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Only Russia stuff. Not on-ice anything. I’m just a risk-averse lilyliver.
Post your 2023 Draft List
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Talent alone?
1. Bedard
2. Michkov
3. Fantilli
4. Carlsson
5. Smith
6. Benson
7. Reinbacher
8. Sandin-Pellika
9. Dvorsky
10. Leonard
Can't wait for U18.
1. Bedard
2. Michkov
3. Fantilli
4. Carlsson
5. Smith
6. Benson
7. Reinbacher
8. Sandin-Pellika
9. Dvorsky
10. Leonard
Can't wait for U18.
95snipes
Registered User
- Dec 11, 2019
- 1,110
- 1,451
Wheeler put out a post U18 list
theathletic.com
Scott Wheeler's 2023 NHL Draft ranking, post-U18 worlds edition
Headed by phenom Connor Bedard, Scott Wheeler breaks down the top 32 prospects of the second-best draft class he's ever scouted.
theathletic.com
My rankings will change a bit, but feel pretty good about this still. Even more conviction on Willander. Cristall will drop for me.
Doug Prishpreed
Registered User
If he was a center, no one would have him outside the top 2 or 3 -- even the haters.
If I get the rare chance to pick in the top 3, I have a hard time taking a small winger, no matter how good, unless I expect to be picking that high for a few years. You get that chance like once per decade, if that.
I'd take him at 3, but I understand why a team might be slightly nervous for reasons other than him being Russian.
Castle8130
Registered User
- May 9, 2017
- 3,170
- 2,753
Whats his top 10? I know there's a paywall so I'm not sure if you are supposed to or not.Wheeler put out a post U18 list
Scott Wheeler's 2023 NHL Draft ranking, post-U18 worlds edition
Headed by phenom Connor Bedard, Scott Wheeler breaks down the top 32 prospects of the second-best draft class he's ever scouted.
My rankings will change a bit, but feel pretty good about this still. Even more conviction on Willander. Cristall will drop for me.
Kevin Musto
Hard for Bedard
- Feb 16, 2018
- 23,218
- 29,907
Gabe Perreault is at 8, so it's not worth reading
Final draft list for 2023 draft, only had chance to watch final weekend of u18 games due to work causing lot of busy time so that had no major impact expect couple of Swedish guys rising to end of first round. Top 10 is pretty much same as it has been for a while. Some tinkering for t4 mostly this time around.
I have some extra bets on Yager, Heidt and Ziemmer and Molendyk. I don't care that much about size except as a final factor if I can't decide otherwise. I care more about being able to play high pace game and having some playdriving & skill to match that pace.
Biggest faller was Cristall. His U18 was nothing special and playoffs were kinda meh as well kinda underlining my concerns about his game translating to NHL level. Still great prospect but he is quite big boom or bust guy.
Notably no Finns in first round. Hämeenaho and Halttunen are probably early second rounders and Emil Järventie is probably late second/early third rounder.
tier 1
1 connor bedard
tier 2
2 adam fantilli
3 leo carlsson
4 matvei michkov
5 will smith
tier 3
6 brayden yager
7 riley heidt
8 oliver moore
9 zach benson
10 david reinbacher
tier 4
11 ryan leonard
12 nate danielson
13 koehn ziemmer
14 axel sandin pellikka
15 matthew wood
16 colby barlow
17 calum ritchie
18 andrew cristall
tier 5
19 mikhail gulyayev
20 tanner molendyk
21 gabe perreault
22 gavin brindley
23 dalibor dvorsky
24 quentin musty
tier 6
25 eduard sale
26 samuel honzek
27 lukas dragicevic
28 daniil but
29 tom willander
30 william whitelaw
31 nick lardis
32 otto stenberg
I have some extra bets on Yager, Heidt and Ziemmer and Molendyk. I don't care that much about size except as a final factor if I can't decide otherwise. I care more about being able to play high pace game and having some playdriving & skill to match that pace.
