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

[hbk]

Two Cooleys is better than one.

I'm undecided on Smith vs Benson at 5 OA. I'd be happy with picking up the leftovers at 6 OA.

I don't think Smith can catch Bedard, Michkov, Fantilli or Carlsson on my list. Even though he might be the only one of them at the U18s and will likely be dominant against some very tough competition there.

This may be the right answer. My list is certainly open to it.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Smith is having a better year than Hughes and look what Hughes is doing to the league now. Smith has it all and he plays the C position. We haven't had good centers for years and now we've got the opportunity to not only bring in Cooley who looks to be a solid #1, but we have the opportunity to finally get another #1 C...can't pass that up.

 

[hbk]

Smith is having a better year than Hughes and look what Hughes is doing to the league now. Smith has it all and he plays the C position. We haven't had good centers for years and now we've got the opportunity to not only bring in Cooley who looks to be a solid #1, but we have the opportunity to finally get another #1 C...can't pass that up.

In my mind Smith could go as early as 3. The debate with AZ fans may be between Smith and Bensen. Personally a guy i am watching closely going forward is Ritchie in Oshawa. The eye test at u18’s told me he has the skill to be a 1C. Stats haven’t shown that so far but since Jan he has put up points. He’s my dark horse in that 5-10 range.

 

[rt]

In my mind Smith could go as early as 3. The debate with AZ fans may be between Smith and Bensen. Personally a guy i am watching closely going forward is Ritchie in Oshawa. The eye test at u18’s told me he has the skill to be a 1C. Stats haven’t shown that so far but since Jan he has put up points. He’s my dark horse in that 5-10 range.

Love Ritchie’s game. He’s in my top ten.

EDIT: I may just rank CHL guys. He’s my 3rd ranked CHL guy. Bedard, Benson, Ritchie is it for me right now. Need to see more Barlow. And Cristall. Dragicevic is a big riser for me.

 

[hbk]

Love Ritchie’s game. He’s in my top ten.

EDIT: I may just rank CHL guys. He’s my 3rd ranked CHL guy. Bedard, Benson, Ritchie is it for me right now. Need to see more Barlow. And Cristall. Dragicevic is a big riser for me.

Barlow with 2 more tonight. He is gonna break 50.

 

[rt]

The top six picks in this draft are going to be epic.

Who we taking 7th?

 

[Dead Coyote]

Smith is having a better year than Hughes and look what Hughes is doing to the league now. Smith has it all and he plays the C position. We haven't had good centers for years and now we've got the opportunity to not only bring in Cooley who looks to be a solid #1, but we have the opportunity to finally get another #1 C...can't pass that up.

I agree, which is why we should draft Leo Carlsson, the player who projects the best as an elite 1C in the draft

 

[Dead Coyote]

Carlsson has been playing grinder hockey since he came back, getting decent ice time but was scratched once (wasn't due to his play for sure), playing with someone who has 0g in 20 games (now has 1 thanks to Carlsson) 4 pts in 6 games, his skating has gotten better, he looks like he's gotten over his illness, might be 100% now. He reminds me a lot of a less physical Sundin, but he can do it all. If he develops his shot and skating more he'll be maybe the best all round player in the NHL, his top speed and acceleration are both fine, his top speed is good, his balance is good, he's steady on his feet and has a motor, he reads and anticipates plays wonderfully, is able to get his stick in between passes well and often lifts the stick to pickpocket the puck. His agility ideally needs work but he makes up for it very well usually by getting to the puck first, doing what he needs to in 1 move instead of 3, and protecting the puck with his long reach and huge body (seriously he seems to still be growing) all while having great puck handling skills. He forechecks well by having a longer reach to get to pucks first and being very hard to take off the puck once he gets it. Right now he's still exploring his game and trying low percentage things out, but his confidence is so, so refreshing to see, he heads to the middle of the ice like a dog on a bone and drives the net nearly always. He's still a playmaker first by far, which probably works against him right now because of the quality of his teammates, but his shot isn't bad. His skating is his largest weakness but it's underrated, it's not bad, it could just be better, and so much of that is going to come in 1-2 years when his lower body strength improves. He reminds me of Crosby a lot. Just oozes creativity and high IQ that serves him extremely well in all facets of the game.

I look at what Fantilli is doing in the US and I'm impressed. Than I look at Carlsson doing the same things in the SHL with shitty teammates against men and I'm even more impressed.

 

[moosemeister]

Bedard
Fantilli
Carlsson
Smith
Michkov
Benson
Dvorsky (this is where AZ picks lol)

 

[GhostofYotesFan47]

Just to play devil’s advocate. How’s Caufields shoulder holding up? What happens when the small forward finally gets hit hard and often?

