If he can become a second-pairing offensively-inclined defenceman at even strength, and a PP1 QB, that has value in the middle of the first round. The U17 teams leader in assists and points last year, Perreault has played to nearly two points per game with the U18 team this year. When they got to the 2007-born player class, many had admitted to me that they had understandably focused all their attention on the 2006-born class from September to December so after a few. Hes going to be an NHLer. Scouts are having a tough time slotting him due primarily to so-so production this season (though staff with Frolunda insist he has been better than his numbers at the J20 level and that has been reflected in several stints with the SHL. If he can add another gear (or two) to his max speed, Benson would be an absolute force in transition. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. He has also shown a little more fire. He passes the eye test. 1 or No. He sustained an injury during the World Juniors that has kept him out of play for a while, but hopefully he can return to dominating the WHL soon. It has been a few rough age groups for Russian defencemen but Gulyayevs got a chance to flip the script. He does a good job maintaining gaps and matching opposing forwards step-for-step skating backwards. (other than Brad Lambert who's half Sask) but we'll see how the kids develop. William Whitelaw, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL), 56. He is agile enough that I expect hell be very successful on zone entries in the NHL some day, giving his team a chance to control play in the offensive zone whenever he touches the puck. Hes always moving. Four 2005-born standout defenders in the CHL, Breaking down four top 2005 forwards in the WHL, Six WHL Players from the 2021 Draft selected outside of the Top-10 whove had early success, The Five Star Hockey Show: 2023 Canada Winter Games Preview, Western Canada Ramblings: NHL and WHL Draft, The Checklist: 2008-born Manitoba players in the WAAA U15, January 2023 WHL Draft Ranking update | Top-80, January Top-80 2023 OHL Draft Ranking Update, Final Thoughts: John Reid Memorial Tournament 2023, 10 Puck Touches: Day Three and Four 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament, 10 Puck Touches: Day Two, 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament, 10 Puck Touches: Day One 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament, The Checklist: Seven 2008-born Western Canadian Players to Watch, 14 2008-born Defensemen profiles from Sask First Top-160, 2022 WHL Draft Review: From Prince George to Winnipeg, 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game. Its not just his dominant, record-breaking performance at the World Juniors, dragging an underperforming Canada team to the gold medal, and its not just his 12 goals and 16 points in five games since returning to the WHL. The combination of Michkovs position and the uncertainty around Russias invasion of Ukraine and his contract in the KHL with SKA (which is signed through to the end of the 2025-26 season and has been loaned out to Sochi after he reportedly forced his way out in search of greater opportunity) could complicate where he goes on draft day, but he still belongs here. Hes a slick one-on-one player. Scouts are drawn to him because of his size-skill combo and while he can look a little uncoordinated out there at times, that draw is real and theres some definite tools there. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. One of my favourites in the 2005 age group, Wood is the youngest player in college hockey this season (he was, for a moment, its only 17-year-old) and has stepped right in to become an impactful player on a good UConn team (albeit as a winger after playing mostly centre at the Jr. A level). Hes not just the energy guy though either. I see clear, projectable top-six tools as a play-creating winger and Im not the least bit worried about him doing it against NHL defences because of how hard he is to pin down. Follow Scott on Twitter @scottcwheeler, Matvei Michkov. The draft's top player this season is a borderline generational talent. Jayden Perron is an excellent play-driving winger with tons of offensive talent. Once he refines his game some more and adds more muscle as he ages, watch out. I wondered if my thoughts were altered by the late start and had an effect on how I viewed. 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. He was theCHL Rookie of the Year (on 34 goals). Scott Wheeler covers the NHL draft and prospects nationally for The Athletic. Im not sure he has the star power of the names in front of him here, but hes got some unique attributes in this class and hes going to make a heck of an NHL player. It often takes two to take the puck off of him when hes twisting and turning, too. He has also shed some of the selfishness and force-it plays that could frustrate me and others at lower levels (hes making better decisions onshot selection, overhanding less, utilizing his linemates better, etc. Hameenaho has the strength and stick skills to not just battle well, but win puck battles and keep possession alive for his team. He has a high floor and should safely become a strong third-line player but also has the upside to become more if things really click in his north-south game at the next level. NHL Entry Draft -3005 - full list of selections with facts and stats. He stays on pucks, hes got good instincts and takes smart routes around the ice, hes sound positionally, he applies pressure