Bob McKenzie's 2023 mid-season draft rankings

[bossram]

Finally Benson getting the mainstream love. I’m sure there are some teams that were hoping he’d fall.

Was hoping he'd get to the 7-8 range for the Canucks. Maybe his size will deter some teams, but he absolutely deserves the top-5 ranking.

 

[Postulates]

Something about this list that bothers me a bit is that it’s really going for safety over upside outside of the top six guys. Yager, Barlow, Dvorsky, Leonard, Moore, Ritchie, and Danielson all safely project to be middle-six forwards in some capacity, but none of them have first line upside.

Leonard can be that third guy on a stacked 1st line like Tom Wilson ca 2018 without the enforcer part though

 

[Juxtaposer]

Leonard can be that third guy on a stacked 1st line like Tom Wilson ca 2018 without the enforcer part though

Sure, but you could also say that about Melker Karlsson. If I picked Leonard in the top-10, I’d rather he be half of a play-driving duo on my second line than an afterthought on my first.

And don’t get me wrong, I still like most of those players, I just think it’s interesting that the lost values safe players over skill.

 

[Czechboy]

Not as kind to the Czechs as some were...

Still, 2 in the first round (Sale lower than I would like to see but not outlandish)

Nice to see Dvorak and Stancl being included later.

Was hoping to see Suchanek in HM

 

[Frk It]

Have a feeling Benson ends up going top 3.

Have a really hard time seeing NHL teams take him over the much bigger Fantilli and Carlsson.

 

[Rusty7550]

Good to see Martin Misiak in TOP 80. Very talented player, his IT (both in his club and national team) sucks for unknown reasons but really interesting two-way forward

 

[Hale The Villain]

Sure, but you could also say that about Melker Karlsson. If I picked Leonard in the top-10, I’d rather he be half of a play-driving duo on my second line than an afterthought on my first.

And don’t get me wrong, I still like most of those players, I just think it’s interesting that the lost values safe players over skill.

This is basically what happens every year though.

Teams generally don't like drafting players that can't safely be projected as NHL players in some capacity.

Scouts don't get fired or reprimanded for drafting middle 6 NHLers but outright busts may be a different story.

 

[martygod12]

Not as kind to the Czechs as some were...

Still, 2 in the first round (Sale lower than I would like to see but not outlandish)

Nice to see Dvorak and Stancl being included later.

Was hoping to see Suchanek in HM

I wrote it earlier already, Sale just cant be lower than Dvorsky. He is playing in a top league, whereas Dvorsky is only in second swedish league and even there he is not producing, Sale was much better at WJC then Dvorsky, he is overall a better player, there is no way Dvorsky should be above him in rankings.

 

[bigdog16]

Excuse my ignorance since I haven't been following prospects closely recently, but I remember seeing comments in a game thread during the World Juniors that Fantilli was being exposed as overrated, not truly a top prospect, etc. I guess that was just ranting, or do some still feel that way?

He is a top prospect, no doubt about it. But there were some here claiming they would consider Fantilli over Bedard. During the WJs it was determined that Fantilli was realistically closer to #5 overall than he was to Bedard. And that Bedard is in a class of his own

 

[Czechboy]

I wrote it earlier already, Sale just cant be lower than Dvorsky. He is playing in a top league, whereas Dvorsky is only in second swedish league and even there he is not producing, Sale was much better at WJC then Dvorsky, he is overall a better player, there is no way Dvorsky should be above him in rankings.

I think Sale is a tough one to rank... not many points or minutes in Kometa. I wonder if his U18 will raise his stock? I thought he was better than Dvorsky but I did like Dvorsky's game. Curious who has the better NHL career!

 

[Juxtaposer]

This is basically what happens every year though.

Teams generally don't like drafting players that can't safely be projected as NHL players in some capacity.

Scouts don't get fired or reprimanded for drafting middle 6 NHLers but outright busts may be a different story.

I understand risk-aversion, believe me. But Stanley Cups aren’t won by the team with the most second liners. Cups are won by the teams that pick the Kuznetsovs, the Kucherovs, the Points, the Marchands.

 

[BKarchitect]

Something about this list that bothers me a bit is that it’s really going for safety over upside outside of the top six guys. Yager, Barlow, Dvorsky, Leonard, Moore, Ritchie, and Danielson all safely project to be middle-six forwards in some capacity, but none of them have first line upside.

I don’t know if I agree with Yager…I think he’s got big upside.

Who would be your upside picks?

 

[Juxtaposer]

I don’t know if I agree with Yager…I think he’s got big upside.

Who would be your upside picks?

