There arent many players in this draft class whove come along quite like Sandin Pellikka has in the last year or so. The beauty of Brindleys game is that while he may prove talented enough to play in a skill role at the NHL level, hes got the approach/tools to play an effective bottom-six game too. This year, wearing an A as a 17-year-old with the Generals, hes been arguably their most consistent forward while playing a key role on the penalty kill and late in games in the faceoff circle (where he is really strong). Publishing date 2022-12-21 User Anonymous Views 12926 Favorited 2 Share Embed 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - TOP 50 This had many drawbacks including the need for extensive scouting systems along with the related expense, as well the added pressure on peewee-aged players (12-13 year-olds). Paul Fischer, LHD (NTDP) He has been dominating the Swedish J20 league this year and is scoring at a higher pace right now than both Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Noah Ostlund did last year (who were drafted 15th and 16th respectively in the 2022 NHL Draft). Now that the 2023 World Juniors are firmly in the rearview mirror, it's time to take another deep-dive into the top prospects for the 2023 Draft. he wants the puck in the offensive zone and has the skill and shot to make things happen when teammates find him off the point or as the trailer off the rush. Once he refines his game some more and adds more muscle as he ages, watch out. Ethan Gauthier is one of the most consistent players in this draft class in terms of effort and habits, not just production. He has been utterly dominant at the J20 level, played big minutes when things mattered most as an underager at the world juniors (including in three overtimes) and looked himself in spot usage in the SHL. He is very intentional with his routes, offensively and defensively, which should help him stick at the centre position long term. Stenberg is never the biggest guy on the ice, but hell drop a shoulder and push his way to the dangerous areas of the ice without hesitation. Hes a good skater and should pick up another step as he gets stronger. 2022 NHL Entry Draft Rankings First Round 1. Fantilli is a big, strong, powerful kid who takes pucks from the wall to the interior with force, and ease, and speed. Viewed as a mid-round pick by most, Ciernik is a player I diverge from the public and private scouting communities on. When you spend some time watching him and asking around about him, you quickly realize why. He hasnt looked out of place against men and looks very comfortable dictating play from the flanks at even strength and on the power play. Ritchie is the complete package. He doesnt have any one skill that really pops out at you, but I find that hes good at pretty much everything. I have questions about his talent level, though. Connor Bedard has made the competition for first overall a one horse race, absolutely dominating at the World Juniors where he clearly looked several steps ahead of his competitors Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson. He keeps his head up in the neutral and defensive zones and is a confident puck carrier on exits and entries. He excels in puck battles, whether along the boards or in front of the net, even against grown men in Finland. Adam Gajan, G, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL), 55. Im less and less convinced of that. The pro build, mentality and scoring tools are very appealing though and there will be teams that fall in love with his game/makeup. Jesse Nurmi, LW (KooKoo) Id be quite surprised if he slid all the way to 16 (where I have him ranked), because a right-handed centre with his shot has a ton of value to NHL teams. He can beat you by pushing through lanes to the middle third, driving the net, or dropping a shoulder to take space that isnt there. Sign up for EP Premium to create your own ranking. 2002 Rankings. Without further ado, lets get into the January edition of my 2023 NHL Draft Rankings. . Its powerful when it needs to be and light and adjustable when it needs to be. At this point I think his offensive abilities will at least make him a power play threat even if his skating never catches up. Jacob Fowler, G (Youngstown) He works hard when hes on the ice, making high effort plays without the puck that give me more confidence that he will continue to play as a center in the NHL. He can beat you carrying the puck in rotations around the perimeter of the offensive zone. Hes got quick hands one-on-one, he drops pucks back into his shooting stance effortlessly, and hes got a beautiful curl-and-drag motion. He uses his speed and skill to blow by defenders in the neutral zone and pressure in-zone defenders who struggle to anticipate his next move. This kid is as prolific from long distance as any shooter Ive ever scouted. 