off of the puck and comes up with possession despite not being very physical, and he just always seems to be involved in positive things inside the offensive zone. There has been souring on him as a top-10 candidate because of the point-per-game clip he has played at (though in saying that scouts still have a lot of respect for his game) but I expect his production to take a big leap next season. Adam Gajan, G (Chippewa/Green Bay) Everywhere he plays, Bedard just oozes poise and talent unlike any other player on the ice. Carlssons ability to find and make space off the puck is also impressive for such a young player playing against grown men. He plans things out on the ice at speed and then finds ways to make his desired play. His average SHL TOI is around 4:30, so this should be a confidence boost for the 2023 top prospect.In the J20 Nationell, Stenberg has 20pts (8G, 12A) through 23 games.pic.twitter.com/H36RVcNC4H. As in, you could put him on the icewith the worlds best shooters (say, Auston Matthews, Nikita Kucherov, Patrik Laine, Alex Ovechkinand Steven Stamkos) and they wouldnt be able to load up just off of their lead skate and fire it off balance like he does. Michael Hrabal, G (Omaha) He can score from mid range consistently with his low-kick wrister, hes got an ability to protect the puck and shade in and out of coverage, hes got a dangerous curl-and-drag wrister, and hes comfortable in traffic. pic.twitter.com/OOjR1KDavy. 2023 WHL Draft Ranking Update: . The drafts order of selection depends on where the team finishes in the League standings. Caden Price, LD, Kelowna Rockets (WHL), 35. Gauthier has cooled off following an incredibly hot start to the QMJHL season production-wise, but his smart and reliable habits have not changed. I watch him and I see an NHL player with the kind of well-rounded, high-effort skill set that could see him move around an NHL lineup (in a good way) someday. Fantilli is currently averaging about one and a half points per game on a University of Michigan team filled to the brim with talent. Gabriel Perrault looks like someone who could be a power play specialist at the next level with great skill and smarts in the offensive zone. Eventually, when the points pile up like they have, and they happen making the kinds of plays that he does, you cant ignore them. 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. Hes got everything else you look for in a dynamic play creator, too. . We also invite you to ask us about our policies or feel free to let us know how we can better serve your privacy concerns. 7 overall in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and he made his debut in 2019-20 playing in four games. Hes got some of the best soft skill in the draft. He has been off to a hot start this season, averaging just under a goal per game. Adam Fantilli is an absolute monster with the puck, with the skill, skating, and strength to beat defenders no matter how they attack him. Hes a commanding offensive defenceman who is at his best when hes looking to take charge with his feet. WHL Bantam Draft: December Top 22 - #5 - #1 January 1, 2021 | In General, WHL Draft | By Ashley It's The Final Countdown!!!! On talent, and upside, and pedigree, his game checks all three boxes. Sweden's best prospect for the 2023 draft, Carlsson dominated the J20 level with his size and skill last season, playing at nearly two points per game (35 in 18) and adding nine points in 35. 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. Connor Bedard, C, Regina (WHL), 5-foot-10, 187 pounds. We sometimes see draft-eligible D play their full draft year in a professional league. Yager has been on the radar in Western Canada for some time now, and hes got some real pedigree to his profile and cache to his game to support it. This year, he has already broken past both of those marks and sits top 10 in the WHL in scoring (though he has regressed a little after a hot start). Oliver Bonk, RD, London Knights (OHL), 48. Felix Nilsson, C (Rogle) This year, he has been pretty clearly one of the most talented players in J20 whenever he has been there, has shown some really positive signs in spurts in HockeyAllsvenskan (he has actually been equally as productive on a rate basis as Dvrosky), and I liked him at the world juniors before a quiet quarterfinal against Team Canada. This is a multi-part series which we will be releasing over the next couple weeks to give you the readers some insight on whom we feel is the cream of the crop for 2023. Hes a crafty handler who hangs onto pucks to spin away from pressure, attacks in and out of crowds, makes plays into space for himself, and can comfortably make plays through layers to others. Gauthier, the No. There were a lot of nights last season, on an Ice team that boasted half a dozen of the better forwards and two of the top defencemen in the WHL, where this kid was the best player on the ice (which included himleadingthem in scoring in the playoffs with 23 points in 15 games) as a 16-year-old. Michkov is, without question or hesitation, the best prospect Ive ever ranked at No. I think hes going to be a star regardless. That will limit concerns about his height (he certainly hasnt played small in his freshman year so far). Ive liked the progress Ive seen in how strong he is over pucks and getting up and under sticks to take them back in pursuit, or go to the net for tips (which hes actually quite dexterous on) instead of always trying to free himself for his shot. League. Shane Wright, C, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) 2. Melker Karlsson (F) SHL. Hes got one of the best shooting actions in motion Ive ever seen. There has been a lot of hockey since my last rankings and tons of prospects are on the move as a result. Hes a marvel, with legit 50-goal upside at the next level. He has the potential to change the trajectory of an NHL franchise and will likely score a ton of goals along the way. 