If Yager figures it out, whatever that means, he could have big upside based on his shot and skating.

But my ‘upside’ picks would be Cristall, Šalé, Gulyayev, Wood, and Musty. Not saying that I’d have them all above everyone in the safe group I listed, but Nate Danielson over Andrew Cristall? Calum Ritchie over Quentin Musty? I just don’t understand taking a guy who is almost certainly a 3rd liner over a guy who has first line talent but real concerns that he might not hit his progression.

 

[Hale The Villain]

I understand risk-aversion, believe me. But Stanley Cups aren’t won by the team with the most second liners. Cups are won by the teams that pick the Kuznetsovs, the Kucherovs, the Points, the Marchands.

I agree with you but most NHL scouts prefer to play it safe, particularly in the early-mid 1st round.

 

[landy92mack29]

Danielson and especially Yager have 1st line upside.

9 whlers in top 31 yet still sleeping on them

 

[martygod12]

I think Sale is a tough one to rank... not many points or minutes in Kometa. I wonder if his U18 will raise his stock? I thought he was better than Dvorsky but I did like Dvorsky's game. Curious who has the better NHL career!

I think, that 8 points so far is really good, considering that he is playing in terrible Kometa, one of the least scoring teams in ELH this year, if he was in Plzen for example I think he would have around 14-15 points by now.

Also if you look at euro guys this year, only Carlsson is outscoring him in the top leagues.

Dvorsky is very good too no doubt, but he is not even playing in the SHL, only second league, and has no "big impact" even there.

 

[Tryamkin]

Sure, but you could also say that about Melker Karlsson. If I picked Leonard in the top-10, I’d rather he be half of a play-driving duo on my second line than an afterthought on my first.

And don’t get me wrong, I still like most of those players, I just think it’s interesting that the lost values safe players over skill.

You have to remember this is a consensus list. When compiling lists and averaging their ranking, the players that some scouts may have high as outliers will be averaged out and the safer players will have a higher ranking. Someone could have ASP ranked at 8 but because of the averages he drops down to 17.

 

[kudla]

I wrote it earlier already, Sale just cant be lower than Dvorsky. He is playing in a top league, whereas Dvorsky is only in second swedish league and even there he is not producing, Sale was much better at WJC then Dvorsky, he is overall a better player, there is no way Dvorsky should be above him in rankings.

I'd not be sure whether Sale was better than Dvorsky at the WJC, let alone "much better".. Overall I think they fall in the same, or very close talent category.

 

[martygod12]

I'd not be sure whether Sale was better than Dvorsky at the WJC, let alone "much better".. Overall I think they fall in the same, or very close talent category.

Of course you think that, you are Slovak. So you think Dvorsky is better and I can never convince you otherwise, and I am Czech so I think Sale is better, and you cant convince me otherwise thats just natural.

Both are great, lets hope both will be NHL regulars one day.

 

[tmlmatus]

Of course you think that, you are Slovak. So you think Dvorsky is better and I can never convince you otherwise, and I am Czech so I think Sale is better, and you cant convince me otherwise thats just natural.

Both are great, lets hope both will be NHL regulars one day.

I'm a Slovak and I think Sale is better, you can leave your biases at the door.

I don't think either of those prospects belong in the top 10 either way.

 

[martygod12]

I'm a Slovak and I think Sale is better, you can leave your biases at the door.

I think both prospects are quite overrated in my eyes tho.

And why do you think that? There are really no better prospects besides for Carlsson and Michkov in Europe this year.

 

[tmlmatus]

And why do you think that? There are really no better prospects besides for Carlsson and Michkov in Europe this year.

From my limited viewings they don't seem to me like top ten material. Maybe the draft is weak like last year; but that's my opinion.

Especially with Dvorsky, you can see some glimpses of skill and potential and his two way game is quite good. But I feel like his absolute ceiling is maybe a 2nd/3rd line Center. Like I said, maybe its a weak draft, but personally being picked 9th seems quite a bit high for him.

 

[kudla]

Of course you think that, you are Slovak. So you think Dvorsky is better and I can never convince you otherwise, and I am Czech so I think Sale is better, and you cant convince me otherwise thats just natural.

Both are great, lets hope both will be NHL regulars one day.

I mean wasn't sale benched for one game and like all his points came from the games against Austria and Switzerland? Btw I don't think Dvorsky was as good as many poeople say. They are actually similar - average skaters with very good hockey IQ, but questionable whether they really are top talents

 

[Kevin Musto]

Benson at 5, and Cristall at 18 is pure nonsense

Embarrassing that these scouts work for NHL teams

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Cristall going that late would be wild.