Prospect Info: 2023 Draft Thread (Yotes picking #6 & #12)

[Vinny Boombatz]

at the beginning of the season, consensus was Bedard/Michkov as the true #1 talents followed by Fantilli and then Yager/Dvorsky. Carlsson wasn't as high back then, Smith was still considered to be a top 10 pick...and Benson was thought of as a top 15, certainly not top 5.

So if we get Dvorsky at #6 (#7 or #8) and then Danielson at #12, I'd be thrilled with that. In fact, I'd be thrilled with any of the following combinations

Smith/(Danielson/Dvorsky/Leonard/Honzek/Yager)
Benson/(Danielson/Dvorsky/Leonard/Honzek/Yager)
Dvorsky/(Danielson/Leonard/Honzek/Yager)
Leonard/(Danielson/Honzek/Yager)

That would suit me just fine

 

[rt]

at the beginning of the season, consensus was Bedard/Michkov as the true #1 talents followed by Fantilli and then Yager/Dvorsky. Carlsson wasn't as high back then, Smith was still considered to be a top 10 pick...and Benson was thought of as a top 15, certainly not top 5.

So if we get Dvorsky at #6 (#7 or #8) and then Danielson at #12, I'd be thrilled with that. In fact, I'd be thrilled with any of the following combinations

Smith/(Danielson/Dvorsky/Leonard/Honzek/Yager)
Benson/(Danielson/Dvorsky/Leonard/Honzek/Yager)
Dvorsky/(Danielson/Leonard/Honzek/Yager)
Leonard/(Danielson/Honzek/Yager)

That would suit me just fine

Bob McKenzie’s preliminary NHL scouts poll:

1. Bedard
2. Michkov
3. Fantilli
4. Yager
5. Carlsson
6. Ritchie
7. Benson
8. Allen
9. Dvorsky
10. Stramel
11. Danielson
12. Gautheir
13. Sale
14. Stenberg
15. Barlow
16. Halttunen
17. Gulyayev
18. Smith
19. Strbak
20. Wood

'Didn't have to overthink this' - Bedard tops McKenzie's pre-season draft ranking

From the moment he was granted exceptional status in 2020 and then burst onto the scene as a “double underager” at the 2021 Under-18 World Championship, the giddy anticipation has been that the 2023 NHL Draft would be the Connor Bedard Sweepstakes.

www.tsn.ca

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

see...proven wrong again. Thanks for the heads up...could've sworn Smtih was higher and Dvorsky for that matter...and couldn't remember that Carlsson was already that well thought of.

 

[rt]

see...proven wrong again. Thanks for the heads up...could've sworn Smtih was higher and Dvorsky for that matter...and couldn't remember that Carlsson was already that well thought of.

Cam Allen being 8th shows us how much weight we should give any September list. Even one made by the consensus of nhl scouts.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Funny how they didn't have Leonard/Moore/Perreault on that list at all, or at least one of them, but if Smith was that low, then I guess makes sense that neither of those guys would be inside.

 

[Dead Coyote]

The captain has been very impressive. Maybe enough to put him in the top 20. He currently sits #5 in tournament scoring, who would have thought that?

I've seen him at 14 once and otherwise pretty much not at all or in the 20s if he is there. But after the U20s and the U18s I don't see how you can't put him top 15, he's just dominated.

 

[hbk]

 

[PainForShane]

Bob McKenzie’s preliminary NHL scouts poll:

1. Bedard
2. Michkov
3. Fantilli
4. Yager
5. Carlsson
6. Ritchie
7. Benson
8. Allen
9. Dvorsky
10. Stramel
11. Danielson
12. Gautheir
13. Sale
14. Stenberg
15. Barlow
16. Halttunen
17. Gulyayev
18. Smith
19. Strbak
20. Wood

'Didn't have to overthink this' - Bedard tops McKenzie's pre-season draft ranking

From the moment he was granted exceptional status in 2020 and then burst onto the scene as a “double underager” at the 2021 Under-18 World Championship, the giddy anticipation has been that the 2023 NHL Draft would be the Connor Bedard Sweepstakes.

www.tsn.ca

Reinbacher's not even listed on there. I guess we'll see who's avail w the Chychrun pick and who BA ends up deciding to take.

And then we can see whether we sign Chychrun as a UFA in a few years in time for the new building. Hard to lose a trade when you end up with BOTH sides of the equation ha

 

[Dead Coyote]

Reinbacher's not even listed on there. I guess we'll see who's avail w the Chychrun pick and who BA ends up deciding to take.