Biggest faller was Cristall. His U18 was nothing special and playoffs were kinda meh as well kinda underlining my concerns about his game translating to NHL level. Still great prospect but he is quite big boom or bust guy.
Notably no Finns in first round. Hämeenaho and Halttunen are probably early second rounders and Emil Järventie is probably late second/early third rounder.
tier 1
1 connor bedard
tier 2
2 adam fantilli
3 leo carlsson
4 matvei michkov
5 will smith
tier 3
6 brayden yager
7 riley heidt
8 oliver moore
9 zach benson
10 david reinbacher
tier 4
11 ryan leonard
12 nate danielson
13 koehn ziemmer
14 axel sandin pellikka
15 matthew wood
16 colby barlow
17 calum ritchie
18 andrew cristall
tier 5
19 mikhail gulyayev
20 tanner molendyk
21 gabe perreault
22 gavin brindley
23 dalibor dvorsky
24 quentin musty
tier 6
25 eduard sale
26 samuel honzek
27 lukas dragicevic
28 daniil but
29 tom willander
30 william whitelaw
31 nick lardis
32 otto stenberg
Last edited:
Castle8130
Registered User
- May 9, 2017
- 3,170
- 2,753
I mean that's not too unrealistic. Perreault is likely in the top 12 of a lot of scouts after his u18 performance.Gabe Perreault is at 8, so it's not worth reading
Kevin Musto
Hard for Bedard
- Feb 16, 2018
- 23,218
- 29,907
What Perreault did at the U18s is exactly what he's done all year.
Bumping him up 10 spots post-U18s is a self admission that you didn't watch him in the regular season.
And the U18s tournament still highlighted the warts that has kept him outside the top 15 all year.
Castle8130
Registered User
- May 9, 2017
- 3,170
- 2,753
I guess I have to agree to disagree. I thought he flashed a lot more of his skill than he did in the middle of the season. Showed his ability to use quick, agile movements to cut across the center of the ice with the puck. Turned the puck over at a lesser frequency. Basically an increased ability in different facets of his game.
Kevin Musto
Hard for Bedard
- Feb 16, 2018
- 23,218
- 29,907
Playing against 17 year olds, I would sure hope he turns the puck over less than he does against college teams lol
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Yunno, I don’t often agree with you on prospects, but I actually do here.
Perreault was great all season despite certain warts that make me slightly wary of him. I had him at 18 before the U18’s and I still do afterward. People moving him up now are the people who didn’t watch all season and assumed he was a product of Leonard and Smith and are only now figuring out that Perreault is a great player in his own right. I don’t have him nearly as high as I do the other two, and I don’t think he’s as good of an NHL prospect due to certain flaws, but he’s a great player at the U18 level.
johnnystormcgy
Registered User
- May 26, 2007
- 530
- 276
What are those warts, in terms of stats he should definitely be a top 10 pick.
I'm curious why people are keeping him out of it.
Gregor Samsa
Registered User
- Sep 5, 2020
- 4,721
- 5,413
With the U18's complete, here's my stab at the 2023 draft rankings (1st round only). Brief stylistic comparisons and projections included:
Player - Position - Potential - Point Projection - Stylistic Comparable - Notes
1. Bedard - C - Top-5 player - 100+ points - Joe Sakic mixed with Patty Kane - Dynamic sniper, sneaky edgework, elite skill.
2. Michkov - RW - Top-5 goalscoer - 100+ points - Nikita Kucherov - Intelligent, high-skilled player who excels at darting into space in the offensive zone. Can score from anywhere. Potential 50 goal scorer.
3. Fantilli - C - Top-10 centre - 90+ points - Jonathan Toews - High-end physical tools + aggressive + solid hockey sense.
4. Carlsson - C/LW - Top-10 centre - 90+ points - Filip Forsberg - High degree of drive + skill. Uses his body to protect the puck very well.
