top 9 forward for any team - maybe a 2C, maybe (ideally) a 3C on a cup winner. Likely a C that plays PK & can make big plays with his speed, but I'm not expecting him to be an offensive driver (could be wrong). His shot isn't bad either.

 

I'm not as sold on Perreault as an impact player, but I do have more to watch. Leonard I still really like, can't believe he's under 6', he plays like a bull in a China shop. 

 

Lastly Cole Eiserman, man this kid is going to be really good. Just knows how to score, sick mitts, high offensive IQ. He'll be top 3 next year for sure. 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Smashian Kassian

[kenhodgejr]

I am really high on Wood. I think his body grew fast thats why its been hard for him to be really good at skating compared to the shorter kids, but he can fix that and grow into it. He is only 17/18.  His size, compete, and shot will translate well into the NHL and also could be very useful as a power forward in our top 6 forchecks and creates room for the high skill players. You need guys like this in the playoffs 

[YearoftheNuck]

My gut is telling me that we’re drafting either ASP or Moore. 
 

This is such a stacked draft though that I’d personally be more than happy with about 15 of the top players in the rankings. The only guys I’m wary of are Cristall and Perreault. 
 

Even though Hoznek and Willander are further down in the rankings on most boards, I would be happy with either of them too. 

[KyGuy123]

1 hour ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Kent Johnson was 18 in his first year in the NCAA.  He had 101 points in the BCHL as a 17 year old.  Matthew Wood had 85 points in the BCHL as a 16 year old.  Big difference.  Wood will only be 18 next year heading into his second year in the NCAA.  He could win the Hobey Baker award as an 18-year-old, similar to Adam Fantilli.  

 

I'm hoping they play him at centre next season to see what he can do up the middle.  He reminds me of Tage Thompson.  Wood is huge but has silky mitts.  His hands are soft as butter.  Dude is gonna be a beast of a power forward once he improves his skating.  He will be the steal of the 2023 draft for whoever takes him, similar to Tage who went 26th and was even traded before he could even show his stuff...

Can you have a team with Raty, Wood on it and even possibly Boeser? We would hands down be one of the slowest teams in the league. 

[YearoftheNuck]

The audit at the end of this new mock draft makes for a fascinating read: 

https://theathletic.com/4500204/2023/05/08/nhl-mock-draft-2023-connor-bedard-blackhawks/?amp=1

 

By the sounds of it Benson might just be there when we pick. Also, at least one scout said “There’s little chance (Michkov) goes in the top 10 picks”

 

There’s no world where I could possibly see him not being selected by the capitals, but if he did miraculously fall to us that could be the biggest draft day steal since Bure. 

[Elias Pettersson]

22 minutes ago, KyGuy123 said:

Can you have a team with Raty, Wood on it and even possibly Boeser? We would hands down be one of the slowest teams in the league. 

No, I don't think Boeser would be around if Wood is here.  I could live with Raty and Wood if you surround them with faster players.  No every player needs to be a speed demon.  Size matters in the playoffs.  Vegas doesn't have elite skating forwards either.

[KyGuy123]

14 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

No, I don't think Boeser would be around if Wood is here.  I could live with Raty and Wood if you surround them with faster players.  No every player needs to be a speed demon.  Size matters in the playoffs.  Vegas doesn't have elite skating forwards either.

I don’t think we are in a spot where we can draft a player who won’t be bluechip and have to trust the scouting staff and consensus around the Hockey world. Ultimately it comes down to the 10 guys picked in front of us and whoever is left to chose from. All I know now is almost everyone has played their last game of the year already and now the scouting combine is the next platform to asses these guys before it’s time to have our final rankings. I do agree drafting a Centre or Dman should be the priority for us and also think they hold the most value from an asset point of view. 
 

Wood, Dvorsky, Reinbacher, Moore, ASP, Benson, Leonard, Michkov, Smith, Sale, Perrault, Barlow outside of the big 3 all have Bluechip written all over them and a couple will be available. This draft is very unpredictable and I imagine it’s the wingers who end up falling on draft day. 