No idea, haven't payed close attention to Montreal for a few years, including Caulfield. His draft year I was all about him. Even in retrospect, I'd imagine I take him ahead of 5-8 guys his draft year. He's got 26 goals in 46 games on a team not much better than our own.

I'm a believer that players injury concerns are often overblown, and while I want a big, tough Coyotes team, there are small skill guys who make a big difference. On top of that, some of these players add and inch or 2 after they're drafted, along with 20+ lbs. A 5'10, ~185lb Benson could be a force, especially given his style of play.

That post was meant to be an illustration of where I'm at in my prospect knowledge. I've taken time to watch/read more on him than some other guys, I'm going to be higher on him due to that alone. I was stoked to see @rt gushing a bit. Some of you guys put good time into reviewing these young players, and it's a bit of a confirmation for someone like me who can't. I get excited

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

I agree, which is why we should draft Leo Carlsson, the player who projects the best as an elite 1C in the draft

I agree...I was just arguing that we've been starved for C's for almost 2 decades, but yet why wouldn't we want another Cooley. I absolutely want another top flight C, whether it's Bedard/Fantilli/Carlsson/Smith, any of them would be great.

 

[Jagged Ice]

The top six picks in this draft are going to be epic.

Who we taking 7th?

We could easily finish 6th from the bottom and draft 7 or 8. Montreal is completely done. They have no players and even had to call up Owen Beck from Peterborough. Looking ahead at February's schedule, we only play ten games and could easily win half of them. Mostly shit opponents. Not looking good at all in a draft that you can't miss if you draft 1-6. We need to stay below San Jose and Vancouver because we aren't catching Chicago, CBJ or Anaheim and Montreal is going to drop like a hot brick.

 

[TheLegend]

Who we taking 7th?

We trading down?

 

[Dead Coyote]

If we pick at 7 I hope we go with Sale rather than anyone else. Might as well swing for the fences. Maybe Benson will still be there.

 

[rt]

Benson lacks open ice separation. In other words, his break away speed is just average. Or not as elite as you’d want from a 5’9 winger. I think that’s the most accurate way of describing this “flaw”.

But I find that his small area quickness is absolutely elite. Change of direction, cut backs, edge work, all of it. When he’s in tight, he’s as good a skater as there is. Cole Perfetti is an example of a player with excellent small area skating who lacks top end break away speed. Conor Garland is recent Coyote example that stands out to me. The best example in hockey history is probably Pavel Datsyuk.

It would be nice if he has project able stride that lead me to believe that in the NHL he could create open ice separation and fly past defenders, getting in all alone on a regular basis. Would love to see him be able to do in the NHL what McDavid or even Taylor Hall can do. But I’m really not that worried about it.

He’s a magician with his stick, there isn’t a more competitive player in the class, he’s got elite small area quickness, and he’s a pure dual threat offensive talent. Elite motor with elite skills is going to cause me to overlook size more than I probably ought to. But I can’t help it.

 

[Freddy Sjostrom]

Monster

 

[rt]

WHL isn’t easy

 

[Jakey53]

WHL isn’t easy

Right on. Much harder to score in the WHL than the other two leagues, most years anyway, and I believe much tougher. I don't think there has ever been a player with the stats of Bedard in the WHL.

 

[rt]

I’ve been watching Calum Ritchie and I really like him. Tempted to put him in my top ten. And I couldn’t figure out why his production hasn’t been better and why he’s dropped so much on rankings since pre-season. Turns out he’s just been on a tear the last ten games. Put up 15 points and playing fantastic, two way hockey, with pace and physicality. But I guess that wasn’t the case to start the season. Had a slow start apparently.

The kid I’ve been watching looks like a really good two way center prospect with size and talent and engagement.

 

[GhostofYotesFan47]

WHL isn’t easy

Sell everything so we can have this guy. Also, did you get a question from Twitter recently answered on 31 thoughts podcast?

 

[Jamieh]

Right on. Much harder to score in the WHL than the other two leagues, most years anyway, and I believe much tougher. I don't think there has ever been a player with the stats of Bedard in the WHL.

Ray Ferraro scored 108 goals in a WHL season.

 

[Heldig]

Ray Ferraro scored 108 goals in a WHL season.

That was the stat I was thinking of too.

 

[Jamieh]

That was the stat I was thinking of too.

And Rob Brown had 212 points, had to Google that one.

 

[Jamieh]

That was the stat I was thinking of too.

Have heard Ray tell the story of having 50 goals before Christmas and not even getting an invite to World Jr's camp many times.

 

[rt]

Sell everything so we can have this guy. Also, did you get a question from Twitter recently answered on 31 thoughts podcast?

Wasn’t me. I’ve never contacted them I don’t think.