2023 NHL Draft June 28 and 29, Nashville, TN (Selections - 13, 39, 45, 86, 109, 141, 173, 205)

[Jim Bob]

NHL Mock Draft: Pronman and Wheeler predict the first two rounds

The Athletic's prospects experts, Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, take turns making the first 64 selections of the upcoming draft.

theathletic.com

13. Buffalo Sabres (Pick by Wheeler): Gabe Perreault, LW, NTDP

The Sabres likely consider UConn forward Matthew Wood and Skelleftea defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka here, but they can’t pass on the playmaking and handedness of Perreault to complement right-shot scorers like Jack Quinn and some day replace Jeff Skinner at left wing in the top six.

39. Buffalo Sabres (Pick by Wheeler): Tanner Molendyk, LHD, Saskatoon

The Sabres add one of the more mobile defensemen in the draft in Molendyk, a projected No. 4-5 D who some believe still has another level to reach offensively and could slot in nicely behind Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power long term.

45. Buffalo Sabres (Pick by Wheeler): Carson Rehkopf, LW, Kitchener

In Rehkopf, the Sabres add a rangy, talented, north-south, scoring left-shot winger who many feel is just scratching the surface. He should complement what they’ve already got in their system, too.

 

[Professor Chaos]

Guys that people say that there is no chance they fall that far yet they might because teams go off the "consensus board" and take guys that people are surprised to see go in the top 10.

I am guessing that two or three D go in the top 12 and a forward that we are surprised will fall to the Sabres.

Exactly this...someone like Dvorsky would be great

 

[Jim Bob]

Exactly this...someone like Dvorsky would be great

Dvorsky is the kind of forward that would intrigue me in that he is different than guys like Savoie, Kulich, Ostlund, and Rosen.

Gabe Perreault is another guy that I wouldn't mind because he is a playmaker and would fit well with all the shooters they already have in the pipeline.

 

[Ace]

NHL Mock Draft: Pronman and Wheeler predict the first two rounds

The Athletic's prospects experts, Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, take turns making the first 64 selections of the upcoming draft.

theathletic.com

a small skilled winger. Finally something new for us.

 

[Jim Bob]

a small skilled winger. Finally something new for us.

It is new in that he is an elite playmaker that could set up all the shooters (Thompson, Quinn, JJP, Kulich, & Rosen) that they have stockpiled.

 

[Ace]

It is new in that he is an elite playmaker that could set up all the shooters (Thompson, Quinn, JJP, Kulich, & Rosen) that they have stockpiled.

We took two of those last year. Both small. Both better skaters.

I don’t know how but this draft becomes less appealing with every new mock

 

[Jim Bob]

We took two of those last year. Both small. Both better skaters.

I don’t know how but this draft becomes less appealing with every new mock

Perrault is different from Savoie and Ostlund.

Savoie is way more balanced between being a playmaker and a finisher. He is like Cozens in that regard.

He is closer to Ostlund. But, I think Perrault has more top line or top 6 potential than Ostlund, especially on the Sabres given that Thompson, Cozens, and Savoie could all be ahead of Ostlund in the center pecking order for the foreseeable future.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

We took two of those last year. Both small. Both better skaters.

I don’t know how but this draft becomes less appealing with every new mock

Yea. They’re gradually coming out with “more of the same” because of the last few drafts. Like…maybe the Sabres don’t want or need that.

Especially when the mocks give other options that aren’t that.

I want nothing to do with drafting him, but I’d rather draft Sandin-Pelikka over a small, skilled winger.

 

[Jim Bob]

Yea. They’re gradually coming out with “more of the same” because of the last few drafts. Like…maybe the Sabres don’t want or need that.

Especially when the mocks give other options that aren’t that.

I want nothing to do with drafting him, but I’d rather draft Sandin-Pelikka over a small, skilled winger.

I want nothing to do with ASP.

Undersized PP QB D from Sweden have not been working out lately and not what the Sabres need, at all.

I'll take the undersized winger who just set the NTDP scoring record over a small offense-minded D right now and not even think twice.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I want nothing to do with ASP.

Undersized PP QB D from Sweden have not been working out lately and not what the Sabres need, at all.

I'll take the undersized winger who just set the NTDP scoring record over a small offense-minded D right now and not even think twice.

I don’t want anything to do with him either. Just that if it were him or Perreault at 13, I’d rather ASP.

I’d be fine with either of them at 39, though.

 

[Matt Ress]

I want nothing to do with ASP.

Undersized PP QB D from Sweden have not been working out lately and not what the Sabres need, at all.

I'll take the undersized winger who just set the NTDP scoring record over a small offense-minded D right now and not even think twice.

I hope we have better options altogether

 

[Jim Bob]

I hope we have better options altogether

They will have plenty of other options. I just like Perrault more for the Sabres than others do.

Personally, I am hoping for Willander or Simashev if things go roughly the way a lot expect in the top 12.

2023 NHL Draft Superlatives: Best Skater, Shot and More! - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

Who is the best skater in the 2023 NHL Draft? What about the best shooter? Let's take a look at some 2023 NHL Draft superlatives!

thehockeywriters.com

Best Skater​

Winner: Oliver Moore (Runners up: Connor Bedard, Mikhail Gulyayev, Bradly Nadeau, Tom Willander, Dmitri Simashev)​

Oliver Moore is easily the best skater in the 2023 Draft, with the power to accelerate remarkably quickly, and the edgework to dance around d-zone coverage with the puck. He projects as a high-end NHL skater as a result, with the speed and hands to provide his team with tons of controlled zone entries. Moore is going to be one of the better skaters in the NHL from the first moment he steps on the ice and has the potential to be an impactful top-six center.

