Its not often we see players his size who can move like him. Hes got smooth hands. 2023 WHL bantam draft prospects - Toptin.org Hes the kind of player who fills the stat sheet andelevates his linemates in subtle ways. His strength complements a competitive, physical, forechecking, middle-lane style that makes good use of his length and hard wrister from midrange. close. His skill and power combination make him a nightmare for defenders as he can beat you with his hands or by tossing his large frame into you to protect the puck. He has now impressed me wherever Ive watched him (NCAA, USHL, Five Nations, U18 Worlds, world juniors, etc.) Each of those guys played quite well at the tournament for draft eligible players, but nobody at the tournament of any age could hand the offensive pressure of Bedard. He can score from mid range consistently with his low-kick wrister, hes got an ability to protect the puck and shade in and out of coverage, hes got a dangerous curl-and-drag wrister, and hes comfortable in traffic. With the 268th overall selection (Round 13) the Vancouver Giants have selected 2007-born defender Chloe Primerano (North Vancouver, BC) in the 2022 @TheWHL Prospects Draft. He has added a ton of strength since arriving at the program so that he can overwhelm junior level players with his power and speed. Now that the 2023 World Juniors are firmly in the rearview mirror, its time to take another deep-dive into the top prospects for the 2023 Draft. For some, it will be. 1. If this werent a draft that also featured Bedard and Benson, he was in the midst of one of the most productive draft-eligible seasons in recent WHL history (pacing to outproduce, for example, the 106 in 69 that 2011 No. Kalan Lind, C/LW, Red Deer Rebels (WHL), 46. 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. He can beat you carrying the puck in rotations around the perimeter of the offensive zone. Michael Hrabal, G, Omaha Lancers (USHL), 61. Auston Matthews had Patrik Laine, Jack Hughes had Kaapo Kakko, and Alexis Lafreniere had Quinton Byfiled, its hard for top prospects to separate themselves from the pack but Bedard has done just that.WELCOME TO THE BEDARD SHOW! The WHL Bantam Draft is only one step in this process. The 2022 WHL Prospects Draft Pre-Show begins with co-hosts Chris Wahl and Taylor Rocca at 8:30 a.m. PDT, with live draft coverage beginning at 9 a.m. PDT. I believe Austrian defender David Reinbacher is the best defenseman in the 2023 Draft class right now and an argument could be made that he could be ranked as high as the top-10. In the 2021-22 season, Gulyayev set a new MHL (the top Russian junior league) record for points by a 16-year-old defenseman with 35 points in 54 games. NHL Draft Rankings: Horn's Top 64 for January One of my favourites in this class, Cristall isa creative, slippery playmaker who isnt afraid to try things and possesses a rare ability to hang onto pucks, pull eyes and bodies towards him, and then expose opposing structures to the weak side of coverage. 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. Not Phil Kessel. Hes got high-end speed with his galloping crossover strides and strong acceleration from a standstill (with continued work to do to take his first two steps up a notch and find an even quicker gear), which help him carry the puck up the ice or join in transition as the trailer whenever he has to play catchup. 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. His head is always up and on a swivel and he does a good job pre-surveying the ice when hes going back to get pucks through frequent shoulder checks. The show will also include the unveiling of WHL Divisional Award Winners and All-Star Teams for the 2021-22 WHL season. All-Time Trophies & Winners. When they got to the 2007-born player class, many had admitted to me that they had understandably focused all their attention on the 2006-born class from September to December so after a few. Ravndahl was selected by Portland in the fourth round, 83 rd overall in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft. He was the CHL Rookie of the Year (on 34 goals). Etienne Morin, LD, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL), 50. 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). Hes a hard worker who makes his team better whenever he steps on the ice. The 2021 WHL Prospects Draft is scheduled for Thursday, December 9, 2021. Holding steady at about two points per game, Cristall has already shown improvements following his impressive 69-point WHL rookie season last year. Just a couple of weeks away from having been eligible for the 2022 draft, Danielson, who was an MVP of Albertas U15 AAA circuit and the No. 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. Connor Bedard, C, Regina (WHL), 5-foot-10, 187 pounds. Carlssons ability to find and make space off the puck is also impressive for such a young player playing against grown men. One of the most surprising junior players so far this year is Lukas Dragicevic who has put up points at well above a point per game rate in the WHL from the back end, making him the highest scoring defender in the league as of writing. 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. 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. Hes just a natural creator for himself and others who manufactures offence in a variety of ways. But even when things arent going his way and the points arent falling, Ive always liked his involvement level, so its hard to get too down on him. There are some whod like to see him get to the guts of the ice and battle a little more (he glides a little too much off of the puck offensively and defensively). 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. WHL Club Protected Player Lists - WHL Prospects 2023 NHL Draft top 64 prospects: Scott Wheeler's March ranking. However, his real calling card is his shot which ranks near the top of the draft class in terms of deception and power. Elite Prospects - CCHL Bantam Protected Draft 2023. Hes a slick one-on-one player. There were a lot of nights last season, on an Ice team that boasted half a dozen of the better forwards and two of the top defencemen in the WHL, where this kid was the best player on the ice (which included himleadingthem in scoring in the playoffs with 23 points in 15 games) as a 16-year-old. Yager has been on the radar in Western Canada for some time now, and hes got some real pedigree to his profile and cache to his game to support it. Ferrari's 2023 NHL Draft Rankings: Mid-Season Top 50 He can run the wall or the point on the PP, effortlessly picking coverage apart and feathering pucks through seams. He can pick apart opposing defenses with pin-point passes and sly fakes, and his effort level is admirable. The best way to define Fantilli is the way one USHL source once described him to me: Hes a horse.. Expectations were unfairly high for Connor Bedard coming into his draft year, with the generational talent label floating around in many draft conversations. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Wins it in OT for !!! Hes got time to put it all together given his summer birthday, too. Hes also going to be an able penalty killer, which should give him all-situations upside at the next level. 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. That will limit concerns about his height (he certainly hasnt played small in his freshman year so far). Adam Gajan, G, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL), 55. The Bantam Draft Lottery will determine the order of selection for the first six picks. Manage Settings 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. WHL Network Charlie Stramel, C, University of Wisconsin (NCAA), 34. Logan Cooley2. After the 1st round, the Clubs select in order from fewest to most regular season points. Welcome to my March ranking of the top 64 prospects eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft. Hell make the soft play to the middle of the ice from the perimeter, or go there to get to rebounds or position himself on screens/tips. With the puck on his stick, hes a treat to watch. This top 64 is made up of 46 forwards, 17 defencemen and one goaltender. NHL Entry Draft -3004 - full list of selections with facts and stats. 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. Western Hockey League makes changes to upcoming draft I think its only a matter of time until he starts to produce more consistently. His playmaking vision is solid but will likely never be his calling card. The way he dodges checks and evades pressure is impressive, but the way he attacks the middle of the ice is what I like most about him. Ravndahl spent parts of three seasons with the Prince Albert Mintos program, recording 25 points in 50 games played. His June birthday makes him one of the younger players on this list and he has already accomplished a lot, including leading a Slovak Hlinka Gretzky Cup team that featured Juraj Slafkovsky and Filip Mesar in scoring as an underager, producing well above a point per game in Swedens J20 level last year, and now producing in his draft year in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan (while clicking at two points per game in stints back down at J20). 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). Hes the go-to center for the Cougars in the faceoff circle. Jesse Nurmi, LW, KooKoo U20 (U20 SM-sarja), 58. He has also learned to use the attention his shot gets as a tool to open up passing and find linemates at the backdoor with blind passes through seams. Scott Ratzlaff, G (Seattle) He loves attacking defenders and beating them in one-on-one skill battles. He was theNo. I think hell stick at centre, too (nice to see him at 53 percent in the circle so far this year). Beyond his natural skill in possession, he also impresses with his smarts with the puck, his cerebral play style, and his ability to play to his linemates. Im not talking about him compared to other prospects in this draft. Four 2005-born standout defenders in the CHL, Breaking down four top 2005 forwards in the WHL, Six WHL Players from the 2021 Draft selected outside of the Top-10 whove had early success, The Five Star Hockey Show: 2023 Canada Winter Games Preview, Western Canada Ramblings: NHL and WHL Draft, The Checklist: 2008-born Manitoba players in the WAAA U15, January 2023 WHL Draft Ranking update | Top-80, Final Thoughts: John Reid Memorial Tournament 2023, 10 Puck Touches: Day Three and Four 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament, 10 Puck Touches: Day Two, 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament, 10 Puck Touches: Day One 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament, The Checklist: Seven 2008-born Western Canadian Players to Watch, 2022 WHL Draft Review: From Prince George to Winnipeg, 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game, Rocky Mountain Classic 2022: Rambling Part Two, 9 forwards who impressed at the Graham Tuer U15 Challenge, Preliminary Top 25 2023 WHL Draft Rankings Released. I think hes going to be a star regardless. 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. Team management chose the name "Rebels". 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. After scoring 30 goals as a rookie in the OHL last season, Colby Barlow has been on my radar as a pro-sized winger with a legit NHL-caliber shot. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Felix Nilsson, C (Rogle) Im less and less convinced of that. 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. NHL Draft 2023 top 64 prospects: Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli headline 2020 All rights reserved to Puck Preps. 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). A Maine Black Bears commit, Nadeau creates offence in a variety of ways, bursting wide or pulling away from defenders in transition with his quick feet, taking the puck right at or through coverage with his maneuverability, or leaning into a pinpoint shot (whether off of catch-and-releases, standstill shooting mechanics off the flank on the power play or through his one-timer which the Vees have tried to open by playing him, a right-handed shot, on his off-wing this season). (Maksim Konstantinov / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images), how strong the 2022 draft class was for Slovakia. He has been impressive thus far, scoring six points in 14 games with Sochi, with four of those points being goals. Im talking nobody. He is a special player and looks like he will become a franchise-defining player for whoever selects him, when he finally makes it to North America that is. He walks the line and bends coverage as an impressive and tactical power-play quarterback. Hes got smooth skating mechanics. He regularly makes difficult plays as a passer, demonstrating high-end spatial awareness and often finding second or even third options (constantly pre-scanning and shoulder-checking). We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Luke Mittelstadt, LHD (U. of Minnesota)
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