2023 NHL Entry Draft

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Matthew Wood ?

One of the few players with size and seems to be doing well in the NCAA. Almost a ppg and leading his team.

EP has his rank as later 1st, but I think that combination he goes earlier, so why not us ?

 

[le_sean]

Matthew Wood ?

One of the few players with size and seems to be doing well in the NCAA. Almost a ppg and leading his team.

EP has his rank as later 1st, but I think that combination he goes earlier, so why not us ?

Because we should be drafting players that can skate. The NHL is a fast game. The chances he becomes as good as Jason Robertson are so small.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Because we should be drafting players that can skate. The NHL is a fast game. The chances he becomes as good as Jason Robertson are so small.

We could still use a player like him around the net. It's a massive gap in our powerplay configuration.

 

[An0n]

We could still use a player like him around the net. It's a massive gap in our powerplay configuration.

If the Habs get a later 1st, do you want a goalie with that pick or Wood?

 

[le_sean]

We could still use a player like him around the net. It's a massive gap in our powerplay configuration.

I’m more worried about being able to gain the zone with control. Only Dach can really do that and Hutson in the system.

 

[WeThreeKings]

If the Habs get a later 1st, do you want a goalie with that pick or Wood?

Goalie, for sure. Dobes hasn't taken the step I wanted this year.

I’m more worried about being able to gain the zone with control. Only Dach can really do that and Hutson in the system.

That's what pick 1 is for.

 

[Goldenhands]

Because we should be drafting players that can skate. The NHL is a fast game. The chances he becomes as good as Jason Robertson are so small.

He could pretty well become another Mantha, easy pass for me. The best blend of skating, IQ, hard work and talent.

 

[Mrb1p]

Matthew Wood ?

One of the few players with size and seems to be doing well in the NCAA. Almost a ppg and leading his team.

EP has his rank as later 1st, but I think that combination he goes earlier, so why not us ?

Wood is awesome and his skating woes are overstated.

 

[WeThreeKings]

He could pretty well become another Mantha, easy pass for me. The best blend of skating, IQ, hard work and talent.

I don't see the Mantha comparison at all. Mantha a big softy who skates and shoots well but floats and doesn't compete.

Wood is more like JVR. While a frustrating player on a whole, when he's not the focal point of an offense he really provides something on the PP and around the net 5 on 5.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Brayden Yager is the most underrated right mow. He worth 100% a top 8 pick in this draft. Top 6 pick talent, all tools to succed at NHL level.

I would be very happy if Habs draft him if they don't pick top 6. At 7-10, Yager is a amazing choice. That will make the future of forward group very good!

 

[KevSkillz4]

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Farrell - Dach - Yager
Heineman - Beck - Mesar

 

[morhilane]

Brayden Yager is the most underrated right mow. He worth 100% a top 8 pick in this draft. Top 6 pick talent, all tools to succed at NHL level.

I would be very happy if Habs draft him if they don't pick top 6. At 7-10, Yager is a amazing choice. That will make the future of forward group very good!

I think Yager is overrated. He's a complementary player. There are better options to take in the 7-10 range than him.

 

[Milhouse40]

 

[SOLR]

I think Yager is overrated. He's a complementary player. There are better options to take in the 7-10 range than him.

He wasn't complimentary at Hlinka. In the most important tournament in his age group, he was the core player.

 

[KevSkillz4]

He wasn't complimentary at Hlinka. In the most important tournament in his age group, he was the core player.

Yes. I think he have 1st line potential in him! Perfect player to fit with Suzuki or Dach.

 

[SOLR]

Yes. I think he have 1st line potential in him! Perfect player to fit with Suzuki or Dach.

I think he will be a centre. If he ends up a winger, I wouldn't be ranking him top 6.

 

[KevSkillz4]

I think he will be a centre. If he ends up a winger, I wouldn't be ranking him top 6.

If he play C in NHL. I would put Dach RW with him.

Farrell - Yager - Dach

 

[WeThreeKings]

If he play C in NHL. I would put Dach RW with him.

Farrell - Yager - Dach

I'm a Yager fan and there's 0 worlds where I put Dach on the wing over Yager.

 

[Hope Of Glory]

He wasn't complimentary at Hlinka. In the most important tournament in his age group, he was the core player.

Yager is a pretty interesting case given his move to center.

How does he project now? Was his transition to center so succesful that he is a clear center at the next level? Or he still more of goalscoring winger type of player despite this year's stat line?

 

[morhilane]

He wasn't complimentary at Hlinka. In the most important tournament in his age group, he was the core player.

He plays a complimentary style of hockey. Not a better playmaker or play driver compared to other options in that draft range. He's not very good at creating time&space at 5v5 despite his supposed size and skating combo too. Mostly accumulate secondary assists in the WHL too.

And then you add that his progression curve this season haven't been particularly enticing compared to some others in the 5-15 range in this draft year.

 

[SOLR]

He plays a complimentary style of hockey. Not a better playmaker or play driver compared to other options in that draft range. He's not very good at creating time&space at 5v5 despite his supposed size and skating combo too. Mostly accumulate secondary assists in the WHL too.

And then you add that his progression curve this season haven't been particularly enticing compared to some others in the 5-15 range in this draft year.

I disagree. He plays a balanced offensive style and this is often misinterpreted as complimentary. The same was said about Suzuki.

His progression curves have been steeper than anyone not named Bedard/Michkov/Fantilli/Carlsson so I'm not sure what you are talking about.

 

[Frozenice]

Brayden Yager is the most underrated right mow. He worth 100% a top 8 pick in this draft. Top 6 pick talent, all tools to succed at NHL level.

I would be very happy if Habs draft him if they don't pick top 6. At 7-10, Yager is a amazing choice. That will make the future of forward group very good!

I’d rather trade our pick for PLD.

 

[Tyson]

I pretty much see it as 1 per line, maximum. So Caufield, Farrell, Mesar, RHP is the max one could have over 4 lines. Maybe more could work. But I'd have to see it to believe it.

But I still believe in drafting BPA. So if that's Mishkov, you draft Mishkov. And if all these small players make it, cool, we can always trade excess players that have value. But if we go for lesser talent with size and they bust or are mediocre like KK and DLR, that's the worst scenario.

Would you draft Michkov if he is available with him having 3 more years in the KHL?

 

[NewEraGM]

Outside of getting Bedard, my dream is this:
Fantilli + Reinbacher

We would have to win a lottery at least and get some luck too but damn that’d be sweet!

 

[morhilane]

I disagree. He plays a balanced offensive style and this is often misinterpreted as complimentary. The same was said about Suzuki.

His progression curves have been steeper than anyone not named Bedard/Michkov/Fantilli/Carlsson so I'm not sure what you are talking about.

I don't think you understand what progression curve means if you believe Bedard/Michkov/Fantilli/Carlsson have the steepest progression curve so far this season...

And I'm not misinterpreting "complimentary player" with "balanced offensive style" either.

Also, I'm definitively not the only person down on Yager this season. His mid-season rankings are almost all down compared to the start of the season. He went from 5th to 7th on Bob's list for example (which is based on about 10ish NHL scouts ranking).