2023 NHL Entry Draft

[Kobe Armstrong]

Kk at 15 and not rushed in the NHL? Come on.

Nah, Gulayeyev aint it. Its the lack of D that actually has people overrate him.

I think he's a future #3 who will play PP1. Really smart at the blue line in the offensive zone, shifty like Barron/Hutson, but a far better skater than either of them. Top 5 skater in the draft, haven't really seen a defenseman fly out of our d-zone with the puck since Subban, has some swagger to his game as well

 

[Jaynki]

NHL scouts are often guilty of falling for the "what you have done for me lately" effect.

Nothing more questionable than a player not progressing. Thats the absolute red flag in my opinion.

 

[Mrb1p]

I think he's a future #3 who will play PP1. Really smart at the blue line in the offensive zone, shifty like Barron/Hutson, but a far better skater than either of them. Top 5 skater in the draft, haven't really seen a defenseman fly out of our d-zone with the puck since Subban, has some swagger to his game as well

Hes faster than Hutson but hes not faster than Barron. Hes very noisy in his skating and not very effective overall, a lot of movement for nothing. Not a pretty skater, but hes fast for sure. He doesnt exploit space at all, hes always on the outside and most of his production comes from junior-level moves. Im not s fan at all, even if I usually love russian MHL players. I dont see him as that much better than Grudinin or Duda last year.

 

[NekkiChiconey]

I honestly don't care how, but Hughes has to find a way to come out of this draft with Benson AND Reinbacher, barring no lottery win. Both are realistically within reach of our picks. Make it happen.

That would at least be a good consolation prize.

 

[SOLR]

Nothing more questionable than a player not progressing. Thats the absolute red flag in my opinion.

That's the thing, not progressing is very different from being in a challenging situation.

Some of the guys with 150 pts are not progressing...

 

[RationalExpectations]

Depends what you feel is a high ceiling.

Cristall could become a 1st line offensive winger, but I think that the chances are low. Dvorsky will likely be an all-situation 2nd line centre.

In terms of ceiling I would not limit Dvorsky to a 2C. I think he has one of the best snipes of the draft and is already a good two way player even though I think right now his offense is undervalued and defense overvalued (good forcheck, must improve backcheck)

 

[Team_Spirit]

Re Wheeler list;

Only 3 Ds and they are in the bottom half?

It has a be a record if it goes down like that. Crazy

 

[Mrb1p]

Re Wheeler list;

Only 3 Ds and they are in the bottom half?

It has a be a record if it goes down like that. Crazy

Reinbacher is very good and I have him very high but the rest are very, very disappointing. Ill have Dragicevic ranked 2nd at the end of the day I think.

 

[Goldenhands]

Exactly who he reminds me of too. More I watched him more I saw KK in his draft year. Right now, I'm a no on him in top 15 just because of that.

He looks exactly like KK. Same build, same type of game, needs to build leg strength....

Only differences, Honzek is even taller than KK and plays the wing. I agree that top 15 in a such draft is pretty unlikely. Nice project for a team drafting in the 2nd part of the 1st round. KK was rushed, Honzek could have a different developmental path though.

 

[le_sean]

Only differences, Honzek is even taller than KK and plays the wing. I agree that top 15 in a such draft is pretty unlikely. Nice project for a team drafting in the 2nd part of the 1st round. KK was rushed, Honzek could have a different developmental path though.

And let’s be honest, while KK was a disappointment and the wrong pick at 3, no one could complain had we taken him at 15.

 

[phillytennis]

Wheeler's 2023 NHL Draft Ranking (March)

