Prospect Info: 2023 Draft scenario, where should you pick the Center instead of a non-center option?

[Henkka]

I'll take this as separate thread to create a poll from the 2023 draft thread.

Like, I'm going to learn something from this mock/fictive draft I'm involved just as a one example.

When I have been going winger-heavy, kind of BPA-thing, I didn't get any centers in this draft before the 3rd round. All centers are reached earlier, it's just the how drafting seems always go. Centers are more important for the game, more valuable in trades etc.

When the 9th overall was BPA (Leonard), I excluded all center options for BPA. I was ready to take Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, Smith and Dvorsky at #9, and of course, all went already at Top6. Michkov was the only winger at Top6. I was just "damn, part 1"

I also don't how know probable Center Benson is, but he went also before the 9th overall. So Oliver Moore was there, with Danielson and Yager, but I'm not gonna draft them before Leonard. Should I have done that?

***

Then at 17th I was going after RH defenceman Willander, because I really like him. Will the mistake happen in here? Moore and Yager were gone, but Danielson was there. He went at 21st to Minnesota.

***

With 2nd round picks, imo, it was time to pick the best goalie with one of those 3 picks, some extra possibilities ahead of others with less 2nd round picks.

On that point I started to look also on centers, but - again - noticed that they are already gone. Koehn Ziemmer as power-forward looked very interesting and Jayden Perron as smallish scoring winger too.

So I had completed 5 picks, and getting 3 wingers, 1 goalie and 1 defenceman. At which point should I have taken the center and skip the non-center option`?

9th overall scenario - W Leonard vs. Center Moore/Yager/Danielson
17th overall scenario - RD Willander vs. Center Danielson/Ritchie/Honzek/Stenberg
41st overall scenario - G Hrabal vs. Center Fisker Mölgåård/Rehkopf
42nd overall scenario - RW Ziemmer vs. Center Fisker Mölgåård/Rehkopf
43rd overall scenario - RW Perron vs. Center Fisker Mölgåård/Rehkopf
73rd overall - I finally drafted Denver Barkey, who isn't anyhow surefire NHL center either.

Does Barkey fit need at this time, or which earlier pick should I have done different to get the Center ?

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[Henkka]

As for the goalie pick.

I did pick Hrabal with one of those 41-42-43.

This is how goalies went in the mock draft:

41.DET - Michal Hrabal
53.SEA - Carson Bjarnason
58.NJD - Adam Gajan
59.ANA - Trey Augustine
69.MTL - Jacob Fowler

So Hrabal was the "1st overall" of goalies. 5 goalies went before the Red Wings 73.overall 3rd round pick.

I had goalies in this order on my list:

1. Hrabal
2. Augustine
3. Bjarnason
4. Gajan
5. Fowler
------------ then there's a big gap for RAtzlaff
6. Ratzlaff
7. Zavrakin


So, imo, the goalie pick was just right timing.

All the Top5 goalies will go on the 2nd round (and Fowler early 3rd), and you should use one of the three picks for some of the top guys, or you just get some long shot with a low-round pick.

Idea was to go after a goalie again, because the "general rule" is, that you should draft a goalie every second year. Cossa was taken at 2021, and 2022 Wings didn't draft a goalie, so it's time again to keep the pipeline healthy.

 

[Henkka]

With the Leonard #9 pick, is there a possibility that he could become a Center?

If so, then nothing could be wrong in here. Denver Barkey is just fine as 2nd center picked on this year's package.

 

[Henkka]

And as you make a vote, please also comment which decision would have been different and who would have been the replacement pick.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Probably one of the 2nd round picks.

Highly doubt we're choosing between Willander and Danielson at 17.

 

[norrisnick]

Goalie pick.

 

[NickH8]

I'm not too worried about the picks at 9 or 17 being centers. If they are that's nice but we need wingers too. I think we should grab one or two with our 2nds though. There's gonna be good options like Edstrom who could be solid 3cs.

 

[Henkka]

I'm not too worried about the picks at 9 or 17 being centers. If they are that's nice but we need wingers too. I think we should grab one or two with our 2nds though. There's gonna be good options like Edstrom who could be solid 3cs.

At this simulation, David Edström was gone at #35 to Chicago before those 41-42-43 picks. But he would have been too big reach to get at #17.

Edström kind falled on the impossible pick range, where you should trade up to get him. But is that worth it?

 

[Holden Caufield]

With the Leonard #9 pick, is there a possibility that he could become a Center?

If so, then nothing could be wrong in here. Denver Barkey is just fine as 2nd center picked on this year's package.

Leonard could switch back to Center. His skill set is ideal for a centre.

Barkey played the last half of season on the wing and could end up a winger.

Nothing is for sure, draft the best player available.
Trade and sign UFA’s to fill NHL holes.

 

[Frk It]

My gut says Detroit picks Barlow at 9 and Willander at 17. Basically they get their Bertuzzi replacement and Hronek replacement. The more I read about Barlow the more I think the Wings will love him. (I do not think Ryan Leonard is going to be there at 9.)

