2023 NHL Entry Draft

[junyab]

Smith is definitely not a two-way center. He's one-way. There's a lot of work for him to do to understand the defensive side of the game, like a lot of work. He might be better off on wing due to his defensive deficiencies.

Gotcha. HockeyWriters had that as one of his strengths but could totally be wrong.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

So most people here have Benson > Smith? I haven't watched much of either so just a pure DB scout here. So would we really pass on a 6', 2-way centre, who racked up 42pts in 20gp? That's an insane number for the US Dev Team.

I certainly would not refer to Smith as a two way center unless both directions lead to the offensive zone.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Benson is ahead of Smith for me, by enough.

Benson is can’t miss in my eyes.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Montreal can't have nice things so no.

I think that in this year draft, at 17, Habs can certainly have a chance to get a nice thing. A very good prospect will be still available.

 

[Hins77]

Why Dalibor Dvorsky is playing on SWE-2 and Leo Carlsson is playing on Sweden league? They are at the top of the ranking and they arent on the same league?

 

[The Great Weal]

Smith's defensive game is not a problem for me given how we got Suzuki, Beck, Evans (maybe PLD too) that are strong 2way guys. His lack of motor is more bothersome, but it could very well be a young player thing or he's just bored, not to mention the more cerebral players don't always go balls to walls.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Benson is ahead of Smith for me, by enough.

Benson is can’t miss in my eyes.

He will play in the NHL but as far as becoming a 1st line scorer he is a very risky pick. He is small with a mediocre shot and average speed at best, he could very well be a middle of the lineup energy player.

I think Smith has a better chance to be a top scorer but has a bigger bust factor as he is not suited to play down in the lineup. If Dvorsky turns it up again at the U 18's than he may be my guy but I am also high on Wood and Barlow. I also prefer Moore, Reinbacher, Sale, Danielson, Perreault and possibly Leonard. Leonard has a lower ceiling than Benson but if Benson ends up being a middle of the lineup guy then he will be in a role that Leonard will really excel at.

Benson is a guy that I find myself really hoping that someone else takes him. I have certainly been wrong before and this draft is a huge crapshoot so if we do take him I hope you are right and I am out to lunch. Perhaps if we had a huge lineup I might be more inclined to take him but we just have too many small guys coming through the pipeline that I don't want to gamble on one who just hasn't convinced me that he is going to be a real difference maker.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Put Smith at wing and all his issues are solved.

 

[McGees]

We drafting Wood at 5 aren't we...

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Put Smith at wing and all his issues are solved.

Not all centers thrive on the wing, unfortunately.

 

[BergevinBurner]

We drafting Wood at 5 aren't we...

I hope not, taking a "project pick" in back to back years with top 5 picks is too risky for my liking.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Gotcha. HockeyWriters had that as one of his strengths but could totally be wrong.

Yeah, I generally like that site, but if Smith was a two-way center there would be no angst over choosing him. He'd be #5 clear & away. Benson is a better overall player. He's a high IQ player at both ends, and definitely plays an in your face kind of game.

His upside is similar to Marchand, but without all the crap that Marchand pulls. Two-way, pk, pp, all situations player.

Smith probably compares more to Zegras, who on a really shit team still put up 65 points at 21. He's had back-to-back 60+ point seasons at 20 & 21, which is a really good sign to him getting to ppg status by 24.

If Anaheim gets Bedard or Fantilli, they could easily put Zegras on wing & I wouldn't be surprised if he gets close to or passes ppg next year.

Point is can Smith improve his defensive game enough to not be a liability at next level where he needs to be sheltered?

No concerns about that with Benson at all; however he's small & needs to upgrade his skating.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Yeah, I generally like that site, but if Smith was a two-way center there would be no angst over choosing him. He'd be #5 clear & away. Benson is a better overall player. He's a high IQ player at both ends, and definitely plays an in your face kind of game.

His upside is similar to Marchand, but without all the crap that Marchand pulls. Two-way, pk, pp, all situations player.

Smith probably compares more to Zegras, who on a really shit team still put up 65 points at 21. He's had back-to-back 60+ point seasons at 20 & 21, which is a really good sign to him getting to ppg status by 24.

If Anaheim gets Bedard or Fantilli, they could easily put Zegras on wing & I wouldn't be surprised if he gets close to or passes ppg next year.

Point is can Smith improve his defensive game enough to not be a liability at next level where he needs to be sheltered?

No concerns about that with Benson at all; however he's small & needs to upgrade his skating.

The Hockey Writers may be the worst site that I have had the misfortune of stumbling across. It is painful watching guys who treat hockey like the only game that they have competitively played.......Dungeons and Dragons.

Quite literally, nobody on that site knows anything about the game of hockey, they are just geeking out on prospects but are the furthest thing from being knowledgeable scouts. If you enjoy their product and it entertains you then fair enough but don't confuse their ultra amateur takes for informed opinions.

