Hes got some poise and processing under pressure, even if his play with the puck on his stick isnt dynamic per se. He provides a ton of offense in transition as well as in the offensive zone where he seems to create scoring chances at will. Hes got really good edges and mobility, though he doesnt have the speed in straight lines to pull away from faster chasers. His play in transition leaves something to be desired, but once hes in the offensive zone his ability to maintain control of the puck and make smart passes at an efficient rate makes him a consistent threat. Im less and less convinced of that. Welcome to Draft Prospects Hockey's introduction to the 2023 NHL Draft Class series. Go Premium for Elite Prospects Support. Ethan Gauthier is one of the most consistent players in this draft class in terms of effort and habits, not just production. Check out his skating and awareness! Hes a natural scorer and creator, but hes also got plus vision and deft touch (though I wouldnt say his creativity is necessarily a strength). Manage Settings The WHL Bantam Draft is an annual outing, in which the Clubs of the Western Hockey League select players who have graduated from bantam. This past season, he played for the Chicago Cougars of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) and scored 11 points (two goals, nine assists) 10 games. Mike Glemser (F) Germany3. 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. Ravndahl was selected by Portland in the fourth round, 83 rd overall in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft. The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) cares about your privacy. Hesa clever beyond belief, maneuverable facilitator and playmaker who plays the game with a light touch and a heady spatial awareness of not only where his teammates are, but where he is in the flow of play (and relative to defenders). The real question will be if he can make a difference in his own end as his defending has been a bit too relaxed for my liking. 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - Elite Prospects 2023 WHL Draft Rankings Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. Subscribe Now. 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. He is so difficult for defenders to pin down because of the way he manipulates defenders movements (like waiting for them to turn their skates in one direction before darting in the other), and him being a right-handed centerman doesnt hurt either. Cameron Allen, RD, Guelph Storm (OHL), 62. He thrives in the small-area game, using light passes and rapid movements to play in and out of coverage. Michkov wasnt earning regular minutes in the KHL earlier this year, so he was loaned to HK Sochi which is one of the KHLs bottom feeders so that he could get substantial ice time. The 2023 draft is led by three maybe four A-plus (or close) prospects at the very top, a superb collection of high-end talents at forward behind them that will run deep into the first round and produce additional stars, and better depth on defence and in net than I anticipated when the year started. 2023-2024 playoffs qc player stats for Poland, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. Mix in a multi-dimensional shooting arsenal and I see top-six upside. Hell of a performance from Slovakia especially their Tendy! Western Hockey League makes changes to upcoming draft As always, Ive broken down the full ranking into tiers to give you a better sense for the fluidity within groupings and the drop-offs between them. It will be followed by an updated top 32 after U18 Worlds (new this year in May), and my final top 100 (released in June). It has been a few rough age groups for Russian defencemen but Gulyayevs got a chance to flip the script. Hes unafraid to try things and has the skill to execute difficult plays. If he were guaranteed to be coming to the NHL next fall, a centre, and an inch or two taller, hed have a nearly perfect profile for me. Problem-solving. A brilliant handler and manipulator of the puck, including at full speed, Smith is a tantalizing and slippery talent who blends deception, baits and fakes (with his eyes, shoulders and head) into his movements to not just make opposing players miss but often send them the wrong way. Thank you for your interest in our network of websites, newsletters, and other services. He was theCHL Rookie of the Year (on 34 goals). 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game Joel Henderson. 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. 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. On February 5, 1992, the Rebels selected Mike McBain as their first player in the Bantam Draft. The Bantam Draft Lottery will determine the order of selection for the first six picks. Kalan Lind, C/LW, Red Deer Rebels (WHL), 46. I think hell stick at centre, too (nice to see him at 53 percent in the circle so far this year). by. Priority Draft 10 months ago 44 players were selected by the 22 WHL member Clubs in Wednesday's U.S. Hes got smooth skating mechanics. 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. The Scouting News. 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. Riley Heidts excellent acceleration and edge work make him a natural choice as the lead puck carrier for zone entries and he has excelled in that role. Its not often we see players his size who can move like him. WHL Bantam Draft - WHL Network 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. 2002 Rankings. 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). 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). One of the most skilled and slippery players in this draft is Andrew Cristall, the only draft eligible player in the WHL who has been able to roughly keep pace with Bedard in terms of production this year. Id eagerly bet on him. 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. Adam Gajan, G (Chippewa/Green Bay) 2021 Draft Rankings: Final 65-96 (May) : The Draft Analyst Not Clayton Keller. The six lowest-place teams involved in the lottery include the Swift Current Broncos, Moose Jaw Warriors,. Reinbacher has fallen slightly on my list through no fault of his own, but because of the excellent play of prospects around him. Western Hockey League completes 2022 WHL U.S. 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. Michkovs brilliance comes primarily from his ability to read and process the play at an extremely advanced level, make his decisions quickly, and execute on them with incredible proficiency, whether thats ripping a patterned shot (his one-timer, his standstill wrister, his curl-and-drag, etc. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; The 2023 NHL draft will be held June 28 (Round 1) and June 29 (Rounds 2-7) at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. 