2023 NHL Entry Draft - Kraken Edition

[Sad People]

Agreed. A second year team should NEVER be thinking about trading away a first round pick.

If anything, players with ascending value should be moved to accumulate picks. If Gourde or even McCann can fetch a first and more in a deep draft you do that in a heartbeat. The Kraken’s window is not this year and the next. A step back for a massive leap forward with cap space and great young players on ELC’s is the way to go IMO.

I love McCann and Gourde but i couldnt agree with this more. In reality i dont think McCann can be moved with his extension he signed last year but i get the examples,

I love seeing the Kraken do well but can you imagine if we somehow had a top 5 pick this year as well?

 

[gstommylee]

I love McCann and Gourde but i couldnt agree with this more. In reality i dont think McCann can be moved with his extension he signed last year but i get the examples,

I love seeing the Kraken do well but can you imagine if we somehow had a top 5 pick this year as well?

who in the right mind would give up an unprotected first that potentially ending up as a top 5.

 

[Sad People]

who in the right mind would give up an unprotected first that potentially ending up as a top 5.

The top 5 pick was a broad, general statement my dude.

 

[majormajor]

The 5 worst teams in the league this year are truly undeniably awful, more so than in other years.

One my favorite clubs is the Jackets and they are so incredibly bad that the fans are going to start gouging their own eyes out. And then there's several other clubs right there with them at the bottom of the standings. That's a whole lot of misery. Let's be glad the Kraken aren't like that. With this veteran roster they couldn't be that bad if they tried.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Trying to talk a bit more about prospects I'll just post a couple of videos.

Kasper Halttunen - Winger - Finland
(@Cisse Can you tell us anything about him?)


Eduard Sale - Winger - Czechia


Dalibor Dvorsky - Center - Slovakia


Matthew Wood - Winger - University of Connecticut


Otto Stenberg - Center/Winger - Sweden


Riley Heidt - Center - Canada


Koehn Ziemmer - Winger - Canada


David Reinbacher - Defenseman(RD) - Austria


Mikhail Gulyayev - Defenseman(LD) - Russia


Axel Sandin Pellikka - Defenseman(RD) - Sweden


Lukas Dragicevic - Defenseman(RD) - Canada


Theo Lindstein - Defenseman(LD) - Sweden


Michael Hrabal - Goaltender - Czechia

 

[Cisse]

I can't tell much about Halttunen. Only seen him play once in adults and at that game he played well. It is easy to see the kid has a lot of talent. The interesting thing about him for me is his attitude. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders. He works hard, thinks about what he wants to improve on and how to reach the those goals.
His dad was a real wonder kid but never could reach his potential and as a junior coach I believe he has done a good job on his kid in every aspect of hockey. Also Halttunen has a coach now that can help him get better.
I have high hopes for him. With his talent and attitude he can make all the way but then again you can never tell who is going to be the big success.

 

[majormajor]

Eduard Sale might slip to the mid-first because of concerns about his work rate / level of engagement.

I have a hunch that he's just very physically underdeveloped, maybe a bit mentally too, and that he'll catch up later. Skillwise he's one of the best in the draft. You can see in the World Juniors games that he creates a lot of chances, this despite not having the strength to physically compete with the older kids yet. He's 6'1 so there's a lot of room to fill out.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Just finished watching that WJC semifinal between Sweden and Czechia(Czechia won 2-1 in OT) and I've got to say i really like Axel Sandin Pellikka.

He might not be the biggest guy but he can certainly move the puck and plays really solid defenesively as as well.
Though given his play I'm not sure we've got a shot at him(unless we completely fall in a slump) cause I think he could be that defender that makes it into the top 10.

 

[BeniersIsKraken]

Always BPA regardless of position. If you accumulate enough top talent and have redundancy at any positions, you just trade to fill in another roster gap. You should only pick for a specific position if two or more players are somehow equally BPA on your board.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings

2023 NHL Draft: Bedard atop Central Scouting midterm rankings | NHL.com

Regina forward has 70 points in 29 games; Orebro center Carlsson No. 1 among International skaters

www.nhl.com

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Bob McKenzie's January list.

Connor Bedard locked in at No. 1 in Bob McKenzie's mid-season NHL Draft Ranking | TSN

Connor Bedard was the unanimous No. 1 in TSN’s Pre-Season NHL Draft Rankings last September and reprised that unanimous standing in Bob McKenzie’s Mid-Season 2023 NHL Draft Rankings survey of 10 NHL scouts.

www.tsn.ca

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Most recent mock draft by the hockey writers.