5. Smith - C - #1 centre - 80+ points - Trevor Zegras - Creative, controls the pace of the game, which can sometimes cause him to look slow. Can lack on defensive effort, but is an offensive wizard.
6. Benson - LW/RW - Play-driving 1st line winger - 80+ points - Brayden Point - Workhorse with high-end skill. Above average straight-line speed, but elite edges. Small, but tenacious.
7. Reinbacher - RD - Top-pair defenceman - 40 points - Alex Pietrangelo - Above-average puck skills. Very good distance passer and decision maker. Above average skater with room to improve pivots. Great reach and overall defensive play.
8. Leonard - RW/C - Complementary 1st line winer - 70 points - Zach Parise - Elite motor, high-end shot and puck skills. Good two-way player who plays like a smaller power forward.
9. Moore - C - High-end #2 centre - 65 points - Dylan Larkin - Best skater in the draft, with a willingness to play inside the dots. Good puck skills and passing. Above average hockey IQ.
10. Dvorsky - C - High-end #2 centre - 60 points - Anze Kopitar - Advanced defensive game, great shot, but needs time to get it off. Above average puck skills. Heavy feet, but ok speed once he gets going.
11. Cristell - LW - Complementary 1st line winger or bust - 75+ points or bust - Claude Giroux - Elite puck skills, highly creative. Fantastic passer with a great shot. One of the best players in the offensive zone, though he can force plays. Good edges but average separation and top speed.
12. Sandin-Pellikka - RD - Offensive #3 defenceman - 50+ points - Quinn Hughes - Elite skater, including great four-way mobility. Play-driver from the backend, with good vision and passing. Typically good decision-making; prone to some lapses. Average defensively.
13. Barlow - LW - 1st/2nd line power forward - 60 points - Mason McTavish - High-end shot and physical tools. Plays a direct game with above-average skating. Above-average hockey IQ, but probably won't be the primary creator on his line.
14. Wood - 1st line power forward or bust - 75+ points or bust - Jason Robertson - High-end tools, including shot, size, and puck skills. Incredibly intelligent player. Below-average acceleration and average top speed. Skating could limit his upside, or he could become the next Jason Robertson.
15. Perrault - Complimentary 1st line winger - 60 points - Jake Guentzel - Not the biggest or the fastest, but the hockey IQ is near the top of the class, and he has good skill. Wide spread on this player, but he's too smart to fail.
16. Yager - 1st/2nd line sniper - 60 points - Mike Hoffman - Great shot and good skating, but plays a bit too much on the perimeter, leading to inconsistencies in creating. Average/above-average hockey IQ.
17. Danielson - #2 two-way centre - 50 points - Anthony Cirelli - Prototypical two-way #2C. Very responsible player who is a jack of all trades. Good, but not great at everything.
18. Sale - RW - 1st line offensive winger or bust - 65+ points or bust - Taylor Hall - Great individual puck skills and speed. More of a playmaker, but has a good shot - needs to use it more. Very inconsistent - can disappear for games at a time and then look like the best player on the ice.
19. Heidt - LW/C - 2nd line playmaker - 55 points - Nick Schmaltz - Great passer and playdriver from the centre or wing. Good mobility, especially carrying the puck in transition. He has high-end hockey IQ, and should play C at the next level. Despite low goal totals, he is a good one-timer option on the PP.
20. Simashev - LD - #3-4 shutdown defenceman - 25 points - Jonas Siegenthaler - Big shutdown defenceman with a good stick, above average skating & physicality, and some offensive upside. Potential the best defensive player in the draft.
21. Brindley - 2nd line pest - 50 points - Brad Marchand - Tenacious player with a high-end motor and good puck skills. Great at puck retrievals and keeping plays alive in the offensive zone.
22. Honzek - C/LW - 2nd line powerforward - 50 points - Danius Zubrus - Plus size and above-average skating. Doesn't shy away from the middle of the ice, especially the front of the net. Can be inconsistent and needs to work on his defensive play.
