Official 2023 NHL Draft Thread

[Kelmitchell2]

Zach Benson is certainly not the best defensive forward in the draft from an NHL projection standpoint.

He’s not even going to be a center. A small LW who often looks like he’s churning his legs in place when trying to cover large portions of ice is not a premier defensive asset, even though he works hard & is responsible.

His ceiling may be Giroux at wing, but I can’t help recall how ineffective Giroux was in the playoffs once he hit his mid-20s onward.

More likely IMO his production ceiling is roughly Sam Reinhart, maybe a little less because of the size issue.

He’s a likable player, & I think he’ll be pretty good, but he would not be my first choice at 7.

I would take Simashev, Moore, Leonard, & Michkov over Benson, of those with a chance to be there at 7 (i.e., excluding Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, & Smith).

I too like simashev but not at #7

 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I like Simashev, but let's be honest - this is the NHL and the mindset is that nobody is drafting him to be a Dougie Hamilton type of offensive defensemen. The NHL GM's and scouts see him and you can bet that the first thing they're thinking is Simashev smash, not developing his skills.

 

[Dr Jablonski PhD]

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised at all if we're undervaluing Reinbacher. Sometimes players don't have any eye grabbing traits but they end up being a monster player. I'll try not to be disappointed if we take him over Moore/Benson.

But the Leonard/Reinbacher at 5/6 is becoming ever more likely with the chatter out there. Leaving you know who at 7

 

[FLYguy3911]

No matter what you think of the defensemen, the gap in quality of the forwards in the top 10 vs. the 20s is a lot bigger than the defensemen that will be available in those areas.

 

[Magua]

No matter what you think of the defensemen, the gap in quality of the forwards in the top 10 vs. the 20s is a lot bigger than the defensemen that will be available in those areas.

Have you considered that building an advanced blueline, like Nashville, is the most important thing?

 

[captainpaxil]

Oddly jonesy might be just brilliantly stupid enough to be watching Bob in the playoffs and go get michkov and simashev. "The Russians were good. I tried not to overthink it"

 

[Gregor Samsa]

I’ve always felt like Benson and Cutter would work really well together

 

[deadhead]

Oddly jonesy might be just brilliantly stupid enough to be watching Bob in the playoffs and go get michkov and simashev. "The Russians were good. I tried not to overthink it"

Except that it's Briere's call.

 

[Dr Jablonski PhD]

Barlow prob not making it to 22?

 

[CutOnDime97]

Barlow prob not making it to 22?

I doubt it

 

[BigToe]

 

[BigToe]

Apparently at the combine we spoke with: Benson, Perron, Brindley, Stramel, Strbak, Allen and Cleveland.
Didn’t speak with: Cagnoni, Danielson, Strathmann, Whitelaw and Price.

 

[BiggE]

Apparently at the combine we spoke with: Benson, Perron, Brindley, Stramel, Strbak, Allen and Cleveland.
Didn’t speak with: Cagnoni, Danielson, Strathmann, Whitelaw and Price.

Stramel? Flahr probably dreams about eating a plate of spaghetti with him like the dogs from Disney every night.

Except the plate is more like a 100 gallon trough.

 

[macleish1974]

Remember the Flyers never talked to Coots at the draft.

 

[Redpath]

Remember the Flyers never talked to Coots at the draft.

To be fair, we didn't even have a 1st round pick during the 2011 combine. We only acquired #8 the day before the draft.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Strbak, Allen and Cleveland.

That is soooo predictable. Brady Cleveland had 6 points all year on that powerhouse team. He hasn’t scored a goal in two years!!!

Interviewing three of the blandest defensemen out there while not interviewing three guys that actually try to do stuff. Sure these don’t mean much but is it really surprising what they are targeting here?

And you said never say never about Gulyayev.

 

[BigToe]

That is soooo predictable. Brady Cleveland had 6 points all year on that powerhouse team. He hasn’t scored a goal in two years!!!

Interviewing three of the blandest defensemen out there while not interviewing three guys that actually try to do stuff. Sure these don’t mean much but is it really surprising what they are targeting here?

And you said never say never about Gulyayev.

I know. I know. Perron was a nice surprise though. Only talked to 14 teams and we were 1.

 

[FLYguy3911]

I know. I know. Perron was a nice surprise though. Only talked to 14 teams and we were 1.

22 seems high for him. Probably going to go in the 2nd somewhere. Maaaaaybe the 3rd?

 

[BigToe]

22 seems high for him. Probably going to go in the 2nd somewhere. Maaaaaybe the 3rd?

And he'd be a steal in the 2nd or 3rd.

 

[CutOnDime97]

My final and correct rankings

2023 NHL Draft - Final Rankings - Elite Prospects

User submitted ranking at Eliteprospects.com - 2023 NHL Draft - Final Rankings

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[FatTugboatFlahr]

How far off is Michkov’s weight there?

