2023 NHL Draft Thread

[Royle9]

Speed can only get you so far (see Rico Fata)
You have to be able to think the game at high speed, adapt and execute at that speed as well.

I’m taking Perreault 10/10 times before Moore.
There’s just way more to his game, his shot is NHL ready and his point totals can’t be ignored, top line or not the guy looks good. He wasn’t carried to those totals, just toss up some game footage, I’m surprised he’s not locked in the top 10.

[Sandman]

There are many scouts who think Moore is the second-most talented player out of the US this year, behind only Smith. Problem is, Moore has been left out of the party, being a C like Smith, so he's been left on the second-line- both in the USNTDP, and in the U-18's, with a combo of linemates that include Will Vote, Danny Nelson, Cole Eiserman, Ryan Fine, and James Hagens. Moore is the best skater in this draft, and when he makes it to the NHL, his speed will be up there between Nate MacKinnon and Connor McDavid.

Moore will help you in facets of the game that Perreault cannot. First of all, Moore is a transition whiz, and excels at entries. His speed dictates the pace of play, and he can move the puck with his feet and hands, or by passing. His stickhandling may not be elite, but he can think and anticipate the play at the same speed as he's moving-lightning quick. He consistently finds his teammates in high-danger, and he has a blistering shot with a deceptive release- not unlike Perreault, who has an NHL-calibre shot of his own. Perreault's skating is still a bit rough- most of his issues will be worked out as he gets stronger, but he'll likely never be a burner. Moore also plays C, which is the more important position, while GP is a winger.

The other difference is that Moore plays a much more refined 200-ft game, having the speed and puck-pursuit to kill plays all over the ice. Perreault is still a work in progress in this regard. Simply put, while both players have some things they will need to work on while they are in college, Moore plays more of a pro-style right now, although Gabe's offensive numbers are sky high. The team that takes Moore over Perreault is the team that believes in Moore's NHL potential being higher that that of Perreault's, and that Moore's ceiling/floor ratio is more favorable. The team that takes GP first sees his elite vision and IQ, and believes he can overcome his deficiencies. There's no doubt that if Moore played on the top line, he would have far more impressive totals. I've seen a few comparisons to Dylan Larkin in regards to Moore, but he also reminds me a bit of Matt Barzal. Perreault has been compared to Mikael Granlund, who before entering the NHL was named, "best player in the world outside of the NHL".

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Naitix

I would take Moore over Perrault in the draft any day. Moore played on the second line while Perrault was on the best u-18 line in hockey, I don't doubt that Moore would have 100+ points if he got to play with Smith and Leonard (and they had chemistry)

Perreault is equal or better in every category except for skating. He's actually on a different level than Moore when it comes to puck handling and vision. Problem with Perreault is his skating is so bad none of those skills may translate to the level you hope. For that reason I would look at Moore as well, but I can see why people would want Perreault. Incredible talent and you have a superstar if you can fix his skating. Not sure that is possible.

[Teroy]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

B
Even if you like Moore than Perrault, I think it's difficult to justify taking Moore over someone like Danielson. Daniel is also as strong skating center, is larger, and most importantly, had much more impressive production.

Totally agree. Danielson brings everything.

[Sandman]

Draft Thought:

I confess that I didn't notice 6'2" LW/C Juraj Pekarcik in the U-18's as much as I should have, as he finished with an outstanding 10 points in 7 games, tied for 11th in tournament scoring ahead of names like Oliver Moore, Calum Ritchie, and Eduard Sale, amongst others. Impressive, especially considering that he played for the Slovaks, who ended up surprising with a 4th-place finish. JP's points came: 2 against Sweden, 1 against Canada, 4 against Germany, 2 against Finland, 1 against USA. He was held pointless in the bronze medal game against our Team Canada in the second meeting of the two teams, but he played an incredible 28 minutes. Point of fact, he didn't play under 20 minutes in any game, save for one. What I did notice is that JP is a good, albeit not elite skater for his size, and he likes to carry the puck through the breakout into the offensive zone(even burning some of our D), and he can really push the pace. Obviously, he has excellent puck control, and puck protection, and can be dangerous off the rush. He plays a power game, and battles physically all over the ice, and in the hard areas, and he is said to posess a reasonably good off-puck game as well, always being in good position on both sides of the puck. Stays active, has a good motor, and as one can imagine, he forechecks relentlessly. He has a defensive conscience, and uses his stick well to break up plays. JP has a good shot, with a deceptive release, but it's hard to project his offensive game to the NHL, as it's said that he needs too much time to make plays, and he can be pressured into making errors with the puck. Back home in Slovakia, he played an impressive 30 games (with 3 points) in the top-tier men's league, with another 8 games in the second-tier men's league (with an impressive 8 points), and 16 games in the U20 Junior circuit (20 points). Only 2 under-18 players played more games in the top league than JP, and only 1 player had more points. In the second-tier, Pekarcik was the only under-18 player to hit a ppg. Obviously, Button likes him, and E-Mac from Upside Hockey had him ranked pretty early. It should be mentioned that Pekarcik is one of the youngest players in the draft, with a September 12th Birthday. I'm going to guess 4th round here.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Teroy

Totally agree. Danielson brings everything.

