Prospect Info: U18 WJC 2023

[Barry Amsterdam]

Super impressed with Smith Perrault and Stennberg in this gold medal game

 

[Henkka]

Ready to draft Otto Stenberg with 17th overall.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Sweden has just been lights out

 

[Pavels Dog]

Not very impressed with Smith. Like Eiserman though.

 

[Holden Caufield]

Sweden has just been lights out

First close game of the tourny.

See if they can close it out. USA team is pushing hard now and looking good.

Minnetian really pushing the action. Like what he provides.

Edit; there it is Tied. Eiserman

 

[Henkka]

Eiserman-family has 5 brothers, who have played hockey and no one isn't names as Steve or Stephen.

 

[SantosHalper]

Gold medalist
USA U18 at eliteprospects.com
Silver medalist
Sweden U18 at eliteprospects.com
Bronze medalist
Canada U18 at eliteprospects.com

All-star team
G Noah Erliden at eliteprospects.com
D Cole Hutson at eliteprospects.com
Axel Sandin Pellikka at eliteprospects.com
F Will Smith at eliteprospects.com
Dalibor Dvorský at eliteprospects.com
Otto Stenberg at eliteprospects.com

MVP Will Smith at eliteprospects.com
Best forward Will Smith at eliteprospects.com
Best defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka at eliteprospects.com
Best goalie Noah Erliden at eliteprospects.com
Most goals Will Smith at eliteprospects.com
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/597619/cole-eiserman
Most points Will Smith at eliteprospects.com

 

[heyfolks]

No Russia = Not really the World title.

 

[Henkka]

No Russia = Not really the World title.

A bit easier competition, but still a World title as well as earlier titles.

 

[Frk It]

Ready to draft Otto Stenberg with 17th overall.

How much are we going to put into a small tournament? Yeah he was great at the U18s and he was great at the Hlinka.

Being under a PPG at the J20 level in your draft season at 17/18 is not good.

Dower Nilsson literally had way better production on the exact same team. Are we going to prioritize <10 games in a tournament over 20-30 games in league play? I don't know if that is a good idea.

 

[heyfolks]

A bit easier competition, but still a World title as well as earlier titles.

Even more true than I thought. The USA has actually dominate the play over the past 20 years. I stand corrected.

USA 10x
Canada 4x
Finland 2x
Russia 2x
Sweden 2X

 

[Holden Caufield]

Even more true than I thought. The USA has actually dominate the play over the past 20 years. I stand corrected.

USA 10x
Canada 4x
Finland 2x
Russia 2x
Sweden 2X

It’s just a showcase event.
A lot of players don’t play in the tourny, because the date of the tourny is too early. So it’s not a best on best competition.
Still great to see some talented draft eligible players compete.

USA is consistently good because they always send a real team that has played together and with the same coaching all season long.
All the other countries scrap together best players they can find right before the tourny and have maybe week to figure it out.

 

[Holden Caufield]

Some of my big Winners from the Tournament;
Otto Stenberg
Will Smith
Danny Nelson
David Edstrom
Andrew Gibson
Aram Minnetian
And I guess Sandin Pelinkka (He Played very well, but was a big winner because Button was slobbering all over him all game long)


Some guys who I thought didnt look too hot;
Andrew Cristall
Riley Heidt
Calum Ritchie
Theo Lindstein
Caden Price

 

[Frk It]

I was really impressed with what I saw from Wood for Canada. I tview him as a top 15 player now in this class and have even given him some consideration for #9 or 10. He reminds me of Tage Thompson where yeah it doesn’t look pretty how he gets around but he is a big body who knows where to go and what to do when he gets the puck. Hard to discount how much success he’s had on multiple teams over the last 2 years.

I was impressed with all the USA kids. I saw enough skill from Leonard to where I would put him top 15 now and be OK if he was our top pick (a). Liked what I saw from Oliver Moore, althoughI think he has a good amount of developing left to do. Perreault and Smith were what I expected them to be.

Stenberg and Sandin Pelikka were very impressive for Sweden for me. Both of them far exceeded what I was expecting.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Wahlberg.

 

[emptyNedder]

Some guys who I thought didnt look too hot;

Calum Ritchie

I remember after Ritchie led Canada in scoring at the Hlinka several posters said he was "lucky" and "not impressive."

Given his international and OHL post-season production, I have to believe Ritchie doesn't do things that make him look good, but does almost everything that produces good results.

