GDT: 2023 Caps NHL Draft Thread

[Brian23]

 

[trick9]

Everyone lies around the draft. Teams didn't just suddenly throw their earlier plans through the window couple of days before the draft after scouting these players for years. There are still teams who would pick Michkov at 2 or 3 and teams that wouldn’t take him in the top-10, maybe even top-15. We are about to find out who wants him and who doesn't.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

When did they move the draft to a Wed night? Wasnt it always round 1 Friday night and 2nd round starting noon on Saturday.

This TV deal is pure shit.

 

[hockeykicker]

When did they move the draft to a Wed night? Wasnt it always round 1 Friday night and 2nd round starting noon on Saturday.

This TV deal is pure shit.

about 5 years ago

 

[um]

When did they move the draft to a Wed night? Wasnt it always round 1 Friday night and 2nd round starting noon on Saturday.

This TV deal is pure shit.

I prefer it this way. I’d rather my summer Friday nights are available.

 

[OV Rocks]

I prefer it this way. I’d rather my summer Friday nights are available.

Yup.

Telling my wife I am sitting on the couch all of Wednesday night - easy sell.

Telling my wife I am sitting on the couch all of Friday night (kinda holiday weekend too) - impossible sell.

Thank you NHL

 

[EroCaps]

Hoping the Michkov to Philly stuff doesn’t materialize. That would be annoying as shit. Crosby to Pittsburgh vibes.

 

[Calicaps]

Hoping the Michkov to Philly stuff doesn’t materialize. That would be annoying as shit. Crosby to Pittsburgh vibes.

At least they won't be using our stolen pick as Pitt did for Sid... But yeah.

 

[ChaosLord]

I'm getting the impression that other than Bedard, this is not a very deep or impressive draft. Caps should end up getting a solid starting player, but forget getting a potential star. More or less correct?

 

[Brian23]

I'm getting the impression that other than Bedard, this is not a very deep or impressive draft. Caps should end up getting a solid starting player, but forget getting a potential star. More or less correct?

I would say completely wrong. There's a lot of talent in the top 8 or 9 picks with high end potential. Michkov is a sure fire #1 overall pick if he wasn't in the draft with a Generational Talent, and he still has the potential to be just as good as Bedard.

You've probably got 5 guys who look like they could likely be be franchise cornerstones, and 3 or 4 others with that level of potential. That's an incredible draft.

 

[EroCaps]

I'm getting the impression that other than Bedard, this is not a very deep or impressive draft. Caps should end up getting a solid starting player, but forget getting a potential star. More or less correct?

Incorrect.

Fantilli, Michkov, Leonard, Smith, Carlsson all have top line upside. A couple of those guys should be All Stars.

The mid tier talent with Benson, Moore, etc is also solid.

It’s bad for D and G.

 

[Cush]

Add another one who thought it was Friday .

Does height still matter for NHL draft prospects?

Connor Bedard is 5-10 and considered a generational talent. Jack Hughes is lighting up the NHL. So, should height still matter when NHL teams are evaluating players?

www.espn.com

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

I’m accepting Michkov won’t be there but I’m also pretty pumped either way because there are lots of good players to be had. I’m team Benson. He is from the WHL so I like the odds of them selecting him.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Take a center of the Russian is gone.

 

[Cush]

I’m accepting Michkov won’t be there but I’m also pretty pumped either way because there are lots of good players to be had. I’m team Benson. He is from the WHL so I like the odds of them selecting him.

Benson or Perreault

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

The only player I will be disappointed if the Caps take is Dvorsky. He just seems to have such a low ceiling and seems destined to be a third line center, a solid one but not the type of player you select in the top 10 IMHO.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

The only player I will be disappointed if the Caps take is Dvorsky. He just seems to have such a low ceiling and seems destined to be a third line center, a solid one but not the type of player you select in the top 10 IMHO.

Boyd Gordon comp? I remember he went high for a low upside player.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Boyd Gordon comp? I remember he went high for a low upside player.

I mean Dvorsky definitely has more offensive upside than a Gordon but he just feels like a safe pick with a limited ceiling. It would be a very meh pick. Not a player to get excited about.

 

[ArmadilloThumb]

I'm getting the impression that other than Bedard, this is not a very deep or impressive draft. Caps should end up getting a solid starting player, but forget getting a potential star. More or less correct?

