HF Habs: 2023 NHL Draft part 2

[River Meadow]

Love Leonard but anyone that had him over Benson is just a bandwagon fan thats watched a few u18s games.

You think for sure Benson is a better NHLer than Leonard?

 

[Mrb1p]

You think for sure Benson is a better NHLer than Leonard?

Foshizzle.

Leonard is gonna be very, very good and I absolutely love him but Benson is just different.

 

[River Meadow]

Foshizzle.

Leonard is gonna be very, very good and I absolutely love him but Benson is just different.

Leonard is bigger, stronger, better shot, faster skater.... right?

What's Benson got over Leonard?

 

[McGees]

Leonard is bigger, stronger, better shot, faster skater.... right?

What's Benson got over Leonard?

Big brain Suzuki vision

 

[Jack Skellington]

The Habs need wingers more than Cs.
The Habs picked a massive rhino last year, have 6'4 dach, 6'2 Heineman, maybe Dubois and Suzukis built like a brick-shit house, why does this matter? Benson is the same size as Michkov and plays way more physical than a guy like Smith.
He has been consensus top 5 for 24 months now. Hes 6th on my list.




Benson has a lot of the same qualities that made Crosby as good as he is. Hard to quantify why Crosby is/was so good, just like Benson.

Crosby is a genius hockey player with absolutely everything cranked to a 9.5, Benson is in the same mold but everything is like an 8.5. It’s the intelligence that leads to the superior results without seeing the standout tools that makes it hard to quantify imo. That motor and forechecking skill of Benson is SO underrated on here as well. He completely tilts the ice.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Benson is a good player, but we have many players who are similar in the system.

Nick Suzuki, Joshua Roy, Sean Farrell and Riley Kidney...

I also believe Slaf is going to develop as more of a stationary player.

We need more dynamic players who will create something out of nothing.

If I want to pick a more cerebral player, I'd rather him be a 6'3 mammoth like Carlsson.

 

[Goldenhands]

We'll obviously have to wait until the combine for at least Leonard and Benson and who knows what they'll all be listed at as 22 year olds in the NHL, but Central Scouting lists them as:

Leonard 6'0 192
Benson 5'9 163
Michkov 5'10 172

And while they all compete hard, you see Leonard running over guys and guys bouncing off of him. He's got the reputation of being a strong, powerful guy. He wouldn't be a size pick because he'll presumably always be around 6', but Marty Lapointe (5'11), Rod Brind'Amour (6'1), Jarome Iginla (6'1) and scores more were power guys who weren't super huge. Leonard has or could have that dimension to his game. For all their compete, Benson and Michkov just don't have that in their games.

I think you could put Leonard with a couple shrimps and have a well rounded line. I don't think you could necessarily say the same for Benson and Michkov.

That said, they all compete hard and I think they would all show up in the playoffs and be fan favourites. I'd definitely take Michkov first in the group without even thinking about it. Right now, I'd pick Leonard over Benson. I just think he has strong offensive tools and skills; no discernible weakness to hold him back; and the compete, willingness to go to the middle, and intangibles to maximize his potential and be better than the sum of his parts. For all his skill and will, I can imagine a scenario where Benson's size and lack of elite breakaway speed limit him.

This exactly. Leonard is a small PF with good speed, nifty hands, great shooting skills and scoring instincts, his tools project easily at the NHL level, same with a kid like Dvorsky, both will be high quality top 6 NHLers. Benson is very talented and there is alot to like about his game, but his size/skating might limit the way he impacts the game at the NHL level as you said. Benson is highly combative, but gets handled much easier one on one meanwhile Leonard and Dvorsky are really tough to handle and win most of their physical challenges.

Ive seen alot of those USNTDP kids and Leonard definitely looks close to 6ft tall while I have hard time believing Benson height more than 5'9.

I think Leonard will be picked ahead of Benson based on his projectable tools and superior size/power.

 

[The Great Weal]

Sale falls all the way to 29, just like Kulich did last year because he sofffff.

Hopefully we don't make the mistake on passing on him this time

 

[G0bias]

Michkov reiterating his desire to play in the NHL and talks of his presence at the combine/draft.
I'd take him over Carlsson/Fantili

Come at me

 

[CapSpace]

Okay so if we take Michkov at 5... who do we take at 17?

err I mean.. 32?


*wipes tears*

At this point I'd take a goalie with Florida's pick, unless someone drops big time.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

At this point I'd take a goalie with Florida's pick, unless someone drops big time.

Take BPA. Habs are getting Sorokin in 2024 FA anyways

 

[Paddy17]

Carlsson must be a second rounder - no points against Germany….

Good. Let him fall to 5, where he belongs.

 

[Lockin17]

 

[Paddy17]

I keep seeing and hearing that Benson has slipped a bit.. he was down to 8 on Bob's list, of course he prefaced that Benson could go top 5 if Michkov doesn't, but he said the same of Dvorsky, Leonard, and Perreault. I'd say Reinbacher is there, too.

I think it's quite possible Benson drops to 8 or 9.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Bunch of teams in the teens are trying to compete now, could we see back to back years we trade for another 1st? Josh Anderson moving out maybe

 

[Doublechin]

Benson is a good player, but we have many players who are similar in the system.

Nick Suzuki, Joshua Roy, Sean Farrell and Riley Kidney...

I also believe Slaf is going to develop as more of a stationary player.

We need more dynamic players who will create something out of nothing.

If I want to pick a more cerebral player, I'd rather him be a 6'3 mammoth like Carlsson.