Edited May 9, 2023 by KyGuy123

[Elias Pettersson]

2 minutes ago, KyGuy123 said:

I don’t think we are in a spot where we can draft a player who won’t be bluechip and have to trust the scouting staff and consensus around the Hockey world. Ultimately it comes down to the 10 guys picked in front of us and whoever is left to chose from. All I know now is almost everyone has played their last game of the year already and now the scouting combine is the next platform to asses these guys before it’s time to have our final rankings. I do agree drafting a Centre or Dman should be the priority for us and also think they hold the most value from an asset point of view. 
 

Wood, Dvorsky, Reinbacher, Moore, ASP, Benson, Leonard, Michkov, Smith, Sale, Perrault, Barlow outside of the big 3 all have Bluechip written all over them and a couple will be available. This draft is very unpredictable and I imagine it’s the wingers who end up falling on draft day. 

We will get a good player at 11.  This draft is 15-16 deep.  Out of those guys you mentioned, Michkov, Dvorsky, Reinbacher, Leonard and Smith will be gone before we pick.  As for the rest I prefer Wood over ASP, Moore, Benson, Sale, Perreault and Barlow.  ASP, Benson and Moore might also be gone anyways.

[DownUndaCanuck]

Feel for CBJ and ANA, they had such rough years and should have had a better chance at Bedard and get shafted. Surely Fantilli goes 2nd overall and plays behind McTavish and Zegras and ends up being their number 1, McTavish probably 2C and I can see Zegras on the wing or vice versa in the future. CBJ is interesting at 3OA, do they take Michkov or Carlsson or Smith, Carlsson could jump right in and almost play in their middle-6 next year. SJS surely take whichever of the top-4 is left over and that makes me think that Will Smith goes to Montreal as 5OA.

 

Arizona with the 6th pick could go any which way. They could take a defenceman, knowing they just got rid of Chychrun, so do they dare take ASP or Reinbacher so high? I doubt it. Benson, Dvorsky or Leonard might go as high as 6th overall. I think Philly take one of these centers as well, and Washington will probably take one too as they're desperate for a future center and have some good young defencemen. 

 

Detroit will be an interesting pick, I hope they take Sale or Cristall high but they're a bit better at drafting than that, they might go off the board and pick a gem. The worry is that Detroit and/or St Louis take one of the top defenders, if not both of them, leaving us dry. 

 

I think we're going to be left with the scraps of the top-10 unless someone drops. Would love Benson, Dvorsky, Leonard, ASP or Reinbacher but I worry the book is out on these guys and they could easiy all go top-10 in which case I'd be all for trading down. Yager, Wood, Perreault, Danielson and Barlow are sort of the next tier and to be honest none of them scream future star potential or interest me. If we're not getting one of B/D/L/ASP/R tier, I say we trade down for two later picks and target a couple of maybe-future-top-4 defencemen (Lindstein, Willander, Strbak, Bonk, Price, Allen, Simashev, Gulyayev, Dragicevic etc.).

[DownUndaCanuck]

Taking a closer look at Chicago now, their team is dreadful on-ice, they have no real top quality young players or prospects just yet but they have a massive flurry of picks over the next few years. They don't really have quality players to trade for more picks so this is the beginning of their rebuild. Their prospects of note are Reichel who's a decent young LW but nothing amazing, Korchinski who is a decent young former 7OA LD puck mover, and maybe Gavin Hayes. That's it, nothing amazing apart from perhaps Korchinski. The cupboards are pretty bare. On their current roster they really have no one interesting or who should be part of the rebuild. A few young random guys, who really should be just in the AHL, but no one of note.

 

So then looking at how they're going to build their next dynasty, they get Bedard (I would argue too soon in the rebuild but you take him and run), TBL's top pick which is 20OA which probably nets them a very good defenceman (eg. Gulyayev, Simashev, Strbak, Willander/Lindstein etc.), a high 2nd which gets them again I'd say a decent defenceman (Bonk, Allen, Price etc.) and the 44OA, 52OA and 56OA.

