2023 NHL Entry Draft

[ReHabs]

I doubt teams will even be able to speak to him at all prior to the draft, so probably no interviews either.

I think teams interviewed Russians last year, at least two were drafted in the first round last year including a cancer survivor (what a great story that was). If the NHL/The US/Canada prohibit communications with Russian athletes we'd be on another level of hysteria. Thankfully, it hasn't happened.

 

[Garnet76]

Is Montreal having a European combine this year? Maybe they can get Michkov there?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Is Montreal having a European combine this year? Maybe they can get Michkov there?

They should be holding it again, but I'm not sure if Michkov can easily transverse out of Russia.. especially into Sweden, which is where I think they've held it previously.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Bobrov should call Putin and tell him to let Michkov come play in Canada to help beat all those american teams

contract aside would he be good enough to play in the NHL next season?

 

[BergevinBurner]

Bobrov should call Putin and tell him to let Michkov come play in Canada to help beat all those american teams

contract aside would he be good enough to play in the NHL next season?

100%
He played in the KHL after he was loaned to the worst team in the league, right after that team traded away their best player too lol.

Despite playing in a men's league on the worst team he still put up 20 points in 27 games for a better PPG than Ovechkin in his draft year(who was on the best team in the league).

If he was eligible to play next season then I genuinely think he could give Bedard a run for his money in the Calder race.

 

[Mrb1p]

Russians were not allowed to take part of the combine last year (collective punishment for things they had no part in) so I don't think that will change, sadly.


Necessary Correction: No Russians were allowed by the NHL/the US/Canada to come over for it last year, so I doubt it.

Mintyukov was at the combine.

 

[Zine]

I doubt teams will even be able to speak to him at all prior to the draft, so probably no interviews either.

How come?

Just hire some Russian representative of MTL to go talk to him. Or video conference Michkov.
The Caps obtained Miroshnichenko's medical records pre-draft. Shit, Mario Lemieux Zoom meeting Miroshnichenko about Hodgkin’s disease pre-draft. Avangard Omsk's assistant GM translated for both.

All it takes is a little effort.

Mintyukov was at the combine.

Mintyukov was a CHL player. The NHL chose not to invite guys from Russian leagues to the combine.

 

[Mrb1p]

How come?

Just hire some Russian representative of MTL to go talk to him. Or video conference Michkov.
The Caps obtained Miroshnichenko's medical records pre-draft. Shit, Mario Lemieux Zoom meeting Miroshnichenko about Hodgkin’s disease pre-draft. Avangard Omsk's assistant GM translated for both.

All it takes is a little effort.



Mintyukov was a CHL player. The NHL chose not to invite guys from Russian leagues to the combine.

Mintyukov is a russian player though

 

[Zine]

Mintyukov is a russian player though

And?

 

[Doublechin]

Mintyukov is a russian player though

He was playing in the OHL and not in Russia

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Possible nightmare scenario if we drop to pick #6 and Hughes won't take Benson or Smith no matter what

Say the top 5 is

Bedard
Fantilli
Carlsson
Reinbacher
Benson/Smith

Do you take Dvorsky, Sale or Barlow?

 

[Fatbiggie]

Possible nightmare scenario if we drop to pick #6 and Hughes won't take Benson or Smith no matter what

Say the top 5 is

Bedard
Fantilli
Carlsson
Reinbacher
Benson/Smith

Do you take Dvorsky, Sale or Barlow?

I take Leonard

 

[WeThreeKings]

Possible nightmare scenario if we drop to pick #6 and Hughes won't take Benson or Smith no matter what

Say the top 5 is

Bedard
Fantilli
Carlsson
Reinbacher
Benson/Smith

Do you take Dvorsky, Sale or Barlow?

Ryan Leonard​

Brayden Yager​

Oliver Moore​

Eduard Sale​

Dalibor Dvorsky​

 

[KevSkillz4]

Possible nightmare scenario if we drop to pick #6 and Hughes won't take Benson or Smith no matter what

Say the top 5 is

Bedard
Fantilli
Carlsson
Reinbacher
Benson/Smith

Do you take Dvorsky, Sale or Barlow?

Smith, Benson, Leonard, Yager, Moore or Reinbacher, Habs can't go wrong with one of these.

If it's Dvorsky or Sale, that's a little more risky than all above, but they have high potential aswell, Sale more offensive prospect than Dvorsky, Dvorsky great two-way C.

I will be confident with the selections of scouts... they know what they doing and they are all great prospect to have in our system.

 

[McGees]

Reinbacher/Smith/Benson/Leonard
Hard to picture us picking anyone else (unless we win lottery)

 

[Mrb1p]

Russians were not allowed to take part of the combine last year (collective punishment for things they had no part in) so I don't think that will change, sadly.


Necessary Correction: No Russians were allowed by the NHL/the US/Canada to come over for it last year, so I doubt it.

And?

I was replying to the bolded.

He was playing in the OHL and not in Russia

I was replying to the bolded.

