2023 NHL Entry Draft

[HighOnHockey]

15 minutes ago, Gawdzukes said:

@HighOnHockey Is it too early to ask who you got at 15?   

Caden Price my dude. LDs all day.

[Gawdzukes]

1 minute ago, HighOnHockey said:

Caden Price my dude. LDs all day.

Vancouver Canucks

 

 

To select another LD 

 

Good old Saskatoon kid from the dub. It would have been nice to get one of the 4 LD last year but Lekkerimaki has the high end potential we need as well.

 

[Guest]

Is there any chance that Michkov slides out of the number 2 spot? 

 

Anybody caught any Hlinka action? Anybody got any places that do updates? 

[Goal:thecup]

On 7/29/2022 at 12:56 PM, HighOnHockey said:

I have a gut feeling Aram Minnetian could really fly up the charts.

Draft this guy; he's listed both as a C and an RD; two positions for the price of one pick!

[HighOnHockey]

1 hour ago, VancouverHabitant said:

Is there any chance that Michkov slides out of the number 2 spot? 

 

Anybody caught any Hlinka action? Anybody got any places that do updates? 

 

That will be interesting to see about Michkov. We'll probably have a better idea where the situation with Russia is at by next summer, but if things stays as they are or continue to deteriorate, with his contract through 2026 you never know.

 

I caught some of the USA-Germany game. Musty was the main guy I was watching and he was a little underwhelming. One of those guys with some pretty high-end raw tools but the question will be if he can put it all together. Comparing to guys like Miro and Ohgren who were in the same boat this year, I'd say Musty is a little less refined but he plays a little more of the physical power forward game that I'd like to see more of from those two. Not sure where to go for updates, but can check scores here: https://hlinkagretzkycup.ca/en-ca/season/2022/stats/schedule

 

1 hour ago, Goal:thecup said:

Draft this guy; he's listed both as a C and an RD; two positions for the price of one pick!

 

Lol he's been mostly D the past couple years and is sure to be mostly D going forward, but I think it says something about his offensive abilities that he's been used at forward throughout his youth hockey. He says he models his game after Cale Makar.

[JM_]

On 7/27/2022 at 12:13 PM, HighOnHockey said:

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.

I know its way too early, but who do you like for the top 3 RHD picks? 

[HighOnHockey]

2 hours ago, JM_ said:

I know its way too early, but who do you like for the top 3 RHD picks? 

Right now I guess I'd go Dragicevik (6'2) first, then Aram Minnetian (6'1), then Cameron Allen (5'11). Max Strbak (6'2) maybe not far behind.

[JM_]

10 hours ago, HighOnHockey said:

Right now I guess I'd go Dragicevik (6'2) first, then Aram Minnetian (6'1), then Cameron Allen (5'11). Max Strbak (6'2) maybe not far behind.

Thanks. I've never tracked prospect this far out from a draft, but I want to keep an eye on the progress of this group. Assuming that BPA and need align finally. 

[HighOnHockey]

Brayden Yager and Calum Ritchie are battling it out for the HGC scoring lead. They each had a goal and assist last night to move their totals to 8 points in 3 games a piece. Absolutely nobody is surprised, as the two were expected to be the top two players coming into the tournament, and both should be pretty firmly entrenched as top 10 prospects by the end of the tournament.

 

Most disappointing player of the tournament for me so far has been Kasper Halttunen. I was expecting him to be up there with Yager and Ritchie. Right now he's looking like another one of those kids with all the raw talent but needs to put it together. Just doesn't look like a play driver at this level right now.

 

Surprise of the tournament for me so far has been Otto Stenberg. I knew he was be good, but wasn't expecting quite this kind of production.

 

Of course Cam Allen is producing and in the middle of everything for Canada, but cool to see Caden Price right there with him in terms of production after I went out on a limb ranking him in my top 15. He's just such a calm, cool presence from the back end.

[Goal:thecup]

On 7/31/2022 at 4:44 PM, HighOnHockey said:

Lol he's been mostly D the past couple years and is sure to be mostly D going forward, but I think it says something about his offensive abilities that he's been used at forward throughout his youth hockey. He says he models his game after Cale Makar.

Well that certainly clears that up.

jk HoH, good stuff thanks.

[Goal:thecup]

 

Double post, so wth?

[Gawdzukes]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:55 AM, HighOnHockey said:

Brayden Yager and Calum Ritchie are battling it out for the HGC scoring lead. They each had a goal and assist last night to move their totals to 8 points in 3 games a piece. Absolutely nobody is surprised, as the two were expected to be the top two players coming into the tournament, and both should be pretty firmly entrenched as top 10 prospects by the end of the tournament.

 

Most disappointing player of the tournament for me so far has been Kasper Halttunen. I was expecting him to be up there with Yager and Ritchie. Right now he's looking like another one of those kids with all the raw talent but needs to put it together. Just doesn't look like a play driver at this level right now.

 

Surprise of the tournament for me so far has been Otto Stenberg. I knew he was be good, but wasn't expecting quite this kind of production.

