Top 32 prospect NHL 2023 draft

[ryan callahan]

Was bored so I tried my hand at making a prospects list. This is my opinion and in no way a correct science. I ranked the players based on the probability that they become a key player on a contending team and based on top 6/top 4 upside. This is not a mock. I placed alot of weight on potential NHL frame at 23 and the ability to drive a team's offense. Slight impact from russian factor or else Michkov and the other russian players might have been higher.

1. Connor Bedard - Regina Pata
2. Adam Fantilli - U of Michigan
3. Leo Carlsson - Orebro
4. Matvey Michkov - SKA St.Petersburg/Sochi
5. David Reinbacher - Kloten
6. Will Smith - USNTDP
7. Ryan Leonard - USNTDP
8. Matthew Wood - U Conn
9. Quentin Musty - Sudbury Wolves
10. Zachary Benson - Winnipeg Ice
11. Gabe Perreault - USNTDP
12. Axel Sandin Pellikka - Skelleftea
13. Lukas Dragicevic - Tri City Americans
14. Dalibor Dvorsky - AIK
15. Samuel Honzek - Vancouver Giants
16. Andrew Cristall - Kelowna Rockets
17. Nate Danielson - Brandon Wheat Kings
18. Bradley Nadeau - Penticton Vees
19. Colby Barlow - Owen Sound Attack
20. Riley Heidt - Prince George Cougars
21. Oliver Moore - USNTDP
22. Étienne Morin - Moncton Wildcats
23. Koehn Zimmer - Prince George Cougars
24. Gavin Brindley - U of Michigan
25. Dmitri Simashev - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
26. Daniil But - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
27. Eduard Sale - Kometa Brno
28. Otto Sternberg - Frolunda
29. Ethan Gauthier - Sherbrooke Phoenix
30. Charlie Stramel - U of Wisconsin
31. Mikhail Gulyayev - Avangard Omsk
32. Jayden Perron - Chicago Steel

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[MasterMatt25]

Really high on Reinbacher and Wood eh?

 

[Habsrule]

That is the lowest I have seen Barlow, Moore and Sale. Care to explain why you don’t like them as much?

I’m not knocking you at all. Just curious as to what you don’t like in their games.

 

[Hickflyer]

Otto Sternberg is a steal after 15.

 

[ryan callahan]

Really high on Reinbacher and Wood eh?

Out of all the players in my rankings these feel pretty close to the consensus. Reinbacher often ends up 6th or 7th range and Wood has been rising despite the skating concerns (consensus 12-15).

That is the lowest I have seen Barlow, Moore and Sale. Care to explain why you don’t like them as much?

I’m not knocking you at all. Just curious as to what you don’t like in their games.

Oliver Moore might be slightly too low. He probably is getting less powerplay time and offensive opportunities due to the Perreault-Smith-Leonard line being so overpowered. He has a good frame on him and good speed and scoring. You could argue that he could be in the 15 range along with Dvorsky and Honzek. After Moore, there is a noticeable dropoff in my rankings.

Barlow's playmaking is concerning to me. I don't think he is a good enough scorer to be ''that guy'' on a NHL team, so he'll need to have other skills to compensate. I feel like his ceiling is a second line scorer with decent physicality. Or maybe the McTavish comp scouts have thrown around is right and I'm underrating the value of his physicality.

Czech league guys are hard to evaluate because some of the talented Czech prospects leave for other countries and because of the fact there is so little of them (Slovakia, after a tough decade, has caught up and completely lapped them). Sale is very thin despite being tall, and Euros are always more of a headache to develop due to pro teams in Europe having little regards for development. I'm not saying Sale doesn't have potential, it's just that he doesn't feel good enough to outweigh the concerns.

Otto Sternberg is a steal after 15.

Guy who play mostly Swedish juniors in their draft year are always harder to project and carry an inherent risk. He also doesn't produce nearly as much as Dvorsky did in the J20. Will read and watch more on the second tier Sweden players after Carlsson and ASP (Edstrom, Dower-Nilsson, Sternberg, etc.) to gain a better understanding of where these guys should stand come the draft.

 

[lilidk]

Really high on Reinbacher and Wood eh?

After first 4 it's what ever you like more. Reinbacher probably the best defansman and Wood has very high potential

 

[toddkaz]

Sale at 27? Most have him top 10-15

 

[DANOZ28]

as a wild fan picking at #22 i'd be happy with a chance at local mn kid moore a fast C. other choices sale & boot/but would be great. hope this mock pans out. cheers

 

[hefsbeaver]

Not a big deal but both Heidt and Ziemmer are from Prince George Cougars not Medicine Hat

 

[RWatson29]

Moore & sale way too low

 

[ryan callahan]

Not a big deal but both Heidt and Ziemmer are from Prince George Cougars not Medicine Hat

Haha I confused the cat named teams from the west (mostly went off the top of my head for them). Thanks for pointing it out.