Gawdzukes Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 12 hours ago, YearoftheNuck said: I literally cried tears of joy when Hughes miraculously fell to us. Lol. I needed to tell someone about the grand larceny we had just pulled off and so I called my wife at work but I was so excited that I couldn’t even articulate complete sentences lol. I have a feeling that Benson is the one player that could miraculously drop to us this year. If he does that’ll be another highway robbery for us. PS During the 2019 draft when it was our turn to pick I thought we were going to pull off another massive heist and nab Matthew Boldy. I was on the edge of my seat, getting ready to go nuts, but they regrettably passed on what I strongly believed would’ve been an amazing winger for Pettersson. I really like Podkolzin, but I fear that he will never be quite the impact player that Boldy has already become. Boldy was my pick as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighOnHockey Posted May 5 Author Share Posted May 5 8 hours ago, Ilunga said: Did you listen to Grant Mckaggs video on the Recrutes site - Smith v Dvorsky ? It's about 30 minutes and he delves into a few other prospects as well. Very illuminating if you trust his judgement/ scouting ability. As you have noted Recrutes has But ranked 4, only the big three ahead of him. Since they placed him there I have been trying to access as much video and scouting reports as I can. Apparently he has dominated the MHL playoffs. https://thehockeywriters.com/daniil-but-2023-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/ This report notes his skating need work however as Grant notes in the video I mentioned in regards to Wood who also has issues with his skating, teams will remember guys like Robertson and Thompson to name a couple had skating issues in their draft year. Out of the players you mentioned he would be the only one I would definitely take a flyer on. Honzek is right on the edge of top 15 IMO. Grant was pretty high on Edstrom, stated he would probably pick him before Stenberg, however still would be in the late teens. Halttunen is intriguing, has regressed a bit this year however when he went back to playing against his own age group he flourished. To me this illustrates you can't rush a players development even if they possess size. I do think he will be an impact player in the NHL just gonna take a few years playing in NA to acclimatise. If he is drafted after 20 some team is gonna be very happy. Yeah I saw the interview you're talking about. McCagg runs the show at Recrutes and the final decisions are his, but he does have a staff that has some input on the rankings, I believe the MHL still post every game on their youtube channel, so shouldn't be too much issue with availability of footage. I for one just need to get around to making the time to watch a coupe games of But with Loko. I asked the question because I just feel like one or two of those names I mentioned will end up going earlier than expected. It's the worst kept secret around that NHL teams love players with size. Death, taxes, and every year at the NHL draft some smaller kids will fall and bigger kids will jump over them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighOnHockey Posted May 5 Author Share Posted May 5 1 hour ago, NUCKER67 said: I really like this list, but I don't understand the lack of love for ASP on a lot of lists. His skating is unreal, so smart, produces. I'd replace Wood with ASP. The problem is he just doesn't look like anything that special. Such a smart, safe, responsible puck-mover, but he's nowhere near the dynamic offensive skill of a guy like Gulyayev. To draft a defenseman under 6'0 in the top ten, - especially in a draft this loaded with talented forwards - they better have offensive upside in the range of guys like Hughes and Makar... Sandin-Pellikka is not that guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammertime Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 17 minutes ago, TheQuietQuitter said: From what I've gathered, scouts are concerned about his game translating to the NA sized rinks as well as some compete issues. I think people we're putting too much stock into his U18 performance against weak competition. I have Sandin-Pellikka ranked around 20, but I do think a team might take a chance on him the 8-12 range. I'd take Wood's potential over Sandin-Pellikka's potential all day. I really don't get that. For me my concern is his upside may not be super high. I love his compete and I think his game will be fine in NA to me he looks like a future 35-40 point all round RHD I'm kinda where I was with Soderstrom in his draft year who was probably my 3rd choice after Sieder, Newhook at 10. I didn't think we were in the running for Pod and I had no idea Sieder would go that high. Soderstrom just like Pellikka seems like a reasonable pick at 11. Soderstrom is just breaking into the league now at 22 we will see what he is? I think we will have to wait for Pellikka quite a while before he will be ready to slip into a scowling orca. When he does get here. Another poster brought up Boqvist I think these are fair comparable both of these players looked very promising and deserved their draft position at the time. Erik Karlsson went at 15 and didn't look any better than them in his draft year. A lot can happen between 18 and 22. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Heffy Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 2 hours ago, NUCKER67 said: I really like this list, but I don't understand the lack of love for ASP on a lot of lists. His skating is unreal, so smart, produces. I'd replace Wood with ASP. Poor defensive play. He's on my DND list. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighOnHockey Posted May 5 Author Share Posted May 5 8 hours ago, Ilunga said: Smith will be a difference maker however he doesn't work hard enough in his own end ATM to warrant a guaranteed centre spot in the NHL I think there's more going on than meets the eye regarding Smith's defensive tendencies. Even before the interview you mentioned, I saw McCagg's scouting video on Smith and he really tore into him. But something seemed off to me, it was just too on the nose. Such a ridiculously smart player as Smith has just completely forgone any semblance of a center's defensive responsibilities? Really? And yet they win the gold medal and now Smith is ranked 3rd overall by Bob McKenzie's survey. Clearly someone is missing something. I think the answer comes when we consider the cutting edge, experimental tendency of USA Hockey. The one thing we know very well is that it's always a development program first. They do things that regular club/league teams wouldn't do. For instance as much as possible they roll 4 lines and 3 defense pairs. I remember the comparisons between Sanderson and Drysdale in the spring of 2020 when Sanderson started pushing Drysdale in the rankings. Drysdale fans were quick to point out the difference in offensive numbers, but then you consider Drysdale was playing 26 minutes a night and every powerplay ran through him, while Sanderson was playing 18-19 minutes a game, it puts things in a bit of a different light. They also do things like in the U17 year especially they really roll the lines and try to use players in ways they're not expected to - they let skilled players get PK opportunities, grinders get PP chances, etc. This both helps them really figure out what they've got going into the U18 year, and also gets everyone a chance to develop different aspects of their game. USA Hockey also indirectly created Antonio Stranges. He didn't go through the NTDP but he was involved in USA Hockey / Bauer skill camps from very early on - one of the most unique and intriguing prospects I've ever seen. They put Seamus Casey through the entire NTDP playing primarily his off side. So this season they have four elite natural centers. Meaning either they have to spread them out across 3 or 4 lines, or more likely some of them are going to have to play the wing, right? Well, sort of. Essentially, that whole top line shares center duties. Smith takes most of the faceoffs, but they all carry the puck through the neutral zone, they're all so smart and have such tremendous chemistry that in the offensive zone that they can rotate around pretty fluidly. And then in the defensive zone the one who is technically the center is always the high forward while the two "wingers" share the center's defensive duties low in the zone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Fred65 Posted May 5 Popular Post Share Posted May 5 Scout's Analysis: Ranking the top 60 prospects for the 2023 NHL Draft (sportsnet.ca) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 29 minutes ago, Fred65 said: Scout's Analysis: Ranking the top 60 prospects for the 2023 NHL Draft (sportsnet.ca) Looks like at 11OA we will get a guy who’s ceiling is either a top pair D or a top 3 forward. Love to get lucky and get into the top 3. Snagging Bedard is s dream. But getting Carlsson or Fantilli would be awesome for us too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 30 minutes ago, Fred65 said: Scout's Analysis: Ranking the top 60 prospects for the 2023 NHL Draft (sportsnet.ca) Leonard at number 5...what? Then Smith, Benson, Reinbacher and Barlow at 9. Stenberg up at 13, Lindstein and Willander moved up which I buy, but Leonard at 5 has thrown me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pure961089 Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 (edited) 13 hours ago, YearoftheNuck said: I literally cried tears of joy when Hughes miraculously fell to us. Lol. I needed to tell someone about the grand larceny we had just pulled off and so I called my wife at work but I was so excited that I couldn’t even articulate complete sentences lol. I have a feeling that Benson is the one player that could miraculously drop to us this year. If he does that’ll be another highway robbery for us. PS During the 2019 draft when it was our turn to pick I thought we were going to pull off another massive heist and nab Matthew Boldy. I was on the edge of my seat, getting ready to go nuts, but they regrettably passed on what I strongly believed would’ve been an amazing winger for Pettersson. I really like Podkolzin, but I fear that he will never be quite the impact player that Boldy has already become. I feel better about Podkolzin's development now then I did with Benning. Our development staff I'm pretty optimistic about. Our drafting took I hit in the identifying talent department when Benning let Brackett go, think this was the first year without Brackett as the head of scouting. Brackett picked Boldy for the Wild. Edited May 5 by Pure961089 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 1 minute ago, Pure961089 said: I feel better about Podkolzin's development now thwn I did under Benning. I think this was the first year without Brackett as the head of scouting. Brackett picked Boldy for the Wild. I don’t know if Bracket allows his voice to supersede what his scouts believe is best. He is a smart manager who creates an environment for the experts to make their voices heard. Benning simply chose who he felt was best. Benning’s biggest flaw, IMHAO, was his arrogance about his scouting expertise, even when as GM and President he didn’t have time to scout. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQuietQuitter Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 Just another example of how spread out the talent is in the top 20. I think the issue with Smith is are you drafting him to be a center or winger? Everything I've seen of him so far leads me to believe he's not suited to play center, unless something changes with his development path at Boston College. I have Leonard ahead Smith because of personal bias, but I do think Smith gets drafted before Leonard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammertime Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 1 hour ago, King Heffy said: Poor defensive play. He's on my DND list. Didn't know you were a dungeon master. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Elias Pettersson Posted May 5 Popular Post Share Posted May 5 (edited) Matthew Wood as a 17-year-old was a PPG in the NCAA. Last player to do that was Jonathan Toews. He is being compared to Tage Thompson. 