 

Just using Tankathon as a rough guess of who they might draft (although their rankings are a bit weird), that means they take Bedard, Gulyayev, big guy Stramel (center), Pinelli and Akey and Mukhanov. Assuming two of the later guys are busts, they still walk away with a 1st line center, two top-4 defenceman and maybe a middle 6 center in just one draft.

 

I wonder if Chicago remain patient and just build through the draft (probably the smart thing to do) or if they try and make trades for young guys to build around Bedard (a bit like our deal for Hronek), or if they just try and take it easy and sign a few UFAs to save face but ruin their chances at a high pick next year...

[spook007]

2 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

We will get a good player at 11.  This draft is 15-16 deep.  Out of those guys you mentioned, Michkov, Dvorsky, Reinbacher, Leonard and Smith will be gone before we pick.  As for the rest I prefer Wood over ASP, Moore, Benson, Sale, Perreault and Barlow.  ASP, Benson and Moore might also be gone anyways.

Spot on.... 

 

There are going to be some incredible players amongst the top 15-16 in the future (outside the top 4 or 5 that are given)... 

[spook007]

1 hour ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

Feel for CBJ and ANA, they had such rough years and should have had a better chance at Bedard and get shafted. Surely Fantilli goes 2nd overall and plays behind McTavish and Zegras and ends up being their number 1, McTavish probably 2C and I can see Zegras on the wing or vice versa in the future. CBJ is interesting at 3OA, do they take Michkov or Carlsson or Smith, Carlsson could jump right in and almost play in their middle-6 next year. SJS surely take whichever of the top-4 is left over and that makes me think that Will Smith goes to Montreal as 5OA.

 

Arizona with the 6th pick could go any which way. They could take a defenceman, knowing they just got rid of Chychrun, so do they dare take ASP or Reinbacher so high? I doubt it. Benson, Dvorsky or Leonard might go as high as 6th overall. I think Philly take one of these centers as well, and Washington will probably take one too as they're desperate for a future center and have some good young defencemen. 

 

Detroit will be an interesting pick, I hope they take Sale or Cristall high but they're a bit better at drafting than that, they might go off the board and pick a gem. The worry is that Detroit and/or St Louis take one of the top defenders, if not both of them, leaving us dry. 

 

I think we're going to be left with the scraps of the top-10 unless someone drops. Would love Benson, Dvorsky, Leonard, ASP or Reinbacher but I worry the book is out on these guys and they could easiy all go top-10 in which case I'd be all for trading down. Yager, Wood, Perreault, Danielson and Barlow are sort of the next tier and to be honest none of them scream future star potential or interest me. If we're not getting one of B/D/L/ASP/R tier, I say we trade down for two later picks and target a couple of maybe-future-top-4 defencemen (Lindstein, Willander, Strbak, Bonk, Price, Allen, Simashev, Gulyayev, Dragicevic etc.).

Did you read the write up of Wood? Best numbers since Toews as a 17 year old.... With size... 

Don't know about you, but I would LOVE to have a top 6 hockey player with Size and silky mitts... Once Myers goes, we're almost the Vancouver PeeWees... 

 

Do agree that Reinbacher, Dvorsky, Leonard and Benson likely gone... The aforementioned together with Wood are my hopes at 11....

Edited May 9, 2023 by spook007

[DownUndaCanuck]

11 minutes ago, spook007 said:

Did you read the write up of Wood? Best numbers since Toews as a 17 year old.... With size... 

Don't know about you, but I would LOVE to have a top 6 hockey player with Size and silky mitts... Once Myers goes, we're almost the Vancouver PeeWees... 

 

Do agree that Reinbacher, Dvorsky, Leonard and Benson likely gone... The aforementioned together with Wood are my hopes at 11....

I'm a bit weary of drafting for size ever since Virtanen, but to be honest it goes back to even Pat White and beyond. So many guys with "grit" or "size" who get drafted high end up being busts. I know Wood looks good and has scored some clutch goals, PPG in the NCAA and had a massive tournie recently, but he's mainly been playing wing as well.

 

If all the top guys are gone and we're left with a decision between Wood, Danielson and Yager or Barlow, then I'd lean towards Wood, but hopefully someone (even Moore) is still around at 11. Otherwise, do we take Wood or trade down and try to take a flyer on a couple of defencemen in the late 1st/early 2nd?