 

Of course Cam Allen is producing and in the middle of everything for Canada, but cool to see Caden Price right there with him in terms of production after I went out on a limb ranking him in my top 15. He's just such a calm, cool presence from the back end.

Yager is looking awesome. Chance after chance. Just needs to work on finishing.

[HighOnHockey]

So I clipped some highlights a couple years ago of Connor Bedard from the WSI where he had 24 goals in 7 games. Little did I realize at the time that right winger Aram Minnetian was Bedard's regular winger in that game and most of the highlights feature him too. I've been pumping Minnetian's tires for a while now as a defenseman who models his game after Makar, but here's some of that offensive talent I mentioned earlier. (Bedard is 98 in red with black helmet, Minnetian is 17 with the white helmet):

 

 

Minnetian on Bedard's right wing off the faceoff:

 

 

I believe this was on the PK. Minnetian with the back check, then the poke and Bedard does the rest:

 

 

And here's Bedard and Minnetian doing work in the corner: Doesn't lead directly to a goal but it's a fun sequence.

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by HighOnHockey

[HighOnHockey]

I did a bit of a deep dive into the next couple drafts. I won't bore people with the details, but figured I'd try to rank the next three draft classes compared to the past three:

 

1. 2023 - Could be legendary, up there with 2003 or 2015. Similar to 2020 there's at least 15 top 10-calibre prospects, and at upwards of 40 who are first round-calibre. But '23 gets the edge due to a couple generational talents at the top.

2. 2020 - Some pretty high end talent in the top 5, a loaded top 15 and deep through 35-40.

3. 2025 - Arguably the best 2006-born Western Canadian and Ontarian are late birthdays Jordan Gavin and Malcom Spence respectively. 2024's loss is 2025's gain. Reminds me a bit of the 2022 draft, with not a ton of elite talent at the top, but loaded through the top 15-20.

4. 2022 - I thought the top 15 or 20 for this class was up there with '23 or '20, but didn't quite have the elite talent at the top, nor the same depth through the first round.

5. 2024 - So many of the top '06-borns are late birthdays and so not eligible until 2025. Kiviharju looks borderline generational, but after that there's not a lot of obvious bluechippers.

6. 2021 - This draft had a lot of upside throughout the top 10-20, but so many of the top prospects had some flaw or red flag that raised question marks. Could end up looking like a stronger draft than expected if a few guys pan out, but it was always going to be a crapshoot.

Edited August 6, 2022 by HighOnHockey

[hammertime]

Draft looks thin on D though would have been nice to get one this year. 

Edited August 6, 2022 by hammertime

[HighOnHockey]

8 hours ago, hammertime said:

Draft looks thin on D though would have been nice to get one this year. 

A little thin at the upper echelon maybe, but there'll be some good ones. Right now I'd have about 8-10 of the following names in consideration for the first round, a small handful of them could challenge for spots in the top 15, as crowded as it is with bluechip forward:

 

LD

1. Caden Price

2. Theo Lindstein

3. Mikhail Gulyayev

4. Drew Fortescue

5. Arttu Karki

HM: Gavin McCarthy, Tanner Molendyk

 

RD

1. Lukas Dragicevik

2. Aram Minnetian

3. Cameron Allen

4. Maxim Strbak

5. Tom Willander

HM: Hunter Brzustewicz, Beau Akey

Edited August 7, 2022 by HighOnHockey

[hammertime]

1 hour ago, HighOnHockey said:

A little thin at the upper echelon maybe, but there'll be some good ones. Right now I'd have about 8-10 of the following names in consideration for the first round, a small handful of them could challenge for spots in the top 15, as crowded as it is with bluechip forward:

 

LD

1. Caden Price

2. Theo Lindstein

3. Mikhail Gulyayev

4. Drew Fortescue

5. Arttu Karki

HM: Gavin McCarthy, Tanner Molendyk

 

RD

1. Lukas Dragicevik

2. Aram Minnetian

3. Cameron Allen

4. Maxim Strbak

5. Tom Willander

HM: Hunter Brzustewicz, Beau Akey

At this early stage I think Aram Minnetian is the most interesting.  

[Smashian Kassian]

1 hour ago, HighOnHockey said:

A little thin at the upper echelon maybe, but there'll be some good ones. Right now I'd have about 8-10 of the following names in consideration for the first round, a small handful of them could challenge for spots in the top 15, as crowded as it is with bluechip forward:

 

LD

1. Caden Price

2. Theo Lindstein

3. Mikhail Gulyayev

4. Drew Fortescue

5. Arttu Karki

HM: Gavin McCarthy, Tanner Molendyk

 

RD

1. Lukas Dragicevik

2. Aram Minnetian

3. Cameron Allen

4. Maxim Strbak

5. Tom Willander

HM: Hunter Brzustewicz, Beau Akey

 

I liked Sandin-Pellikka more than Willander. Pellikka even took over from Lindstein on the PP when they needed a goal. 

 

Calm & poise with the puck, good offensive sense, and a great overall skater (tho not a burner). Also good on the defensive end though Barlow did dance him for a SH Breakaway once. 

[Googlie]

 

[-Vintage Canuck-]