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

[hbk]

There are at least two but probably four franchise changers in this one. Michkov is probably not a great fit for us. So we really need to be Top 3. Only way to guarantee a top 3 pick is to finish 32nd.

I disagree on Michkov. This is where picking Cooley last year comes into play. If Cooley is capable of being a 1C (and it's early I know) then picking a superstar winger (and let's be honest Bedard may also end up on the wing because of his size) is not a horrible option.

How far down would the Coyotes have to pick before you choose the longer term Michkov?

3 or 4. He's not going past 5.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

How far down would the Coyotes have to pick before you choose the longer term Michkov?

It would have to be after the following for me:

Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, Yager, Dvorsky, Smith, then I'd take Michkov

 

[rt]

I have Michkov 4th on my list as an AZ fan. His contract scares me. Especially because of the Coyotes being the Coyotes. I can’t drop him lower than that, however.

I’ve got Bedard over Fantilli because I think he may already have an elite level NHL shot right now and I suspect he’s always going to be one of those effortless at-will scorers who can bury one out of nowhere from just about anywhere at any time.

I see him as a very short version of Auston Matthews.

 

[rt]

'He's a student': How curiosity shaped Calum Ritchie into a top 2023 NHL Draft prospect

"I really don’t think he has even shown yet what he’s capable of," said Josh Wrobel, a skills and shooting coach, about Calum Ritchie.

theathletic.com

Fantastic write up.

 

[Grimes]

I disagree on Michkov. This is where picking Cooley last year comes into play. If Cooley is capable of being a 1C (and it's early I know) then picking a superstar winger (and let's be honest Bedard may also end up on the wing because of his size) is not a horrible option.


3 or 4. He's not going past 5.

Franchise wingers are just as important as franchise centers. Chicago didn't worry about going center over Kane. Washington didn't worry about going center over Ovechkin. Kucherov turned TB into a contender. Bedard and Michkov are in that territory.

I think it's more rare for a winger to have the same impact as a true 1C but they absolutely can be the most important player on a team.

I have Michkov 4th on my list as an AZ fan. His contract scares me. Especially because of the Coyotes being the Coyotes. I can’t drop him lower than that, however.

Same concerns but if it's between Michkov and Yager/Dvorsky I still gotta take Michkov. You just can't pass on a player at that caliber.

'He's a student': How curiosity shaped Calum Ritchie into a top 2023 NHL Draft prospect

"I really don’t think he has even shown yet what he’s capable of," said Josh Wrobel, a skills and shooting coach, about Calum Ritchie.

theathletic.com

Fantastic write up.

I'm struggling with the 5th OA consultation prize if it comes it it. Right now it's Yager > Dvorsky > Cal Ritchie but it changes daily. Yager feels like the next best after the top four, but there are elements to the other two I really love.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Franchise wingers are just as important as franchise centers. Chicago didn't worry about going center over Kane. Washington didn't worry about going center over Ovechkin. Kucherov turned TB into a contender. Bedard and Michkov are in that territory.

I think it's more rare for a winger to have the same impact as a true 1C but they absolutely can be the most important player on a team.



Same concerns but if it's between Michkov and Yager/Dvorsky I still gotta take Michkov. You just can't pass on a player at that caliber.



I'm struggling with the 5th OA consultation prize if it comes it it. Right now it's Yager > Dvorsky > Cal Ritchie but it changes daily. Yager feels like the next best after the top four, but there are elements to the other two I really love.

I agree...I keep flipping back and forth between Yager & Dvorsky

 

[rt]

My top five feels as firmed up as it can be in November. Haha. Which is to say, not at all.

1. Bedard
2. Fantilli
3. Carlsson
4. Michkov
5. Yager

After that it’s really a crazy pile of a bunch of mixed up names. I could have any of Dvorsky, Sale, Wood, Ritchie at 6th right now.