4 pick in the 2019 Bantam draft (a year ahead of when most of the plethora of other top WHL names on this list were selected). Tyler Peddle, LW (Drummondville) Moores game is defined by his skating (both in straight lines, where he turns defenders with ease out wide, and in quick bursts from explosive stops and starts) and presence on the ice. It has been a few rough age groups for Russian defencemen but Gulyayevs got a chance to flip the script. Tomas Suchanek, G, Tri-City Americans (WHL), 59. His skill and power combination make him a nightmare for defenders as he can beat you with his hands or by tossing his large frame into you to protect the puck. forward. One of the most surprising junior players so far this year is Lukas Dragicevic who has put up points at well above a point per game rate in the WHL from the back end, making him the highest scoring defender in the league as of writing. Related: The NHLs Top 100 Prospects Midseason Update. Though hes currently still nursing a lower-body injury he suffered in early January, before that, it didnt take long watching this years Kelowna Rockets to realize just how much offence he creates for himself and his teammates. Tyler Bertuzzi (F) NHL. Tom Willander, RD, Rgle BK J20 (J20 Nationell), 57. Hes got everything else you look for in a dynamic play creator, too. He has produced solid offense so far this year for the USA U-18 team which is made more impressive by the fact that he is usually playing on the second line behind the Smith, Moore, Perreault trio. Hes also got an accurate shot from midrange, and regularly picks corners. We sometimes see draft-eligible D play their full draft year in a professional league. He can definitely drift a little at five-on-five but his eyes light up and his head swivels when the puck lands on his stick, and skill plays against the grain usually follow. Western Hockey League completes 2022 WHL U.S. His strength complements a competitive, physical, forechecking, middle-lane style that makes good use of his length and hard wrister from midrange. He has shown a knack for making big plays at big moments. The U18 teams first line of Smith, Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault has been piling up points and attention (deservedly so) this year, but Ive been as impressed by Moore and the offence he has created as the focal point of its second line. Brindleys a plus-level skater who gets through his extensions quickly (including from a standstill), excels on his edges, rounds corners sharply, and darts around the ice, hunting pucks and pushing through holes. Database: 1 002 208 players . And this season theres no doubt: Hes the best forward on arguably the CHLs most talented team at forward. Roman Kantserov, RW (Magnitogorsk) The SHL demands a lot of players when it comes to physicality and defensive effort, both of which Carlsson has excelled at. He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. Once the true cream of the crop in this class are gone, hes the kind of talent Id swing on in the second round. He has the potential to make a real impact in the NHL as soon as next year considering his success on both ends of the ice in Sweden thus far. Its hard to be a true top-of-the-lineup forward at his size, though, and I think he projects more as a complementary scorer who gives a lineup a bit of a different look. 2 in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft with the pick between Bedard and Yager (he and Yager were actually teammates in minor hockey), is a talented and hardworking playmaker who keeps himself involved in the play off the puck and then makes plays between battles in possession of the puck. The top pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, Musty is one the focal points of the Wolves offence and would be their leader in shots on goal, assists and points were it not for a few weeks lost in January to a hand injury (following up on a strong showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer). Etienne Morin, LD, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL), 50. Hes not the hardest-working working player defensively, nor the fastest skater, but he always seems to be lurking around the play (and the puck) anyways and his skill level pops from there. On top of it all, hes physical, hes strong in the faceoff circle, hell get after it on forecheck and track pucks, he plays with energy, hell pounce on turnovers and be opportunistic. Hes got quick hands and instincts, with standout puck control and shading. He has been off to a hot start this season, averaging just under a goal per game. Subscribe Now. But after looking like one of the most talented players in Germany for U18 worlds, and then in Red Deer for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and now producing in the Czech Extraliga, he looks closer to a special Czech talent with real top-10 aspirations than he does to interesting prospect-who-torched-a-bad-league. Watch out for Stenberg in the last months of the season, hes been playing better and better and I think hell go in the first round despite his lack of production in the SHL this year. With the World Junior Hockey Championship coming. Id eagerly bet on him. Ive said it before and Ill say it again: Bedard can do things with the puck that nobody else in the sport can replicate. I think the former outcome is the more likely, which is why Id probably steer clear of him in the teens (where some believe he belongs). This year, after getting off to a bit of a slow start (one goal and five points in his first eight games), he has really come on. 