Prospect Info: The 2023 Draft Thread

[gordonhught]

Black hawks have nothing. Just Bedard and Jones.

poor Bedard is going to get run.

 

[The Nuge]

It’s actually probably one of the better results for us. San Jose might rebound next year if they got Bedard and Anaheim has a ton of good pieces in place to be on the rise soon. Chicago is a mess

 

[belair]

Black hawks have nothing. Just Bedard and Jones.

poor Bedard is going to get run.

If the expansion draft has taught us anything, it's that teams that start from $0 have a huge competitive advantage over the rest of the NHL when it comes to building a competitive hockey team.

That being said, probably not a great spot to be if he wants to score a lot of points out of the gate.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I said he was going to Chicago weeks ago. League wants Chicago relevant like the Rangers. This thing is as rigged as it gets.

 

[Fourier]

If the expansion draft has taught us anything, it's that teams that start from $0 have a huge competitive advantage over the rest of the NHL when it comes to building a competitive hockey team.

That being said, probably not a great spot to be if he wants to score a lot of points out of the gate.

That's more about the expansion draft though. Both teams were able to build considerable depth consisting of actual NHL'ers. In particular, both teams had decent defenses. The free agent class this year on the back end could be pretty scarry.

 

[duul]

Happy he's going to Chicago. SJ and Ana just pale in comparison in terms of the hype and fame and general interest they can provide.

Bedard in Chicago is 10x better for the NHL.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Happy he's going to Chicago. SJ and Ana just pale in comparison in terms of the hype and fame and general interest they can provide.

Bedard in Chicago is 10x better for the NHL.

Hence why he went there.

 

[belair]

That's more about the expansion draft though. Both teams were able to build considerable depth consisting of actual NHL'ers. In particular, both teams had decent defenses. The free agent class this year on the back end could be pretty scary.

The draft itself is valid, but Vegas hasn't built that competitive product out of the players they selected. They utilized their cap flexibility to pull essentially free players, while also stockpiling futures that they later utilized to bring in supporting talent like Mark Stone and Jack Eichel. Free agency also brought them Alex Pietrangelo right off of a Cup win.

Seattle's still relatively early in the process, but they've utilized that available cap space in one offseason to add legitimate top six talent through free agency and trade.

If I'm Chicago, everything must go. I'm the Arizona Coyotes willing to take on bad contracts for free assets. And I'm going into free agency looking for guys who want to zoom their stats for a year or two next to Bedard. Pump and dump. Eventually I'll have the assets to go out and get that Eichel, that Stone or that Pietrangelo.

The $0 committed team has an exciting number of options.

 

[Fourier]

The draft itself is valid, but Vegas hasn't built that competitive product out of the players they selected. They utilized their cap flexibility to pull essentially free players, while also stockpiling future that they later utilized to bring in supporting talent Mark Stone and Jack Eichel. Free agency brought them Alex Pietrangelo right off of a Cup win.

Seattle's still relatively early in the process, but they've utilized that available cap space in one offseason to add legitimate top six talent through free agency and trade.

If I'm Chicago, everything must go. I'm the Arizona Coyotes willing to take on bad contracts for free assets. And I'm going into free agency looking for guys who want to zoom their stats for a year or two next to Bedard. Pump and dump. Eventually I'll have the assets to go out and get that Eichel, that Stone or that Pietrangelo.

The $0 committed team has an exciting number of options.

I do wonder though if Vegas had not had the success that they did in their first two years would we have seen the same desire for high end players to go there. The location of course has advantages in terms of life style and in terms of taxes. But without the relatively cheap depth they got from their expansion draft they would have been hadr pressed to win even with the FA signings. They have Marchesault, Stephenson, Theodore and even AP making a combined $10M or so at least under their market value. And even so, without some creative use of LTIR they would never have been able to make several of the moves they made and still keep their depth.

Like you my guess is that Chicago spends one more year in full on tank mode. As far as pump and dump, we'll see. I am not sure that Bedard will be elevating people's stats as much as some think. Teh UFA market this year is pretty brutal. Maybe Kane or DeBrincat goes back. But after that there are barely any legit 2nd line forwards that I expect would either still be available or would have any interest in Chicago. Michael Bunting at $5M might be what they are looking at.

 

[belair]

I do wonder though if Vegas had not had the success that they did in their first two years would we have seen the same desire for high end players to go there. The location of course has advantages in terms of life style and in terms of taxes. But without the relatively cheap depth they got from their expansion draft they would have been hadr pressed to win even with the FA signings. They have Marchesault, Stephenson, Theodore and even AP making a combined $10M or so at least under their market value. And even so, without some creative use of LTIR they would never have been able to make several of the moves they made and still keep their depth.

