2023 NHL Entry Draft

[HighOnHockey]

17 hours ago, Pure961089 said:

Anyone know why Gabe Perreault ranked so low in draft rankings.   He’s putting up 2 points a game. 

 

Once again it's the old question of NHL translatability, with a side-order of quality of linemates. He's benefiting greatly from playing with Smith and Leonard - as they are from playing with him - but whereas Leonard and Smith are each in their own ways highly translatable prospects, Perreault is stylistically one of the most worrisome prospects in this year's draft. One of the most purely skilled players in the entire draft, but his outlandish production at this level comes at the cost of tremendous amount of risk. He's always forcing offensive plays, both skating into traffic as well as passing into coverage, turning pucks over. He's also not as involved in chasing down and retrieving pucks or forcing turnovers as Smith or especially Leonard, who is such a savage puck hound.

Edited March 1, 2023 by HighOnHockey

[TheQuietQuitter]

16 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

 

Once again it's the old question of NHL translatability, with a side-order of quality of linemates. He's benefiting greatly from playing with Smith and Leonard - as they are from playing with him - but whereas Leonard and Smith are each in their own ways highly translatable prospects, Perreault is stylistically one of the most worrisome prospects in this year's draft. One of the most purely skilled players in the entire draft, but his outlandish production at this level comes at the cost of tremendous amount of risk. He's always forcing offensive plays, both skating into traffic as well as passing into coverage, turning pucks over. He's also not as involved in chasing down and retrieving pucks or forcing turnovers as Smith or especially Leonard, who is such a savage puck hound.

I've been a following this site for almost 15 years and have only just recently joined, but I have always been appreciative of the info you provide and the analysis you give on prospects.

Thank you.

[R3aL]

11 hours ago, hammertime said:

Very doubtful Rein will be there for the NYI pick.

Hope so now that it ain’t ours ahah 

[DudePerfect]

If we pick 6th as it currently stands, do we reach for a C/RHD or pick best available? Assuming Bedard, Fantilli, Michkov, Carlsson, Smith are off the board.. we are left with Benson, Reinbacher, Leonard, Dvorsky, Cristall or Sale as the next tier. Benson has the gamebreaking abilities and has the smarts to be successful in the NHL, but our center depth is so bad that we could even trade down a few spots to take Dvorsky, Moore, Ritchie and recoup another 1st.

[R3aL]

I’m not stressing about winning

games anymore.

 

we were never finishing bottom 3

 

4-9 is realistic 

 

our lottery odds from 4-9 really aren’t insanely different 

 

we most likely end around 6-7.

 

Being 4-6 we have the chance of being pushed back too anyways.

 

and as for players available:

 

bedard

 

fantilli

 

carlsson

 

michkov

 

benson + US NTDP stars: smith / Leonard / Moore

 

Dvorsky

 

thats 9 forwards mostly Centres that would all be great adds and that’s not to mention of us or any team are super high on a dman come draft day.

 

im not stressing about the wins and losses much here but I’ll stress on draft lottery day. 
 

no matter what we are getting a solid player here.

 

im a little choked about losing the second rounder kinda guaranteed we can’t get @HighOnHockey top prospect Minnetian now though 

[hammertime]

6 minutes ago, R3aL said:

Hope so now that it ain’t ours ahah 

Now I won't have to be disappointed by who they would have taken instead.  

[hammertime]

4 minutes ago, R3aL said:

 

no matter what we are getting a solid player here.

 

Shhhh the TDL hasn't passed yet. 

[R3aL]

Just now, DudePerfect said:

If we pick 6th as it currently stands, do we reach for a C/RHD or pick best available? Assuming Bedard, Fantilli, Michkov, Carlsson, Smith are off the board.. we are left with Benson, Reinbacher, Leonard, Dvorsky, Cristall or Sale as the next tier. Benson has the gamebreaking abilities and has the smarts to be successful in the NHL, but our center depth is so bad that we could even trade down a few spots to take Dvorsky, Moore, Ritchie and recoup another 1st.

