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

[rt]

Plandowski and company will definitely be watching the Hlinka Gretzky Cup today through 8/6.

Canada is stacked with Zach Benson, Brayden Yager, Calum Ritchie, and defenseman Cam Allen, all likely first round picks. Sweden has defenseman Theo Lindstein, the Czechs have 6-6' goalie Michael Hrabel and high scoring winger Eduard Sale, and US forward Quentin Musty and big Finnish forward Kasper Halttunen are ones to watch.

I forgot Musty was American.

 

[hbk]

Ivan Hlinka/Gretzky televised on tan. Canada plays npw.

 

[TheLegend]

The leading hash tag for next year right now seems to be #ShitTheBedard.

 

[GhostofYotesFan47]

I'm curious if time will prove this draft to be as deep as speculated. Lots of kids I like, Ritchie is a favorite but it's still early.

If we end up top 2, I'm hoping for Michkov right now. The small center scares me. It's a completely unsubstantiated feeling in today's NHL, where so many shorter players are highly successful, but most of the smaller successful players aren't centers. Michkov has the KHL thing but that could be nothing by the time his contract expires over there. Plus, you know their going to ask if he'd even sign with them before being drafted.

I'm betting Dvorsky, Fantilli, and possibly Allen round out the next 3 spots. I'd be happy with any of the 3 at 3OA.

If we end up drafting 6-10, Ritchie is my pick. So my top 5 is basically Michkov, Dvorsky, Fantilli, Allen, Ritchie. With that said, I would never skip on Bedard if I'm drafting 2 and Michkov is gone. His talent is incredible, 5'9 center just makes me squirm inside so I hope we don't even get the chance.

 

[rt]

Bedard played 77 WHL games before his 17th birthday. As a 15/16 year old in the toughest of the CHL leagues, and a pretty bad team, that didn’t make the playoffs, he had 63g 65a 128pt in 77gp, despite being 5’9.

He’s the best prospect since Matthews, despite being short. I think the odds of a 5’9, shoot-first, forward ending up an NHL center are pretty slim. Even if he’s a winger, he’s still a Kaprizov/Pastrnak/DeBrincat hybrid but the 2.0 upgraded version.

 

[GhostofYotesFan47]

Looking at the Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips games. I want to try to see Yager live, but neither team plays them at home this year. I may need to make a trek up to Vancouver this year if I want to see him play live. Any Coyotes living up in Vancouver want to catch that one with me?

 

[moosemeister]

Bedard played 77 WHL games before his 17th birthday. As a 15/16 year old in the toughest of the CHL leagues, and a pretty bad team, that didn’t make the playoffs, he had 63g 65a 128pt in 77gp, despite being 5’9.

He’s the best prospect since Matthews, despite being short. I think the odds of a 5’9, shoot-first, forward ending up an NHL center are pretty slim. Even if he’s a winger, he’s still a Kaprizov/Pastrnak/DeBrincat hybrid but the 2.0 upgraded version.

Yup. I don't see him making it long as a center. But he could be lethal as a Winger like some of the names you mentioned.

 

[Freddy Sjostrom]

Musty with the lone goal for US against Finland. And Eduard Sale with the hat trick versus Germany.

 

[Grimes]

Bedard played 77 WHL games before his 17th birthday. As a 15/16 year old in the toughest of the CHL leagues, and a pretty bad team, that didn’t make the playoffs, he had 63g 65a 128pt in 77gp, despite being 5’9.

He’s the best prospect since Matthews, despite being short. I think the odds of a 5’9, shoot-first, forward ending up an NHL center are pretty slim. Even if he’s a winger, he’s still a Kaprizov/Pastrnak/DeBrincat hybrid but the 2.0 upgraded version.

Yup. I don't see him making it long as a center. But he could be lethal as a Winger like some of the names you mentioned.

What happens if he hits 5'10" in the next couple months? How tall was J Hughes the year before his drat year? Even MacKinnon (I know he is 6 foot but at the time a sub 6 foot center was just as rare as a sub 5'11" center now)? I would normally lean that someone his size wont convert to center but this kid is special enough it might not matter.

Also Kaprizov/Pasta/Cat comparisons are selling him short. This is P. Kane 2.0 but equipped with Matthews' shot. I'll eat crow if I'm wrong, but him and Michkov look like they will be closer to the generational tier rather than a franchise/elite tier. Nit-picky, I know, but I think it deserves to be pointed out that we aren't talking about franchise changing prospect like Barkov/Marner/J. Hughes here. This guy is on track to become a household name and someone who leads the league for the next two decades if it all goes right.