If that is what happens, then I think they will either trade up into the end of round 1 for a center or hopefully spend 1-2 of those picks they have in the early 2nd round on a center.

I would be looking at Danny Nelson, David Edstrom, Gracyn Sawchyn, Charlie Stramel, Riley Heidt, etc

Leonard could switch back to Center. His skill set is ideal for a centre.

Barkey played the last half of season on the wing and could end up a winger.

Nothing is for sure, draft the best player available.
Trade and sign UFA’s to fill NHL holes.

I wouldn't count on it. When is he going to? He will probably continue to play the wing on a line with Smith in college.

So I had completed 5 picks, and getting 3 wingers, 1 goalie and 1 defenceman. At which point should I have taken the center and skip the non-center option`?

9th overall scenario - W Leonard vs. Center Moore/Yager/Danielson
17th overall scenario - RD Willander vs. Center Danielson/Ritchie/Honzek/Stenberg
41st overall scenario - G Hrabal vs. Center Fisker Mölgåård/Rehkopf
42nd overall scenario - RW Ziemmer vs. Center Fisker Mölgåård/Rehkopf
43rd overall scenario - RW Perron vs. Center Fisker Mölgåård/Rehkopf
73rd overall - I finally drafted Denver Barkey, who isn't anyhow surefire NHL center either.

Does Barkey fit need at this time, or which earlier pick should I have done different to get the Center ?

I think how Rehkopf plays is way more suited for being a winger, and most places I have seen proejct him as a winger.

 

[Frk It]

delete

 

[Henkka]

Highly doubt we're choosing between Willander and Danielson at 17.

If we would choose, which one of them would you pick?

Leonard could switch back to Center. His skill set is ideal for a centre.

Barkey played the last half of season on the wing and could end up a winger.

Yeah I noticed that Barkey-move for the playoffs, after London bolstered the team. But he was quite good on faceoffs, so I didn't count that center possibility out.

 

[Realgud]

At 9 and 17 you pick talent. The Wings need talent. You can start caring about positional need in the 2nd round if you want. If you think Leonard is a better player than Moore/Yager/Danielson, you pick him.

 

[Holden Caufield]

Yeah I noticed that Barkey-move for the playoffs, after London bolstered the team. But he was quite good on faceoffs, so I didn't count that center possibility out.

Winterton will be gone. Barkey will likely go back to centre again. But whether he was wing or centre… he was still playing well.
That was more my point.

If you hit on a great player. Little else matters. If you draft a bust, nobody will give you points for ‘good intentions’.

Nobody in Tor or Col is lamenting the Marner or Raantanen picks because they could have gotten Barzal who plays centre. People are just happy to draft great players.

 

[NickH8]

At this simulation, David Edström was gone at #35 to Chicago before those 41-42-43 picks. But he would have been too big reach to get at #17.

Edström kind falled on the impossible pick range, where you should trade up to get him. But is that worth it?

Ah I see. I'd have taken Molgaard then.

 

[Henkka]

This is how all Centers went:

1. Bedard
2. Fantilli
3. Carlsson
5. Dvorsky
6. Smith
-----------
DET 9th overall
-----------
11. Moore
15. Yager
---------
DET 17th overall
---------
18. Ritchie
19. Stramel
21. Danielson
22. Stenberg
25. Honzek
27. Nelson
31. Heidt
32. Sawchyn
----------- 2nd round starting
35. Edström
-----------
DET 41st overall
DET 42nd overall
DET 43rd overall
-----------
44. Whitelaw
49. Forsfjäll
51. Fisker Molgaard
55. Rehkopf
60. Wahlberg
----------- 3rd round starting
65. Dower-Nilsson
DET 73rd overall - Denver Barkey

16 Centers went on the 1st round. 50% of all picks were Centers.

I don't know is the guys on the mock just acting like that aggressive way, but imo, it has been the same Center hunt on the real NHL drafts.

 

[SantosHalper]

Hrabal, i would pick Clara later. Same size and almost the same birthday as well, but the developmental ground is better.

UMass doesn't have a full time goalie coach. Brynäs had one last year and most likely has one next year, Johan Holmqvist and Brynäs also has Anders Lindbäck as a 2nd goalie. Similar massive goalie, some NHL experience, good mentor to Clara.

 

[The Real Pastafarian]

I voted for 9th for the mistake because I would have taken Moore there if available.

But I would probably also have taken Danielson at 17th.

Now that's if we can't trade into the top 5 or 6 with 9 + 17 and get Smith if he's still there. I'd rather do that. But you fellers have assured me that such a trade is impossible because no team would trade 5 or 6 for 9 + 17, and at the same time, paradoxically enough, it would be a bad move from our standpoint too.

So 6 > 9 + 17, and at the same time, 6 < 9 + 17. "Kill this thread with fire" was the consensus. I'll have to see if I can bring that thread back on draft day if Stevie makes that trade.