Also disagree... Bob MacKenzie's final poll of NHL Scouts resulted in this general assessment of quality being excellent through ~50.

This is why I hope the Caps can get more 1st or 2nd Round picks to help restock the prospect pool.

 

[trick9]

I'd keep an eye on Cristall if he's still on the board at 40. There aren't many guys that have the potential to become a top-line player on the board at that time but that's one that has the potential to be one, but obviously it's a boom-or-bust risk move. I do think that the Capitals give him a very long look given he just had a really good year in Kelowna. Ross Mahoney has a long history with Kelowna and we've drafted several players early that played for the Kelowna Rockets (Lucas Johansen in the 1st round and Madison Bowey in the 2nd round) and obviously our tendency has been drafting from the WHL. for a long time.

 

[Cush]

Wheeler's NHL Draft mailbag: Michkov's flaws? Fantilli and Carlsson vs. previous years? Sleepers?

Scott Wheeler answers your draft questions, from who the risers and fallers are, to Dalibor Dvorsky’s ceiling and more.

theathletic.com

I don’t think that’s necessarily the case for Dvorsky, and in fact, I see plenty of skill. His saucer passing and one-timer are both legitimate PP1 weapons. He’s got quick hands and adjusts to sticks beautifully. He thinks the game at a high level with the puck. I think he’s got more offense than people realize. I don’t think he’s going to be a 1C, but I could envision him being a high-end 2C who is more productive than people expect right now.

 

[Corby78]

Wheeler's NHL Draft mailbag: Michkov's flaws? Fantilli and Carlsson vs. previous years? Sleepers?

Scott Wheeler answers your draft questions, from who the risers and fallers are, to Dalibor Dvorsky’s ceiling and more.

theathletic.com

This is where I see him, and I’d be fine taking him.

 

[HTFN]

So this has kind of been my impression of the draft: Michkov is a fun boost but realistically this is a deep draft and whoever they take is going to be pretty fun to welcome in (unless it's another D). Tons of high caliber forwards to look at, doesn't need to be a play for Michkov but if they do it then woooohooooo

Too many good players to do something silly, take who they can take and make the BPA pick

 

[trick9]

So this has kind of been my impression of the draft: Michkov is a fun boost but realistically this is a deep draft and whoever they take is going to be pretty fun to welcome in (unless it's another D). Tons of high caliber forwards to look at, doesn't need to be a play for Michkov but if they do it then woooohooooo

Too many good players to do something silly, take who they can take and make the BPA pick

I agree. I don't think there are player that i would hate for us to pick, unless we go completely off the board.

Michkov would obviously be amazing, even though there is the negative of having to wait for him for a while. It doesn't really matter to the franchise but for the chase, it matters.

It's hard not to love Ryan Leonard's game. He's likely gone though.

David Reinbacher has a really high floor and i don't really agree that he doesn't have the potential to be top-pairing D. I think he has more potential than most believe, and IMO he's really close to being NHL-ready straight away. D's always get slightly undervalued because they usually take longer to develop but they are also the types that are likeliest ones to have huge D+1 years, because they were being undervalued at the draft. He's going to be a good one.

Zach Benson? I would love if we ended up taking him. Slightly smaller than Matvei Michkov but he's a really smart player all around the ice and his offensive potential is through the roof.

Dalibor Dvorsky. Out of the players i've listed this is propably my least desirable choice, but it's not because he's a great player. He absolutely is. I do have question marks about his skating and staying too much on the perimeter but he has some really good tools and a pretty high floor, not as high as Reinbacher right now but still high. I think he will end up being a 2C and the question is mostly about how good 2C he'll become. Is it a 55-point defensively great one? Or a 70-point 2C? He's still really young and was playing against men last season which he propably shouldn't have been doing makes it really interesting to see what he can do in his draft+1 year. Over time i'm sure i would learn to like this pick because 2C is a really important position.

Just few more days...

 

[pman25]

I’m mostly down for whoever, I’ll buy in to just about any pick. I just don’t wanna look back and see all stars selected before and after our pick and we end up with a dud.

So please - pick a good player! I don’t care if it’s Reinbacher, Dvorsky, Benson, Perreault, or Barlow or whoever. Just make sure they hit!