[spook007]

1 minute ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

I'm a bit weary of drafting for size ever since Virtanen, but to be honest it goes back to even Pat White and beyond. So many guys with "grit" or "size" who get drafted high end up being busts. I know Wood looks good and has scored some clutch goals, PPG in the NCAA and had a massive tournie recently, but he's mainly been playing wing as well.

 

If all the top guys are gone and we're left with a decision between Wood, Danielson and Yager or Barlow, then I'd lean towards Wood, but hopefully someone (even Moore) is still around at 11. Otherwise, do we take Wood or trade down and try to take a flyer on a couple of defencemen in the late 1st/early 2nd?

I hear you... and yes Virtanen was a killer for us... Mainly between the ears, as all the tools were there...

 

As for trading down, I'm not keen on it, as there is a reason they are ranked in the later part of 1st/ early second. 

We need high end players in the organisation to come in on ELCs and support Petey, QH, Kuzy and Miller after their next contracts are signed...

 

All be it, there are some really interesting players in those areas and someone are going to be really happy. Hope Hronek was worth it.... time will tell...

 

When Allvin came in he said there were n superstars in Vancouver. I find it odd, that nobody have asked him the question of, how you obtain a superstar, unless you tank?

(Not advocating the tank, and totally understand why the players/coaches always play to win, but management can change it, by simply making the roster weaker?...). 

Has Allvin changed his opinion on whether we have a superstar, or does he think we don't need one anymore?

[DownUndaCanuck]

32 minutes ago, spook007 said:

I hear you... and yes Virtanen was a killer for us... Mainly between the ears, as all the tools were there...

 

As for trading down, I'm not keen on it, as there is a reason they are ranked in the later part of 1st/ early second. 

We need high end players in the organisation to come in on ELCs and support Petey, QH, Kuzy and Miller after their next contracts are signed...

 

All be it, there are some really interesting players in those areas and someone are going to be really happy. Hope Hronek was worth it.... time will tell...

 

When Allvin came in he said there were n superstars in Vancouver. I find it odd, that nobody have asked him the question of, how you obtain a superstar, unless you tank?

(Not advocating the tank, and totally understand why the players/coaches always play to win, but management can change it, by simply making the roster weaker?...). 

Has Allvin changed his opinion on whether we have a superstar, or does he think we don't need one anymore?

Yeah for me Hronek was an odd move but I get it, I just wonder then if it's worth trading the 11OA if we don't have a player we fancy at that spot? I'm sure Allvin has a nice list and if all the guys he wants are gone, maybe we flip it for another young player? If it's on the table I would take Schneider for the 11OA in a heart-beat, but I wonder if there are similar young guys around the league Allvin has his eye on?

 

Personally I'd rather have kept our two high picks instead of Hronek, I'm sure he's going to be a solid top-4 RD for us which is what we need, and young enough to fit with Hughes and Petey's timeline as opposed to an unknown draftee, but that's a 17OA and high 2nd pick in the deepest draft in ages, you could argue a top-10 pick in most drafts and a late first. We could easily walk away from the draft with guys like Leonard, Strbak and Lindstein. Instead we roll the dice on an injured Hronek. It's risky either way, I guess in theory less-so with Hronek.

 

Also if PA is gunning for success sooner rather than later, I wonder if that plays into who he picks. For example, Reinbacher is pretty mature physically and could be ready to play in the NHL sooner than a smaller guy or American college forward. There are a lot of Europeans in the draft playing against men already who could maybe go straight into the AHL and who knows, even get a call-up later in the year. I doubt they'll want to draft another slow-burner like Lekkerimaki if they're really focussed on Petey and Hughes' timeline now. Dvorsky really fits that bill perfectly but I wonder if then PA would have Moore and Leonard lower on his list if they're committed to NCAA hockey.

[spook007]

2 hours ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

Yeah for me Hronek was an odd move but I get it, I just wonder then if it's worth trading the 11OA if we don't have a player we fancy at that spot? I'm sure Allvin has a nice list and if all the guys he wants are gone, maybe we flip it for another young player? If it's on the table I would take Schneider for the 11OA in a heart-beat, but I wonder if there are similar young guys around the league Allvin has his eye on?

