Early results are extremely positive with Wood being one of the top rookie point scorers and one of the top scorers on his team despite being the youngest player in all of mens NCAA hockey. 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. 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. He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. Brayden Yager has been talked about in the public scouting sphere for nearly as long as Connor Bedard, being drafted third overall in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft and winning the CHL Rookie of the Year award last year on the back of a remarkable 34-goal, 59-point rookie season. Western Hockey League. 10 Puck Touches: . Go Premium for Elite Prospects Support. 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. 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. 7 overall in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and he made his debut in 2019-20 playing in four games. Tyler Bertuzzi (F) NHL. He hasnt looked out of place against men and has scored points at an excellent rate so far for a draft eligible player. Bedard has crushed all expectations this year and has firmly planted himself in the first overall position. Narrowly my top-ranked defenceman in the draft at this stage, Gulyayev put together the most productive 16-year-old season by a defenceman in the MHLs modern history (13 seasons dating back to 2009) when he posted 35 points in 54 games last year, regularly playing 20 minutes per game in a league famous for typically relying on older players. Maxim Strbak, RD, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL), 40. Manage Settings Jacob Fowler, G (Youngstown) A number of years ago, WHL Clubs were allowed to list first-year bantam players as of a set date in September. 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. Note: Though I consult scouts, coaches, general managers, team staff, and agents in building my draft boards, the following evaluations are strictly my own. Youll commonly see him activate to lead plays into the offensive zone and create something. 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 a good skater and should pick up another step as he gets stronger. He draws tons of attention in the offensive zone and is great at making smart plays under pressure to help open teammates up to make their jobs easier. Check out his skating and awareness! He has also shown a little more fire. 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. WHL Clubs send scouts to watch first-year bantams from the start of the minor hockey season. Cam Squires, RW (Cape Bretton) Hes just a natural creator for himself and others who manufactures offence in a variety of ways. I love the way he shields pucks and waits for his opportunities to attack. Hes got superb vision and ranks among the best in the class at dissecting coverage as a passer. On the puck, hes a multi-faceted playmaker who often looks like the player who was the No. 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. My best guess at a player who has great skill but might slide on draft day due to his height is Gavin Brindley. One of the USHLs most talented players, Perron got off to a hot start, was briefly halted by an eight-game December stretch that saw him register justone assist, and has really turned it back on to play his best hockey of late. Hes a versatile, high-RPM player who makes things happen when hes on the ice and pulls teamates into the fight with his scrappy, competitive, never-stop style. 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. Scott Ratzlaff, G (Seattle) Hes got a great release. 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. And yet most believe hes the third-most compelling and projectable prospect on USAs top line. Im not talking about him compared to other prospects in this draft. Arttu Karki, LD, Tappara U20 (U20 SM-sarja), 49. He passes the eye test. 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 profiles similarly to David Jiricek physically, but with a more defensive tilt to his game. 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. 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. 33. While his game doesnt have the dynamism of the other kids in this loaded WHL class, most scouts project Danielson as an everyday top-nine NHL center. 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. Not Phil Kessel. 2023-2024 playoffs qc player stats for Poland, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. 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 Logan Cooley2. 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). His actual statistical profile is good without being great, though. Related: Every NHL Teams Top Prospect Midseason Update. 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. The bantam draft allows for the orderly transfer of players to WHL Protected Player Lists (PPL) from the bantam ranks (13-14 year-olds). Hes unafraid to try things and has the skill to execute difficult plays. Fantilli is a big, strong, powerful kid who takes pucks from the wall to the interior with force, and ease, and speed. Selected first overall in the WHL bantam draft that year, he played 22 games with the Winnipeg Ice in 2019-20 when he became . Hes excellent in puck protection twisting away from coverage to make things happen along the boards. Thats three more defencemen than my preliminary ranking, and while none still rank in the top 10 (which would be a first if it holds), theres a trio in the conversation for the 11-20 range and a ton of worthwhile second-round options behind them. He loves attacking defenders and beating them in one-on-one skill battles. Theres a lot of belief out there that hes going to be a good, well-rounded NHLer. Last season was certainly a strange one for WHL scouts as they anticipated the task of two drafts in one calendar year. Reinbachers got pro size, desired handedness, and a really strong foundation of tools that all but guarantee hell become an NHLer. 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. Team management chose the name "Rebels". And while he shines in moments, those short moments and the consistency of his execution within them (despite being freakishly talented, he makes very few mistakes with the puck) create a uniquely high-reward, somehow low-risk game. Carey Terrance, C (Erie) Some scorers tunnel-vision the net and even though the goalie is his focus, theres a lot to his game between the offensive-zone blue line and the shot he takes thats inventive. I think the bigger question is whether hes going to be more of a middle-six or a top-six one? Though he doesnt play the game with some of the shine of the three players in front of him, Carlsson, the top Swede in the draft, has emerged as my clear No. Smith is one of the very best slot passers in the draft and uses his unique puckhandling ability to dodge close-outs, weave off of the wall, and make plays through holes in coverage in possession with ease, regularly hanging onto pucks to delay his way into his spots or carve in. 