23. Willander - RD - #3-4 two-way defenceman - 30 points - Anton Stralman - Very efficient player with good mobility, decision-making, and passing. Isn't flashy, but always seems to make the right play. Could improve his
24. Ritchie - C - #2 two-way centre - 50 points - Ryan O'Reilly - Above average in everything except average skating.
25. Stenburg - C - #2 two-way centre - 50+ points - Philip Danault - Good two-way player with above-average skating and hands. Likes the puck on his stick and excels in transition. Plus shot from range.
26. Gulyayev - LD - #4 offensive defenceman - 50+ points - Tyson Barrie - Elite skater with high-end offensive tools, including stickhandling and passing in the offensive zone. Loves to join the rush, and can get back due to his elite speed. In-zone defending and strength need improvement.
27. Sawchyn - C - Middle-six energy forward - 45 points - JG Pageau - High-end motor and good passing, especially in tight spaces. He's a tenacious forechecker who can play higher in the lineup due to his hockey IQ and good skill base, though may be limited by his size.
28. Musty - LW - Top-6 playmaker or bust - 55+ points or bust - Benoit Pouliot - Above-average individual skill, creativity, and vision. Struggles with inconsistency, physicality, and skating - especially his acceleration.
29. Ziemmer - RW - Top-6 power forward - 50 points - Timo Meier - Excellent at using his size to protect the puck and drive the net. Has a great shot, good IQ and passing ability, but can lack explosiveness.
30. Lindstein - LD - #4 two-way defenceman - 30 points - Henri Jokiharju - Smooth skating defender with a big shot, but can struggle under pressure with his decision-making.
31. But - LW - Top-6 power forward or bust - 50+ points or bust - Evgeni Malkin - Massive physical player with good puck skills and a hard, but inaccurate shot. He's very raw, and has an awkward stride that doesn't generate much power, leading to poor acceleration but decent top speed. Honestly could go anywhere from 10-50.
32. Gauthier - RW - Middle-six pest - 40 points - Mike Richards - Good motor, especially on the forecheck. He is relentless, and an intelligent two-way player. Average skating and skills limit upside, but he's hard to play against.
1. Bedard - C - Top-5 player - 100+ points - Joe Sakic mixed with Patty Kane - Dynamic sniper, sneaky edgework, elite skill.
2. Michkov - RW - Top-5 goalscoer - 100+ points - Nikita Kucherov - Intelligent, high-skilled player who excels at darting into space in the offensive zone. Can score from anywhere. Potential 50 goal scorer.
3. Fantilli - C - Top-10 centre - 90+ points - Jonathan Toews - High-end physical tools + aggressive + solid hockey sense.
4. Carlsson - C/LW - Top-10 centre - 90+ points - Filip Forsberg - High degree of drive + skill. Uses his body to protect the puck very well.
5. Smith - C - #1 centre - 80+ points - Trevor Zegras - Creative, controls the pace of the game, which can sometimes cause him to look slow. Can lack on defensive effort, but is an offensive wizard.
6. Benson - LW/RW - Play-driving 1st line winger - 80+ points - Brayden Point - Workhorse with high-end skill. Above average straight-line speed, but elite edges. Small, but tenacious.
7. Reinbacher - RD - Top-pair defenceman - 40 points - Alex Pietrangelo - Above-average puck skills. Very good distance passer and decision maker. Above average skater with room to improve pivots. Great reach and overall defensive play.
8. Leonard - RW/C - Complementary 1st line winer - 70 points - Zach Parise - Elite motor, high-end shot and puck skills. Good two-way player who plays like a smaller power forward.
9. Moore - C - High-end #2 centre - 65 points - Dylan Larkin - Best skater in the draft, with a willingness to play inside the dots. Good puck skills and passing. Above average hockey IQ.
10. Dvorsky - C - High-end #2 centre - 60 points - Anze Kopitar - Advanced defensive game, great shot, but needs time to get it off. Above average puck skills. Heavy feet, but ok speed once he gets going.