Come year end I’ll have a definitive answer 

 

but I believe the choice would be between 

 

Benson / Leonard / Moore / Reinbacher / Dvorsky

 

i doubt Sale is ranked above any of them on our list. 
 

Benson is a special player to me he looks like a Marner / Kane type player who is so smart on the ice just makes so much space for himself and others. He isn’t strong on the dots, he doesn’t have Point speed down the middle and he is sub 6 so his game translating to C will either be a project and take a long time or just not materialize and he will be an elite winger.

 

Leonard - I am starting to favorite him as my top US player. I’m starting to like his game more than Will Smiths. I feel so confident he’s going to be a productive and effective NHL player. Depending on what Boston college does down the middle with Smith and Leonard I feel like he could be a C but he will probably continue his path as a winger and that’s the only unfortunate part for me for him. 
 

the four wingers I’m incredibly high on are:

 

1. Michkov

2-3. Benson/Leonard 

4. Barlow

 

Moore - he’s probably the best skater for forwards in the draft. Nhl skater. That and his defensive game at this age he will be an nhl player without a doubt to me. Bottom 6 guaranteed. I have questions on his offensive iq and ceiling though and I’m not sure how that side will develop. I still like him though but I have some ??? On upside for his draft position

 

Dvorsky - I’ve barley seen so I refer to what some insiders have said what I’ve read and @HighOnHockey has shared and he also sounds like a very safe player to become an nhler but the ceiling might be in question. More of a shooting C that hasn’t been shooting this year as much as you’d think.

 

Reinbacher - again referring to what I’ve heard in him and haven’t seen much in person. Hope we have a better read on him by the seasons end

 

 

[R3aL]

6 minutes ago, hammertime said:

Shhhh the TDL hasn't passed yet. 

Lmao no way we trading our first don’t even say that 

[DudePerfect]

5 minutes ago, R3aL said:

Come year end I’ll have a definitive answer 

 

but I believe the choice would be between 

 

Benson / Leonard / Moore / Reinbacher / Dvorsky

 

i doubt Sale is ranked above any of them on our list. 
 

Benson is a special player to me he looks like a Marner / Kane type player who is so smart on the ice just makes so much space for himself and others. He isn’t strong on the dots, he doesn’t have Point speed down the middle and he is sub 6 so his game translating to C will either be a project and take a long time or just not materialize and he will be an elite winger.

 

Leonard - I am starting to favorite him as my top US player. I’m starting to like his game more than Will Smiths. I feel so confident he’s going to be a productive and effective NHL player. Depending on what Boston college does down the middle with Smith and Leonard I feel like he could be a C but he will probably continue his path as a winger and that’s the only unfortunate part for me for him. 
 

the four wingers I’m incredibly high on are:

 

1. Michkov

2-3. Benson/Leonard 

4. Barlow

 

Moore - he’s probably the best skater for forwards in the draft. Nhl skater. That and his defensive game at this age he will be an nhl player without a doubt to me. Bottom 6 guaranteed. I have questions on his offensive iq and ceiling though and I’m not sure how that side will develop. I still like him though but I have some ??? On upside for his draft position

 

Dvorsky - I’ve barley seen so I refer to what some insiders have said what I’ve read and @HighOnHockey has shared and he also sounds like a very safe player to become an nhler but the ceiling might be in question. More of a shooting C that hasn’t been shooting this year as much as you’d think.

 

Reinbacher - again referring to what I’ve heard in him and haven’t seen much in person. Hope we have a better read on him by the seasons end

 

 

I would agree with most of what you said, which is why I think a trade down could become a realistic opportunity. Dvorsky has a great all around package as a center, but I could see Ritchie having the same potential as him too and a trade down target. Sucks for the canucks because the tier we are picking in is really winger heavy.

