2023 NHL Draft Thread

[Teroy]

Nate Danielson please.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

They are about to win the cup after rebuild 4.0

Lol no they aren't

[dino7c]

Team wins a lottery they had a 88.5% chance of not winning...not exactly shrewd as much as good fortune

[sureLoss]

Flames were 1 ball away from drafting 6th OA.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1655788486673457152

[getbak]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1655788486673457152

Unlucky 13.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Nothing is guaranteed though, just ask Edmonton

That’s the thing though, for me.

Edmonton was horrible for a decade. Won the right lottery and with a lot of ref help, playoff guarantee. Rewarded.

Chicago was deliberately horrible. Like as overtly as you could be. Rewarded.

Neither is an exception.

For a fan what’s the point. Check out for 20 years and check back in if you win the lottery.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Let me guess, the next generational player after Bedard (in ~7 years) will be drafted by Pittsburgh conveniently lining up close ish to Crosbys retirement.

To convince us there was no funny business, some schmuck will star in a behind the scenes exposè of the draft showing no wrongdoing. Also there will be no mention of Kyle Beech or rescinded draft picks.

teams with Franchise players know to tank when their franchise players decline

The Flames know how to finish 17th overall

[SoulOfTheFlame]

Peak sadness is officially complete. Also this means Bedard in the West.. going to be fun having to take out two generational talents in order to win for the next ten years..

[blender]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

They are about to win the cup after rebuild 4.0

They are down 2-1 in the second round. What are you on about?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by SoulOfTheFlame

Peak sadness is officially complete. Also this means Bedard in the West.. going to be fun having to take out two generational talents in order to win for the next ten years..

Chicago is such a mess, even with Bedard, they are probably looking at a 3-5 year rebuild at best. Coincidentally, after this season, McDavid has 3 seasons left in Edmonton before he surely bolts (Draisaitl only 2). The Oilers may have to decide after the 2nd McDavid year whether or not they should walk him to free agency or trade him.

By the time the Hawks are an elite contender, the Oilers will probably be saying goodbye to their phenom.

[thefoss1957]

Originally Posted by SoulOfTheFlame

Peak sadness is officially complete. Also this means Bedard in the West.. going to be fun having to take out two generational talents in order to win for the next ten years..

So, the Blackhawks will have ONE talented player, and still no defense? Call me a skeptic, but, Bedard has shown ability in lower levels, it remains to be seen if that ability shows through in the best league in the world. There have been other highly touted players that fail at the top level, and there is always the risk of bad injury luck. I will cheer him on, and hope he lives up to the hype, but, the \Hawks still have a lot of work to do to become even competitive.

[Eric Vail]

So, at #16 overall, we see players like Dave Andreychuk, Markus Naslund, Mathew Barzal, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jakob Chychrun, Al Secord. I could handle a player like that.

Players who played for the Flames who were taken at this spot include:
Juuso Valimaki, Nikita Zadorov, Bryan Marchment, Sonny Milano, Joe Colborne, George Pelawa.

[memphusk]

Is Bedard fairly small like Jack Hughes?

[Sandman]

More Post-U-18 Draft Thoughts:

-For a good chunk of the year, I've heard a bit of chatter around Sudbury Wolves' Center, Alex Pharand, and I didn't really understand why- even after watching some video. After seeing him in the Top Prospects Game (where he was actually a fill-in for injured teammate Quentin Musty), and in a 3rd-line C role for Team Canada at the U-18's, I can see a player there. Let's be clear- I don't have any illusions that AP will be more than a bottom-6 Center in the show, but he has attributes that make me believe that he has a chance to be an impact player, perhaps in the mold of a Garnet Hathaway. What sticks out about Pharand is his size (6'3"), and his mobility. He's actually a good skater for his size, and he uses that speed as a conduit to deliver a calm, poised defensive game, with smarts and physicality. He just seems to have an inate feel for the D zone, and exhibits great positioning, and the anticipation to be in the right place at the right time to kill a play, or deliver a hit. Kills penalties with aplomb. He is also not devoid of puck skill, and is able to make good passes out of danger, while under pressure. Like most of his Team Canada teammates, his performance at the U-18's was very up and down. Some games he was getting beaten regularly, and making mistakes with the puck, while other games, he was a force, like a human wrecking ball. Most remember him as the one at the Top Prospects Game that fought Kalan Lind for taking out a teammate. Mediocre numbers on a mediocre team in Sudbury of the OHL, with 39 points in 67 games- but he'll never be counted on for offense. 4th round.