My sentimental “favorites” right now (kids I just love to watch play) are Fantilli, Yager and Leonard.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

My top five feels as firmed up as it can be in November. Haha. Which is to say, not at all.

1. Bedard
2. Fantilli
3. Carlsson
4. Michkov
5. Yager

After that it’s really a crazy pile of a bunch of mixed up names. I could have any of Dvorsky, Sale, Wood, Ritchie at 6th right now.

My sentimental “favorites” right now (kids I just love to watch play) are Fantilli, Yager and Leonard.

You like Leonard over Smith? I like Smith way more than Leonard.

 

[rt]

You like Leonard over Smith? I like Smith way more than Leonard.

I did last year. We’ll see what happens this year. Long way to go.

 

[PHX FireBirds18]

There is no one on this team I wouldn't trade for a top 5 pick. There's probably not even anyone on this team I wouldn't trade for a top 10 pick. This draft isn't the end all be all, but if we do well in it it will define our team for the next decade.

We cannot have another 2003. That set us back decades. It doesn’t need to be Bedard, but one day we need to look back at this draft as a defining moment in our cup contention. A first line forward for 12+ years minimum. It’s that important…

 

[lanky]

How far down would the Coyotes have to pick before you choose the longer term Michkov?

At this point I'd take him at 4 OA. I think he's probably a cut above Fantilli and Carlsson but I don't think I could pass on those guys, given my long time bias towards big centers.

 

[rt]

So unless my calculations are off if Fantilli finishes the season at 2 PPG he'd be tied for 10th all-time among U19 players in NCAA when it comes to PPG. If we take that to the 21st century it'd look like this:

1. Adam Fantilli, 2.0 PPG
2. Jack Eichel, 1.78 PPG
3. Jaden Schwartz, 1.57 PPG
4. Zach Parise, 1.56 PPG
5. Michael Cammalleri, 1.45 PPG
6. Clayton Keller, 1.45 PPG
7. Brock Boeser, 1.43 PPG

Cammalleri didn't do it in his freshman season though like the others so I guess he could be crossed off the list.

Will be interesting to see how he keeps pace, if he finishes around Eichel's number that'd be pretty impressive but also not really out of line with my expectations for him.

 

[Dead Coyote]

1st is either Bedard or Fantilli. There are arguments for both. Those are the two best players in the draft. Yes, including Michkov. Just on skill alone, they're above Michkov. But you can't put Michkov any lower than 3rd in skill, you just can't.

We won't know until later, but we'll know when he goes in the draft whether teams were successful in convincing him and the club to get him out of his contract and come over, or whether that's even a possibility. If it's not he won't even go top 5. Probably around 7-10. That's really where the talent starts dropping off.

Michkov is franchise level in my eyes, along with Fantilli and Bedard- and Carlsson and Dvorsky are looking like they might have something to say about being included in that sentence. There isn't a single player in the top 10- maybe even the top 15, who doesn't have the skill level to be a 1F/1D. Whoever we get is going to change our trajectory up by a landslide. I think in 10 years time this will be the most stacked draft we've ever seen.

We cannot have another 2003. That set us back decades. It doesn’t need to be Bedard, but one day we need to look back at this draft as a defining moment in our cup contention. A first line forward for 12+ years minimum. It’s that important…

Are you referring to 2004 when we chose Wheeler? In 2003 we didn't have a pick until the 3rd round, haha. I wasn't around for that draft, but I feel pretty safe in saying that situation will likely never happen again. BA wouldn't be stupid enough to draft someone like that.

 

[GhostofYotesFan47]

How far down would the Coyotes have to pick before you choose the longer term Michkov?

4th for me. I still take him ahead of Carlsson.

 

[rt]

4th for me. I still take him ahead of Carlsson.

Now I am confused. How do you have him 4th but also ahead of Carlsson?