11. Cristell - LW - Complementary 1st line winger or bust - 75+ points or bust - Claude Giroux - Elite puck skills, highly creative. Fantastic passer with a great shot. One of the best players in the offensive zone, though he can force plays. Good edges but average separation and top speed.
12. Sandin-Pellikka - RD - Offensive #3 defenceman - 50+ points - Quinn Hughes - Elite skater, including great four-way mobility. Play-driver from the backend, with good vision and passing. Typically good decision-making; prone to some lapses. Average defensively.
13. Barlow - LW - 1st/2nd line power forward - 60 points - Mason McTavish - High-end shot and physical tools. Plays a direct game with above-average skating. Above-average hockey IQ, but probably won't be the primary creator on his line.
14. Wood - 1st line power forward or bust - 75+ points or bust - Jason Robertson - High-end tools, including shot, size, and puck skills. Incredibly intelligent player. Below-average acceleration and average top speed. Skating could limit his upside, or he could become the next Jason Robertson.
15. Perrault - Complimentary 1st line winger - 60 points - Jake Guentzel - Not the biggest or the fastest, but the hockey IQ is near the top of the class, and he has good skill. Wide spread on this player, but he's too smart to fail.
16. Yager - 1st/2nd line sniper - 60 points - Mike Hoffman - Great shot and good skating, but plays a bit too much on the perimeter, leading to inconsistencies in creating. Average/above-average hockey IQ.
17. Danielson - #2 two-way centre - 50 points - Anthony Cirelli - Prototypical two-way #2C. Very responsible player who is a jack of all trades. Good, but not great at everything.
18. Sale - RW - 1st line offensive winger or bust - 65+ points or bust - Taylor Hall - Great individual puck skills and speed. More of a playmaker, but has a good shot - needs to use it more. Very inconsistent - can disappear for games at a time and then look like the best player on the ice.
19. Heidt - LW/C - 2nd line playmaker - 55 points - Nick Schmaltz - Great passer and playdriver from the centre or wing. Good mobility, especially carrying the puck in transition. He has high-end hockey IQ, and should play C at the next level. Despite low goal totals, he is a good one-timer option on the PP.
20. Simashev - LD - #3-4 shutdown defenceman - 25 points - Jonas Siegenthaler - Big shutdown defenceman with a good stick, above average skating & physicality, and some offensive upside. Potential the best defensive player in the draft.
21. Brindley - 2nd line pest - 50 points - Brad Marchand - Tenacious player with a high-end motor and good puck skills. Great at puck retrievals and keeping plays alive in the offensive zone.
22. Honzek - C/LW - 2nd line powerforward - 50 points - Danius Zubrus - Plus size and above-average skating. Doesn't shy away from the middle of the ice, especially the front of the net. Can be inconsistent and needs to work on his defensive play.
23. Willander - RD - #3-4 two-way defenceman - 30 points - Anton Stralman - Very efficient player with good mobility, decision-making, and passing. Isn't flashy, but always seems to make the right play. Could improve his
24. Ritchie - C - #2 two-way centre - 50 points - Ryan O'Reilly - Above average in everything except average skating.
25. Stenburg - C - #2 two-way centre - 50+ points - Philip Danault - Good two-way player with above-average skating and hands. Likes the puck on his stick and excels in transition. Plus shot from range.
26. Gulyayev - LD - #4 offensive defenceman - 50+ points - Tyson Barrie - Elite skater with high-end offensive tools, including stickhandling and passing in the offensive zone. Loves to join the rush, and can get back due to his elite speed. In-zone defending and strength need improvement.
27. Sawchyn - C - Middle-six energy forward - 45 points - JG Pageau - High-end motor and good passing, especially in tight spaces. He's a tenacious forechecker who can play higher in the lineup due to his hockey IQ and good skill base, though may be limited by his size.
28. Musty - LW - Top-6 playmaker or bust - 55+ points or bust - Benoit Pouliot - Above-average individual skill, creativity, and vision. Struggles with inconsistency, physicality, and skating - especially his acceleration.