None of those players you listed have his vision, IQ and playmaking

 

[Jaynki]

Would be interesting and honestly makes a lot of sense. I'm not a huge Zegras fan and think he's better as a winger but I could see them looking at Zegras and McTavish and deciding they'd rather swing big on Michkov, especially with Gaucher on the way who gives them a high floor option as a potential future 3C. It also makes sense to just pick Fantilli and put Zegras on the wing but the Ducks definitely have a case for taking Michkov.

My apprehension there on Anaheim would be the timing though, I'm not sure they really want to wait 3 years when they're trying to improve around Zegras/McTavish/Drysdale/Terry/Dostal plus already having guys like Zellweger and Minktyukov on the way.


Yeah people calling Michkov soft are out to lunch. There's some defensive shortcomings but not anything that should be even remotely concerning with how talented he is and how much jam/motor/work ethic he shows. It will be trivially easy for Michkov to reach an acceptable baseline of defensive play as an NHLer.

My logic for Michkov at 2 is even more simplist than that. He is a potential top 5-10 player in the NHL in his prime.

Fantilli and Carlsson are both elite pieces but i don't see them having this kind of potential. Still, i think its probable they take Michkov at 2. But if i had to bet, i would bet on Fantilli at 2ov and Michkov 4-5.

I think that would be worst case scenario for us, since I don't think Columbus passes on Fantilli and then SJ probably takes Carlsson over Smith.

We still get Smith which is still good, but the ideal is:
Ana - Fantilli
Columbus - Smith
SJ - Michkov
Habs - Carlsson

Thats the dream.

There's no way. lol

There's a way.

Fantilli at 2 being the most probable scenario does not neglect the other scenario to zero.

 

[Jaynki]

or the year Michkov resigns in the KHL locking him in for another 8 years

I would gladly pass on any of the prospect available even if it means Michkov not coming in the end

 

[CapSpace]

So Ben Gaudreau will not sign with San Jose and will be draft eligible again. Does he worth a pick or better spend one on a 17 yo ?

 

[Skip Bayless]

None of those players you listen have his vision, IQ and playmaking

There's nothing that tells me he's anything special compared to those other guys, who also completely demolished their respective junior/college leagues.

He's also the smallest in that group.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

So Ben Gaudreau will not sign with San Jose and will be draft eligible again. Does he worth a pick or better spend one on a 17 yo ?

Not worth a pick, he's not that good. Someone will probably give him an AHLC.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Fantilli at 2 being the most probable scenario does not neglect the other scenario to zero.

Trust me, probability is at zero for #2.

 

[Goldenhands]

Final list right there.

 

[Goldenhands]

Rank​	Player​	Position​	Projection​	Bust factor​
1​	Connor Bedard​	Center​	Franchise/Generational	Low​
2​	Leo Carlsson​	Center/LW​	Sundin/Barkov level	Low​
3​	Matvei Michkov​	RW​	Elite level player​	High (external)​
4​	Adam Fantilli​	Center​	Top line center upside	Low​
5​	David Reinbacher​	RD​	All around no.1 defenseman potential	Low​
6​	Dalibor Dvorsky​	Center​	200ft. top 6 scoring center	Low​
7​	Ryan Leonard​	RW​	Top 6 scoring power foward	Low​
8​	Otto Stenberg​	LW​	Versatile top 6 foward potential	Medium/Low​
9​	Will Smith​	Center​	Creative, offensively minded top6 potential	Medium/High​
10​	Nate Danielson​	Center​	2-way 2nd line center upside	Medium/Low​
11​	Oliver Moore​	C/W​	Dynamic all around 2nd liner	Low​
12​	Zach Benson​	LW​	Dynamic top6 pts producer upside	Medium​
13​	Gavin Brindley​	RW​	Versatile, heart and soul middle 6	Medium/Low​
14​	Axel Sandin-Pellikka​	RD​	Top 4 puckmoving PP QB upside	Medium-High​
15​	Gabe Perreault​	RW​	High skills top 6 potential	Medium/High​
16​	Anton Wahlberg​	LW​	Middle 6 power winger	Medium/Low​
17​	David Edstrom​	Center​	Middle 6 power center	Medium/Low​
18​	Colby Barlow​	LW​	Middle 6 scoring winger	Low​
19​	Maxim Strbak​	RD​	Top 4 All-around physical D	Low​
20​	Tom Willander​	RD​	Top 4 All around puckmoving D	Medium/Low
21​	Samuel Honzek​	LW​	Top 6 potential​	Medium/High​
22​	Carson Bjarnason​	G​	Starter upside​	Medium​
23​	Brayden Yager​	C/W​	Middle of the line-up	Medium/High​
24​	Eduard Salé​	RW​	Top 6 upside	High​
25​	Matthew Wood​	LW​	Top 6 upside	High​
26​	Jayden Perron​	RW​	Middle of the line-up	Medium​
27​	Riley Heidt​	LW​	Middle of the line-up	Medium​
28​	Gracyn Sawchyn​	C​	Dynamic middle 6 foward	Medium/High​
29​	Callum Ritchie​	C​	2-Way middle 6 center	Medium​

30​	Ethan Gauthier​	C​	Middle of the line-up	Medium​
31​	Tanner Molendyk​	LD​	Top 4 puckmoving D upside	Medium​
32​	Quentin Musty​	LW​	Top 6 upside	Very High​

 

[McGees]

I would gladly pass on any of the prospect available even if it means Michkov not coming in the end

It’s easy to say from a forum and you can treat it like a video game but when this is your job/career - this pick is REALLY important for the rebuild - you better be 100% sure he will be coming over.