 

[rt]

Pronman did a 2024 list. Very early, of course. Reassuring to see six defensemen listed in his top ten, though…

Pronman: A way-too-early ranking of the top prospects at the 2024 NHL Draft

A preliminary ranking of the NHL Draft class of 2024 — plus, a very early look at some top 2025 draft-eligibles.

theathletic.com

 

[PHX FireBirds18]

Are you referring to 2004 when we chose Wheeler? In 2003 we didn't have a pick until the 3rd round, haha. I wasn't around for that draft, but I feel pretty safe in saying that situation will likely never happen again. BA wouldn't be stupid enough to draft someone like that.

No I’m talking about 2003. It’s more in reference to not having top picks in a generational level of talent draft. This if I’m not mistaken is seen as the best draft since that one. Look at the list of players that came out of that draft and everything they’ve done for their organizations. Multiple Stanley cup winners, hall of famers, maybe even a few jerseys in the rafters. We had nothing to show from that draft and it speaks to our success the last 20 years. This will be a defining year it feels like in terms of future success. We obviously will have nice picks so that’s a good start but we need to hit the target big time! Whomever that may be.

 

[hbk]

No I’m talking about 2003. It’s more in reference to not having top picks in a generational level of talent draft. This if I’m not mistaken is seen as the best draft since that one. Look at the list of players that came out of that draft and everything they’ve done for their organizations. Multiple Stanley cup winners, hall of famers, maybe even a few jerseys in the rafters. We had nothing to show from that draft and it speaks to our success the last 20 years. This will be a defining year it feels like in terms of future success.

Cliff Fletcher did that. Daymond Langkow for a conditional 1st. What an idiot.

 

[GhostofYotesFan47]

Now I am confused. How do you have him 4th but also ahead of Carlsson?

haha I knew that I would get caught on the way I phrased that, figured I'd see who called me out on it. I think Ritchie puts himself in the 3 slot before the end of the year.

 

[BlazingBlueAnt]

So unless my calculations are off if Fantilli finishes the season at 2 PPG he'd be tied for 10th all-time among U19 players in NCAA when it comes to PPG. If we take that to the 21st century it'd look like this:

1. Adam Fantilli, 2.0 PPG
2. Jack Eichel, 1.78 PPG
3. Jaden Schwartz, 1.57 PPG
4. Zach Parise, 1.56 PPG
5. Michael Cammalleri, 1.45 PPG
6. Clayton Keller, 1.45 PPG
7. Brock Boeser, 1.43 PPG

Cammalleri didn't do it in his freshman season though like the others so I guess he could be crossed off the list.

Will be interesting to see how he keeps pace, if he finishes around Eichel's number that'd be pretty impressive but also not really out of line with my expectations for him.

Didn't Kyle Conor have an absolutely insane freshman year?

 

[rt]

They’re gonna do it like Colorado. Have like one really bad season and get MacKinnon (Bedard) and then just immediately be good forever after that.

 

[Prarievarg]

This stresses me out. I want a top 3 pick so bad

 

[Dead Coyote]

No I’m talking about 2003. It’s more in reference to not having top picks in a generational level of talent draft. This if I’m not mistaken is seen as the best draft since that one. Look at the list of players that came out of that draft and everything they’ve done for their organizations. Multiple Stanley cup winners, hall of famers, maybe even a few jerseys in the rafters. We had nothing to show from that draft and it speaks to our success the last 20 years. This will be a defining year it feels like in terms of future success. We obviously will have nice picks so that’s a good start but we need to hit the target big time! Whomever that may be.

Gotcha, that's fair. I don't think that will happen, it's more likely we have more than 1 first than none. And I don't think we'll be like STL and miss on our draft pick. I also think this draft could potentially be better, in terms of top end talent at least. I definitely view the top 5 of this draft as better than the top 5 of that draft- at least in terms of potential.

 

[moosemeister]

This stresses me out. I want a top 3 pick so bad

CBus is going to have to just blow it up. I guess if any team can get Bedard, I wouldn't be upset if it were CBus

 

[lanky]

This stresses me out. I want a top 3 pick so bad

That's what the lottery is for.