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. Ravndahl spent parts of three seasons with the Prince Albert Mintos program, recording 25 points in 50 games played. 2023 NHL Draft: Baracchini's Top 64 January Rankings January 13, 2023 by Peter Baracchini Welcome back to my 2023 NHL Draft Rankings. The original owner of the team was Terry Simpson, the original . 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game Joel Henderson. Luca Cagnoni, LD, Portland Winterhawks (WHL), 38. Hes also got an accurate shot from midrange, and regularly picks corners. . I think hell stick at centre, too (nice to see him at 53 percent in the circle so far this year). I have questions about his talent level, though. Luke Mittelstadt, LHD (U. of Minnesota) Last season was certainly a strange one for WHL scouts as they anticipated the task of two drafts in one calendar year. Each of those guys played quite well at the tournament for draft eligible players, but nobody at the tournament of any age could hand the offensive pressure of Bedard. Reinbacher had a solid tourney on a bad team despite dealing with an illness the entire time. All-Time Trophies & Winners. - The Western Hockey League announced today the Spokane Chiefs will select first overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft following the completion of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft Lottery. His size is obviously a talking point, and theres a boom or bust element to his projection, but hes a first-round talent and a clear play creator on a team with a few of them in Chicago this year. Database: 1 002 208 players . . Theres a lot to work with though. Im less and less convinced of that. My best guess at a player who has great skill but might slide on draft day due to his height is Gavin Brindley. 2023 NHL Draft top 64 prospects: Scott Wheeler's March ranking. The way he wheels across the top of the circles and then play-makes from the high slot is special. While Bedard scores by trying to shoot a wrister as hard as possible, trying to punch a hole through the goalie, Michkov will outsmart the defense and score by finding holes in coverage. The top 50 drafted NHL prospects ranking, 2023 edition:1. Hes got quick hick hands (hes prolific on breakaways/in the shootout), a cleverness to his game as a passer (whether through seams or often blind), slick skill in traffic sliding pucks under sticks and rotating through coverage or past checks, and a knack for finessing pucks into spots for himself or his linemates to skate onto. He looks like he could be a hard-working top-six winger who complements your top guys really well while providing real offensive value on his own. But getting around it consistently enough at higher paces has proven to be a bit of a challenge and his decision-making can look a little slow. Carson Rekhopf, C/LW, Kitchener Rangers (OHL), 60. He has the tools to be a top-16 player in the draft easily, but I want to see some more offense from him in the OHL before I increase his ranking that much. Matvei Michkov might just be the smartest player in this draft class, with an incredible ability to manipulate opposing defenses. The Clubs that miss the playoffs are placed into a lottery for the 1st round only. 10 Puck Touches: . For all the talk about how strong the 2022 draft class was for Slovakia, Dvorsky leads another excellent group into 2023. 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. His skating is balanced. He has a great release on his shot, and he has a knack for manipulating shooting lanes or goalie positioning in just a split second to give himself a better scoring chance. Logan Cooley, C, U.S. National U18. 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. 33. 3 in advance of any draft and the best Russian prospect since Alex Ovechkin. In order to get away from scouting peewees, the WHL instituted a bantam draft. 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. He can push into space. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. There has been a lot of hockey since my. The big question with Dvorsky for a while was whether or not hed be a centre or a winger long term. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Expectations were unfairly high for Connor Bedard coming into his draft year, with the generational talent label floating around in many draft conversations. Still, I would argue hes been a more consistent offensive player for Moose Jaw this season than Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus has been, while playing an off-puck game that is inarguably stronger than Firkus (he has also been a dangerous penalty killer and is decently-strong in the faceoff circle). Michael Hrabal, G, Omaha Lancers (USHL), 61. 