2023 NHL Entry Draft: Horn's Mock Draft 1.0 - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

Let's take a look at the top prospects in the 2023 NHL Draft and where they might go on draft day based on today's NHL standings.

thehockeywriters.com

29. Seattle Kraken: Mikhail Gulyayev, LD, Omskie (KHL)​

The Seattle Kraken have taken a massive step this year, going from 30th in the NHL last year to being a legit playoff team. In doing so, there is a chance that their prospect pool is a bit stunted with only two years of them selecting near the top of the draft before sliding back to the late 20s. However, this year has a ton of high-potential picks at the end of the first round and into the second so Seattle will have tons of chances to add future difference makers. I think Mikhail Gulyayev would be a great addition to the Kraken’s prospect pool. Gulyayev is one of the best skating defensemen in this draft and has the potential to be a Quinn Hughes-lite type of defender who lacks a strong defensive game but makes up for it with tons of offensive value.

Unless we make it to the conference finals I doubt we'll pick in the late 20's but rather between 20 - 25.

I'm also not sure of Francis would draft a russion looking at what happened last year.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Most recent mock draft by the hockey writers.

2023 NHL Entry Draft: Horn's Mock Draft 1.0 - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

Let's take a look at the top prospects in the 2023 NHL Draft and where they might go on draft day based on today's NHL standings.

thehockeywriters.com

Unless we make it to the conference finals I doubt we'll pick in the late 20's but rather between 20 - 25.

I'm also not sure of Francis would draft a russion looking at what happened last year.

Agree on both takes. It seems like our target outside NA has mainly been Finland.

 

[Irie]

Most recent mock draft by the hockey writers.

2023 NHL Entry Draft: Horn's Mock Draft 1.0 - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

Let's take a look at the top prospects in the 2023 NHL Draft and where they might go on draft day based on today's NHL standings.

thehockeywriters.com

Unless we make it to the conference finals I doubt we'll pick in the late 20's but rather between 20 - 25.

I'm also not sure of Francis would draft a russion looking at what happened last year.

Agreed. I read last year that several GMs had enacted a "no drafting of Russian prospects playing in Russia" policy. I think Francis was likely one of those.

 

[majormajor]

Most recent mock draft by the hockey writers.

2023 NHL Entry Draft: Horn's Mock Draft 1.0 - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

Let's take a look at the top prospects in the 2023 NHL Draft and where they might go on draft day based on today's NHL standings.

thehockeywriters.com

Unless we make it to the conference finals I doubt we'll pick in the late 20's but rather between 20 - 25.

Could easily be 25th-28th.

I'm also not sure of Francis would draft a russion looking at what happened last year.

With Gulyayev at 29th the Russian factor appears to be fully priced in. He's a top 20 talent.

It could be that Francis has an absolutely do not draft rule about it, but I suspect it is more likely that he'll take a Russian if they come heavily discounted.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Agreed. I read last year that several GMs had enacted a "no drafting of Russian prospects playing in Russia" policy. I think Francis was likely one of those.

I can see Francis change his mind maybe if Mitchkov gets to us .. So yeah, realistically don't see us going for a Russian in Round 1.

 

[gstommylee]

I can see Francis change his mind maybe if Mitchkov gets to us .. So yeah, realistically don't see us going for a Russian in Round 1.

That'll be a waste of a first round pick for us. For a player thats still under contract in the khl and may not even want to come over here after thats up.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

That'll be a waste of a first round pick for us. For a player thats still under contract in the khl and may not even want to come over here after thats up.

If GM's let Mitchkov fall all the way to the 20's they need to get their heads checked. Unless they know for sure Mitchkov is not coming over.

 

[majormajor]

If either Michkov or Simashev are there in the 20s, that's who you take. A 50/50 shot at an elite player is better than a 50/50 shot at a middle six player (what a late 20s draft pick is normally like).

That'll be a waste of a first round pick for us. For a player thats still under contract in the khl and may not even want to come over here after thats up.

The last time an elite Russian decided to not spend at least a part of their prime in North America was Sergei Mozyakin, a long time ago. They almost always want to play in the NHL. The risk isn't about what Michkov wants, it's more about geopolitical tail risk.

That and if you're seriously taking a zero-risk approach to drafting then you're not going to like the alternatives drafting in the 20s. There are no safe picks left in that range. You'd be passing up a potential elite guy who might not play because he's Russian for a potential middling player who might not play in the NHL because he lacks talent.

 

[majormajor]

I've been making a lot of mock drafts on cap friendly and I have a list of guys that keep coming up and seem like Kraken picks.

