Draft 2023 NHL Draft and Undrafted Free Agents Thread

[I Eat Crow]

If michkov is still there at 5 and mtl was willing i would think long and hard about that trade.

Drury should be fired on the spot if he won't trade Lafreniere for a pick where Michkov is on the board and doesn't take him.

 

[Ruggs225]

Drury should be fired on the spot if he won't trade Lafreniere for a pick where Michkov is on the board and doesn't take him.

While i agree mostly it is an odd situation.

For one it will hurt the rangers short term when they are shooting for the cup.

Second it will be three years befor he even comes here.

Third, u just don’t know what happens in russia when they are in a war. Like will they even let him go if the war with the west escalates


So its not like it doesnt have risks.

 

[bl02]

While i agree mostly it is an odd situation.

For one it will hurt the rangers short term when they are shooting for the cup.

Second it will be three years befor he even comes here.

Third, u just don’t know what happens in russia when they are in a war. Like will they even let him go if the war with the west escalates


So its not like it doesnt have risks.

All that being said (and you're not wrong) Lafreniere carries even more risk for Montreal. Except for a pretty good playoff run in 2022 he has shown very little.

 

[Synergy27]

While i agree mostly it is an odd situation.

For one it will hurt the rangers short term when they are shooting for the cup.

Second it will be three years befor he even comes here.

Third, u just don’t know what happens in russia when they are in a war. Like will they even let him go if the war with the west escalates


So its not like it doesnt have risks.

I’m not sure about this short term take. Laf really is just a guy right now. Many of his most ardent supporters are telling people to be patient and that it’s going to take time for him to fully develop.

Swapping Laf with a decent UFA LW doesn’t really hurt the team much at all in the short term.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

What's the story with Lukas Dragevic? Ranked in the high 20's. Is he as good defensively as Marc Andre Bergeron? Has great size and offensive numbers were excellent. What am I missing here?

Dragicevic. Idk what you're saying exactly, but I think it's just the deep draft. He would be ranked higher other years.

As for D. Reinbacher is the clear favourite. Gulyayev and ASP are dynamic offensively, great skaters, but big time size issues imo, the Nils Lundkvist type. Dragicevic will be a great pickup´for any team.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Would love to trade up to get Moore.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Would love to trade up to get Moore.

Elaborate, pls. I wouldn't trade up at all in this draft, we'll have great options at #23.

I certainly wouldn't trade up for Moore, go for the prospect with highest upside offensively.

Moore is at worst a bottom-6 in the NHL, best case 2nd liner TWF. I can see NYR f***ing him up royally too.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Rangers should sign Ryan Humphrey. He's entertaining

Ryan Humphrey Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Ryan Humphrey, a hockey player from Northville, MI born Apr 8 2003 who was active from 2019 to 2025.

www.hockeydb.com

 

[Synergy27]

I’m thinking Brindley or trade down myself. Looking at Detroit and Chicago as potential trade partners.

 

[QJL]

Players I wouldn’t trade to draft Michkov

Zibanejad
Fox
Shesterkin

That’s it.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Michkov is the prospect the NYR would most certainly f*** up. Also him getting here in 3 years is not part of the Plan. Just stay cool and See whos available at 23.

You have to understand, this draft really is deep.

I have to rethink my comments on Moore ... kid is a nutty prospect. There is truly a lot of Talent. Maybe have on offense, and many forward prospects lacking defense, but their offense is just that impressive.

As we all know we will draft Jessiman, so yeah. So much Talent in the first two rounds. And we pick only once.

 

[RangersFan1994]

I would love to snag Ryan Leonard. I wonder if he is on Drury’s radar. He is an MA guy adds depth to RW and has an edge with skill.


I also would not mind Danny Nelson.. he seems like a type Drury would be interested in later rounds. Size physical and can add depth to center.


Gabriel Perrault is another guy but I bet he goes early.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

I would love to snag Ryan Leonard. I wonder if he is on Drury’s radar. He is an MA guy adds depth to RW and has an edge with skill.

I mean Leonard would be awesome, but the dude is 100% gone by pick 8. One of the premier talents of the draft.

 

[B17 Apricots]

Chicago has 4 second round picks, Detroit has 3, the Ducks have 3, Seattle has 3 but they're later in the round, the Sabres have 2. Trading down in a draft like this could make some sense, there's a number of different routes they can go.

There's still high end skill projected at the end of the first into the 2nd round. Outside of some big names dropping you still have Ziemmer, Sawchyn, Perron, Čiernik, Dower Nilsson, Kantserov, could probably throw Whitelaw, Pinelli and the BCHL kid Nadeau in there too.

Then you have the players with projectable pro traits, like the Cuylle and Sýkora picks. That'd include guys like Brindley, Stramel, Fisker Mølgaard, Rykov, Hämeenaho, Cataford, etc.. Some upside there as well.

If they move down the D-men in that range could include Simashev, Willander, Lindstein... Étienne Morin is someone to watch for, he plays for the Moncton Wildcats along with our pick last year, Maxim Barbashev. The Rangers should've gotten a good look at Morin this year. 2 way D-man, the offence came around, +20 goals as a defenceman and over a point per game. Just about every publication puts him in the 2nd round.