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - TOP 50 - Elite Prospects 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - TOP 50 Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. With a hot start in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) as a 17-year-old Leo Carlsson has shot up draft boards and quickly made the top tier of the draft a four-player group. Denver Barkey, C (London) Oliver Moore is one of the best skaters in this draft class with blazing speed and solid agility. Elite Prospects - CCHL Bantam Protected Draft 2023. That will limit concerns about his height (he certainly hasnt played small in his freshman year so far). Related: The NHLs Best Farm Systems Ranked Midseason Update. Connor Levis, RW (Kamloops) He goes to the front of the net and will bail out to make effort plays. Welcome to my March ranking of the top 64 prospects eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft. There he excelled as the team's number one d-man . This top 64 is made up of 46 forwards, 17 defencemen and one goaltender. Its impossible not to. Problem-solving. The BCHLs leading scorer while playing on a line with his older brother Josh (a playerI vouched for as a worthy late-round flier ahead of last years draft), Nadeau is a multi-dimensional forward whose hands, skating, and shooting all get very high grades. Leonard is a prospect thateveryonelikes. Beyond his natural skill in possession, he also impresses with his smarts with the puck, his cerebral play style, and his ability to play to his linemates. There was a time when folks thought Musty was the best American-born 2005 prospect and while thats no longer the case theres still a lot to get excited about. 2022 WHL Prospects Draft - First Round Order of Selection 1) Medicine Hat Tigers 2) Tri-City Americans 3) Victoria Royals 4) Calgary Hitmen 5) Swift Current Broncos 6) Regina Pats 7) Vancouver Giants 8) Spokane Chiefs 9) Prince George Cougars 10) Prince Albert Raiders 11) Lethbridge Hurricanes 12) Brandon Wheat Kings 13) Saskatoon Blades I think hell stick at centre, too (nice to see him at 53 percent in the circle so far this year). Trending Players. His head is always up and on a swivel and he does a good job pre-surveying the ice when hes going back to get pucks through frequent shoulder checks. He has learned to use some clever movement patterns to make defencemen miss and get to his spots as a shooter. The way that Fantilli plays wouldnt really fly in the SHL where you need to be dependable at all times, and Carlssons maturity, reliability, and his clear understanding of what makes him great are the reasons he has succeeded in a top pro league as a teenager. A Maine Black Bears commit, Nadeau creates offence in a variety of ways, bursting wide or pulling away from defenders in transition with his quick feet, taking the puck right at or through coverage with his maneuverability, or leaning into a pinpoint shot (whether off of catch-and-releases, standstill shooting mechanics off the flank on the power play or through his one-timer which the Vees have tried to open by playing him, a right-handed shot, on his off-wing this season). Hes a strong, pro-built, physically mature winger (some of which is a benefit of his 2004 birthday, but some of which is obviously a credit to the work he has put into filling out his frame he really does look sturdy) who likes to shoot the puck and shoots it hard, but also regularly beats defenders and goalies one-on-one with a slick set of hands across his body so that they cant plan for the shot. Hes a first-round talent. Im not talking about him compared to other prospects in this draft. For the 2010 bantam draft, players born in 1995 may be selected. Check out his skating and awareness! Only time will tell if they can do the same for him as a pro. Fantilli is currently averaging about one and a half points per game on a University of Michigan team filled to the brim with talent. He has also shown a little more fire. Zach Benson is one of the most skilled and creative players in this draft, and the only things holding him back from being a true top-five contender is his size and his underwhelming speed. Carey Terrance, C (Erie) For all the talk about how strong the 2022 draft class was for Slovakia, Dvorsky leads another excellent group into 2023. Dvorsky is a highly-talented and intelligent playmaker who can threaten defenders and coverage in a variety of ways, whether thats carving them up in control and finishing cleanly from the home plate area, or sliding off of coverage to find pockets of space to get open into. Its all there. I dont think hes going to become the kind of star that youre hoping to get when you draft him in the 5-7 range that some expected him to land in this year, but hes got 2C, PP1 upside if he can fill out his game and continue to add dimension. ), but he has shown that his timing and puck protection skills are strong enough for him to succeed in college. Thank you for your interest in our network of websites, newsletters, and other services. The Chiefs hold the first-overall selection, as determined by the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft Lottery on June 2, 2021. Publishing date 2022-10-13 User Anonymous Views 18875 Favorited 3 Share Embed 2023 WHL Draft Rankings This draft class marks a decade of me doing this work, and I still believe this 2023 group is rivalled only by 2015 among the talent pools Ive scouted to date. Leschyshyn played junior hockey for the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League, serving as . The midseason ranking divides into six tiers. Cameron Allen, RD, Guelph Storm (OHL), 62. He loves attacking defenders and beating them in one-on-one skill battles. WHL Bantam Draft: December Top 22 - #5 - #1 January 1, 2021 | In General, WHL Draft | By Ashley It's The Final Countdown!!!! While that bent-sideways cannon that he has off of his right