[R3aL]

2 minutes ago, DudePerfect said:

I would agree with most of what you said, which is why I think a trade down could become a realistic opportunity. Dvorsky has a great all around package as a center, but I could see Ritchie having the same potential as him too and a trade down target. Sucks for the canucks because the tier we are picking in is really winger heavy.

Not a ritchie Fan myself I like Nate Danielson over him for that tier of the draft. 
 

but ya the BPA at our pick could be a winger and we may have to reach for a D or a C unless we do have them ranked higher

 

we will see this draft could be a shock with where guys go just like last year.

 

 

 

[HighOnHockey]

14 minutes ago, R3aL said:

Come year end I’ll have a definitive answer 

 

but I believe the choice would be between 

 

Benson / Leonard / Moore / Reinbacher / Dvorsky

 

i doubt Sale is ranked above any of them on our list. 
 

Benson is a special player to me he looks like a Marner / Kane type player who is so smart on the ice just makes so much space for himself and others. He isn’t strong on the dots, he doesn’t have Point speed down the middle and he is sub 6 so his game translating to C will either be a project and take a long time or just not materialize and he will be an elite winger.

 

Leonard - I am starting to favorite him as my top US player. I’m starting to like his game more than Will Smiths. I feel so confident he’s going to be a productive and effective NHL player. Depending on what Boston college does down the middle with Smith and Leonard I feel like he could be a C but he will probably continue his path as a winger and that’s the only unfortunate part for me for him. 
 

the four wingers I’m incredibly high on are:

 

1. Michkov

2-3. Benson/Leonard 

4. Barlow

 

Moore - he’s probably the best skater for forwards in the draft. Nhl skater. That and his defensive game at this age he will be an nhl player without a doubt to me. Bottom 6 guaranteed. I have questions on his offensive iq and ceiling though and I’m not sure how that side will develop. I still like him though but I have some ??? On upside for his draft position

 

Dvorsky - I’ve barley seen so I refer to what some insiders have said what I’ve read and @HighOnHockey has shared and he also sounds like a very safe player to become an nhler but the ceiling might be in question. More of a shooting C that hasn’t been shooting this year as much as you’d think.

 

Reinbacher - again referring to what I’ve heard in him and haven’t seen much in person. Hope we have a better read on him by the seasons end

 

 

 

I see Leonard as a C in the long term. I love his versatility, and I think he'll be used at both C and W in the NHL; probably he'll start mostly on the wing and gradually be groomed but I think if the team that drafts him goes about it the right way he could be a full-time 2C by his prime. I'm not sure if you're aware but Perreault is committed to BC now too; so I would have to imagine they'll use those three as a line quite a bit. But even if Leonard plays wing in college, I don't see why an NHL team couldn't still move him to center after he turns pro.

[R3aL]

43 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

 

I see Leonard as a C in the long term. I love his versatility, and I think he'll be used at both C and W in the NHL; probably he'll start mostly on the wing and gradually be groomed but I think if the team that drafts him goes about it the right way he could be a full-time 2C by his prime. I'm not sure if you're aware but Perreault is committed to BC now too; so I would have to imagine they'll use those three as a line quite a bit. But even if Leonard plays wing in college, I don't see why an NHL team couldn't still move him to center after he turns pro.

I think he plays a game that would translate to a 2-Way C better than Will Smith does.

 

If you could see that progression still  happening, I would enjoy that greatly and it would comfort me if we  picked him.

 

Us picking Leonard 6-9 would make me not care at all about winning some games down the stretch.

 

A RHC who plays like him is exactly what we need in our system. Outside of the top tier cream of the crop lotto picks ofc.

 

I'm really favouring him now out of the program. And no I didn't see that and I looked earlier today its not on the Elite Prospects page yet updated. That as pretty cool they will stick together.

 

The 4 Nations really just has sealed the deal for me. Love the way he plays and competes and does it all.

 

Skates

Hits

Scores

Has a heavy Shot

Competes Hard

 

He just has it. He interviews confidently and hes becoming the guy for me to target on draft day.