I wouldn't be sad if the Flames took him but I'm hoping for more of a dynamic player, Danielson is a safe pick though

[Sandman]

More Draft Thoughts:

-Felix Nilsson may one day make a fine 3rd-line C in the NHL, and there's nothing wrong with that. He is praised for his smarts, but I like his quality 200-ft game. This season, he was one of the top U-18 players in the J20 circuit, with 41 points in 36 games, earning him 18 games with Rogle's SHL squad, where he impressed. He exhibits high-quality IQ and vision, and is a fine playmaker. He attacks the center of the ice in transition and in the offensive zone, and is an expert in finding, and creating, open space. He makes good decisions, and needs little time to do so. He shows the ability to drive play, contributes to both sides of transition, and can make high-end plays off the rush. Nilsson brings his smarts, anticipation, and vision with him in the defensive zone, where he is two steps ahead of the play. At the end of the day, the consensus reads that Nilsson is one of those "not elite in any one area, but good at everything" types- the one exception being his brain. His skating and his shot may be hovering around average, but both require some work. He is not a very physical player either, but this is a player that makes everyone around him better, and if he improves his shortcomings, he will be a quality NHLer. Look for him in the 2nd round.

-Oscar Fisker-Molgaard, like Felix Nilsson, is a 6'0" left-handed C plying his trade in the J20 and SHL in Sweden. In the J20, he put up 23 points in 21 games, tied with Felix Unger-Sorum for 7th overall in ppg for under-18 players, at 1.10. His performance earned him an incredible 41 games in the SHL (most games this year for an under-18 player by 9), with 7 points (1st overall for under-18 players). He is currently playing in the World Championships for Denmark. Very impressive resume, considering how far he's come after leaving home in 2021 to play a higher level of hockey in Sweden- he wasn't really on the radar at the beginning of this season. This shows his character, maturity, and his work ethic- all of which he brings to the rink. OFM plays a hard-working, intelligent game in all areas of the ice- he already has a solid base of defensive skills and awareness, but he's just scratching the surface of his offensive potential. His off-puck game is said to be a strength as well. He has great 1-on-1 skill, being able to beat opponents with an array of moves and dekes, made possible by his sublime stickhandling, puck-protection, and puck-control. Skating is very good, perhaps not elite, but he never stops moving his feet. He flashes some elite-level playmaking, and has all the tools, but his offense is still raw. Scouts would like see more from him in this area, and he needs to develop a better shot, but it's a good bet that he gets there. There's an NHL player here. 2nd round.

[Bingo]

Up to ten rankings in the average now ...

Ledge One (top five with almost zero st dev)

1 Connor Bedard C 1.00
2 Adam Fantilli C 2.00
3 Matvei Michkov RW 3.60
4 Leo Carlsson C 3.60
5 Will Smith C 5.60

Ledge 2 - Should be gone

6 Zach Benson F 7.40
7 Dalibor Dvorský C 10.00
8 Ryan Leonard C 10.50
9 Colby Barlow LW 11.00
10 Eduard Sale RW 12.20
11 Axel Sandin Pellikka D 13.10
12 Oliver Moore C 13.20
13 Brayden Yager C 13.90

Likely Flames Ledge

14 David Reinbacher D 15.00
15 Nate Danielson C 15.30
16 Matthew Wood F 16.80
17 Gabe Perreault RW 17.80
18 Andrew Cristall LW 18.20

Next Group

19 Calum Ritchie C 20.30
20 Samuel Honzek C 23.89
21 Otto Stenberg C 23.90
22 Gavin Brindley RW 24.25
23 Ethan Gauthier RW 25.00
24 Quentin Musty LW 25.20
25 Mikhail Gulyayev D 25.40

[1qqaaz]

I almost like the players in the Flames' ledge more than the players in Ledge 2.

[dammage79]

I'm still in the Yager, Ritchie, Danielson boat. I want one of them on the Flames.

I will not cry though if they look elsewhere. IMO, Simashev should be the dark horse Flames pick.

[Tkachukwagon]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1658525177557426177

https://twitter.com/user/status/1658543711331160065

[Sandman]

Here's the write-up I did on Daniil But:

-It will be interesting to see where LW Daniil But is chosen on Draft day. He has some first-round attributes, and most of his skills are translatable to the NHL. First off, But is 6'5", and skates very well for a player his size. He has an amazing top speed, but the problem is- it takes him a bit longer to get up to that speed. His acceleration and start-up are a bit sluggish, and he's still a little awkward-looking, with improvements needed in his mechanics in order to achieve more balance and agility. Some of this will come naturally, as he gets stronger, and some will be cleared up with a skating coach- still some surprising mobility from a player that huge.If you watch his highlights, you'll be impressed. His puck skills are said to be high-end, with great stickhandling, passing, and puck protection. The asset that's mentioned most aside from his mobility, is his shot, which is already NHL-calibre. To go with this, is his deception and release- he uses head fakes, and stick trickery to fool opposing goalies and defenders, and he can get off shots lightning quick. But will use his size and strength to bull his way to the middle of the ice, to front of the net, or in the corners and half-wall in order to hold off checkers, but he is surprisingly not that physical, and lacks edge in his game- otherwise, he would be an absolute force. He might be more of a goal-scorer, but some say he might be one of the best playmakers in this draft. His abilities and size made him an option for the KHL, where he spent 15 games, more than many of his peers, and he had 32 points in 32 games in the Russian junior league- top-10 in scoring for players under-18, top-6 in ppg for that age group.