hip is his defining quality, its not the only tool he has that is singular, either. Hes consistent shift-to-shift and game-to-game and while he might lack the dynamism of some of the players in front of him here, he can make plays in a variety of ways on and off the puck and the ice usually tilts in his teams favor when hes out there. The following WHL stars were not selected in the WHL Bantam Draft but were added to a WHL Club PPL at a later date: Jarome Iginla, Darcy Tucker, Dan Hamhuis, Scottie Upshall, Joffrey Lupul, Jeff Woywitka, and Shane Doan, just to name a few. Logan Cooley2. He is on the younger side of the draft class with a July birthday so he has plenty of time to grow into the potential that he has shown thus far and increase his draft stock. Yager is a prospect that I fully expect to still be drafted very early on draft day, I just havent been that impressed with his game this year. Mikhail Gulyayev is an intelligent offensively minded defenseman who has found moderate success in the top Russian pro leagues this year while dominating the Russian junior circuit whenever he plays against his peers. Im prepared to stick my neck out on Perreault at this point. The way he dodges checks and evades pressure is impressive, but the way he attacks the middle of the ice is what I like most about him. However, his real calling card is his shot which ranks near the top of the draft class in terms of deception and power. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Hell make plays through seams. Players from non-North American countries are allowed to be added in the CHL Import Draft which is held in June. Luke Hughes3-50 (plus full evaluations, 55 honourable mentions, player tiers, and more at @TheAthletic): https://t.co/JpsFEKs7Ax, Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) February 13, 2023. Before the season began, many people saw Otto Stenberg as a top-10 prospect for this draft following his incredible performance for Team Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Tristan Bertucci, LHD (Flint) Connor Bedard, C, Regina (WHL), 5-foot-10, 187 pounds. 3 in advance of any draft and the best Russian prospect since Alex Ovechkin. When you package all of that skill with a dogged work ethic that keeps him around pucks all the time, and youve gota tremendous player. Though hes not big, he plays hard and engages in battles in the defensive zone with some sneaky strength. There are times when he can wait too long to make his decisions and I wouldnt call him creative, but he makes good choices more often than hes careless with it and he has progressed really rapidly for a kid who doesnt turn 18 until a couple of weeks from now. Hes also a strong skater who is light on his edges, builds speed quickly into flight to put defenders on their heels and/or create separation, leads a lot of neutral-zone carries into entries, and makes plays into space for himself or his linemates at pace. Holding steady at about two points per game, Cristall has already shown improvements following his impressive 69-point WHL rookie season last year. I wondered if my thoughts were altered by the late start and had an effect on how I viewed. But at this point in time theres also only one player in the history of the U.S. NTDP who has produced at a higher points per game clip in their draft year than Perreault has this season: Jack Hughes. And while his game is bullish, hes also got surprising soft skill. Hell make plays to the inside from the perimeter on one shift, and then go right to the guts of the ice to make something happen in a congested area the next. I believe Austrian defender David Reinbacher is the best defenseman in the 2023 Draft class right now and an argument could be made that he could be ranked as high as the top-10. Hes got impressive shooting mechanics given how long his stick is, and regularly pulls pucks into his feet to change his angle face-up against goalies. He has gone from point-per-game U17 season (the only player on that team to do so) to nearly two points per game in his U18 campaign. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. Maxim Strbak, RD, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL), 40. While there are some great prospects in the top-five of the draft, theres no doubt that Bedard is the reason teams are tanking. Reinbacher is looking like a potential top-four mainstay in the NHL with exciting defensive potential. A hand injury kept Moore out of action late last year and prevented him from likely playing at U18 worlds as an underager, but he impressed me on three trips down to Plymouth these last two years (last November when he was already playing up, this fall for U18 Five Nations, and this winter for the BioSteel All-American Game. Regardless, it is always impressive to see a draft-year player earning serious minutes in the KHL, especially a defenseman, and Simashev might just have the highest defensive potential in the whole draft. Its not often we see players his size who can move like him. The six lowest-place teams involved in the lottery include the Swift Current Broncos, Moose Jaw Warriors,. Theres a lot to work with though. Id like to see him pick up a bit more of an acceleration gear from a standstill (his stride can look a little short/stunted/heavy), and fill the scoresheet a little more (though the talent around him has something to do with that too), but theres a lot to like. His skating is balanced. Gabriel Szturc, C (Kelowna) Hes got really quick side-to-side hands, a hardshot that rattles off of his stick, and quick crossover patterns that allow him to use those hands to get to places where he can look to shoot. He wants to hang onto the puck and make plays but hell also hurry it up and dominate in and out of give-and-goes. Hes got superb vision and ranks among the best in the class at dissecting coverage as a passer. Adam Fantilli is an absolute monster with the puck, with the skill, skating, and strength to beat defenders no matter how they attack him. Without further ado, let's get to the 2023 draft board. When he plays with pace and intention, hes both effective and flashes his skill in all three zones. 