2023 NHL Entry Draft

[Skip Bayless]

Gimme a Smith/Caufield duo.

With one of Dach or Slafkovsky

Would love that + Yager with the FLA pick.

 

[DiglettDangles]

My unrequested take:
I think there are good RHDs in this draft but not with the 1st pair profile MTL needs in their pool, so I wouldn't spend a top 15 pick on D considering how ridiculously good of a forward prospect we can get there when comparing to a usual year. Many teams will be ecstatic to draft ASP, Gulyayev and Reinbacher this summer but I think MTL is one of the teams that would benefit the least because they wouldn't automatically become their clear-cut top D prospect.

I have previously posted that "top pair defenders can be obtained in round 2+ regularly" is an outdated myth* and if you want a Makar/Heiskanen/Sergachev/Dahlin/Seider/Hughes/Jiricek/Nemec/Dobson/Guhle(?) type of game-changing, all-purpose defender you need to pony up some draft capital i.e. top 10ish pick. But this year just ain't it. I'd maybe even push it and state that the MTL farm defense is deep enough that there is little to no point drafting a defender with a lower ceiling than top pair.

*In support of busting this myth, I think I looked back to 2012 and I found on average between 1 and 2 top pair defenders drafted after 20th OA per year (determined subjectively by yours truly, Hutson being the obvious/100% confirmed hit last year ), and that top pair defender wasn't necessarily offensively inclined. That's a minuscule hit rate and 32 teams are competing. The Weber/Suter/Subban miracle days are pretty much demonstrably over.

Next year's cuvée looks promising though!
Hats off to Czechia and Slovakia for their golden generation, they are definitely doing some good things out there! If only they had a Carlsson-level C prospect...

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[SwiftyHab]

You think KHughes having coached will smith changes our pick if we’re in the 6 hole?

 

[Adam Michaels]

You think KHughes having coached will smith changes our pick if we’re in the 6 hole?

Man would it be crazy if Will Smith is available when Habs pick him and they have the actor Will Smith come on the stage with them to announce the pick?

 

[montreal]

You think KHughes having coached will smith changes our pick if we’re in the 6 hole?

i would be surprised if Smith is there at 6th OA.

 

[The Great Weal]

i would be surprised if Smith is there at 6th OA.

Agreed. Smith is a lock for top 5.

 

[blueberry]

Man would it be crazy if Will Smith is available when Habs pick him and they have the actor Will Smith come on the stage with them to announce the pick?

And he proceeds to give Kent a slap.

 

[TomKosto]

If Michkov drops out of the top4, we need to trade up for him. Will stay out of Mtl just long enough to developp to his full potential.

 

[Adam Michaels]

And he proceeds to give Kent a slap.

Not the actor. The player when he comes on stage to get his jersey.

 

[SlafySZN]

i would be surprised if Smith is there at 6th OA.

A team might like Benson better, but who knows.

 

[McGees]

#goals

 

[montreal]

A team might like Benson better, but who knows.

I think teams will look at Smith starting at 2nd OA, think he's underrated so far.

 

[Frank JT]

I do not touch Cristall until mid first. The talent level of talent this year is insane. Let's get the large center we need.

Like what happen with Seth Jarvis in 2020...

 

[Nevins]

Dach is definitely a center.

Nope

 

[MON4NHLTOR4MLB]

Michkov over Smith 10/10 times but it’s annoying that Kent coached him

 

[BenchBrawl]

I see the US system as an investment into a program and getting ahead in player development/trends.. vs the CHL model which hasn't really adapted anything and has rested on the fact that Hockey is Canada's #1 sport.

Hockey Canada spending more time paying off rapes than developing.

Yeah but that's just a cheap shot. As if the US colleges and institutions wouldn't do the same thing to protect their asses, and as if "hockey in Canada" boiled down to this shit.

 

[WeThreeKings]

i would be surprised if Smith is there at 6th OA.

Just need someone to reach on Reinbacher, or like Benson, Yager more.

 

[SlafySZN]

I think teams will look at Smith starting at 2nd OA, think he's underrated so far.

Shhh, i want him to be there at 5 or 6. Don’t break my dream

Nope

Yes.

He plays like a center his game is made for it and he is better when he can have the space to carry the puck.

 

[HuGort]

Well, why exactly Turcotte didnt blossom as expected, we would have to ask the Kings fan, but one thing I know, the kid wasnt ready to make the jump to the pro in his D+2, neither was Caufield, but the Kings decided to sign him and play him in their farm instead of letting him play another year with Wisconsin as we did with Cole, the rest is history, the kid cant catch a break, has missed alot of hockey due to injuries. I think Turcotte had skills and was rather well rounded, I thought he had some Matt Duchene in him but thats all I can say about the player, I dont recall exactly how he was compared to Moore, but I do think Moore is the most explosive skater of the 2 and seems to be built stronger.

Moore is a superb skater, an elite one I would say, both in term of speed and agility, so yeah, his powerful skating is what pop up first when you watch him, but kid is also a solid puckhandler, that combo alone allows him to generate offense, but kid can pass, kid can shoot, has a very high motor, competes hard on 200 ft. goes in the dirty areas and wins most of his puck battles. The only things for me that arent high end level would be the vision and creativity, thats quite fine, but not great, but overall I think his tools are just too good as a prospect, thats a kid that plays the right way, brings alot of dynamism, pace and energy. A kid like Smith will slow the pace down to generate offense, Moore wont, he has 1 gear and makes everything at full speed.

I like Moore. If we draft 10-12 be guy I am looking at.

 

[SOLR]

Man would it be crazy if Will Smith is available when Habs pick him and they have the actor Will Smith come on the stage with them to announce the pick?

Cue a slap joke

Just need someone to reach on Reinbacher, or like Benson, Yager more.

I assume someone could reach on Pelikka, Guyayev or Allen just as much.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Cue a slap joke



I assume someone could reach on Pelikka, Guyayev or Allen just as much.

Doubt on Gulyayev since all the Russians fell last year. But yeah, a defenseman can certainly be reached on and give us a shot on Smith.

 

[KevSkillz4]

I hope Will Smith with the Habs pick, but Zach Benson is a guy that I really like too. I would not be mad if Habs pick him. Big fan of Smith and Benson profile. If Habs pick top 7, we can all hope one of two.

 

[Mrb1p]

Im not clear on who is better between Smith, Fantili, Benson and Cristall. Lots of hype for the first two but realistically I think the last two are just as effective.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Im not clear on who is better between Smith, Fantili, Benson and Cristall. Lots of hype for the first two but realistically I think the last two are just as effective.

Benson is really really good. I'm high on his profile, I think that will be a oustanding pick by Habs at 6-7 range.