 

Personally I'd rather have kept our two high picks instead of Hronek, I'm sure he's going to be a solid top-4 RD for us which is what we need, and young enough to fit with Hughes and Petey's timeline as opposed to an unknown draftee, but that's a 17OA and high 2nd pick in the deepest draft in ages, you could argue a top-10 pick in most drafts and a late first. We could easily walk away from the draft with guys like Leonard, Strbak and Lindstein. Instead we roll the dice on an injured Hronek. It's risky either way, I guess in theory less-so with Hronek.

 

Also if PA is gunning for success sooner rather than later, I wonder if that plays into who he picks. For example, Reinbacher is pretty mature physically and could be ready to play in the NHL sooner than a smaller guy or American college forward. There are a lot of Europeans in the draft playing against men already who could maybe go straight into the AHL and who knows, even get a call-up later in the year. I doubt they'll want to draft another slow-burner like Lekkerimaki if they're really focussed on Petey and Hughes' timeline now. Dvorsky really fits that bill perfectly but I wonder if then PA would have Moore and Leonard lower on his list if they're committed to NCAA hockey.

I think Allvins hand was kind of tied, once they had laid the plans for their preferred way forward.

They want the team in the playoffs, and with the existing defence, that is not going to happen. Its not a guarantee it will now, but I think Allvin wants to test Petey, QH and Demko to see how they would fare in the playoffs ... 

 

I don't think they have the stomach for waiting another few years, to see if their building blocks are solid enough to carry the team, and wait for good prospects to come through.

Whether it will be the right or wrong move remains to be seen, but if the team flops next year as well, it was definitely the wrong move, and they may as well sell the family silver and start from scratch.

 

I also believe there is the fear that Petey don't see us moving forward and as such might not want to hang around. Petey and QH wants to win, not maybe in 3-5 years but now, and their talents deserve so... just like a lot of other players around the league.

 

The players I wish for I fear will be gone, Reinbacher and Dvorsky... Could see us end up ASP when all is said and done, but think Moore, Leonard (if he is available) or a fast winger is more likely. Hope they take Wood, but have my doubt he fits the mantra, of what Allvin scouts are looking for.

Edited May 9, 2023 by spook007

[Alflives]

BPA (ceiling of a difference maker) will be ASP. Allvin wants the BPA. He directs his scouts to identify the guy who will develop into a difference maker. That’s ASP more than Reinbacher. 

[Off_The_Schneid!]

Button has us taking ASP with Benson on the board . After listening to Alvin yesterday sounds like they are taking BPA and would most likely select Benson in this scenario. 
 

[DownUndaCanuck]

38 minutes ago, Off_The_Schneid! said:

Button has us taking ASP with Benson on the board . After listening to Alvin yesterday sounds like they are taking BPA and would most likely select Benson in this scenario. 
 

No Michkov in the top-5? Someone has to fall, I think Michkov and Benson will, but probably not that much, whereas everyone will lap up Will Smith and Dvorsky will go higher than expected.

 

I wonder what it would take for Allvin to jump up and snag Carlsson? He's getting forgotten about a lot with Bedard, Fantilli having a massive year and now Smith and Dvorsky looking good in the world juniors. Carlsson literally put up 0.5PPG in the Swedish top league and was a beast in the playoffs - 9 points in 13 games. That's almost NHL level 3rd line production from a kid, you could argue 2nd line on the bottom feeders. He must be one of the most NHL-ready players in the draft so could almost step right into the NHL.

 

Is there a deal to be made with SJS or CBJ for their pick? What would it take to move up a few spots? Is Raty + 11OA + Rathbone enough for the Leo Carlsson?

[Alflives]

43 minutes ago, Off_The_Schneid! said:

Button has us taking ASP with Benson on the board . After listening to Alvin yesterday sounds like they are taking BPA and would most likely select Benson in this scenario. 
 

Maybe our scouts don’t see Benson as the BPA if ASP is also available though?