2023 NHL Entry Draft

[Skip Bayless]

I'm not worried about Mesar. He's got everything, the tools, the tool bag...just needs more experience and strength.

 

[Goldenhands]

I like Musty AND Dubois but that would be horrible.

We need high-end talent and while Musty does have a high-end ceiling, the variability in the results he may produce are way too large. He's not unlike Slaf in that sense, very high ceiling, good floor, but theres like no indication on which way he's gonna swing.


Smiths shot is more worrisome than his motor or skating IMO. If a player can't beat a guy outside and he can't release it quick enough... Why is he even in your top 6 ?

I can't think of a single top 6er that has the skating deficiencies of Smith and his lack of shot. Maybe Backstrom ? But Backstrom is heavy and his shot is good, he just doesn't use it much.

I disagree on his shot, thats impressive, especially considering his small frame, it lacks a bit of power, but thats really accurate and overall has good enough velocity. I saw him beat goaltenders cleanly pretty often, it will only get better as he gets stronger. Im more concerned about the motor and how much strength can he add to his frame down the road.

 

[Mrb1p]

Mesar is coming along, watched his last game, he was everywhere on the ice, I would not be surprised to see him pill the pts from now, coach put him back on the top line and kid was flying out there.

I still think theres a decent path to the NHL for Mesar, but I don't think this path includes much top line play. I hope he does though, but I think it would've been best invested in another pick. Anyhow, back to 2023.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Could be somebody like Musty also. He plays a heavy game. Should play around 6'2-220lbs. Can score.

Trade down with 'peg, get deal on Dubois? Our 7th for their 19th and Dubois?

Musty really doesn't play a heavy game. In fact, he can be pretty soft & too often defers to the perimeter. Every so often he'll make a hit here & there, but it isn't a consistent part of his game at all. He will too often avoid contact.

He is talented.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Wilde said today Habs aren't that high on Smith and Benson.

I don't think Wilde's has any actual inside information. If we get #5, and pass on both, well, then we'll know.

 

[morhilane]

I don't think Wilde's has any actual inside information. If we get #5, and pass on both, well, then we'll know.

What happens if multiple teams pass on them?

 

[phillytennis]

Yeah and Michkov is also 7 months older.

How did he do in the WJC? In the cancelled one, Bedard was on pace to double Michkov’s totals. Then the year after Bedard broke records and had a tournament we haven’t seen since Forsberg/Naslund 30 years ago.

Oh yeah Bedard is also a centre and isn’t a risk of never coming over. I’d also be curious to know the last time a CHL player outscored 2nd place on his team by 50 points despite playing 10 less games.

There’s just no world in which the scenario makes any sense.

I realize Michkov is an elite talent...but I would not draft him until our Florida pick because of the war in the Ukraine...he may be drafted into the military.
As well, the war in Ukraine could easily last several years. Putin will be in need of soldiers...especially a young Russian drafted to play hockey in North America.

 

[Mrb1p]

I realize Michkov is an elite talent...but I would not draft him until our Florida pick because of the war in the Ukraine...he may be drafted into the military.
As well, the war in Ukraine could easily last several years. Putin will be in need of soldiers...especially a young Russian drafted to play hockey in North America.

This is the kind of misinformation and fear mongering that annoys me, if anyone was wondering.

 

[phillytennis]

What's wrong with the Mesar pick, if you don't mind me asking? Feels like he was a solid option at 26. Hindsight is not favourable right now but he was impressive in preseason and at wjc so who knows.

At the time of the 2022 draft, I was hoping that the Habs would drafted as their second first round pick...Kulich...he was picked by Buffalo a few picks after Mesar.

 

[NekkiChiconey]

Wrong? The pick in essence is bad because they clearly did it to cater to Slaf. All the 2022 draft was pretty much backwards IMO. They reach for size at #1 and then they pick a small diminutive forward that doesn't have very high ceiling at 26 because he's best friend with Slaf.

They jumped a lot of bigger, better players for this decision. I had him at 24, but the problem is theres 6 players that went ahead of him that I had higher, guys like Kulich, Lambert, Firkus notably.

Like if their sole goal was to go size+skill, why not go for Cooley/Wright+Kulich ?

Anyway, its done and thats that. Mesar and Slaf are both very good prospects respectively, I just think it could've been handled much better.

Meh, that's mostly your opinion, based on your rankings. They picked 2 Slovaks, not 8, and Mesar was definitely in the same tier as Lambert/Kulich/Firkus so it probably comes down to personal preference: yours was Kulich, theirs was Mesar. We'll see how it plays out but I'm not ready to be critical of their draft strategy yet. We'll see in June.