 

[rt]

What happens if he hits 5'10" in the next couple months? How tall was J Hughes the year before his drat year? Even MacKinnon (I know he is 6 foot but at the time a sub 6 foot center was just as rare as a sub 5'11" center now)? I would normally lean that someone his size wont convert to center but this kid is special enough it might not matter.

Also Kaprizov/Pasta/Cat comparisons are selling him short. This is P. Kane 2.0 but equipped with Matthews' shot. I'll eat crow if I'm wrong, but him and Michkov look like they will be closer to the generational tier rather than a franchise/elite tier. Nit-picky, I know, but I think it deserves to be pointed out that we aren't talking about franchise changing prospect like Barkov/Marner/J. Hughes here. This guy is on track to become a household name and someone who leads the league for the next two decades if it all goes right.

For sure. He’s the best PROSPECT since Matthews (Makar is generational but went 4th). A once in 7 year prospect is generational.

 

[IrishFin]

As of now, where would people rate Cooley against the guys projected to go early in 2023? Would he be 4th after Bedard, Michkov, and Fantilli or would you slot others in there ahead of him as well?

 

[rt]

As of now, where would people rate Cooley against the guys projected to go early in 2023? Would he be 4th after Bedard, Michkov, and Fantilli or would you slot others in there ahead of him as well?

I need to see more of the European kids. I can’t rank them with what I’ve seen. I think I’d have him ahead of Stramel and right near Yager. Ritchie I didn’t watch enough of but my inclination is I like Cooley better. Benson and Musty are right up there but I’d have Cooley ahead.

More simply, I’d likely have him 4th or 5th but I’m not factoring in Dvorsky or Carlsson.

 

[rt]

One kid to keep an eye on is Kalan Lind. Very talented, huge pain in the ass. Scores goals, stirs the pot, hits and fights. Throwback winger and younger brother of Canucks 2nd rounder Kole Lind. He looks like an Armstrong type of player.

 

[rt]

If we’re talking big forwards with skill who can skate, I think it’s Leo Carlsson, Charlie Stramel, and Kasper Halttunen as the early favorites to sneak into the top 5 a la Cutter Gauthier. Musty is tall, too, but he plays a smaller man’s game from what I’ve seen.

 

[hbk]

As of now, where would people rate Cooley against the guys projected to go early in 2023? Would he be 4th after Bedard, Michkov, and Fantilli or would you slot others in there ahead of him as well?

You are hoping top 5 but realistically top 7-10. I really like what I've seen out of Yager and am a big fan of Moose Jaw's program in the WHL. Yager is arguably in that top 4-5 as well right now but rt is right we need to see where things land after the Hlinka/Gretzky because scouts are drooling right now at the 2023 draft class and hyperbole is going to be strong in a couple of weeks.

 

[rt]

You are hoping top 5 but realistically top 7-10. I really like what I've seen out of Yager and am a big fan of Moose Jaw's program in the WHL. Yager is arguably in that top 4-5 as well right now but rt is right we need to see where things land after the Hlinka/Gretzky because scouts are drooling right now at the 2023 draft class and hyperbole is going to be strong in a couple of weeks.

Yager has long been my number four. But he could be unseated. There are some intriguing power forward types. And that Eduard Sale is a pleasure to watch. Love Yager, though. Hard working two-way C with an absolutely lethal wrist shot. Poor man’s Joe Sakic. Or more realistically a Dylan Larkin 2.0.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Yep, Sale put on a show the other day...wow, that backhand goal was insanely good and the one-touch pass through the seem to player sitting on back leg of goalie for an easy tap in was great vision. Nothing to not like about that kid, other than the fact he's a winger.

 

[rt]

I’m so proud…

 

[hbk]

Who has better release. yager Or Guenther?

 

[rt]

Who has better release. yager Or Guenther?

 

[Jakey53]

I’m so proud…

Hockey players are such great athletes. You guys that do play the game will realize how hard it is to not only skate, but stick handle and shoot without looking at the puck. It looks easy, but it takes years of practice. What these kids can do with the puck is absolutely amazing.

 

[rt]

Might be dumb, but this makes me a bit more intrigued by Callum Ritchie

 

[rt]

Yikes

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Yikes

I hear Michkov is ultra-talented but he'd better learn to pull off his miracles with his head up.

 

[87turbobuick]

Hockey players are such great athletes. You guys that do play the game will realize how hard it is to not only skate, but stick handle and shoot without looking at the puck. It looks easy, but it takes years of practice. What these kids can do with the puck is absolutely amazing.

Not so hard to not look at puck, I was taught that as a young kid playing peewee. I would like to see all these players today use skates and sticks from the 20th century.