29. Ziemmer - RW - Top-6 power forward - 50 points - Timo Meier - Excellent at using his size to protect the puck and drive the net. Has a great shot, good IQ and passing ability, but can lack explosiveness.
30. Lindstein - LD - #4 two-way defenceman - 30 points - Henri Jokiharju - Smooth skating defender with a big shot, but can struggle under pressure with his decision-making.
31. But - LW - Top-6 power forward or bust - 50+ points or bust - Evgeni Malkin - Massive physical player with good puck skills and a hard, but inaccurate shot. He's very raw, and has an awkward stride that doesn't generate much power, leading to poor acceleration but decent top speed. Honestly could go anywhere from 10-50.
32. Gauthier - RW - Middle-six pest - 40 points - Mike Richards - Good motor, especially on the forecheck. He is relentless, and an intelligent two-way player. Average skating and skills limit upside, but he's hard to play against.
Last edited:
superdeluxe
NAFO
Sawchyn has surprised me a bit, hes a bit more gritty/scrappy then I thought he would be.
Mathieukferland
Registered User
Scott Wheeler's 2023 NHL Draft ranking, post-U18 worlds edition
Headed by phenom Connor Bedard, Scott Wheeler breaks down the top 32 prospects of the second-best draft class he's ever scouted.
theathletic.com
95snipes
Registered User
- Dec 11, 2019
- 1,110
- 1,451
2023 NHL Draft: Connor Bedard No. 1, Will Smith rises in Corey Pronman's latest ranking
Connor Bedard leads Corey Pronman's ranking of the top prospects at the 2023 NHL Draft, while Will Smith moves up the list.
theathletic.com
Other than Benson, I agree with Pronman on almost everything here.
Perreault high
Willander high
Cristall low
Moore low
Heidt low
Simashev is high for my liking and Sale is lower than I'd have him, but I get where he's coming from with those evaluations.
Slats432
Registered User
- Jun 2, 2002
- 15,560
- 4,114
I agree. I am sure tons of guys got hammered for suggesting Stutzle was number one on their board, and right now, they look right.
1.Bedard
2.Michov
3.Fantili
4. Carlsson
5. Smith
6. Reinbacher
7.Benson
8.Wood
9. Dvorsky
10. Moore
11. ASP
12. Leonard
13. Yager
14. Sale
2.Michov
3.Fantili
4. Carlsson
5. Smith
6. Reinbacher
7.Benson
8.Wood
9. Dvorsky
10. Moore
11. ASP
12. Leonard
13. Yager
14. Sale
Castle8130
Registered User
- May 9, 2017
- 3,170
- 2,753
Just purchased the athletic to get through the annoying paywall. Some notables for pronmans:
Zach Benson at #17
Andrew Cristall not ranked in the top 37
Dmitri Smashev at #10
I don't know how much I'm allowed to giveaway, so I'll stop there.
Zach Benson at #17
Andrew Cristall not ranked in the top 37
Dmitri Smashev at #10
I don't know how much I'm allowed to giveaway, so I'll stop there.
GlassesJacketShirt
Registered User
I was able to access the page without a subscription somehow, maybe it's a thing where the first viewing on a new comp allowed for a freebie?
Pronman got burned by the likes of Jonathan Drouin so hard, he seems to have somewhat overcorrected his analysis.
Lavar Ball
Neva Lost
Just Linda
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2018
- 6,962
- 6,999
I remember my list for that draft.
I believe I had:
Byfield, Raymond, Drysdale as my top 3, Rossi outside my top 10. I think I had Askarov at 5 or 6. I also had the entire first round as being much weaker than the 2019 draft.
People were really resistant to any critisism of Lafreniere that draft. I think he was the first top prospect I've seen that was as flawed as he was while being as immune to critisism as he was.
- Apr 3, 2012
- 12,941
- 12,562
All of that should be reason enough for you to unsubscribe.
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