 

Checking all the boxes.

 

 

 

[Smashian Kassian]

1 hour ago, R3aL said:

 

 

Leonard - I am starting to favorite him as my top US player. I’m starting to like his game more than Will Smiths. I feel so confident he’s going to be a productive and effective NHL player. Depending on what Boston college does down the middle with Smith and Leonard I feel like he could be a C but he will probably continue his path as a winger and that’s the only unfortunate part for me for him. 

 

Moore - he’s probably the best skater for forwards in the draft. Nhl skater. That and his defensive game at this age he will be an nhl player without a doubt to me. Bottom 6 guaranteed. I have questions on his offensive iq and ceiling though and I’m not sure how that side will develop. I still like him though but I have some ??? On upside for his draft position

 

43 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

 

I see Leonard as a C in the long term. I love his versatility, and I think he'll be used at both C and W in the NHL; probably he'll start mostly on the wing and gradually be groomed but I think if the team that drafts him goes about it the right way he could be a full-time 2C by his prime. I'm not sure if you're aware but Perreault is committed to BC now too; so I would have to imagine they'll use those three as a line quite a bit. But even if Leonard plays wing in college, I don't see why an NHL team couldn't still move him to center after he turns pro.

 

I'm looking at the US guys now so I'll bounce some thoughts off you guys, see what you think.

 

I agree with @R3aL about Moore. Love his skating & defensive play but offensive upside seems limited. He could be a really useful player though. 

 

I'm also not as crazy on Leonard's upside either, doesn't seem to have the greatest hands or 200ft awareness to be a surefire top 6 impact C. I could see him as a 2nd line player at his peak but also a middle 6 W that provides some offense but is a pain to play against. 

 

Will Smith's playmaking is fantastic, great hands, he's smart and he's committed defensively, but speed is a concern. Also not the greatest shooting threat. I think in terms of elite upside or being a surefire C the lack of separation speed hurts him. Could that come?

 

I'll also throw in Jayden Perron aswell, I really like him. He's got great hands, great awareness all over the ice, he plays defense, and he skates pretty well. Only problem is he's really small (listed at 5'8 <160) & not much of a shooter either. If he was even 6'0 175 he'd be much higher thought of.

[R3aL]

1 minute ago, Smashian Kassian said:

 

 

I'm looking at the US guys now so I'll bounce some thoughts off you guys, see what you think.

 

I agree with @R3aL about Moore. Love his skating & defensive play but offensive upside seems limited. He could be a really useful player though. 

 

I'm also not as crazy on Leonard's upside either, doesn't seem to have the greatest hands or 200ft awareness to be a surefire top 6 impact C. I could see him as a 2nd line player at his peak but also a middle 6 W that provides some offense but is a pain to play against. 

 

Will Smith's playmaking is fantastic, great hands, he's smart and he's committed defensively, but speed is a concern. Also not the greatest shooting threat. I think in terms of elite upside or being a surefire C the lack of separation speed hurts him. Could that come?

 

I'll also throw in Jayden Perron aswell, I really like him. He's got great hands, great awareness all over the ice, he plays defense, and he skates pretty well. Only problem is he's really small (listed at 5'8 <160) & not much of a shooter either. If he was even 6'0 175 he'd be much higher thought of.

For Will Smith I don’t see the defensive commitment effort that I’d like to see. But everything about him through the neutral zone when US has possession and in the offensive zone I love. 
 

i think he’s so smart thst the speed would hurt him less. Similar to Benson I think he’s the kinda guy who can find soft spots and make space for himself but I agree if he improved his skating it would be a big plus. 
 

ya tiny guys 5 9 and under I’m just not that interested in unless they are bedard / Michkov level rn

 

interesting I like Leonard’s 200ft game much more than Will Smiths. Although Smith has greater responsibility than Leonard in games I watch I think Leonard is very responsible.