[Sandman]

More Draft Thoughts:

Zach Benson is a 5'10", 159lb LW, who plays for the powerhouse Winnipeg Ice- the best team in the WHL, and also the highest-scoring. 98 points in 60 games, with a plus/minus of +68, which is incredible production, even if you were to argue that his points totals are propped up playing with the supreme scoring talent that he has around him. Fact is, Benson is a play-driver, and makes his linemates better with his elite IQ, smarts, and playmaking. Simply put, Benson is a wizard with the puck on his stick- he is able to do things that most players cannot, and he sees the ice like few can. In all areas of the ice, Benson is always a few steps ahead of the play, and his decision-making and problem-solving are as good, or better, than anyone in this class. He consistently finds open space, and gets the puck to teammates in high-danger, when he's not attacking high-danger areas himself. He's capable of making high-end plays at top-speed, and is deadly off the rush. Benson lacks size, but it seems nobody told him about it, as he is ultra-competitive, and will not back down. He competes in all the greasy areas, forechecks and backchecks hard, and will take any physical abuse necessary to get the job done. His motor is always running high, he's always dialed-in, and intense. He can push the pace in all 3 zones, despite the fact that his skating is not elite. Benson has plenty of short-burst quickness, and evasiveness, along with high-end agility, edges, and balance which, combined with his fantastic puck-protection and stickhandling, makes him highly elusive. His straight-line, as well as top speed are slightly lacking however, and have room for improvement. Best of all, is that while Benson is indeed a high-end offensive catalyst, he is also a stalwart defensive player, being so highly aware and competitive. Sebastian High of Dobber Prospects says that Benson may be the best defensive forward in this class. Caleb Kerney of The Hockey Writers says Benson has the floor of Zach Hyman, and the ceiling of Mitch Marner. Kinda reminds me of Brayden Point, although Benson is a better skater than Point was at the same age. 36 goals is an indication of a goal-scorer, but he's a dual threat offensively, although some say he still needs work on his shot. I'm still thinking top-10.

[dustygoon]

How do we track who the late risers are? And in similar fashion, who are players who might have been injured or held back until last half of the year when they came on strong?

[Bingo]

Up to 11 rankings now ...

Top Ledge

Player Position Average
1 Connor Bedard C 1.00
2 Adam Fantilli C 2.00
3 Matvei Michkov RW 3.50
4 Leo Carlsson C 3.67
5 Will Smith C 5.50

Likely to be gone

6 Zach Benson F 8.08
7 Dalibor Dvorský C 9.75
8 Ryan Leonard C 10.75
9 Colby Barlow LW 12.25
10 Eduard Sale RW 13.17
11 Oliver Moore C 13.17

Flames ledge (12-13 closer to the grouping now)

12 Axel Sandin Pellikka D 14.08
13 Brayden Yager C 14.08
14 David Reinbacher D 14.33
15 Nate Danielson C 14.92
16 Matthew Wood F 16.00
17 Gabe Perreault RW 16.42
18 Andrew Cristall LW 17.73

You could argue Cristall is moving into the next group by averages.

[Bingo]

Flames pick 48th?

If so here's that grouping.

46 Jacob Fowler RW
47 Noah Dower Nilsson C
48 Danny Nelson D
49 Jayden Perron D
50 Anton Wahlberg C

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

But is hard to ignore. That size and those attributes are tantalizing. Zadorov would be a good lifeline for him too. To me he’s a RH rantanen. I think he will be a force in the league. Maybe trade downs and pick him? The three Russian are all first round caliber as far as I’m concerned. But give me the 6’5 winger with good speed and a pro level shot.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Flames pick 48th?

If so here's that grouping.

46 Jacob Fowler RW
47 Noah Dower Nilsson C
48 Danny Nelson D
49 Jayden Perron D
50 Anton Wahlberg C

Danny Nelson is interesting. Listed as a D but played centre with the USNDP. No idea what he is going forward, but he's a guy that has some alluring physical traits.

The other name there that is interesting to me is Perrron who apparently has very high hockey IQ, but is under sized.

[iloveicedhockey]

While I would rather trade up, by our pick I can see there being a Zary situation where we could trade down and still get our guy.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

Perreault is equal or better in every category except for skating. He's actually on a different level than Moore when it comes to puck handling and vision. Problem with Perreault is his skating is so bad none of those skills may translate to the level you hope. For that reason I would look at Moore as well, but I can see why people would want Perreault. Incredible talent and you have a superstar if you can fix his skating. Not sure that is possible.

Now I just want us to trade one of our upcoming UFAs for a first and we take both .