Prospect Info: 2023 NHL Draft - Potential Selection Discussion

[stats1]

The smart thing would be to trade down and gain a couple of 2nds. There are always players who fall out of the 1st round, it happens every year. Your odds of getting a decent NHL player are way better if you have multiple 2nds over just having 1 late first round pick.

 

[stats1]

And honestly, the Leafs need more quantity of picks/prospects. Hitting on Knies was massive. If you’re going to trade future firsts to win now, picks like Knies and having multiple 2nds and a quantity of picks gives you way better odds of hitting a homerun. It’s nice seeing the kid go up and put on the sweater etc but like I said Leafs need some quantity because Dubas has traded a lot of draft capital lately

 

[horner]

Zach Bowen G london knights keep an eye on the prospect
Shutout Peterborough last night.
Will be the starting goaltender for the nights next season.

 

[GrizzGreen]

Give me Musty at 28, trade for a second rounder/early third and grab Brzustewicz as a future PP QB

 

[tmlms13]

As I pointed out in the post game thread. Florida getting to the ECF cost Montreal minimum 12 draft spots 17th to 29th.

We basically eliminated any chance of Montreal being able to use Florida's pick alone if they wanted to try and move into the top 4

Always love randomly screwing them over without even trying.

 

[Thornbury]

Give me Musty at 28, trade for a second rounder/early third and grab Brzustewicz as a future PP QB

I'd rather we pick a C or D with our first pick, if value is comparable to available W. Areas of greatest organizational need.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

At this point its who are we trading our first rounder to get multiple picks

I'd rather we pick a C or D with our first pick, if value is comparable to available W. Areas of greatest organizational need.

I personally think it should always be the pick available instead of organization depth.

 

[Skullz]

If we move on from Nylander or Marner, we should try and get into striking range for Michkov.

We can afford to wait for 3 years. Incredible talent who will likely be underdrafted.

 

[francis246]

If we move on from Nylander or Marner, we should try and get into striking range for Michkov.

We can afford to wait for 3 years. Incredible talent who will likely be underdrafted.

Hell no, I would not touch Michkov at all. That situation is too unpredictable. I don’t see him being able to come over that easy. I think Michkov is gonna drop to a team with multiple first round picks.

 

[Morgs]

If we move on from Nylander or Marner, we should try and get into striking range for Michkov.

We can afford to wait for 3 years. Incredible talent who will likely be underdrafted.

The fit people would have the moment they see his size lol (not that I care, but I've been on these boards long enough).

This draft is so stacked it's impossible to project where anyone past the consensus top-5 (Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, Smith, and Michkov) are going to go. Feels like Michkov will drop a spot or two because I think the 4 centers are going first, and Montreal isn't picking Michkov. After that it's going to be a free-for-all for the next 15ish picks. If I'm the Leafs I'm likely not targeting him, but if I'm targeting a player based on their draft value it's Brayden Yager. I have no idea how he's not bordering the outside of the top-5 with Benson, and he seems to have fallen outside most people's top-10s for inexplicable reasons.

 

[Americanadian]

Stramel intrigues me a lot.

 

[francis246]

The smart thing would be to trade down and gain a couple of 2nds. There are always players who fall out of the 1st round, it happens every year. Your odds of getting a decent NHL player are way better if you have multiple 2nds over just having 1 late first round pick.

Is it? I don’t think that’s necessarily true.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

The fit people would have the moment they see his size lol (not that I care, but I've been on these boards long enough).

This draft is so stacked it's impossible to project where anyone past the consensus top-5 (Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, Smith, and Michkov) are going to go. Feels like Michkov will drop a spot or two because I think the 4 centers are going first, and Montreal isn't picking Michkov. After that it's going to be a free-for-all for the next 15ish picks. If I'm the Leafs I'm likely not targeting him, but if I'm targeting a player based on their draft value it's Brayden Yager. I have no idea how he's not bordering the outside of the top-5 with Benson, and he seems to have fallen outside most people's top-10s for inexplicable reasons.

For me (as someone who has him in the top 15 but not the top 10), he just doesn't look super dynamic. Add in average skating and size, and it is easy to look at the other options (Benson, Leonard, Moore, Wood) who beat him out in those areas.

That being said, if he is not a lottery pick, someone is getting a steal IMO.

Stramel intrigues me a lot.

Oof. Not without some major trading down I would hope.

 

[horner]

The London knights and Peterborough are on tsn
Bonk D london knights
Dale Hunter is such a good coach he nows his players and has systems in place for the team he has.
Iam knights fan never never expected this out of this team.
No stars just a hard working team

 

[LaPlante94]

I've tried to find someone else I like more than Rehkopf and I can't find someone even though there's plenty of talent in that range. I'd take him at 28 tbh because I don't trust those guys over at Carolina because they'd probably take him with their 1st pick since they take everyone I like in the 1st 3 rounds. If they could try and trade back with like Chicago to get that 35th and 67th picks then alright I'll cross my fingers that he doesn't get picked.

 

[Americanadian]

Oof. Not without some major trading down I would hope.

The physical profile is something the Leafs haven't had in over a decade. Who is the last top 9 RS C that this team developed into a NHLer? The last time they had a top 9 RS C was Bozak (unless you count Acciari). He had the highest P/GP among 16 year olds in the USNTDP 2 seasons ago.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Stenberg is a solid prospect whenever I've watched him play and I'd love to see them grab the Swedish forward. Great skater, good hockey IQ, and has the skill to become a star if he develops well. But I think most teams will see this and he's going to rise in the draft.