 

did u watch any of the recent 4 nations? There for me Leonard really showcased well. Pushing my interest levels through the roof 

 

maybe I’m getting influenced too much by it though but I really like his game as of rn 

[Smashian Kassian]

4 minutes ago, R3aL said:

For Will Smith I don’t see the defensive commitment effort that I’d like to see. But everything about him through the neutral zone when US has possession and in the offensive zone I love. 
 

i think he’s so smart thst the speed would hurt him less. Similar to Benson I think he’s the kinda guy who can find soft spots and make space for himself but I agree if he improved his skating it would be a big plus. 
 

ya tiny guys 5 9 and under I’m just not that interested in unless they are bedard / Michkov level rn

 

interesting I like Leonard’s 200ft game much more than Will Smiths. Although Smith has greater responsibility than Leonard in games I watch I think Leonard is very responsible.

 

did u watch any of the recent 4 nations? There for me Leonard really showcased well. Pushing my interest levels through the roof 

 

maybe I’m getting influenced too much by it though but I really like his game as of rn 

 

I do like Leonard's game I guess I just haven't really thought of him as a C. There's a ton to like but I suppose I see him more as an Alex Tuch type as opposed to an impact C. He has an edge to his game, he's strong, he definitely plays defense, he's a great skater and he has a good shot. 

 

Though that said, he looks so much bigger than Smith yet I see he's listed at 5'11 whereas Smith is listed at 6'0? Is that correct??? Leonard looks big, maybe its just how he plays. 

 

I think Benson is a faster skater than Smith, and he's got more of an elite motor. I think Benson has more likely elite upside than Smith, who could still be a top 6 playmaker but more of a secondary player perhaps. 

 

Also I don't think Perron will go in the 1st or perhaps even 2nd round but I just wanted to give him some shine. Talented kid. 

[R3aL]

5 minutes ago, Smashian Kassian said:

 

I do like Leonard's game I guess I just haven't really thought of him as a C. There's a ton to like but I suppose I see him more as an Alex Tuch type as opposed to an impact C. He has an edge to his game, he's strong, he definitely plays defense, he's a great skater and he has a good shot. 

 

Though that said, he looks so much bigger than Smith yet I see he's listed at 5'11 whereas Smith is listed at 6'0? Is that correct??? Leonard looks big, maybe its just how he plays. 

 

I think Benson is a faster skater than Smith, and he's got more of an elite motor. I think Benson has more likely elite upside than Smith, who could still be a top 6 playmaker but more of a secondary player perhaps. 

 

Also I don't think Perron will go in the 1st or perhaps even 2nd round but I just wanted to give him some shine. Talented kid. 

Leonard is heavier, plays heavy, plays bigger than he is. And he’s gonna have a build kinda similar to JT miller I think when he’s a pro. Be thick.

 

I do really like Benson. Agree with everything you’ve said 

 

I like that his rankings are all over the place from Like 8-60 lol

 

this draft has so many smaller skilled guys in it feels like an absurd amount

[Nucker 67]

Canucks now only have just the 1 pick in the first two Rounds. Sounds familiar, but they did make some good trades.

 

Good news is that the pick will be high (Top 10 or better, maybe even Top 3)

 

This pick has to be the right one, has to be a player who will make an impact, develop and fit in well, feel good and contribute.

 

Kuzmenko

Mikheyev

Podkolzin

Kravtsov

Michkov

 

Thinking Benson or Smith would also be a good pick, but Moore, Leonard, Sale, Barlow, Cristall, Dvorsky don't seem like homeruns.

 

Hopefully Allvin will make another trade or two and bring back another 2nd, so they can draft a RD.

[Warhippy]

4 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

Canucks now only have just the 1 pick in the first two Rounds.

1 pick...so far

 

Give them time

[AngryElf]

Leonard vs Smith sounds like the Jack Quinn vs Marco Rossy debate, where one is expected to go higher and has a more electric game, where the other will probably be the better all around guy in the future. 
 

In this case, Will Smith is Marco Rossi.