RANK	PLAYER	POS.	NATL.	TEAM	LEAGUE	CHANGE
1	Connor Bedard	C	CAN	Regina	WHL	-
2	Adam Fantilli	C	CAN	U. of Michigan	NCAA	-
3	Matvei Michkov	RW/LW	RUS	Sochi	KHL	-
4	Leo Carlsson	C/LW	SWE	Örebro	SHL	-
5	Will Smith	C	USA	U18	NTDP	Up 5
6	Zach Benson	LW	CAN	Winnipeg	WHL	Down 1
7	Andrew Cristall	LW	CAN	Kelowna	WHL	Up 6
8	Dalibor Dvorsky	C/LW	SVK	AIK	HockeyAllsvenskan	Down 1
9	Oliver Moore	C	USA	U18	NTDP	Up 5
10	Eduard Sale	RW/LW	CZE	Brno	Czechia	Down 2
11	Gabe Perreault	LW	USA	U18	NTDP	Up 10
12	Matthew Wood	C/RW	CAN	UConn	NCAA	Down 1
13	Brayden Yager	C	CAN	Moose Jaw	WHL	Down 7
14	Colby Barlow	LW/RW	CAN	Owen Sound	OHL	Up 2
15	Ryan Leonard	RW	USA	U18	NTDP	-
16	Mikhail Gulyayev	LHD	RUS	Omskie	MHL	Down 4
17	David Reinbacher	RHD	AUS	Kloten	NL	NR
18	Riley Heidt	C	CAN	Prince George	WHL	-
19	Calum Ritchie	C	CAN	Oshawa	OHL	Down 10
20	Quentin Musty	LW	USA	Sudbury	OHL	Up 2
21	Axel Sandin Pellikka	RHD	SWE	Skelleftea	J20	Up 25
22	Nate Danielson	C	CAN	Brandon	WHL	Up 6
23	Koehn Ziemmer	RW	CAN	Prince George	WHL	-
24	Ethan Gauthier	RW	CAN	Sherbrooke	QMJHL	Down 7
25	Gavin Brindley	C/RW	USA	Michigan	NCAA	Down 1
26	Bradly Nadeau	LW	CAN	Penticton	BCHL	Up 16
27	Samuel Honzek	LW	SVK	Vancouver	WHL	Up 34
28	Jayden Perron	RW	CAN	Chicago	USHL	Down 3
29	Charlie Stramel	C	USA	U. of Wisconsin	NCAA	Up 3
30	Alex Ciernik	LW/RW	SVK	Södertälje	J20	Up 1
31	Daniil But	LW/RW	RUS	Yaroslavl	MHL	Down 1
32	Otto Stenberg	C/LW	SWE	Frolunda	J20	Down 3
33	Kasper Halttunen	RW	FIN	HIFK	Liiga	Down 14
34	Etienne Morin	LHD	CAN	Moncton	QMJHL	Up 2
35	Lukas Dragicevic	RHD	CAN	Tri-City	WHL	Up 3
36	Hunter Brzustewicz	RHD	USA	Kitchener	OHL	Down 9
37	Caden Price	LHD	CAN	Kelowna	WHL	Down 11
38	Gracyn Sawchyn	C	USA	Seattle	WHL	Up 3
39	Noah Dower Nilsson	C/LW	SWE	Frolunda	J20	Up 1
40	Tanner Molendyk	LHD	CAN	Saskatoon	WHL	NR
41	Luca Cagnoni	LHD	CAN	Portland	WHL	Up 4
42	Carson Rehkopf	LW	CAN	Kitchener	OHL	Up 3
43	Mathieu Cataford	C/LW/RW	CAN	Halifax	QMJHL	Down 8
44	Luca Pinelli	C/LW	CAN	Ottawa	OHL	Up 11
45	Lenni Hameenaho	C/RW	FIN	Assat	Liiga	NR
46	Jesse Kiiskinen	RW	FIN	Pelicans	Liiga	Up 14
47	Nick Lardis	RW/LW	CAN	Hamilton	OHL	NR
48	Dmitri Simashev	LHD	RUS	Yaroslavl	KHL	NR
49	Alexander Rykov	LW/RW	RUS	Chelyabinsk	VHL	NR
50	Theo Lindstein	LHD	SWE	Brynäs	SHL	Down 13
51	Tom Willander	RHD	SWE	Rogle	J20	NR
52	Kalan Lind	C/LW	CAN	Red Deer	WHL	Up 4
53	Aydar Suniev	LW	RUS	Penticton	BCHL	NR
54	Trey Augustine	G	USA	U18	NTDP	NR
55	Aram Minnetian	RHD	USA	U18	NTDP	Up 9
56	Oliver Bonk	RHD	CAN	London	OHL	NR
57	Danny Nelson	C/LW	USA	U18	NTDP	Down 24
58	Emil Jarventie	LW	FIN	Ilves	Liiga U20	Down 15
59	Coulson Pitre	C/RW	CAN	Flint	OHL	NR
60	Aiden Fink	RW	CAN	Brooks	AJHL	NR
61	Cam Allen	RHD	CAN	Guelph	OHL	Down 41
62	Andrew Strathmann	LHD	USA	Youngstown	USHL	Down 23
63	Maxim Strbak	RHD	SVK	Sioux Falls	USHL	NR
64	William Whitelaw	RW	USA	Youngstown

Wheeler: Ranking the top 64 prospects at the 2023 NHL Draft

The 2023 NHL draft class is rivalled only by 2015 among the talent pools Scott Wheeler has scouted to date.

theathletic.com

In the second round, I really like from the Q...Etienne Morin (great skater, has size) and Mathieu Cataford (gritty and has instincts similar to Brad Marvhand)... both were impressive in the prospects game!!!

 

[phillytennis]

I honestly don't care how, but Hughes has to find a way to come out of this draft with Benson AND Reinbacher, barring no lottery win. Both are realistically within reach of our picks. Make it happen.