I think the only major free agent acquisition they've made this far was Pietro. But I don't doubt that Vegas is a desirable locale for pending FAs. Though I don't see Chicago as an unattractive one.

Like you my guess is that Chicago spends one more year in full on tank mode. As far as pump and dump, we'll see. I am not sure that Bedard will be elevating people's stats as much as some think. Teh UFA market this year is pretty brutal. Maybe Kane or DeBrincat goes back. But after that there are barely any legit 2nd line forwards that I expect would either still be available or would have any interest in Chicago. Michael Bunting at $5M might be what they are looking at.

I thought they did a half decent job of pump and dump this past season. The Domi and Athanasiou gambles only cost them a small amount. They didn't commit to any term and they dealt the guys that had value. Those are types of players available again in this year's market. If Kane decides to play again, why wouldn't he circle back and potentially get another shot with a contender later in the year?

Personally my number one offseason target would be Alexis Lafreniere. I'd be Chris Drury's best friend willing to help them out of their cap constraints. Why wouldn't you?

 

[LTIR]

CHI may attract some good guys right away. I can see Debrincat and Kane open to returning. Maybe even Toews despite all the soapy farewells.

6 top 60 picks including Bedard and over 40mil in cap space despite Zaistev and Jones is a great spot to be for an original 6 team.

 

[Soli]

Intrigue and excitement in the Year of Connor Bedard at the NHL Draft | TSN

The 2023 NHL Draft is about so much more than just the phenom who will go first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks in Nashville, Bob McKenzie writes. Scouts are very enthused about the depth of this year’s class.

www.tsn.ca

Take Bob's final rankings and chop the top 55. It's pick 56 and your OTC, who are you taking?

• I'm leaning defense and eyeing Beau Akey here. I think this draft regime values skating in their blueliners and Akey is sublime in that regard. Was on a tear prior to Clarke returning and then took a backseat. Too bad we don't scout the OHL.
• I like Myatovic, he scored well at ES and was buried, albeit on a stacked depth chart, but I've had a hard time adjusting to him climbing up the rankings from relative obscurity in the ~100s.
• I like the goaltending depth in general in this draft, but not with our first pick.

 

[McDoused]

Connor Bedard locked in at No. 1 in Bob McKenzie's mid-season NHL Draft Ranking | TSN

Connor Bedard was the unanimous No. 1 in TSN’s Pre-Season NHL Draft Rankings last September and reprised that unanimous standing in Bob McKenzie’s Mid-Season 2023 NHL Draft Rankings survey of 10 NHL scouts.

www.tsn.ca

Take Bob's final rankings and chop the top 55. It's pick 56 and your OTC, who are you taking?

• I'm leaning defense and eyeing Beau Akey here. I think this draft regime values skating in their blueliners and Akey is sublime in that regard. Was on a tear prior to Clarke returning and then took a backseat. Too bad we don't scout the OHL.
• I like Myatovic, he scored well at ES and was buried, albeit on a stacked depth chart, but I've had a hard time adjusting to him climbing up the rankings from relative obscurity in the ~100s.
• I like the goaltending depth in general in this draft, but not with our first pick.

The link you posted was his mid-season. You want this one:

Intrigue and excitement in the Year of Connor Bedard at the NHL Draft | TSN

The 2023 NHL Draft is about so much more than just the phenom who will go first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks in Nashville, Bob McKenzie writes. Scouts are very enthused about the depth of this year’s class.

www.tsn.ca

If it breaks this way I would go after Caden Price or Beau Akey for sure. Myatovic is about on par with Schaefer and he went in the 1st last year. Can't say im a big fan of Cataford and Pitre is okay but not someone I would be screaming for.

I could see the Oilers looking at Fowler, Augustine, or Gajan with our 2nd round pick. I think Hrabal goes in the first round.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

The link you posted was his mid-season. You want this one:

Intrigue and excitement in the Year of Connor Bedard at the NHL Draft | TSN

The 2023 NHL Draft is about so much more than just the phenom who will go first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks in Nashville, Bob McKenzie writes. Scouts are very enthused about the depth of this year’s class.

www.tsn.ca

If it breaks this way I would go after Caden Price or Beau Akey for sure. Myatovic is about on par with Schaefer and he went in the 1st last year. Can't say im a big fan of Cataford and Pitre is okay but not someone I would be screaming for.

I could see the Oilers looking at Fowler, Augustine, or Gajan with our 2nd round pick. I think Hrabal goes in the first round.

Looking at that it's hard not to imagine the Oilers zeroing in on Myatovic.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I hope we use one of those later round picks on a goaltender. Skinner graduated and i'm not sure if Rodrigue is a true NHL goalie. Fanti is already 23.

Jonsson had a good year in Sweden but it wouldn't hurt to keep adding to the pipeline.