2023 NHL Entry Draft

[Gravity]

Let's just win the lotto so that even if Wilde's points are true, they're moot.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Let's just win the lotto so that even if Wilde's points are true, they're moot.

Wouldn't be surprised if Brian Wilde noticed Kent Hughes went to Switzerland recently and made that assumption, then created a story out of it but in a way that could open up a lot of possibilities to being right without any precision, like a fortune teller. But who knows, sometimes you get the right sources....

 

[WeThreeKings]

I'll yell louder for the kids in the back.

Wilde was one of the people last year telling me his source close to Hughes had them taking Wright at 1.

He never walked it back. Not until Bob's list came out and he didn't even say his source said differently.

This whole thing is Grant saying they like who he likes. Hadi K jumping on it on Twitter thinking Grant has sources still and then Wilde commenting on it and running with it.

0 credibility to it. It's an assumption based on Grant who has no source ballooned by Twitter exchanges turned radio hit.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

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...

Also explain Kent and Gorton going to Switzerland like he indicated in his press conference. Some will say their just doing their job, but they could also just have their amateur scouts there

 

[SlafySZN]

I'll yell louder for the kids in the back.

Wilde was one of the people last year telling me his source close to Hughes had them taking Wright at 1.

He never walked it back. Not until Bob's list came out and he didn't even say his source said differently.

This whole thing is Grant saying they like who he likes. Hadi K jumping on it on Twitter thinking Grant has sources still and then Wilde commenting on it and running with it.

0 credibility to it. It's an assumption based on Grant who has no source ballooned by Twitter exchanges turned radio hit.

I didn’t miss those kinds of rumours by those journalists lol.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Also explain Kent and Gorton going to Switzerland like he indicated in his press conference. Some will say their just doing their job, but they could also just have their amateur scouts there

They're just doing they're job. Besides why not go to Europe? What are they going to do in Montreal? I'm sure one of the assistants can handle any emergency recalls. That's all that's left. No trades. No urgent signings. Just letting the end of the schedule play out. Might as well check out Euro prospects.

 

[JustAHabFan]

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.

No need. We will pick 3rd overall and Carlsson will be our pick.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

No need. We will pick 3rd overall and Carlsson will be our pick.

Only way we can pick 3rd overall is if Florida finishes 13th then wins the lottery moving up 10 spots.

Or, Montreal miraculously has 4 teams jump them finishing 30th then no team jumps them in the lottery, or 31st and one team jumps them. It's completely improbable.

 

[jfhabs]

Maybe they like Honzek a lot... shades of Slaf.
I could see them reach with Flroda pick, but not top 10 please.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Explain yourself!

What I really like about Sale's offense is his ability to slow down the game, shield the puck and create lanes, but he's also a great skater and very dynamic so he can generate his own chances as well. His offensive sense is second to Bedard IMO.

He underuses his shot, but I believe it's something that he can improve with no problem.

To me, he projects like the type of winger that has a similar impact to a C. Guys like Marner, Kane ect.

I really like the fresh prince, but we don't have an Eduard Sale in the system.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Hughes and Gorton are going to Switzerland for the u18s.

 

[JustAHabFan]

Only way we can pick 3rd overall is if Florida finishes 13th then wins the lottery moving up 10 spots.

Or, Montreal miraculously has 4 teams jump them finishing 30th then no team jumps them in the lottery, or 31st and one team jumps them. It's completely improbable.

I think there is a possibility we finish behind Columbus and Chicago/SJ and don't move up or down after the lottery. With the hard schedule for the Habs, everything is possible considering we are ahead of CHI/SJ by only 6 points.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Hughes and Gorton are going to Switzerland for the u18s.

It's a little early. Doesn't start til April 20th.

But, yes, it's in Basel - Ajoie, Switzerland.

 

[Mrb1p]

1) Connor Bedard (RC/RW, Canada, Regina WHL)

2) Matvei Michkov (RW, Russia, SKA St. Petersburg VHL)

3) Adam Fantilli (LC, Canada, Michigan NCAA)

4) Leo Carlsson (LC, Sweden, Orebro SHL)

5) David Reinbacher (RD, Austria, Kloten NL)

6) Zach Benson (LW, Canada, Winnipeg WHL)

7) Andrew Cristall (LW/RW, Canada, Kelowna WHL)

8) Will Smith (RC, USA, NTDP U18)

9) Riley Heidt (LW, Canada, Prince George WHL)

10) Matthew Wood (RW, Canada, Connecticut NCAA)

11) Dalibor Dvorsky (LC/LW, Slovakia, AIK Allsvenskan)

12) Colby Barlow (LW, Canada, Owen Sound OHL)

13) Ryan Leonard (RW, USA, NTDP U18)

14) Brayden Yager (RC, Canada, Moose Jaw WHL)

15) Eduard Sale (RW, Czechia, Kometa Brno Czechia)

16) Samuel Honzek (LW/LC, Slovakia, Vancouver WHL)

17) Nate Danielson (RW, Canada, Brandon WHL)

18) Quentin Musty (LW, USA, Sudbury OHL)

19) Lukas Dragicevic (RD, Canada, Tri-City WHL)

20) Alexander Rykov (RW, Russia, Chelmet Chelyabinsk VHL)

21) Calum Ritchie (RC, Canada, Oshawa OHL)

22) Koehn Zimmer (RW, Canada, Prince George WHL)

23) Nick Lardis RW, Canada, hamilton OHL)

24) Oliver Moore (LC, USA, NTDP U18)

25) Etienne Morin (LD, Canada, Moncton QMJHL)

26) Jayden Perron (RW, Canada, Chicago USHL)

27) Gabe Perreault (LW, USA/Canada, NTDP U18)

28) Axel Sandin Pellikka (RD, Sweden, Skelleftea SHL)

29) Ethan Gauthier (RW, Canada/USA, Sherbrooke QMJHL)

30) Noah Dower Nilsson (LC, Sweden, Frolunda J20)

31) Gavin Brindley (RW, USA/Canada, Michigan NCAA)

32) Hunter Brzustewicz (RD, USA, Kitchener OHL)

33) Maxim Strbak (RD, Slovakia, Sioux Falls USHL)

34) Dmitri Simashev (LD, Russia, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL)

35) Alex Ciernik (LW/RW, Slovakia, Sodertalje Allsvenskan)

36) Kasper Halttunen (RW/LW, Finland, HIFK Liiga)

37) Otto Stenberg (LC/LW, Sweden, Frolunda SHL)

38) Caden Price (LD, Canada, Kelowna WHL)

39) Daniil But (LW/RW, Russia, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL)

40) Carson Rehkopf (LC/RW, Canada, Kitchener OHL)

The mock draft had me rushing a bit to rank a few players, Im up to 75 but after 40 its very low on data and viewings, well too low for what I want it to be, at least.

My top 34 is solid, I don't think any of those guys are going down. Order might change from 23 to 34.

I really struggle with the whole Lardis, Moore, Brindley, Perrault, NDN and Perron rankings. Theyre all super close and I really struggle to chose one over the other. They all have similar-ish ceilings IMO, and similar size/play style. NDN stands out with his skating, but he may be the best passer of the rest after Perrault. Lardis is just electric and that is why I have him this high. He has the best tools overall I think. Brindley has a very good blend of all the skills needed to succeed, but he doesn't flash the elite offensive driver that I would want out of a small forward like him. His ceiling, and Moores are the highest for sure.

Perron is the most interesting one here though, he's a bit like NDN in the way he makes everyone better around him, he has a similar support game to Brindley and he can shoot it as good as Lardis. He has okay skating, but he is so small and his skating is only meh.

For all the talk about this being a "bad" draft for Ds, I really struggled to rank Ds here, I see a lot, lot of good candidates for 2nd round here. I really wish the Habs had more picks there to pickup the fallers.

 

[Playmaker09]

Hughes and Gorton are going to Switzerland for the u18s.

End of April?

Should be fun. Canada should have guys like Cristall, Wood, Barlow, Richie, Dragicevic. Maybe Heidt,

Is it whoever misses the playoffs or gets bounced in round 1 that will go?

 

[WeThreeKings]

It's a little early. Doesn't start til April 20th.

But, yes, it's in Basel - Ajoie, Switzerland.

All he said was he was booking a trip, not that he was going imminently.

 

[Blame the referee]

We really need to win that lottery. I have absolutely no fate in Bobrov and Lapointe and I’m scared they butch two top 15 picks in a really deep draft.

I liked everything Hughes made since the hired except this…give the most important job in the rebuild to Bobrov and Lapointe.

THAT could be a huge mistake

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

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.

Musty seems like a moody player.

Not boom or bust, really, but it’s up to him to reach his ceiling.

I don’t expect him to lead Sudbury anything like Bedard leads Regina, but I want to see if he brings it consistently in the playoffs.

If he does he’ll be movin’ on up.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Musty seems like a moody player.

Not boom or bust, really, but it’s up to him to reach his ceiling.

I don’t expect him to lead Sudbury anything like Bedard leads Regina, but I want to see if he brings it consistently in the playoffs.

If he does he’ll be movin’ on up.

Yeah, he is moody. He needs outside motivation, kick in the pants type coaching occasionally as he wanders aimlessly around the ice. When he's on, he's on. It's a big reason why he's not even discussed in top 15 because size & talent is there.

Playoffs can definitely move him up.

 

[Bombshell11]

Only way we can pick 3rd overall is if Florida finishes 13th then wins the lottery moving up 10 spots.

Or, Montreal miraculously has 4 teams jump them finishing 30th then no team jumps them in the lottery, or 31st and one team jumps them. It's completely improbable.

Lets re-visit this in 7 games. The habs have by far the hardest schedule in the next 2 weeks. I think at best we do 2/14 points. On average the other 4 teams should do 6-10 pts each. That should be enough to put us 31st.

2nd choice overall is not completely improbable. We might also win that loterry too.

My question to you is... say we get 1st and 4th pick. Do you go Bedard + D or Bedard + Michkov. The reason why i say Michkov is because with Bedard in, the team can afford to use the 4th pick and gamble on Michkov, assuming Carlsson has been picked already and there's no russian ambargo from the NHL

 

[JT3]

I'm no expert, but I can't see Putin allowing Russia's biggest prospect since Ovechkin to be drafted. It's just not how he operates. He likes to use celebrities to his advantage, I think he would want someone of that level on the biggest stage for propaganda purposes. If we are drafting 4-8 and for some reason he's on the table the risk of him not coming over doesn't concern me any more than the risk of whoever else we would draft being a disappointment.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Lets re-visit this in 7 games. The habs have by far the hardest schedule in the next 2 weeks. I think at best we do 2/14 points. On average the other 4 teams should do 6-10 pts each. That should be enough to put us 31st.

2nd choice overall is not completely improbable. We might also win that loterry too.

My question to you is... say we get 1st and 4th pick. Do you go Bedard + D or Bedard + Michkov. The reason why i say Michkov is because with Bedard in, the team can afford to use the 4th pick and gamble on Michkov, assuming Carlsson has been picked already and there's no russian ambargo from the NHL

Of course, 2nd isn't improbable. It's 3rd place that is because there's only a few scenarios that allow us to get there. We have a better chance at finishing 1st and 2nd than 3rd.

To get 1st & 4th, Montreal would have to win the Bedard draft with their own pick then have Florida finish 14th overall and win the 2nd lottery and move up 10 spots. Seriously, it's not even worth thinking about.

 

[HuGort]

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

Does Michkov have to do military duty? If he does he is non draft for me. Unless he slides to Florida pick

 

[Egresch]

For all the talk about this being a "bad" draft for Ds, I really struggled to rank Ds here, I see a lot, lot of good candidates for 2nd round here. I really wish the Habs had more picks there to pickup the fallers.

Totally fits to Maxim Strbak. Would be a great pick in 2nd. He is not flashy, but does not really have any major flaws. With his steady progress over last couple years, I just see him as very safe pick.

 

[Hins77]

Does Michkov have to do military duty? If he does he is non draft for me. Unless he slides to Florida pick

I have read that mens from 18 yo and 27 years old have to do their military service in Russia. Hockey player arent exempt of it.