Best Shot​

Winner: Connor Bedard (Runners up: Matvei Michkov, Colby Barlow, Andrew Cristall, Brayden Yager, Bradly Nadeau)​

This one’s a no-brainer, with Connor Bedard clearly possessing the best shot in the draft. In fact, Bedard will have the best shot on the Chicago Blackhawks as soon as they select him, and has the power and crafty release to become one of the very best shooters in the entire NHL.

That top group in the entire league would include guys like David Pastrnak, Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, and maybe Elias Pettersson (among a few others), so for Bedard to even have a chance at cracking that group as a teenager is impressive. The way he adjusts the release point of his shot immediately before shooting is remarkable and will make him a nightmare for NHL goalies as soon as next Fall.

Best Hockey IQ​

Winner: Matvei Michkov (Runners up: Gabe Perreault, Mikhail Gulyayev, Connor Bedard, Axel Sandin Pellikka)​

Matvei Michkov has one of the most impressive hockey minds that I’ve ever seen, with elite instincts for manipulating goalies, defenders, shooting lanes, and more. Even when he doesn’t have the puck, Michkov is often controlling the entire offensive zone due to his gravity (defenders are always thinking about him), and his ability to find space and time regardless of defensive coverage.

 

[Matt Ress]

They will have plenty of other options. I just like Perrault more for the Sabres than others do.

Personally, I am hoping for Willander or Simashev if things go roughly the way a lot expect in the top 12.

2023 NHL Draft Superlatives: Best Skater, Shot and More! - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

Who is the best skater in the 2023 NHL Draft? What about the best shooter? Let's take a look at some 2023 NHL Draft superlatives!

thehockeywriters.com

Simashev is growing on me at 13. Not surprised he's a late riser. I love Moore but the chances of him being there are smaller. Not big on ASP although he would be a nice development piece to eventually trade away but wouldn't ever have the opportunity to shine at the NHL level.

 

[Fjordy]

I'll just take Simashev or Willander instead ASP and Perreault and no problem.

 

[Faceboner]

I'll just take Simashev or Willander instead ASP and Perreault and no problem.

I also like moore such a crazy deep draft with tons of great players in the top 25 it could go so many ways we could end up with a dvorsky, benson or leonard after the top 6 i could see it being a mixed bag from 7 to 20

 

[Matt Ress]

I also like moore such a crazy deep draft with tons of great players in the top 25 it could go so many ways we could end up with a dvorsky, benson or leonard after the top 6 i could see it being a mixed bag from 7 to 20

If there's a run on defenders, one of the not-small forwards should pop up. If not, we could grab a defender.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Do we think Oliver Bonk is a possible selection at 39 or 45? Can never go wrong selecting players from the Knights or Steel imo.

 

[Ehran]

Do we think Oliver Bonk is a possible selection at 39 or 45? Can never go wrong selecting players from the Knights or Steel imo.

I'm no draft expert but I doubt he's still around at 39. I'd love it if he were and I bet the Sabres run to the podium to call his name if he fell that far.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Do we think Oliver Bonk is a possible selection at 39 or 45? Can never go wrong selecting players from the Knights or Steel imo.

No. Although I’d absolutely package both 2nds to move up and draft him.

 

[HOOats]

Exactly this...someone like Dvorsky would be great

Pronman: What we can learn for the 2023 NHL Draft from the 2018 NHL Draft

Thought this was interesting from Pronman re: recent comps for Dvorsky. If he slips to 13, it may just be a slam dunk though.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Barrett Hayton were both very interesting top-five picks. They were both seen as highly skilled and intelligent centers. They also had skating flaws and their production in their respective leagues, Liiga and OHL, wasn’t amazing for a pair of top-five picks.

Hindsight is 20/20 — I liked Kotkaniemi a lot at the time, for example. But it’s interesting to compare them to the two top-10 picks who became legit stars in Tkachuk and Hughes. Tkachuk had special physicality/compete and elite international performance even though his college numbers were just fine. Hughes had special skating and puck game and was very good with his club and internationally. I see the arguments for Kotkaniemi and Hayton over them at the time, but comparing the profiles is interesting.

One player that comes to mind the most in the 2023 draft when thinking about Kotkaniemi and Hayton is Dalibor Dvorsky. He’s a center with average skating, is very skilled and has had very good stretches, both at the club and international level, but his production in Allsvenskan this season wasn’t amazing. Dvorsky could become an excellent NHL player, but the risk profiles in a top-10 pick look quite similar to me.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

My first selection was Oliver Moore, even though Reinbacher was “available”. I didn’t pick him as I know he will be gone before the Sabres pick.

 

[Faceboner]

My first selection was Oliver Moore, even though Reinbacher was “available”. I didn’t pick him as I know he will be gone before the Sabres pick.

Oliver moore reminds me alot of larkin

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Oliver moore reminds me alot of larkin

I fail to see the problem

 

[Zach716]

Curious what you guys would give up to move up to get Michkov (anywhere assuming he’s still on the board after top 5)

 

[Jim Bob]

Curious what you guys would give up to move up to get Michkov (anywhere assuming he’s still on the board after top 5)

To get a top 10 pick, it usually take trading an NHL roster player prior to the draft, like the DeBrincat trade last year.

I do not see the Sabres being willing to make that kind of a trade.