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. Once he refines his game some more and adds more muscle as he ages, watch out. Sports Apr 22, 2020 Winnipeg Ice select B.C. Then he got back in late February and after a pointless return put up two goals on six shots in his second game back. He has shown a knack for making big plays at big moments. "The Mintos program was great. About 2023 Draft Nhl Prospects . The show will also include the unveiling of WHL Divisional Award Winners and All-Star Teams for the 2021-22 WHL season. Benson is currently outscoring two of his teammates in Matthew Savoie and Conor Geekie who were both drafted in the top-11 of the 2022 Draft. Dmitri Simashev is a very intriguing prospect with the size/skating combo (6-foot-4) that is so coveted in the modern NHL. 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). He can beat you carrying the puck in rotations around the perimeter of the offensive zone. It was tricky evaluating and contextualizing Sale last season, when he was above two points per game (99 in 44) in Czechias top junior league, doing things that had never been done and smashing (and even doubling in some cases) the production of recent top Czech players at the same age (including first-rounders like Jakub Voracek and Tomas Hertl). 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. 2023-2024 relegation player stats for Erste Liga, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. He may become a darn good, hard and heavy bottom-six player at the next level in time, but hell have to show me more to warrant a projection higher than that (a projection some others do still believe in). Wood is a rangy, goal-scoring forward who has silky hands for his size (considering the long stick he uses, hes got great control on the toe of his blade out wide and the heel in tight to his feet), a marksmans shot inside the offensive zone (both through a natural shooting motion and his one-timer), and a sixth sense for arriving around the net/slot at the right time. Six WHL Players from the 2021 Draft selected outside of the Top-10 who've had early success Joel Henderson The Five Star Hockey Show: 2023 Canada Winter Games Preview Puck Preps Western Canada Ramblings: NHL and WHL Draft Joel Henderson Four 2005-born OHLers trending up Sam McGilligan Hes the go-to center for the Cougars in the faceoff circle. 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. Hes a smooth skater. 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. There arent many players in this draft class whove come along quite like Sandin Pellikka has in the last year or so. League. Alex Ciernik, LW/RW, Sdertlje SK J20 (J20 Nationell), 37. This year, though he has struggled defensively in his limited minutes in the KHL, he has looked dominant at both ends in his returns to the MHL and comfortable in the second-tier VHL. Player Rankings - PuckPreps Name. Ryan Leonard is a high energy winger who never takes his foot off the gas in terms of both speed and effort. Scott has written for the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, The Toronto Sun, the National Post, SB Nation and several other outlets in the past. After conversations with scouts or folks at the national program about Stramel last year, I always felt I wasnt quite where they were in terms of their belief in the player and his upside. 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). Slick. However, his real calling card is his shot which ranks near the top of the draft class in terms of deception and power. 2023 NHL Draft top 64 prospects: Scott Wheeler's March ranking. Tomas Suchanek, G, Tri-City Americans (WHL), 59. Wins it in OT for !!! Priority Draft including defenceman Blake Fiddler, picked first-overall by the Edmonton Oil Kings. 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. Honzek was on one of the steeper ascents in the draft this season when he suffered a leg injury in Slovakias second game of the world juniors. Matvei Michkov might just be the smartest player in this draft class, with an incredible ability to manipulate opposing defenses. Lenni Hameenaho has been an early riser this year, establishing himself as a prospect to watch while playing in the Finnish Liiga where he has scored at roughly a half point per game pace as a draft year player. 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. In order to get away from scouting peewees, the WHL instituted a bantam draft. He is a very intelligent offensive player and can make these great reads and plays at full speed. Last season was certainly a strange one for WHL scouts as they anticipated the task of two drafts in one calendar year. Hes a first-round talent. WHL Bantam Draft: December Top 22 - #5 - #1 - DN Scouting 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). In fact, its not even the only element of his shooting arsenal that is one of one. Hes a hard worker who makes his team better whenever he steps on the ice. 2022 NHL Draft: WHL Players to Watch - FCHockey 1 pick in the 2021 QMJHL draft and son of former 10-year NHLer Denis Gauthier, followed up a strong showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (where he scored six goals in five games) with a strong start to his draft year at the top of a stacked Sherbrooke lineup, before seeing his production taper off some as they added more talent ahead of the deadline. The Kamloops Blazers drafted the former Burnaby Winter Club star No. Hes a very responsible defender who shuts down tons of rush attempts with an active stick and stellar positioning.David Reinbacher (#64 blue) (Draft 2023) just overskating former NHLer Alex Formenton, following up on his shots, winning a puck against Formenton and Former NHler Tim Heed before serving his teammate on a plate. 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. Reinbachers got pro size, desired handedness, and a really strong foundation of tools that all but guarantee hell become an NHLer. WHL News. Michael Hrabal, G, Omaha Lancers (USHL), 61. 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. Smith is an incredibly shifty playmaker who can create high danger plays at will by threading passes through traffic, stickhandling around pressure, or taking a shot of his own. pic.twitter.com/OOjR1KDavy Thibaud Chatel (@Thibaud_Chatel) January 24, 2023, David Reinbacher (#64 blue) (Draft 2023) just overskating former NHLer Alex Formenton, following up on his shots, winning a puck against Formenton and Former NHler Tim Heed before serving his teammate on a plate. Tuomas Uronen, RW (HIFK), (Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; photos: Jamie Crawford, Minas Panagiotakis, Dennis Pajot / Getty Images). His skating is balanced. On talent, and upside, and pedigree, his game checks all three boxes. 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. The midseason ranking divides into six tiers. 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. He could use a bit more speed (who couldnt? He has scored some highlight-reel goals in the WHL but he also excels at finding pockets of space off of coverage and remaining involved on offence and defence. Hes still got room to get stronger, too, so its not as though hes a finished product.