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game Joel Henderson. Arttu Karki, LD, Tappara U20 (U20 SM-sarja), 49. pic.twitter.com/ZNwH9wYcC0. Catton is the early front runner for 1st overall in next years WHL bantam draft and has recently been granted exceptional player status to play up in Midget AAA next year for the Saskatoon Contacts as a underage player. If this werent a draft that also featured Bedard and Benson, he was in the midst of one of the most productive draft-eligible seasons in recent WHL history (pacing to outproduce, for example, the 106 in 69 that 2011 No. The WHL Bantam Draft is only one step in this process. I cant think of a first overall pick so far above the rest of the competition since Connor McDavid back in 2015, of course some tried to argue for Jack Eichel (as they do now for Adam Fantilli), but that argument doesnt hold up well. Good luck taking the puck away from him because he can easily move around you with his excellent skating or truck through you with his solid 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame. Hes not just the energy guy though either. Theres his variety of shooting stances above and beyond that pop off of his hip (right down to his curl-and-drag, his one-timer, and his feel off of his backhand). He too often looks like the third guy on his line. His gifts in control of the puck are undeniable. After the season, the WHL holds a draft specifically to allow teams to add bantam players in an orderly manner to their protected lists. Fantilli is currently authoring one of the most impressive draft eligible NCAA seasons in recent memory with the only competition being Jack Eichels dominant 2014-15 season where he put up 71 points in 40 games. He has a great shot, but more often than not he scores goals because he slipped his defender and managed to find the space and time necessary to score a goal. Now that the 2023 World Juniors are firmly in the rearview mirror, its time to take another deep-dive into the top prospects for the 2023 Draft. Adam Gajan, G (Chippewa/Green Bay) Bedard has crushed all expectations this year and has firmly planted himself in the first overall position. The way he drops the puck into the middle of his stance and then explodes it off of his blade almost without any forward motion to indicate the shots coming is remarkable. He also hunts pucks and applies pressure with the best of them, and his motor doesnt stop, bouncing from one won battle to the next. After being selected 10th overall in the 2022 CHL Import Draft by the Vancouver Giants, Samuel Honzek has done nothing but impress in his first season in North America. NHL Entry Draft -3004 - full list of selections with facts and stats. Hes an entry machine driving play through the neutral zone and across the line in control. Hes got unbelievably quick hands and the loose grip that all great handlers have. And while he may not be a driver on a top-six line, its not hard to imagine him as a first- or second-line playmaker who makes finishing plays off of a drivers work and does damage on PP1. And he likes to try to take D one-on-one, which can result in some high-end plays but also some turnovers. Axel Sandin Pellikka is a right-handed offensive defenseman who has put up points at a remarkable rate in J20 Nationell, the top Swedish junior league. Barlow plays a direct, intentional game built around great hands, a physically mature pro frame, and an NHL shot (he can cleanly beat goalies from mid-range). Max Domi (F) I dont see a lot to nitpick in either his tools or his approach. Luca Cagnoni, LD, Portland Winterhawks (WHL), 38. Hedid that after notching five points in five games at lastyears Hlinka Gretzky Cup as a young 16-year-old, too. His skating is a bit of a weakness with less-than-ideal speed, but he more than makes up for it with his offensive creativity and hands. Although he is just 5-foot-9, Perron is earning more and more buzz as a potential first rounder due to his excellent skating, playmaking, and offensive awareness. Expectations were unfairly high for Connor Bedard coming into his draft year, with the generational talent label floating around in many draft conversations. About 2023 Draft Nhl Prospects . 2022 WHL Prospects Draft Results - First Round #1 - Medicine Hat Tigers Name: Gavin McKenna Position: Forward Hometown: Whitehorse, Yukon Team: Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna U18 Prep Stats: 35 GP - 23G-42A-65 points #2 - Tri-City Americans Name: Jackson Smith Position: Defence Hometown: Calgary, Alta. Note: Though I consult scouts, coaches, general managers, team staff, and agents in building my draft boards, the following evaluations are strictly my own.
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