-Soo Greyhounds D Andrew Gibson has been lurking around the 2nd and 3rd rounds in mocks at times this year, and it's because he's a solid, 2-way performer. I think he did himself a favor at the U-18's for Team Canada, with 3 points in 7 games, playing anywhere from 13:25 TOI, up to 25:15 in the bronze medal-clinching game against the Slovaks- second on the team, behind Dragicevic. Gibson is 6'3", blessed with good 4-directional mobility, and plays a safe, reliable game, with calmness and poise. Gibson is pretty meat-and-potatoes, and does a lot of the heavy lifting and dirty jobs for his team, and can play in any situation- he can play both sides of special teams as well. He plays a very physical game, and employs good gaps, limiting time and space, and closing in for big hits. Like Pharand, Gibson has puck skill, and he can perform safe outlets to get the puck out of the zone, and can do so in transition. He also has vision enough to be a contributor on offense as well, with the ability to distribute the puck around the zone, even through traffic. He gets pucks to the net for rebounds and tips, with his hard, accurate wrister. He is a smart, two-way workhorse, who put up 21 points in 45 games for a Soo team that finished 18th out of 20 teams in the OHL, and was their second-leading scorer on D- so it's not outlandish to suggest that his numbers would have looked better on a different team. Gibson is still fairly raw, and could use some fine-tuning with his decision-making, and some aspects of his defensive game. He moves well, but has room to upgrade his skating, and perhaps his shot. 2nd/3rd round.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Is Bedard fairly small like Jack Hughes?

Hughes is 5'11",176lbs, and Bedard is, perhaps generously, listed at 5'10",185lbs.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by thefoss1957

So, the Blackhawks will have ONE talented player, and still no defense? Call me a skeptic, but, Bedard has shown ability in lower levels, it remains to be seen if that ability shows through in the best league in the world. There have been other highly touted players that fail at the top level, and there is always the risk of bad injury luck. I will cheer him on, and hope he lives up to the hype, but, the \Hawks still have a lot of work to do to become even competitive.

This is humility. THIS IS HUMILITY!!!! **** you !!!!

[Sandman]

Draft thought:

-I've heard all year about Finnish D prospect, Arttu Karki. I haven't seen him play, but I've been following his stats, and man- they are impressive. For Tappara's U20 Liiga team (where our own Topi Ronni played some games), Karki had 39 points in 36 games, which is the 7th best points total for an 18 yo in a season all-time in that league. Better yet, his 1.08 ppg is better than anyone in the top-20 on that list, with the exception of 2 players. For all ages in the U20, he ranks with the 17th best season all-time. Karki is 6'2", and has good, if not spectacular 4-directional speed, and is obviously highly skilled offensively, running the offense from the blueline with his high IQ and vision, and a booming shot. AK owns sublime passing, and playmaking skills, although he often tries to do much, and force things. He's a smart, puck-moving defenseman, who plays with poise, and physicality along the boards and in front of the net. The big downside is that his defensive play is not adequate, and may be the reason he didn't get to play any games in the top-tier men's league. Most draft-worthy prospects get at least a few games in the Liiga. His gap control is said to be off, and he allows attackers way too much time and space. One writer said he's surprisingly inconsistent on retrievals, and on breakouts- sometimes he feathers a brilliant breakaway pass from a large distance, sometimes he will mess it up by waiting too long. I still wonder about this kid's potential- after all, we drafted some D with huge warts in their game that turned out ok, in Kylington and Andersson. Look for him in the 3rd round.

[jayswin]

Disgusting organization gets thrust into being a contender again right after everything comes out about them. While others worry about division teams getting him, this to me was the worst outcome by a mile. So sad with this result

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Chicago is such a mess, even with Bedard, they are probably looking at a 3-5 year rebuild at best. Coincidentally, after this season, McDavid has 3 seasons left in Edmonton before he surely bolts (Draisaitl only 2). The Oilers may have to decide after the 2nd McDavid year whether or not they should walk him to free agency or trade him.

By the time the Hawks are an elite contender, the Oilers will probably be saying goodbye to their phenom.

To me they are like an expansion team, as they have lots of cap space with only one long term contract.

They have a bunch of prospects from all of their trades, and tons of draft picks, including 2 1st round picks this year, 4 2nd round picks and 2 3rds. Plus multiple picks the next 2 years.

With money, cap space and a UFA destination, they can rebuild at lightening speed.

As long as they draft well. Big if, although 6 picks in the top 56 this year is a great start.

You say mess, I say blank slate with a ton of paint.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Hughes is 5'11",176lbs, and Bedard is, perhaps generously, listed at 5'10",185lbs.

Bedard will likely end up built like Patrick Kane. He won’t be tall, but will be solid.