Possible nightmare scenario if we drop to pick #6 and Hughes won't take Benson or Smith no matter what

Say the top 5 is

Bedard
Fantilli
Carlsson
Reinbacher
Benson/Smith

Do you take Dvorsky, Sale or Barlow?

Cristall Heidt Wood Barlow

 

[KevSkillz4]

At 17, if he isn't traded. Habs will certainly can pick a really really good offensive prospect at this range. Riley Heidt, Gabbe Perreault, Matthew Wood, Calum Ritchie, Quentin Musty, Samuel Honzek and maybe Colby Barlow if he is there.

 

[habsfan891]

I'd still prioritize Smith/Benson.. we are a bit out from next year, but it does look like we'd have plenty of options to grab a strong RHD prospect in 2024 where I'm not sure we'd have a chance next year to grab a prospect with the same offensive upside.

I certainly won't be mad at a Reinbacher pick, though.

I'm with you about next year there's too many good looking defensive prospects for me to be overly happy taking Reinbacher over top line forwards this draft.

 

[TomKosto]

At 17, if he isn't traded. Habs will certainly can pick a really really good offensive prospect at this range. Riley Heidt, Gabbe Perreault, Matthew Wood, Calum Ritchie, Quentin Musty, Samuel Honzek and maybe Colby Barlow if he is there.

Can't see Barlow go past 10 to be honest. GMs loves scorer and guys with size, he have both. He's a guy I wanted on the Habs but not with a top5 pick. I would try to move up in the draft with the Florida pick.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Possible nightmare scenario if we drop to pick #6 and Hughes won't take Benson or Smith no matter what

Say the top 5 is

Bedard
Fantilli
Carlsson
Reinbacher
Benson/Smith

Do you take Dvorsky, Sale or Barlow?

Ryan Leonard or Oliver Moore.

And, we have no idea if Montreal likes or doesn't like Benson & Smith.

I've been watching more of Smith though, and boy, yeah, is he ever soft in the defensive end, and occasionally clueless. Terrific offensive player. Strictly one-way.

Would definitely take Benson over Smith.

 

[Mrb1p]

I'm with you about next year there's too many good looking defensive prospects for me to be overly happy taking Reinbacher over top line forwards this draft.

You can't start doing this. Anyone we pick in 2024 is gonna be a full 12 months behind in development, the team make-up is gonna change by then. You're drafting for need and then using a future draft for this ?

Like by the time whoever the Habs pick is ready to have an impact, it's going to be 2027, how silly is it to base your draft decisions on this in 2023 ? I'm not even that much of an advocate of defenseman being picked in the first, heck, I was mad about the Guhle pick. Reinbacher just is a special case, when you have this quality of defender thats pretty much ready made, you have to be happy about it.

A top pair D is worth a top line forward, and usually more.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I'm with you about next year there's too many good looking defensive prospects for me to be overly happy taking Reinbacher over top line forwards this draft.

I said the same thing last year about centers and the 2023 draft. 2023 is a center draft, as we probably take a winger (Benson) or a defenseman (Reinbacher). Oomph.

I assumed last year we were going to be a bottom 3 team again for 2023. Best laid plans .....

We probably take a center in next year's "D" draft. Lol

 

[Mrb1p]

Ryan Leonard or Oliver Moore.

And, we have no idea if Montreal likes or doesn't like Benson & Smith.

I've been watching more of Smith though, and boy, yeah, is he ever soft in the defensive end, and occasionally clueless. Terrific offensive player. Strictly one-way.

Would definitely take Benson over Smith.

You have to go with skills though. Leonard is fun, and will have an insane impact on a team, I know it, you know it, everybody knows it. But Smith is just gonna pull these plays out of his pants that Leonard just can't do. It's valuable.

I've also watched an interview with Smith where he recognizes his two-way play is a weakness and he wants to make that a priority, so it's not all hopeless there, like with Wright who just shrugged off any criticism on his intensity and what not.

 

[WentWughes]

What is everyone’s take on Sandin Pellikka?

 

[MarkovsKnee]

You have to go with skills though. Leonard is fun, and will have an insane impact on a team, I know it, you know it, everybody knows it. But Smith is just gonna pull these plays out of his pants that Leonard just can't do. It's valuable.

I've also watched an interview with Smith where he recognizes his two-way play is a weakness and he wants to make that a priority, so it's not all hopeless there, like with Wright who just shrugged off any criticism on his intensity and what not.

That's good. Because there's a lot of work there to do. He doesn't have to be Bergeron quality, but there's just too many plays where he just kind of waves his stick at the puck as his defensive attempt. He loses his position/player quite a bit even when he gets back in time to help.

Kind of player that shows 100% offensive IQ, and 10% defensive IQ. He's not a physical player, but what physical play he's involved in is generally at the offensive end only. Ditto puck pursuit. He goes for it in offensive end. Backs off defensive end.

I'm OK with the cheating. Offensive players cheat. He genuinely looks like he doesn't know what he should do or where he should be defensively. He needs a lot of coaching there.