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. . Hes sound positionally defensively. Its all there. 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. Calgary, Alta. Gauthier has cooled off following an incredibly hot start to the QMJHL season production-wise, but his smart and reliable habits have not changed. The SHL demands a lot of players when it comes to physicality and defensive effort, both of which Carlsson has excelled at. When hes around it, he can be a handful. as a small but highly-involved forward who plays the game with energy and pace, making little skill plays between coverage. 3 pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. 2020 All rights reserved to Puck Preps. 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). 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. Hes got quick hands and instincts, with standout puck control and shading. I think hes going to be a star regardless. 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. "The Mintos program was great. When hes on, he can completely take over a game. He was an alternate captain and second-leading scorer at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and isan alternate captain and leading scorer with Moose Jaw. Bedards statistical profile speaks for itself: 28 points in 15 games as a 15-year-old in the WHL, two points per game at U18 worlds as a double underager, 51 goals and 100 points on a dreadful team at 16, six goals in four games at U18 Worlds as an underager this time (in what wasnt even his best hockey), 13 goals and 31 points in 14 world juniors games (after forcing his way onto the first of those three teams by torching the selection camp), and now, as a 17-year-old who wont turn 18 until July (we can almost forget that! Carson Rekhopf, C/LW, Kitchener Rangers (OHL), 60. I believe Michkov could still easily be the second overall pick even though hes playing in Russia and has a contract that will keep him playing in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for three full seasons following the draft. And while he played exclusively as a winger in the SHL the last two seasons, Carlsson came up as a centre and I like the way his game might fit there long term because of his combination of size, detail, and awareness. Tomas Suchanek, G, Tri-City Americans (WHL), 59. Reinbacher is looking like a potential top-four mainstay in the NHL with exciting defensive potential. From my first live viewing of him two Octobers ago in St. Catharines when he looked like the Generals most talented forward in just the second game of his OHL career, to his four-goal, seven-point series in Oshawas six-game first-round defeat against the Frontenacs, to his Hlinka performance this summer, to my most recent live viewings of him both in Oshawa and in Langley at the CHL Top Prospects Game, Ritchie has consistently impressed me. The Clubs that miss the playoffs are placed into a lottery for the 1st round only. His production has been disappointing so far this year, but his talent as a high-skill puck carrier is still clear.Otto Stenberg scores his first SHL goal and point! Finally, Barlow has been one of the best goal scorers in junior hockey so far this year, scoring 36 goals in just 42 Ontario Hockey League (OHL), a 56-goal pace over the rest of the season. Adam Gajan, G, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL), 55. The raw potential is there in spades and the production is starting to catch up to it. Hes a marvel, with legit 50-goal upside at the next level. He has also taken a step forward in terms of production, placing him firmly as one of the top-20 scorers in the WHL. 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. For some, it will be. I love the way he slows down the game, adjusts and maneuvers his frame and shades pucks. Hes a versatile, hard-working player who excels in pretty much every facet of the game, gets to the middle of the ice, and makes plays around the net through skill and timing. A slow start to the OHL season saw his draft stock swing way down, but his production has leveled up significantly of late, and hes beginning to rise again. 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. He has now impressed me wherever Ive watched him (NCAA, USHL, Five Nations, U18 Worlds, world juniors, etc.) Hes got poise and patience on the puck. 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. 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 keeps his head up in the neutral and defensive zones and is a confident puck carrier on exits and entries. Max Domi (F) Of course, there are also some prospects who dropped in this edition of my rankings, including Brayden Yager and David Reinbacher. Luke Mittelstadt, LHD (U. of Minnesota) He projects as a pass-first playmaking centre with a middle-six floor, first-line potential, and clear PP value (in multiple roles, too, because hes great around the net and below the goal line but can also run it from the flank). 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. 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. He could use a bit more speed (who couldnt? Hes a classic example of a jack of all trades, master of none, with solid scores across the board when it comes to defensive play, playmaking, skating and shooting, with none of those individual skills popping off the page at you. 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. Hes as fun to watch with the puck on his stick as almost anyone in this draft. Holding steady at about two points per game, Cristall has already shown improvements following his impressive 69-point WHL rookie season last year. Hes a rare kind of player where hes got A-grade tools across the board, and star talent in spades, but hes also got an efficiency to his game that is incrediblyrare for a skilled player (especially one his age). Dylan McLaughlin (F) AHL. 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. His skating also continues to improve (hes not fast, but hes an above-average skater for his size by my measure and it shouldnt be preventative in him reaching his NHL upside). Welcome to Draft Prospects Hockey's introduction to the 2023 NHL Draft Class series. WHL Behind The Scenes - 2023 Road to Nashville. 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).