GDT: 2023 Caps NHL Draft Thread

Langway

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Danielson did finish the season kind of quietly with Brandon sliding out of the playoffs. He's also a late birthday so won't benefit from being showcased at the U18s either. Reinbacher stands out as low, Gauthier/Willander quite high. Reinbacher will be playing at the World Championships it seems.

Sale needs a big U18s to go top 10 I think. From a tools standpoint I don't think he's even on the level of Necas/Vrana/Kulich, let alone Pastrnak. His sense is mostly what carries him but is it elite? Doubtful. He's more of a better Gus Nyquist type IMO, which is a mid-first prospect rather than a premier one. Maybe he pops and becomes dynamic once he fills out a bit but I don't think that's all that's holding back. I have him in the 13-15 range and would need to be pretty sold based on dominant U18 play to bump him any higher. It's still mainly Leonard, Barlow, Reinbacher, Dvorsky and Danielson for me in their likely range. It would take quite the closing argument to put others in the mix.
 

pman25

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I think Leonard goes closer to 6 or 7, should be one of the first ones to go after the top 4, and then Benson/Smith. Just can’t really see that many players better than him and teams will love his make up. Think Arizona or Montreal or Philly will pick him up. Especially Arizona/Montreal who have extra 1sts.

Around 10 it’s just a bit awkward. Not enthused about the value there for some guys on the board. Maybe Reinbacher is there and someone trades up. I like most of the guys on down to 20/25 range anyway. Musty, Perron, Honzek I like but all seem high for #10
 

Langway

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Bedard, Fantilli, Michkov, Carlsson
Smith, Benson, Moore
Leonard, Barlow, Reinbacher, Dvorsky, Danielson

Suddenly 8/9 is within the realm of possibility and that could be huge if someone from that second group slides just slightly. I'm relatively less sold on D/D at 11/12 so top 10 definitely feels like the place to be.
 

usiel

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I think Leonard goes closer to 6 or 7, should be one of the first ones to go after the top 4, and then Benson/Smith. Just can’t really see that many players better than him and teams will love his make up. Think Arizona or Montreal or Philly will pick him up. Especially Arizona/Montreal who have extra 1sts.

Around 10 it’s just a bit awkward. Not enthused about the value there for some guys on the board. Maybe Reinbacher is there and someone trades up. I like most of the guys on down to 20/25 range anyway. Musty, Perron, Honzek I like but all seem high for #10
Barring those rare super depth drafts where one can get quality players through the first 10 I've always kinda despised the low to high teens picks in the first round. I get a bit more intrigued with the later 1st round players.
 

Langway

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Watched a fair chunk of the Kelowna/Seattle G1 and came away more impressed by Price than Cristall at 5v5. Cristall needs to be more of a weasel if he's going to make it as a slower little guy. Did a nice job hitting seams on the PP but not much going 5v5.
 

Holtbyisms

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Well get in the top 6-8 and draft a defender who everyone has listed around 13 and say we got there best defenseman in the draft!. Lol...
 

Langway

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I do think Reinbacher is a top 10 player. After Leonard he may be BPA at 9, particularly if he shows well at the World Championships in a pronounced role. You figure he could be a 20+ minute a night RD and it carries significant impact if he drives play compared to many wingers. It's not the best near-term fit given who all is locked up and on the way but the upside is there. I wonder if VAN/DET finish ahead of them if they'll have interest.

I've pumped up Barlow thanks to goal-scoring and PK ability as a fit but his skating could be a lot better. You wonder as more of a mature guy how much that stands to improve. It'll get better but better enough to drive play? If his center isn't great driving play or setting him up I wonder how effective he'd be on his own. He's got the shot to make teams pay and be an all-situations player but ideally as more of a second wheel on a line (and probably not a top line either). In the top 10 ideally you want more of a central piece, right? Goal-scoring isn't nothing but how good will he be at creating for himself, changing angles and handling higher pace? He's not as clean in that regard compared to Leonard.

Reinbacher and also D/D as centers that may offer the skillset to drive play from the middle of the ice come closer (best-case at least) to offering foundational skillsets. The two centers will need to clean some things up and also could stand to improve their explosiveness. They're less finished products than Barlow but may provide more impact a few years down the line at a position of more influence.
 

Holtbyisms

Matt Irwin is a legit talent
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We're in a 3 way tie for the 9th pick... All the way up to 7th is even possible! Keep the tank rolling boys!

Screenshot_2023-04-02-16-26-49-78_40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.jpg
 

usiel

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pman25

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Carlsson is great but where we pick will be either 1, 2, or 9/10/11 so unless we think he’s better than Adam Fantilli or he has a Filip Forsberg level slide, probably not our guy

I do think they should prepare for the possibility of a Michkov slide.
 
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Langway

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Barlow & Cristall both swept in their series. Barlow had a hat trick in G2 but I kind of expected more. Will be interesting how those two fare in what should be prominent roles at the U18s. Same with Dvorsky.

Hopefully they can sneak into the eighth spot when all is said and done. A floor of Leonard would be pretty damn great.
 

hockeykicker

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Washington is currently picking 9th. Could possibly pick 8th but no possible chance of going any lower unless they win lottery
 

EroCaps

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My top 4:

Bedard
Carlsson
Fantilli
Michkov

Michkov clearly has 1b upside if everything comes together and is a no brainer if he slips to 8.

I dk what I’d do if they won the #2 overall.

Also, pretty shocking lack of D in this years draft.
 

Serial_Derecho

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My top 4:

Bedard
Carlsson
Fantilli
Michkov

Michkov clearly has 1b upside if everything comes together and is a no brainer if he slips to 8.

I dk what I’d do if they won the #2 overall.

Also, pretty shocking lack of D in this years draft.
I was thinking about this earlier. Arizona will have two top-15 picks as the have Ottawas from the Chychrun trade. Currently, those are #5 and #11 according to tankathon. .

Is Fantilli worth 5 & 11? Maybe. If so the caps could take the 5th and trade on the 11th elsewhere for more immediate help
 

AlexModvechkin8

At least there was 2018.
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Quinnipiac beat Michigan 5-2 so Fantilli is done. It also means that a Caps prospect will win the national championship as Chase Clark plays for Quinnipiac and Ryan Chesley plays for Minnesota.

I grew up a stone’s throw from Quinnipiac University and it’s insane to me that they’re now a hockey powerhouse. Quinnipiac is in Hamden, CT which is most known for having a park called Sleeping Giant State Park. It’s a small suburban area with not much to speak of and not a single person gave one shit about QU sports when I lived there; it was UConn or bust. Quinnipiac’s hockey team wasn’t even DI when I was there — they transitioned from DIII to DI in 1998 — so seeing them as a new blue blood of college hockey is so bizarre.
 

usiel

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Quinnipiac beat Michigan 5-2 so Fantilli is done. It also means that a Caps prospect will win the national championship as Chase Clark plays for Quinnipiac and Ryan Chesley plays for Minnesota.

I grew up a stone’s throw from Quinnipiac University and it’s insane to me that they’re now a hockey powerhouse. Quinnipiac is in Hamden, CT which is most known for having a park called Sleeping Giant State Park. It’s a small suburban area with not much to speak of and not a single person gave one shit about QU sports when I lived there; it was UConn or bust. Quinnipiac’s hockey team wasn’t even DI when I was there — they transitioned from DIII to DI in 1998 — so seeing them as a new blue blood of college hockey is so bizarre.
Excellent forum post.
 
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