Regardless, they probably will end up trading down with Anaheim for 33 + 59 knowing how the Leafs do things.

 

[Thornbury]

Stenberg is a solid prospect whenever I've watched him play and I'd love to see them grab the Swedish forward. Great skater, good hockey IQ, and has the skill to become a star if he develops well. But I think most teams will see this and he's going to rise in the draft.

Regardless, they probably will end up trading down with Anaheim for 33 + 59 knowing how the Leafs do things.

I'd love to see that deal - not sure the Ducks would go for it.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

The physical profile is something the Leafs haven't had in over a decade. Who is the last top 9 RS C that this team developed into a NHLer? The last time they had a top 9 RS C was Bozak (unless you count Acciari). He had the highest P/GP among 16 year olds in the USNTDP 2 seasons ago.

No he didn't. Not at the U17 nor the U18 level.

He projects to be another Nick Bjugstad, but is a worse prospect than Bjugstad was at the same age.

Not against Nick Bjugstad, assuming he was healthy and in a better organization than Florida in his formative years, but there is much better available than taking a chance on everything coming together just for him to be a large mediocre 2C... And that is if he improves his skating and overall play enough to even stick at center in the NHL.

He doesn't stick out enough from the rest of the top 50 talents to warrant being taken that high. Even if you don't want to go after one of the smaller forwards with higher upside (not something I would do either at 28), there are almost certainly going to be top 25 talents who drop, and even if there are not, I wouldn't pass up on Dragicevic/Simashev/Gulyayev's upside on defense (guys who are all likely just outside of the top 25) to take Stramel.

Really, unless you like one of the following or someone really ends up falling, we are probably better off trading down:

Gavin Brindley

Otto Stenberg

Samuel Honzek

Ethan Gauthier

Mikhail Gulyayev

Quentin Musty

Dmitri Simashev

Lukas Dragicevic

And even some of those names, I may trade down if I get even a semi-decent offer.

 

[Americanadian]

No he didn't. Not at the U17 nor the U18 level.

He projects to be another Nick Bjugstad, but is a worse prospect than Bjugstad was at the same age.

Not against Nick Bjugstad, assuming he was healthy and in a better organization than Florida in his formative years, but there is much better available than taking a chance on everything coming together just for him to be a large mediocre 2C... And that is if he improves his skating and overall play enough to even stick at center in the NHL.

He doesn't stick out enough from the rest of the top 50 talents to warrant being taken that high. Even if you don't want to go after one of the smaller forwards with higher upside (not something I would do either at 28), there are almost certainly going to be top 25 talents who drop, and even if there are not, I wouldn't pass up on Dragicevic/Simashev/Gulyayev's upside on defense (guys who are all likely just outside of the top 25) to take Stramel.

Really, unless you like one of the following or someone really ends up falling, we are probably better off trading down:

Gavin Brindley

Otto Stenberg

Samuel Honzek

Ethan Gauthier

Mikhail Gulyayev

Quentin Musty

Dmitri Simashev

Lukas Dragicevic

And even some of those names, I may trade down if I get even a semi-decent offer.

U.S. National Development Team 2021-22 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com

The roster, scoring and goaltender statistics for the 2021-22 U.S. National Development Team playing in the USHL.

www.hockeydb.com

Literally the highest P/GP among all players that are draft eligible this year. I think I just have a different draft strategy than you. I'm not concerned with going for home runs. I'd take Stramel over Brindley all day long given position, physical profile. I am not alone in that thought: Corey Pronman Draft Rankings.

 

[weems]

Just looking at players in the 25-40 range and specifically focusing on their offensive skillsets and Quentin Musty really stands out.

Fantastic hands, good offensive creativity, good finishing ability and seems to have similar agility to Knies. Funny enough Knies skating was also somewhat criticized at the time of the draft and I've read that about Musty.

I have no idea about the rest of his game or his work habits but at his size with very high offensive upside, some team might get a real steal at the end of the first round/early second

 

[SprDaVE]

Just looking at players in the 25-40 range and specifically focusing on their offensive skillsets and Quentin Musty really stands out.

Fantastic hands, good offensive creativity, good finishing ability and seems to have similar agility to Knies. Funny enough Knies skating was also somewhat criticized at the time of the draft and I've read that about Musty.

I have no idea about the rest of his game or his work habits but at his size with very high offensive upside, some team might get a real steal at the end of the first round.

I appreciate the video package but the music in this is AWFUL. I don't understand at all the thought process of adding that song to this.

 

[weems]

I appreciate the video package but the music in this is AWFUL. I don't understand at all the thought process of adding that song to this.

Haha I didn't even listen to the audio the first time watching it but ya what the heck is that song.

 

[Rob Brown]

As I pointed out in the post game thread. Florida getting to the ECF cost Montreal minimum 12 draft spots 17th to 29th.

We basically eliminated any chance of Montreal being able to use Florida's pick alone if they wanted to try and move into the top 4

Always love randomly screwing them over without even trying.

it's extra funny because you know the vast majority of Habs fans were cheering for us to lose, and as a result their team was significantly impacted.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Just looking at players in the 25-40 range and specifically focusing on their offensive skillsets and Quentin Musty really stands out.

Fantastic hands, good offensive creativity, good finishing ability and seems to have similar agility to Knies. Funny enough Knies skating was also somewhat criticized at the time of the draft and I've read that about Musty.

I have no idea about the rest of his game or his work habits but at his size with very high offensive upside, some team might get a real steal at the end of the first round/early second

After these playoffs, “can finish” and “can reliably handle and move the puck” should be the only traits we draft for for a while.