 

[phillytennis]

This is the kind of misinformation and fear mongering that annoys me, if anyone was wondering.

It's not fear mongering...it's the real risk that exists.

 

[montreal]

Not that I would put any stock in Wilde, if it's true, I wonder if the new development staff thinks they can fix Matthew Wood's skating/speed issues. If you think you get him fixed, I would have no issue with taking him at 5, huge risk to fix that lumbering style of his but that shot is just sick and if you fix his skating you could have a legit stud on your hands. What a moose on skates he will be.

That said I think you would need huge balls to take that risk, especially in the 2nd draft for the new team and Slaf not leaving a great taste in the mouths of many especially after KK/Galchenyuk f*** ups of rushing them to the NHL at 18.

 

[phillytennis]

Ivan Fedotov, Flyers goaltending prospect, sent to remote military base in Russia, per report. Flyers goaltending prospect Ivan Fedotov has reportedly been picked up by Russian law enforcement after allegedly attempting to evade military service that is required of all men in his home country.Jul 6, 2022

 

[le_sean]

Not that I would put any stock in Wilde, if it's true, I wonder if the new development staff thinks they can fix Matthew Wood's skating/speed issues. If you think you get him fixed, I would have no issue with taking him at 5, huge risk to fix that lumbering style of his but that shot is just sick and if you fix his skating you could have a legit stud on your hands. What a moose on skates he will be.

That said I think you would need huge balls to take that risk, especially in the 2nd draft for the new team and Slaf not leaving a great taste in the mouths of many especially after KK/Galchenyuk f*** ups of rushing them to the NHL at 18.

Isn’t Wood’s size moot? He’s a skilled player and rarely uses it in a context where we can say “we got ourselves a big body”

 

[Mrb1p]

Isn’t Wood’s size moot? He’s a skilled player and rarely uses it in a context where we can say “we got ourselves a bid body”

Uses his size in the same way Kovalchuk and Kovalev did.

 

[McGees]

The Athletic already did a podcast suggesting the same thing, with all the smaller guys on team and system, they can’t see them take a smaller guy with 1st pick - and there’s a lot of them in top 15.

They talked about Sale, Dvorsky and Reinbacher as options which I could see happening as well.

If Bobrov doesn’t have last say, I also don’t see how we pass up on one of the USNTDP players - at least with FLA pick.

 

[phillytennis]

Ivan Fedotov, Flyers goaltending prospect, sent to remote military base in Russia, per report. Flyers goaltending prospect Ivan Fedotov has reportedly been picked up by Russian law enforcement after allegedly attempting to evade military service that is required of all men in his home country.Jul 6, 2022

BTW...all 32 teams are aware of what happened to Ivan Fedotov and they realize they need analyze the risk/ reward of drafting a Russian player in the mist of the war in the Ukraine.

 

[Playmaker09]

f*** it, let's package both picks for Carlsson.

If we're going to tunnel on size, might as well get the one who's actually a stud.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

What happens if multiple teams pass on them?

They get drafted later.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Shared this in the tank thread. This is random, I’m listening to 690, and Brian wildes on and he’s heard that they like someone with size that they’d go off the board for at 5. At 4 no issues but at 5 they’d go off the board and even went so far as to suggest that they wouldn’t even take smith.

Looking at the list, of top 15, dvorsky, sale, Ritchie, wood and honzek are the only ones who sort of fit that list. Kind of scary to hear that aloud

Its Barlow.

This scouting staff sucks man...

I know I'm not as in tune, but my guess would be Wood

 

[Mrb1p]

I know I'm not as in tune, but my guess would be Wood

If its Wood they don't suck.

 

[jrom]

This is the kind of misinformation and fear mongering that annoys me, if anyone was wondering.

I don't think anyone can predict the fallout of the war on the russian hockey players (even the outcome of the actual war still is muddy), so it falls into risk management. Ownership pretty much dicates the level of risk they're willing to take and then based on the odds they'll draft him or not. No one knows what Molson will tell them.

Bobrov's father works for St Petersburg SKA, if anything it should help getting actual info to use to make a decision if it comes to drafting Mitchkov or not (I hope we do !)

 

[Skip Bayless]

Wilde sounds like a mentally ill human being. I wouldn't trust him.

 

[NeptunesTrident]

If Wilde's info is correct my guess would be Reinbacher if available.

 

[WinterLion]

If Wilde's info is correct my guess would be Reinbacher if available.

Yup... still lots of hockey to play... memorial cup, U18's usually bring a few guys out of the shadows...