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. He has regularly blown me away in viewings these last couple of years (at Hockey Canadas showcase two summers ago, in games where he looked like a man among boys in the USHL, and now again at various points throughout his historic freshman year at Michigan, where he was the best player in college hockey from the jump andseems to have found another level of late). When you think youve got him trapped, you usually dont. Tom Willander, RD, Rgle BK J20 (J20 Nationell), 57. Priority Draft 10 months ago 44 players were selected by the 22 WHL member Clubs in Wednesday's U.S. He could use a bit more speed (who couldnt? He was theNo. There are the little delays and stutters he uses to create separation and get to his spots. He profiles similarly to David Jiricek physically, but with a more defensive tilt to his game. 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. The combination of his skating, shot, and playmaking skills makes him a true offensive weapon. Hes got high-end speed with his galloping crossover strides and strong acceleration from a standstill (with continued work to do to take his first two steps up a notch and find an even quicker gear), which help him carry the puck up the ice or join in transition as the trailer whenever he has to play catchup. Hes also a very selfless player for his age who is quick to change in the offensive zone and will sooner make the right play than trying to overdo it. Barlows size, strength, and maturity as a teenager lead me to believe he could have a real shot at making the NHL out of training camp for whichever team selects him, hes that talented and reliable. Scott Ratzlaff, G (Seattle) The biggest question following Reinbachers great performance last year in the Swiss League (SL), the second-tier Swiss professional league, was if he had more offense in his game to show. Hes also outscoring most of the WHL for that matter, dominating the opposition when he has possession. Noel Nordh, LW (Brynas) Hes still got room to get stronger, too, so its not as though hes a finished product. with the Wolverines). 2022-2023 regular season player stats for CSDHL 13U, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. His statistical profile is really strong and continued progress in his skating (which has also noticeably improved this year) will keep it that way into the NHL. However, his offensive production has left much to be desired, leaving many questions about if he will have much offense to provide in the NHL someday. as a small but highly-involved forward who plays the game with energy and pace, making little skill plays between coverage. forward. He was the No. 1 pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins posted). 22-Mason Fauser F Swift Current Broncos 5-8 23-Cash Lanigan F Regina Aces 5-8 24-Dane Mansuy D Regina Monarchs 5-8 25-Charlie Kay F Saskatoon Outlaws 5-8 26-Dryden Deobold D Regina Monarchs 5-8 27-Keaton Lesperance F Regina Aces 5-8 28-Cameron Jacobson D Humboldt Broncos 5-8 29-Ethan Dundas F Regina Monarchs 5-8 NHL Entry Draft -3004 - full list of selections with facts and stats. Then you add in instincts off the puck to get open even when hes a marked man, an improved physical engagement (hes really quite feisty and competitive), some underrated skill as a puck thief, and youve got a superstar prospect. While hes got some work to do to get a little quicker from the jump in the games 10-foot races, he does have some power and balance through his stride to build upon and skates pretty well for his size and age. ), a quick move into a pass, a sudden stop-up, or an attacking cut. There are some whod like to see him get to the guts of the ice and battle a little more (he glides a little too much off of the puck offensively and defensively). That continued to start this year as he struggled to have a real impact with the Badgers early on as a freshman (albeit it a young one, and albeit on a bad/at-times lost team). So far, his offense has only improved, even considering the increased competition. A few of the players who have moved up substantially on this board are Zach Benson, Oliver Moore, and Colby Barlow. He problem-solves his way out of trouble as well as anyone in this age group. 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. Jesse Kiiskinen, RW, Pelicans (Liiga), 36. Arttu Karki, LHD (Tappara) 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. The only player to ever score at a rate of two points per game on the U18 team for a full season is Jack Hughes, you might have heard of him. Danielson is great at attacking the middle of the ice which makes up for his lack of a finishing touch because it leads to a plethora of chances that good line mates could finish at a solid clip. Hes scoring roughly half a point per game there and has spent a few games in the J20 Nationell as well, Swedens top junior league, where he has shown that he is clearly a step above his age group, scoring nearly two points per game there. Hes got some poise and processing under pressure, even if his play with the puck on his stick isnt dynamic per se. He was an alternate captain and second-leading scorer at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and isan alternate captain and leading scorer with Moose Jaw. 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. Problem-solving. There he excelled as the team's number one d-man . 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. Ive said it before and Ill say it again: Bedard can do things with the puck that nobody else in the sport can replicate. And after how good he looked as an underager at U18 worlds in Germany last April, nobody has been surprised by his near goal-per-game breakout this season (in fact, I wrote I wont be surprised if he challenges Smith and Moore on the stat sheet this year while providing all of the energy that he does in my preseason ranking).