 

[Flybynite]

I think the last time I was 148 pounds was probably like 5th grade lol.

 

[BiggE]

My top 40, Name/position/ceiling. Fair warning, I’m not an expert but I watch as much tape as I can. Please note that while some guys with higher ceilings are rated lower than others, it's because I also factor in their chance, in my opinion, of reaching that ceiling.



1. Conor Bedard C borderline generational player

2. Adam Fantilli C franchise center

3. Matvei Michkov W franchise wing

4. Will Smith C top line center

5. Leo Carlsson C/W top line forward

6. Oliver Moore C top line center

7. Zach Benson W top line wing

8. Axel Sandin-Pellikka D 2/3 Dman

9. Ryan Leonard W top 6 wing

10. Andrew Cristall W top 6 wing

11. Quentin Musty W top 6 wing

12. Brayden Yager C top 6 center

13. Gavin Brindley C top 6 center

14. Gabe Perrault W top 6 wing

15. Lukas Dragicevic D 2/3 Dman

16. Riley Heidt C top 6 center

17. Mikhail Gulyayev D top 4 D

18. Dalibor Dvorsky C middle 6 center

19. Tom Willander D top 4 D

20. Otto Stenberg C middle 6 center

21. David Reinbacher D 2nd pair D

22. Eduard Sale W middle 6 wing

23. Jayden Perron W middle 6 wing

24. Colby Barlow W middle 6 wing

25. Dmitriy Simashev D 2nd pair D

26. Nate Danielson C middle 6 center

27. Danil But W middle 6 wing

28. Cal Ritchie C middle 6 center

29. Etienne Morin D 2nd pair D

30. Bradley Nadeau W middle 6 wing

31. Michael Hrabal G elite starting goalie

32. Samuel Honzek W middle 6 wing

33. Matthew Wood W middle 6 wing

34. Luca Pinelli C middle 6 center

35. Oliver Bonk D 2nd pair D

36. Andrew Gibson D 2nd pair D

37. Nick Lardis W middle 6 wing

38. Adam Gajan G solid starting goalie

39. Ethan Gauthier W middle 6 wing

40. Theo Lindstein D 2nd pair D

 

[BernieParent]

My top 40, Name/position/ceiling. Fair warning, I’m not an expert but I watch as much tape as I can. Please note that while some guys with higher ceilings are rated lower than others, it's because I also factor in their chance, in my opinion, of reaching that ceiling.



1. Conor Bedard C borderline generational player

2. Adam Fantilli C franchise center

3. Matvei Michkov W franchise wing

4. Will Smith C top line center

5. Leo Carlsson C/W top line forward

6. Oliver Moore C top line center

7. Zach Benson W top line wing

8. Axel Sandin-Pellikka D 2/3 Dman

9. Ryan Leonard W top 6 wing

10. Andrew Cristall W top 6 wing

11. Quentin Musty W top 6 wing

12. Brayden Yager C top 6 center

13. Gavin Brindley C top 6 center

14. Gabe Perrault W top 6 wing

15. Lukas Dragicevic D 2/3 Dman

16. Riley Heidt C top 6 center

17. Mikhail Gulyayev D top 4 D

18. Dalibor Dvorsky C middle 6 center

19. Tom Willander D top 4 D

20. Otto Stenberg C middle 6 center

21. David Reinbacher D 2nd pair D

22. Eduard Sale W middle 6 wing

23. Jayden Perron W middle 6 wing

24. Colby Barlow W middle 6 wing

25. Dmitriy Simashev D 2nd pair D

26. Nate Danielson C middle 6 center

27. Danil But W middle 6 wing

28. Cal Ritchie C middle 6 center

29. Etienne Morin D 2nd pair D

30. Bradley Nadeau W middle 6 wing

31. Michael Hrabal G elite starting goalie

32. Samuel Honzek W middle 6 wing

33. Matthew Wood W middle 6 wing

34. Luca Pinelli C middle 6 center

35. Oliver Bonk D 2nd pair D

36. Andrew Gibson D 2nd pair D

37. Nick Lardis W middle 6 wing

38. Adam Gajan G solid starting goalie

39. Ethan Gauthier W middle 6 wing

40. Theo Lindstein D 2nd pair D

I would just like to know whom I will become enraged after the Flyers don't draft, please and thank you.

That's a complicated sentence. I'm not changing it. That's how enraged I am going to be.

 

[BiggE]

I would just like to know whom I will become enraged after the Flyers don't draft, please and thank you.

That's a complicated sentence. I'm not changing it. That's how enraged I am going to be.

My fear is Reinbacher or Dvorsky at 7 while passing on Moore or Benson, followed by Bonk or Stramel at 22 while passing on Willander, Heidt or Stenberg. I would need to be physically restrained at that point.