Gavin Brindley
Jayden Perron
Andrew Cristall

All three are small wingers that have top ten skill but will tumble to varying degrees because of size concerns. And I don't see Francis caring quite as much about size.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Just posting a couple of other videos by interesting prospects.

Andrew Cristall - Winger - Canada


Samuel Honzek - Center - Slovakia


Ryan Leonard - Center - USA


Braden Yager - Center - Canada


Colby Barlow - Winger - Canada


Quentin Musty - Winger - USA


Nate Danielson - Center - Canada


Luca Pinelli - Center - Canada


Daniil But - Winger - Russia


Dmitri Simashev - Left Defense - Russia


Oliver Bonk - Right Defense - Canada


Tanner Molendyk - Left Defense - Canada

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Just posting a couple of other videos by interesting prospects.

Andrew Cristall - Winger - Canada


Samuel Honzek - Center - Slovakia


Ryan Leonard - Center - USA


Braden Yager - Center - Canada


Colby Barlow - Winger - Canada


Quentin Musty - Winger - USA


Nate Danielson - Center - Canada


Luca Pinelli - Center - Canada


Daniil But - Winger - Russia


Dmitri Simashev - Left Defense - Russia


Oliver Bonk - Right Defense - Canada


Tanner Molendyk - Left Defense - Canada

Thanks for this. Now that the TDL is done with and we are likely to be drafting in the top-20, I am starting to look at prospects as well. There looks to be some pretty good talent this year even drafting this late and with how good we have done the first 2 drafts, I am pretty excited to see who we pick here.

 

[majormajor]

Just posting a couple of other videos by interesting prospects.

Andrew Cristall - Winger - Canada


Samuel Honzek - Center - Slovakia


Ryan Leonard - Center - USA


Braden Yager - Center - Canada


Colby Barlow - Winger - Canada


Quentin Musty - Winger - USA


Nate Danielson - Center - Canada


Luca Pinelli - Center - Canada


Daniil But - Winger - Russia


Dmitri Simashev - Left Defense - Russia


Oliver Bonk - Right Defense - Canada


Tanner Molendyk - Left Defense - Canada

I watched most of these.

The one that I'm wondering about is Musty. That skillset is great. He doesn't seem to be missing anything. Big strong guy that can move and make plays. I wonder why he is ranked so low. Is he really going to be there when the Kraken pick? The small guys are better bets to fall.

Molendyk is interesting - he can move like Makar but has a muffin shot. I want him just on the chance the he can figure out the shot later. At least with a skater like that you have a great transition game. Simashev and Gulyayev also offer fantastic skating in transition, and none of them are scoring threats with the shot. I like all of those guys more than Sandin Pellikka, who seems slow and weak in comparison. I haven't watched Bonk yet.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I watched most of these.

The one that I'm wondering about is Musty. That skillset is great. He doesn't seem to be missing anything. Big strong guy that can move and make plays. I wonder why he is ranked so low. Is he really going to be there when the Kraken pick? The small guys are better bets to fall.

Molendyk is interesting - he can move like Makar but has a muffin shot. I want him just on the chance the he can figure out the shot later. At least with a skater like that you have a great transition game. Simashev and Gulyayev also offer fantastic skating in transition, and none of them are scoring threats with the shot. I like all of those guys more than Sandin Pellikka, who seems slow and weak in comparison. I haven't watched Bonk yet.

I do like quite a few D-men (on paper) that could be available. Pronman's latest shows only Reinbacher going in the top-16. Ofcourse, the draft is likely to go differently but that also means we could potentially have one of Simashev, Gulyalev, Sandin Pellika, Dragicevek, Molendyk, be available. There also some forwards who have fallen like Musty, Yaeger, etc.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

I do like quite a few D-men (on paper) that could be available. Pronman's latest shows only Reinbacher going in the top-16. Ofcourse, the draft is likely to go differently but that also means we could potentially have one of Simashev, Gulyalev, Sandin Pellika, Dragicevek, Molendyk, be available. There also some forwards who have fallen like Musty, Yaeger, etc.

I know we'd all like to add more "elite" prospects on the back end but I'm still in the BPA camp and if a center or a winger fits that I'd take him with our first rounder.

Overall I don't think this is a great draft class for defenders(though, you can certainly find some value in the 2nd or 3rd round) and I wouldn't try and "force" stuff because we haven't drafted a defender with a first round pick yet.

I'm also curious what Francis does with those 2nd rounders and if he might attempt to trade up for someone that either slips in the early 2nd or late 1st round.