That would at least be a good consolation prize.

If we are picking 8 or 9...hopefully, Benson or Smith falls to us.

 

[bopeep]

Only differences, Honzek is even taller than KK and plays the wing. I agree that top 15 in a such draft is pretty unlikely. Nice project for a team drafting in the 2nd part of the 1st round. KK was rushed, Honzek could have a different developmental path though.

Also, Honzek is actually strong on his skates - he doesn't go down easily... They both also seem to share that same smile / enjoyment at the rink. From the game vs. P.G. on Friday, Honzek took an opponent out of the play and knocked him off his skates and he hit the boards pretty good. When there was a let up in the action, Honzek tapped gloves with the player - just seemed like an awesome kid.

 

[Frank JT]

Detroit, St-Louis, Philadelphie, Nashville and Washington are all in front of us, but in tanking mode.
We are gonna needs some help from Hugues and Gorton to tank until the end of the season. MSL is a great coach and motivating his team (they have nothing to lose, having fun to play together, learning with MSL, etc.).

I still hope we are gonna finish top6. But, I think I'm going to be disapointed.

At this point, I hope we are gonna select one of :
Benson or Cristall with our pick;
Sandin Pellika, Moore or Reinbacher with Florida's pick.

 

[Boyon90]

6 points is optimistic

 

[bcv]

View attachment 661402

6 points is optimistic

We've been talking about strength of schedule for weeks now and the habs keep on winning.

 

[SOLR]

We've been talking about strength of schedule for weeks now and the habs keep on winning.

The strength of schedule was the month of March since weeks.

 

[Frank JT]

The Habs haves nothing to lose, playing for fun and learning from the best (MSL).
Hope march will be the month that we expect him to be (loosing streak)

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

If we are picking 8 or 9...hopefully, Benson or Smith falls to us.

Smith all day for me!!

 

[bcv]

The strength of schedule was the month of March since weeks.

You can say that but they played only 2 teams lower than them in the past month and won many losable games.

 

[Goldenhands]

One kid I terribly underrated and passed over too quickly is Nate Danielson, I thought his skating was some kind of an issue, but I was terribly wrong, kid skates really well and reminds me alot of Owen Beck, both are cerebral centers playing strong 200 ft. hockey, similar skating and skills level, but I would say Danielson's offensive celling is even higher and does the little things even better. I really like his game, but with Beck already in the system, not sure he is a realistic target.

That draft is awesome, there will be candies for all teams still having their 1st round pick.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Hes faster than Hutson but hes not faster than Barron. Hes very noisy in his skating and not very effective overall, a lot of movement for nothing. Not a pretty skater, but hes fast for sure. He doesnt exploit space at all, hes always on the outside and most of his production comes from junior-level moves. Im not s fan at all, even if I usually love russian MHL players. I dont see him as that much better than Grudinin or Duda last year.

Agreed regarding the skating.

Barron is a fantastic skater and is being underrated as is common by fans who thought a poor skater like Subban was ever fast. Just fooled by irresponsible dmen who take off past stationary defenders who are geared to protect the passing lanes. This is why coaches and players can't stand teammates doing this while the screaming mob drinks it up like wine and encourages it.

 

[Cubebrick]

One kid I terribly underrated and passed over too quickly is Nate Danielson, I thought his skating was some kind of an issue, but I was terribly wrong, kid skates really well and reminds me alot of Owen Beck, both are cerebral centers playing strong 200 ft. hockey, similar skating and skills level, but I would say Danielson's offensive celling is even higher and does the little things even better. I really like his game, but with Beck already in the system, not sure is he a realistic target.

That draft is awesome, there will be candies for all teams still having their 1st round pick.

100%. I'm still trying to find holes in Danielson's game. I feel like he's overlooked because we're in a draft filled with highlight reel machines but every single element of his game is way above average and he's got solid fundamentals. You can tell that he pays attention to the smallest details when he's out there on the ice, like the way he keeps on tracking the play and puts himself in favorable positions to constantly helps his linemates and his dmen.

He may not be flashy or elite at anything but he's a highly effective player and I'm positive that his game will translate very well into the pros.

 

[Goldenhands]

100%. I'm still trying to find holes in Danielson's game. I feel like he's overlooked because we're in a draft filled with highlight reel machines but every single element of his game is way above average and he's got solid fundamentals. You can tell that he pays attention to the smallest details when he's out there on the ice, like the way he keeps on tracking the play and puts himself in favorable positions to constantly helps his linemates and his dmen.

He may not be flashy or elite at anything but he's a highly effective player and I'm positive that his game will translate very well into the pros.

Hockey IQ high end.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Jackeyes brother scored his 10th goal for Hamilton tonight. Habs could use another enforcer.