Scott Wheeler covers the NHL draft and prospects nationally for The Athletic. Hell make plays through seams. 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 bigger question is whether hes going to be more of a middle-six or a top-six one? . He was theNo. 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. 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. Hes got superb vision and ranks among the best in the class at dissecting coverage as a passer. 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. While there are some great prospects in the top-five of the draft, theres no doubt that Bedard is the reason teams are tanking. And he always seems to be around it. Scott Wheeler. Jayden Perron is an excellent play-driving winger with tons of offensive talent. This may be a little low given that, but also underscores the strength of this draft. Hes also a dexterous player who has good size (which will fill out). Hes the go-to center for the Cougars in the faceoff circle. 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. He can get a little ahead of the play, and hes got work to do on his game defensively if he doesnt want to get hemmed in at the next level, but those are things you live with with a talent as singular as his. 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. Not Clayton Keller. 2 that you take inside the top 10, but hes got everything needed to become a good second-pairing guy and maybe slightly more than that. ), but he has shown that his timing and puck protection skills are strong enough for him to succeed in college. 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). A few of the players who have moved up substantially on this board are Zach Benson, Oliver Moore, and Colby Barlow. David Edstrom, C (Frolunda) 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. Everett, by virtue of finishing with the third-best overall record in the 2021-22 regular season, will select 20th overall in the first round. Name. Fantilli is currently averaging about one and a half points per game on a University of Michigan team filled to the brim with talent. I expect hell be the first defenceman picked when all is said and done, and he may be my top-ranked one too even though Gulyayev excites me a little more and remains there for now. He excels in puck battles, whether along the boards or in front of the net, even against grown men in Finland. Hes not the most cerebral player and he can be a little too net-focussed at times, but hes the kind of player who will score, add physicality to a line, and slide up and down a top nine in an NHL lineup while endearing himself to his coaches. 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. While this draft is the first opportunity for teams to select bantam players, it is not the last chance for a player to be listed. Hes an entry machine driving play through the neutral zone and across the line in control. 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. Brindley is a 5-foot-9 forward who has been quite good in the NCAA as an 18-year-old, a very impressive feat. There are many whove settled on Perreault as more of a mid-to-late-round first because of the combination of his skinny frame and the linemates he plays with. Im not sure hes got the soft skill to become the true No. Koehn Ziemmer is another pro-built winger who loves to shoot the puck hard whenever given the chance. Mike Glemser (F) Germany3. 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). 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. 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. He started to come on before the world juniors, though, and then he was good in a bottom-six role for Team USA and he has played quite well in his return to college hockey. A number of years ago, WHL Clubs were allowed to list first-year bantam players as of a set date in September. He too often looks like the third guy on his line. There he excelled as the team's number one d-man . Sandin Pellikka had a great showing for Sweden at the World Juniors, and is now probably the favourite to be the first defenseman drafted in 2023. His ability to make plays offensively both off the rush and inside the zone (where hes got slick skill in traffic, great instincts off of the puck, and a lunch-pale approach) also gives me a lot of confidence that hell continue to progress. Youll commonly see him activate to lead plays into the offensive zone and create something. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Reinbacher is looking like a potential top-four mainstay in the NHL with exciting defensive potential. He looks to take instead of give in the neutral zone, regularly stepping up to try to bump puck carriers off possession and force dumps (though there are times when that style can leave him chasing if his timings off or hes flatfooted). Hes also outscoring most of the WHL for that matter, dominating the opposition when he has possession. Denver Barkey, C, London Knights (OHL), 63. Its all there. January 2023 WHL Draft Ranking update | Top-80 Joel Henderson. Hes a big, strong, sturdy, athletic net-driven winger with slick puckhandling skill one-on-one and a balanced skaters stride. 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. 17, is one of the top prospects for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft , even though he was denied exceptional status by the WHL in 2019. 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. Hes going to be a transition monster. Hes also got some of the quicker hands and better touch on this list. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. He can beat you on the perimeter with his skill (highlighted by excellent one-on-one hands-on defenders). Bradly Nadeau, C, Penticton Vees (BCHL), 39. About 2023 Draft Nhl Prospects . 2022-2023 regular season player stats for CSDHL 13U, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. There has been a lot of hockey since my last rankings and tons of prospects are on the move as a result. I was eager to see how Matthew Wood would adjust to the college game after dominated the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) where he led the league in goals and points as a 16-year-old. He has every physical tool you could hope for, and uses each of them well, with the speed, strength, and reach to be a really great top-four defender in the NHL. Nicknamed Big Rig when he was at the program, Stramel is a heavy but not doughy kid whoseathletic, muscular build jumps out at you right away. Once he refines his game some more and adds more muscle as he ages, watch out. Holding steady at about two points per game, Cristall has already shown improvements following his impressive 69-point WHL rookie season last year. He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. Hes quick side-to-side on little jumps and drags. Elite Prospects - CCHL Bantam Protected Draft 2023. Emil Jarventie, LW, Ilves U20 (U20 SM-sarja, 64. The pro build, mentality and scoring tools are very appealing though and there will be teams that fall in love with his game/makeup. We sometimes see draft-eligible D play their full draft year in a professional league. WHL Draft Territory Alberta - British Columbia - Manitoba - Northwest Territories - Saskatchewan - Yukon Alaska - Arizona - California - Colorado - Hawaii - Idaho - Kansas - Minnesota - Montana - Nebraska - Nevada - New Mexico - North Dakota - Oklahoma - Oregon - South Dakota - Texas - Utah - Washington - Wyoming 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. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. He has been impressive thus far, scoring six points in 14 games with Sochi, with four of those points being goals. 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. 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. Thank you for your interest in our network of websites, newsletters, and other services. 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. Hes a player who has earned the respect of those around the USHL amongst both rival players and staff. 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. Within his movement patterns, he can handle the puck on a string. Hes different than Bedard in tools and approach. The drafts order of selection depends on where the team finishes in the League standings. Paul Fischer, LHD (NTDP) 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. We believe in fully disclosing the methods to which we collect and use your personal information. After the 1st round, the Clubs select in order from fewest to most regular season points.