6'4" and almost 200 pounds and still growing. Bonus, he is Connor Bedard's buddy, stayed at his house for a year while playing in Vancouver at 14 years old. I'm all in on Matthew Wood. We already have smallish wingers. We need a big-time power forward who can play the wall game and help us in the playoffs... Matthew Wood, a freshman right wing with the University of Connecticut, can recall with great appreciation the shooting competitions he had as a 14-year-old with Connor Bedard when living with the Bedard family three years ago. "I was in grade nine at the time, playing for the Under-15 team; Connor was on the Under-18 team at West Van Academy Prep (in 2019-20)," Wood said. "I lived with the Bedard family for a year. We'd have shooting competitions in his backyard. He had a nice setup, a platform and a net with really small targets. So it was all about accuracy. But those were interesting, fun times for sure." Wood's friendship with Bedard goes back even further as they also played spring hockey for the Vancouver Vipers for five seasons (2015-2019). Wood happy to carve own path to NHL Draft at Connecticut Edited May 5 by Elias Pettersson 2 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook007 Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 10 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said: Matthew Wood as a 17-year-old was a PPG in the NCAA. Last player to do that was Jonathan Toews. He is being compared to Tage Thompson. 6'4" and almost 200 pounds and still growing. Bonus, he is Connor Bedard's buddy, stayed at his house for a year while playing in Vancouver at 14 years old. I'm all in on Matthew Wood. We already have smallish wingers. We need a big-time power forward who can play the wall game and help us in the playoffs... Matthew Wood, a freshman right wing with the University of Connecticut, can recall with great appreciation the shooting competitions he had as a 14-year-old with Connor Bedard when living with the Bedard family three years ago. "I was in grade nine at the time, playing for the Under-15 team; Connor was on the Under-18 team at West Van Academy Prep (in 2019-20)," Wood said. "I lived with the Bedard family for a year. We'd have shooting competitions in his backyard. He had a nice setup, a platform and a net with really small targets. So it was all about accuracy. But those were interesting, fun times for sure." Wood's friendship with Bedard goes back even further as they also played spring hockey for the Vancouver Vipers for five seasons (2015-2019). Wood happy to carve own path to NHL Draft at Connecticut Count me in.... If he becomes anything like Toews, was this space... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken. Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 11 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said: Matthew Wood as a 17-year-old was a PPG in the NCAA. Last player to do that was Jonathan Toews. He is being compared to Tage Thompson. 6'4" and almost 200 pounds and still growing. Bonus, he is Connor Bedard's buddy, stayed at his house for a year while playing in Vancouver at 14 years old. I'm all in on Matthew Wood. We already have smallish wingers. We need a big-time power forward who can play the wall game and help us in the playoffs... Matthew Wood, a freshman right wing with the University of Connecticut, can recall with great appreciation the shooting competitions he had as a 14-year-old with Connor Bedard when living with the Bedard family three years ago. "I was in grade nine at the time, playing for the Under-15 team; Connor was on the Under-18 team at West Van Academy Prep (in 2019-20)," Wood said. "I lived with the Bedard family for a year. We'd have shooting competitions in his backyard. He had a nice setup, a platform and a net with really small targets. So it was all about accuracy. But those were interesting, fun times for sure." Wood's friendship with Bedard goes back even further as they also played spring hockey for the Vancouver Vipers for five seasons (2015-2019). Wood happy to carve own path to NHL Draft at Connecticut Damn Wood is freakin huge and always has been it looks like Tage thompson comparable i can get on board with… though i still want reinbacher 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Heffy Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 2 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said: Matthew Wood as a 17-year-old was a PPG in the NCAA. Last player to do that was Jonathan Toews. He is being compared to Tage Thompson. 6'4" and almost 200 pounds and still growing. Bonus, he is Connor Bedard's buddy, stayed at his house for a year while playing in Vancouver at 14 years old. I'm all in on Matthew Wood. We already have smallish wingers. We need a big-time power forward who can play the wall game and help us in the playoffs... Got to see him a bunch with the Grizzlies. He was clearly too good for that level of competition, regardless of size, and showed good chemistry with Rickwood. He uses his size well but he also has very soft hands around the net. He's my second choice after Reinbacher. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Pettersson Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 2 minutes ago, King Heffy said: Got to see him a bunch with the Grizzlies. He was clearly too good for that level of competition, regardless of size, and showed good chemistry with Rickwood. He uses his size well but he also has very soft hands around the net. He's my second choice after Reinbacher. I think Reinbacher goes well before our pick. If Wood is there I run up to the stage and call his name... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook007 Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 1 hour ago, Pure961089 said: I feel better about Podkolzin's development now then I did with Benning. Our development staff I'm pretty optimistic about. Our drafting took I hit in the identifying talent department when Benning let Brackett go, think this was the first year without Brackett as the head of scouting. Brackett picked Boldy for the Wild. I wanted Boldy, but to say at the time Boldy was a better pick than Podz is a bit of a stretch... I didn't see many if any complaining about Canucks drafting Podz at the time. If we had taken Boldy, Wild would likely have taken Podz instead. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammertime Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 9 minutes ago, Chicken. said: Damn Wood is freakin huge and always has been it looks like Tage thompson comparable i can get on board with… though i still want reinbacher Literally every winger over 6'3 is getting compared to Tage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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