And then we can see whether we sign Chychrun as a UFA in a few years in time for the new building. Hard to lose a trade when you end up with BOTH sides of the equation ha

Isn't he still an RFA at the end of that contract? I might be misremembering but I think he's still young enough

 

[hbk]

Isn't he still an RFA at the end of that contract? I might be misremembering but I think he's still young enough

Ufa

 

[Dead Coyote]

Ufa

Even shittier for Ottawa then.

 

[PainForShane]

Isn't he still an RFA at the end of that contract? I might be misremembering but I think he's still young enough

Chychrun? Yeah he's a UFA after his present contract expires (2025 offseason), he joined the league the season immediately after he was drafted (18 years old!), everyone keeps forgetting how insane that is.

On the whole I was / am more anti-trading him but the best argument for is he's made it clear he wants to play for a contender and if we're not there in 2 years we'd be losing him anyway -- why not get something for him now (while his value is highest due to years left / good contract) to help w the rebuild, to me 12th pick in a stacked draft is a good return.

And also, agree w your last post -- the more I think about it the less sense I think the trade made for Ottawa. If he doesn't re-sign the trade will likely be a clear loss for them (same w Debrincat who is at least an RFA). Either / both of those could be their Taylor Hall / Mercer deal, we'll see what happens

 

[hbk]

Even shittier for Ottawa then.

Wait until they trade for Helleybuck

 

[Jakey53]

Even shittier for Ottawa then.

They traded for him to keep him. I think Chych will sign long term with Ottawa.

 

[rt]

 

[Magonus1703]

I just fell in love with this guy during the U18 WJC. If we pick him with our first pick we are just fine. This guy is elite.

 

[hbk]

Ritchie looks like he had his arm broken by a crosscheck in bronze medal game. He will drop because of it.

 

[rt]

I just fell in love with this guy during the U18 WJC. If we pick him with our first pick we are just fine. This guy is elite.

Yeah, it’s tough. My 7-14 is crazy challenging to rank:

7. Danielson
8. Barlow
9. Reinbacher
10. Honzek
11. Yager
12. Leonard
13. Dvorsky
14. Moore
15. Ritchie
16. Wood

Starting at #11, I feel like I want to move every single kid up into my top 10, all the way to Moore at #14.

Even Wood’s great rush and pass to Barlow for that rocket goal, makes me think his skating really isn’t as bad as we worry it is and he doesn’t deserve to be so late. But who do I replace?

Yager had such a good playoffs. Does a good u18s trump that? Not sure. Honzek was unreal when healthy. Does he drop on my list because of injuries?

Then there’s age. Dvorsky is like 9 months younger than Fantilli/Danielson. How much do I care about that?

It’s tough. This is a tough one.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

He was holding it like it was broken for sure.

 

[rt]

Ritchie looks like he had his arm broken by a crosscheck in bronze medal game. He will drop because of it.

He already has his shoulder/collar bone terribly injured late in the season and looked like he was playing with one arm in the playoffs. I honestly am shocked he even went to the u18. On the one hand, I’m so impressed that he’s got the heart of lion, on the other hand, he’s always injured. Honzek seems to struggle to stay healthy too.

 

[rt]

Last draft, I had Mateychuk and Geekie as a coin toss for 10th/11th. Really 50/50. When we traded up, I wanted one or the other. We got Geekie and even though Mateychuk was technically earlier on my list, I really didn’t care because it was close.

I feel like at 12th, there’s going to be at least five kids or more that I feel are interchangeable there. It’s going to be tough to disappoint me at 12th.

Even at 7th (if we drop a spot) I’ve got six kids I really like. But after that? If Bedard, Fantilli, Benson, Carlsson, Michkov and Smith are all gone? There are like 8 kids I’d be fine with at 7th.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

I don't know about 8, but certainly 4 or 5 kids

 

[rt]

1. Bedard

2. Fantilli

3/5. Benson/Carlsson/Michkov (any order)

6. Smith

7/14. Danielson, Barlow, Reinbacher, Honzek, Yager, Leonard, Dvorsky, Moore (any order)

15/16. Ritchie/Wood (any order)

I don't know about 8, but certainly 4 or 5 kids

Danielson, Barlow, Reinbacher, Honzek, Yager, Leonard, Dvorsky, and Moore is my eight.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Wood has to be rising, Barlow will slip a little, Cristall has to fall off a cliff. Ritchie was fine, should stay the same around the 14-20 mark.

The defense for Canada wasn't very good, can't see any Canadian defender in the 1st round...maybe Dragicevic, but late, late first.

 

[rt]

Dragicevic is toward the top of my next tier. With Heidt and Sale and Stenberg.