Would you move down from 23rd to Chicago for their 35th and 44th? Or Anaheim from 23rd to 33rd and 59th? If you have a Perreault, Heidt, etc, sitting there that's tough to pass up. But compared to say, Ziemmer at 35 and Morin at 44 or Simashev at 33 and Čiernik at 59.. I like the idea of adding both a forward and a defenceman. Too bad we don't have that extra first

 

[EdJovanovski]

Elaborate, pls. I wouldn't trade up at all in this draft, we'll have great options at #23.

I certainly wouldn't trade up for Moore, go for the prospect with highest upside offensively.

Moore is at worst a bottom-6 in the NHL, best case 2nd liner TWF. I can see NYR f***ing him up royally too.

Isn’t Moore like the best skater in the draft?

 

[I Eat Crow]

Leonard is going to go top 10. Dark horse to go as high as 5 to Montreal, IMO. He doesn't last past Detroit's pick.

Moore going top 10 too. Ditto as with Leonard, I can see a team as high as Montreal take him especially if Smith goes #3 to Columbus as rumored.

Michkov, Dvorsky and Benson I see as the fallers.

The two American kids and Reinbacher are going to be big risers come draft day.

If Perreault somehow lasts to 23, I'm running to the podium to take him. My only hiccup with him is that I don't see him as a play driver at the next level. He's the ultimate running mate to an established star. He'll do well as a complimentary piece in the top 6 but he's not going to create much on his own. Still, the numbers are too hard to ignore. I see Jake Guentzel like upside with him.

If the Rangers trade down, I'd attach Goodrow to the pick to get a little more back for him. I can see all of Detroit, Anaheim, and Chicago interested as all those teams will be looking to diversify their forward corps to try and turn things around. Detroit especially can and should parlay a couple of their 5 top 50 picks this year into NHL talent to try and make the playoffs.

The cost to trade up 4 or 5 spots lately has been a 2nd round pick. I don't think the proposals for the 23rd the last page or so are being greedy enough. If the Rangers are dropping at least 10 spots, I want at least an additional 3rd round pick to do it. Something like 23 and Goodrow to Detroit for all three of their 2nd rounders (41, 42, 43) or to Chicago for 35, 44, and their 3rd this year.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Isn’t Moore like the best skater in the draft?

Sure, it's not everything though. I want highest upside offensively, dude that creates offensive plays.

Moore is sure to be a disruptor in the NHL, if his offense pans out, jackpot.

 

[Kravtsov420]

Michkov wouldn’t see powerplay until year 6 here because Panarin and his goon squad all have matching ass tattoos and he’d have to URN his ass tattoo (which is a picture of Ryan strome)

 

[bl02]

Chicago has 4 second round picks, Detroit has 3, the Ducks have 3, Seattle has 3 but they're later in the round, the Sabres have 2. Trading down in a draft like this could make some sense, there's a number of different routes they can go.

There's still high end skill projected at the end of the first into the 2nd round. Outside of some big names dropping you still have Ziemmer, Sawchyn, Perron, Čiernik, Dower Nilsson, Kantserov, could probably throw Whitelaw, Pinelli and the BCHL kid Nadeau in there too.

Then you have the players with projectable pro traits, like the Cuylle and Sýkora picks. That'd include guys like Brindley, Stramel, Fisker Mølgaard, Rykov, Hämeenaho, Cataford, etc.. Some upside there as well.

If they move down the D-men in that range could include Simashev, Willander, Lindstein... Étienne Morin is someone to watch for, he plays for the Moncton Wildcats along with our pick last year, Maxim Barbashev. The Rangers should've gotten a good look at Morin this year. 2 way D-man, the offence came around, +20 goals as a defenceman and over a point per game. Just about every publication puts him in the 2nd round.

Would you move down from 23rd to Chicago for their 35th and 44th? Or Anaheim from 23rd to 33rd and 59th? If you have a Perreault, Heidt, etc, sitting there that's tough to pass up. But compared to say, Ziemmer at 35 and Morin at 44 or Simashev at 33 and Čiernik at 59.. I like the idea of adding both a forward and a defenceman. Too bad we don't have that extra first

Unless a lot of guys are dropping that the Rangers like (I guess that is a good thing lol) I would rather stay at 23. 23 to 35 is a big distance. Like you said if a guy like Heidt or Perreault are there you have to go with quality over quantity. Sounds like a guy like Perreault would fit this team pretty well in a year or two. How is his skating? I know it's been beaten to death but we need to draft a forward who can freaking skate above average.

 

[Savant]

Gracyn Sawchyn

 

[RangersFan1994]

Gracyn Sawchyn

I would not mind him with the 1st round pick. Adds skill speed physical play good for checker grit and center ice depth Would he be available when the Rangers pick in round 1?

 

[duhmetreE]

Isn’t Moore like the best skater in the draft?

he'd be a Rico Fata here.

I'm on the Russian defenseman train. Get me Gulyayev

I hope there's a 'Russian Factor' and he falls to us. I'd even trade up for him.

 

[Savant]

I would not mind him with the 1st round pick. Adds skill speed physical play good for checker grit and center ice depth Would he be available when the Rangers pick in round 1?

Only one way to find out. Honestly trading down isn’t necessarily the worst idea either. Stick to the O and the W and get some extra picks on the way. Don’t love the NTDP crop. I’m done with the Q. Think the euro crop is pretty decent but not sure we look in that direction

 

[duhmetreE]

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

I think we will draft a Dman most likely at #23 spot, but after trading away Buch and Kravtsov there is no way we draft a Russian and no way we draft a small Dman.

This guy looks pretty good: