2023 NHL Entry Draft

[Goldenhands]

Benson was the ice’s best player last season in the playoffs and he was 16. It wasn’t even close.

Yep, he was the best player on his team everytime I watched the Ice as well. It doesnt change the fact that Winnipeg has been a powerhouse last 2 years.

 

[Goldenhands]

Being more concerned about size than skill is how you end up with Slafkovsky over Cooley

Obviously, being huge means you cant be skilled Imao. No one will regret this pick in 2-3 yrs from now. A 6'3 PF with such skills level vs a flashy undersized 2nd line center whose shooting skills are average, pick one.

 

[Jack Skellington]

Don't see it with Smith. He strikes me as an all style no substance sort of player. He tries alot of low IQ plays that won't work against better competition. He's a talented player but the way he plays he might as well be 5'8 and Benson might as well be 6'. I take Benson at 5 without hesitation. I will never bet against high IQ, high intensity, high talent.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Don't see it with Smith. He strikes me as an all style no substance sort of player. He tries alot of low IQ plays that won't work against better competition. He's a talented player but the way he plays he might as well be 5'8 and Benson might as well be 6'. I take Benson at 5 without hesitation.

I heard a lot of "Cooley's low IQ plays, he's too fancy, it won't work" last year too.. He had 0 problems in the NCAA, more pro style players and structures.

I'm never gonna knock a highly skilled player for being imaginative when it doesn't matter. We will see at the U-18s, cause Cooley was very dynamic in that setting and was always on the right side of things.

 

[Playmaker09]

Smith constantly leaves his position too early when his team isnt in full possession of the puck or when the play is under developped, if you cant see the cheating while watching his games, not sure its worth debating. Dvorsky is constantly on the right side of the puck, Smith isnt.

No one's saying he doesn't cheat.

As probably the biggest Benson fanboy on this board, I can definitely appreciate players with a high motor and strong two-way play, but not every player has to have that in their toolbox to have an impact on the game. The majority of the top scorers in the NHL cheat. It's their job to cheat, smartly.

And while yes, Dvorsky is more often in a conservative defensive position, that doesn't mean he's effective.

Two-way means two-way. You need to provide enough support defensively (without overcommitting) to help your team recover possession and transition up the ice. And similarly you need to play aggressive enough offensively to help your team score, while still being in position to recover defensively. It's a constant tug of war.

It's the same thing we all criticized Wright for last year, or that I criticize Yager for this year. They all think they're trying to be the next Bergeron without actually understanding what Bergeron does. Instead they're just passive, low-impact players whose only focus is being on the right side of the puck.

I still like Dvorsky. He's in my top 15 and in strong consideration for the Florida pick. I think his playmaking is underrated around these parts, but let's not mischaracterize who he is. He is not yet an effective two-way player. He sacrifices offense for defense, which results in him doing neither at a high level, and is why he was healthy scratched in the Allsvenskan throughout the playoffs.

Smith at least shows elite offensive potential as a creator. As a prospect, I don't think they're in the same class.

 

[Goldenhands]

I heard a lot of "Cooley's low IQ plays, he's too fancy, it won't work" last year too.. He had 0 problems in the NCAA, more pro style players and structures.

I'm never gonna knock a highly skilled player for being imaginative when it doesn't matter. We will see at the U-18s, cause Cooley was very dynamic in that setting and was always on the right side of things.

Some people who watched Minnesota this year were more impressed with Snuggerud, who you didnt like in his draft year, than Cooley. Cooley centered a line made of Snuggerud, one of the top snipers in the NCAA and Knies who is nominated for the hobeybaker. Lets see how he handles himself in the AHL or NHL next year with lesser supporting cast.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Some people who watched Minnesota this year were more impressed with Snuggerud, who you didnt like in his draft year, than Cooley. Cooley centered a line made of Snuggerud, one of the top snipers in the NCAA and Knies who is nominated for the hobeybaker. Lets see how he handles himself in the AHL or NHL next year with lesser supporting cast.

Snuggerud made strides this year in the things that annoyed me a lot about him, not everyone is capable of doing that. I'll give him credit for making those adjustments.

Cooley centered a top end line but he was the straw stirring the drink.

Knies being nominated for the hobey baker is probably the dumbest thing I've seen in awhile.. Snuggerud and Cooley were immensely better players than him. Knies improved his production by .07 on a vastly improved line, he should have had more points deflect off his ass playing with those two kids.

 

[Doublechin]

Say the Habs are drafting #5; would you trade the 2nd round pick to move up to #3? So #5 and #37 for #3.

Curious to see what people think of the drop off in talent

Maybe 5, 14 and 37 gets to 3 and that's a huge maybe

 

[Jack Skellington]

Only way 3 gets moved is a team doesn't like Carlson and has Michkov as an absolute DND but I dont see that happening

 

[SlafySZN]

Being more concerned about size than skill is how you end up with Slafkovsky over Cooley

Slafkovsky is a very skilled player…

Funny how he is now underrated.

Recency bias is real.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Benson's been the Ice's best player since last year.

He's also such a complete player, but hey he's not 6'0" so he sucks.. but he plays bigger than the bigger guys around him in the draft.

If he was a great skater I’d be higher on him. But being small and mediocre at skating is a tough combo to overcome.

 

[WeThreeKings]

If he was a great skater I’d be higher on him. But being small and mediocre at skating is a tough combo to overcome.

He has fine skating.. it's not a detriment like it is for someone like Dumais.

Not every player sub 6'0 needs to be a blazing speedster to be effective. If you can create space with your edges, turns, and your brain/processing speed, along with your hands and skill? It's more effective than being fast but not being able to think fast.

 

[_vivelequebec_]

Maybe 5, 14 and 37 gets to 3 and that's a huge maybe

Lol I would never do that. Think it the other way : would you give 5 for 7, 14 and 37? Absolutely.

 

[montreal]

He has fine skating.. it's not a detriment like it is for someone like Dumais.

Not every player sub 6'0 needs to be a blazing speedster to be effective. If you can create space with your edges, turns, and your brain/processing speed, along with your hands and skill? It's more effective than being fast but not being able to think fast.

I haven't seen a WHL game this year but the few clips i've seen of him I wouldn't say his skating was fine, it looks below average to me.

 

[SlafySZN]

I heard a lot of "Cooley's low IQ plays, he's too fancy, it won't work" last year too.. He had 0 problems in the NCAA, more pro style players and structures.

I'm never gonna knock a highly skilled player for being imaginative when it doesn't matter. We will see at the U-18s, cause Cooley was very dynamic in that setting and was always on the right side of things.

I will never knock on a kid that is trying things and is creative. I’d rather that and have some plays not working than a young player who never tries anything and keep it safe all the time.

 

[Playmaker09]

I haven't seen a WHL game this year but the few clips i've seen of him I wouldn't say his skating was fine, it looks below average to me.

He projects as a better skater than Gallagher, and just as good as Parise.

Sure he's no Marner, but Marner needs that speed more because he has no inside game.

 

[Jaynki]

No team would do that. The top 4 are sure fire 1st line players. At #5 you're getting definitely top 6 with work to do to develop into a top line player. Everyone has something to their game to question them.

Absolutely not. They all have elite projections but reaching it is another thing and some may (or may not) fail. There is no such things as a surefire thing in the draft even at these spot. Example Kakko, Lafreniere.

Every single year, a player picked between 5-10 will outperform a player picked 1-5 and etc. Honestly, unless we win Bedard, its pretty irrelevant if we draft 5 or 7 apart from the fact that we could get ''our guy''. Let's just pick the right player at the right spot.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Smith constantly leaves his position too early when his team isnt in full possession of the puck or when the play is under developped, if you cant see the cheating while watching his games, not sure its worth debating. Dvorsky is constantly on the right side of the puck, Smith isnt.

Yeah, and if his team recovers the puck he's in a way more dangerous position. You see this sort of thing in Europe all the time, there's a chance he's even being told to do it.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Absolutely not. They all have elite projections but reaching it is another thing and some may (or may not) fail. There is no such things as a surefire thing in the draft even at these spot. Example Kakko, Lafreniere.

Every single year, a player picked between 5-10 will outperform a player picked 1-5 and etc. Honestly, unless we win Bedard, its pretty irrelevant if we draft 5 or 7 apart from the fact that we could get ''our guy''. Let's just pick the right player at the right spot.

There is a definite drop after #4. No team will trade out of a top 4 spot. No team has ever traded out of top 4 spot. That was the question I was answering.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I heard a lot of "Cooley's low IQ plays, he's too fancy, it won't work" last year too.. He had 0 problems in the NCAA, more pro style players and structures.

I'm never gonna knock a highly skilled player for being imaginative when it doesn't matter. We will see at the U-18s, cause Cooley was very dynamic in that setting and was always on the right side of things.

Cooley isn't Smith. He has a far higher compete level, and intensity in his game than Smith does. He's also a far better 200 foot player. Smith is more Zegras than Cooley.

 

[McGees]

Pretty good, we should draft him.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

He has fine skating.. it's not a detriment like it is for someone like Dumais.

Not every player sub 6'0 needs to be a blazing speedster to be effective. If you can create space with your edges, turns, and your brain/processing speed, along with your hands and skill? It's more effective than being fast but not being able to think fast.

The issue is NHL defenders will be all over him on the rush. He simply won’t be able to get away from his man. Sure he might be a great PP guy, but that’s isn’t what I want at 5th overall.

 

[Goldenhands]

Yeah, and if his team recovers the puck he's in a way more dangerous position. You see this sort of thing in Europe all the time, there's a chance he's even being told to do it.

Doubtful, europeans usually teach their kids to play the right way. I dont see cheating in the SHL, Liiga ect.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Cooley isn't Smith. He has a far higher compete level, and intensity in his game than Smith does. He's also a far better 200 foot player. Smith is more Zegras than Cooley.

I'm not comparing them directly.. I'm talking about a similar narrative about how they approach the game offensively and how it 'won't work as he goes up levels', but these guys are being expressive and testing their skills out in an environment where it is all about development.

I'm drafting Smith for his immense offensive upside, not to be a 200 foot player. We'll be fine defensively, we need someone who is a threat to break a game open every shift and Smith is the best option for that after #4 and it's not particularly close.

The issue is NHL defenders will be all over him on the rush. He simply won’t be able to get away from his man. Sure he might be a great PP guy, but that’s isn’t what I want at 5th overall.

Well then you shouldn't want Dvorsky, 'cause if we are talking about not being able to separate from his man.. Dvorsky's feet, lack of imagination, mediocre hands and lacklustre carrying ability won't allow him to get away from his man at the NHL level either. Sure he might be a great PP trigger guy, but that isn't what I want at 5th overall.

 

[Playmaker09]

The issue is NHL defenders will be all over him on the rush. He simply won’t be able to get away from his man. Sure he might be a great PP guy, but that’s isn’t what I want at 5th overall.

But that's not his game.

His points are not coming from exploiting junior players off the rush, so why would the fact that he can't do that against NHL competition change anything?

How do you think RHP and Gallagher score all these goals despite being undersized and average speed?