I actually work with two guys who are huge comic book nerds and have never played a competitive sport in their life but really enjoy hockey pools and are now following the draft......THW reminds me so much of them. Great guys and good co-workers but their opinion on hockey definitely reflects their experience.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

The Hockey Writers may be the worst site that I have had the misfortune of stumbling across. It is painful watching guys who treat hockey like the only game that they have competitively played.......Dungeons and Dragons.

Quite literally, nobody on that site knows anything about the game of hockey, they are just geeking out on prospects but are the furthest thing from being knowledgeable scouts. If you enjoy their product and it entertains you then fair enough but don't confuse their ultra amateur takes for informed opinions.

I actually work with two guys who are huge comic book nerds and have never played a competitive sport in their life but really enjoy hockey pools and are now following the draft......THW reminds me so much of them. Great guys and good co-workers but their opinion on hockey definitely reflects their experience.

I agree their hockey knowledge isn't the greatest, but I enjoy reading them anyway.

 

[Lockin17]

Adding a late 1st is more important than a another 2nd. I think Habs will ecstatic to grab a player like Honzek or Musty with their late pick. They want size and skill, Musty and Honzek fit perfectly on that. I'm high on both and if Habs add another 1st... Musty can be there. Honzek... I would select him with Florida pick, high potential, really skilled for a big guy. They are both great wildcard in this draft with Matthew Wood (only issue is his skating).

what about Danill But

 

[Habsrule]

I’m just checking to see if you guys would be open at trading back the Florida 1st rounder. I think it will be #17 if Florida gets knocked out of the first round.

Bedard
Fantilli
Carlsson
Michkov
Benson
Smith
Reinbacher
Leonard
Dvorsky
Moore
Sale
Cristall
Yager
Barlow
Wood
Sandin Pellikka
Danielson

I have them in my top 17. It is very open an others could swap players out for the next tier.

Honzek
Heidt
Musty
Perreault
Ritchie
Bridley
Morin
Gulyeyev
Simishev
Perron
But

I think that if they can trade down a few spots and pick up a second round pick with it then they can select a goalie.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

We need a lottery win so much more than we needed to win last year.

 

[SOLR]

Smith is definitely not a two-way center. He's one-way. There's a lot of work for him to do to understand the defensive side of the game, like a lot of work. He might be better off on wing due to his defensive deficiencies.

I'll go a bit further: he does not have a shot at being a center. It's like 5% of probabilities in 5 years imo. I consider him a winger.

Benson is not a center either, no shot either even if he's more responsible slightly. But he's 5'8'' and to be a center at that size you need speed he does not have.

 

[River Meadow]

Benson is ahead of Smith for me, by enough.

Benson is can’t miss in my eyes.

The same was said about Gilbert Brule.

 

[morhilane]

The Hockey Writers may be the worst site that I have had the misfortune of stumbling across. It is painful watching guys who treat hockey like the only game that they have competitively played.......Dungeons and Dragons.

Quite literally, nobody on that site knows anything about the game of hockey, they are just geeking out on prospects but are the furthest thing from being knowledgeable scouts. If you enjoy their product and it entertains you then fair enough but don't confuse their ultra amateur takes for informed opinions.

I actually work with two guys who are huge comic book nerds and have never played a competitive sport in their life but really enjoy hockey pools and are now following the draft......THW reminds me so much of them. Great guys and good co-workers but their opinion on hockey definitely reflects their experience.

I'm going to have to keep the D&D in mind the next time a read a Hokey Writers scouting report.

 

[phillytennis]

His skating is really bad but he is a big kid and you often see bigger kids make more significant improvements to their skating as they gain strength and are more comfortable with their bodies that are no longer growing. I think Wood has such a huge upside that he might surprise some people by going really early in the draft. He has the hands/IQ/creativity/vision and shot/release to be a bona fide star if he can sort his feet out.

Yes...you don't want to risk selecting Wood with our own top ten pick, and he possibly becomes the next Mike McCarron. I would pick him with our Florida pick around 17th overall.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Smith brings something we don't have enough of. The ability to create magic out of nothing. To skate with the puck and confuse the opposing defence.

Draft Smith or Sale if Michkov is off the board crew.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Yes...you don't want to risk selecting Wood with our own top ten pick, and he possibly becomes the next Mike McCarron. I would pick him with our Florida pick around 17th overall.

It is a gamble but his upside is so much higher than Benson's. Wood is also infinitely more skilled than McCarron but I understand your concern.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Smith brings something we don't have enough of. The ability to create magic out of nothing. To skate with the puck and confuse the opposing defence.

Draft Smith or Sale if Michkov is off the board crew.

Both of these kids have great natural skill but their compete level seems to come in to question a lot. I know HuGo wants kids who play hard and push the pace, it will be interesting to see who they settle on and if they have a different perception of these kids and their intangibles.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

I think that in this year draft, at 17, Habs can certainly have a chance to get a nice thing. A very good prospect will be still available.

Cant have shit is Montreal these days, even if you had 1st overall you would pick someone like Dvorsky instead of Bedard because slovak connection or some guy named Bob Buttkins projected in early 2nd to mid 3rd round because scouts liked his name so...






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