 

[Frk It]

I remember after Ritchie led Canada in scoring at the Hlinka several posters said he was "lucky" and "not impressive."

Given his international and OHL post-season production, I have to believe Ritchie doesn't do things that make him look good, but does almost everything that produces good results.

I thought Ritchie was good for Canada at the U18s. I don't think he belongs with those other players listed.

Just my 2 cents though.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I finally caught up on some of this and have a couple of random thoughts:

1. Smith is still the single most skilled player on the US team. I won't be shocked if he ends up on the wing in the NHL though, Glad we won't need to consider him.
2. Moore - not convinced he is a center at the NHL level either. I love the motor but he needs to learn to play at different speeds to develop offensively. Not as smart with the puck as Smith but much more honest of a player. 9 is too high for him. If he was 6'1, I could see the case for him there. People are drunk on his skating.
3. Willander - we probably overrate him because he is a righty, but I could probably get behind him at 18 oa. Would prefer to package 2nds to move up if still on board at the end of the first day.
4. Wood - I am far more comfortable with him than I was a week ago. Skating isn't good but looks better against his actual peers. He has capacity to improve it given his age though. Would be a nice compliment for what we have in the system. Me like
5. Leonard - totally on board at 9 even though I have seen him play better.
6. Endstrom - yes please. Would even consider him at 18oa
7. Stenberg - not sure what he actually is in the NHL, but was clearly very effective. I feel like I should like him more.
8, ASP - not for me.
9. Barlow - not great but I have also seen better and am not giving up on him
10. Dvorsky - more comfortable with him but still have some reservations if you think he is a center

 

[wingerdinger]

I finally caught up on some of this and have a couple of random thoughts:

1. Smith is still the single most skilled player on the US team. I won't be shocked if he ends up on the wing in the NHL though, Glad we won't need to consider him.
2. Moore - not convinced he is a center at the NHL level either. I love the motor but he needs to learn to play at different speeds to develop offensively. Not as smart with the puck as Smith but much more honest of a player. 9 is too high for him. If he was 6'1, I could see the case for him there. People are drunk on his skating.
3. Willander - we probably overrate him because he is a righty, but I could probably get behind him at 18 oa. Would prefer to package 2nds to move up if still on board at the end of the first day.
4. Wood - I am far more comfortable with him than I was a week ago. Skating isn't good but looks better against his actual peers. He has capacity to improve it given his age though. Would be a nice compliment for what we have in the system. Me like
5. Leonard - totally on board at 9 even though I have seen him play better.
6. Endstrom - yes please. Would even consider him at 18oa
7. Stenberg - not sure what he actually is in the NHL, but was clearly very effective. I feel like I should like him more.
8, ASP - not for me.
9. Barlow - not great but I have also seen better and am not giving up on him
10. Dvorsky - more comfortable with him but still have some reservations if you think he is a center

Agree heavily on Moore. I didn't see any semblance of the soft skills required to be an offensive entity at the NHL level. He can skate for days which is really nice.

 

[Frk It]

I finally caught up on some of this and have a couple of random thoughts:

2. Moore - not convinced he is a center at the NHL level either. I love the motor but he needs to learn to play at different speeds to develop offensively. Not as smart with the puck as Smith but much more honest of a player. 9 is too high for him. If he was 6'1, I could see the case for him there. People are drunk on his skating.

Yeah he is a tough one for me.

I just feel like once he gets off that Development team he can have a Larkin-esque development playing college hockey. But there are more outcomes than that.

My concern would be he becomes Andrew Cogliano 2.0

It is hard to evaluate players like him that get all the secondary opportunities on that UDSP team.

 

[NickH8]

Yeah he is a tough one for me.

I just feel like once he gets off that Development team he can have a Larkin-esque development playing college hockey. But there are more outcomes than that.

My concern would be he becomes Andrew Cogliano 2.0

It is hard to evaluate players like him that get all the secondary opportunities on that UDSP team.

I'm in the same boat. I'm keeping him high since it's hard to find guys with his profile, but I acknowledge the risk of just getting a Cogliano. Ideally he's a Larkin, he probably ends up somewhere in between.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I'm in the same boat. I'm keeping him high since it's hard to find guys with his profile, but I acknowledge the risk of just getting a Cogliano. Ideally he's a Larkin, he probably ends up somewhere in between.

Cogliano is exactly who comes to mind when I think about Moore.

 

[jfrank21]

How much are we going to put into a small tournament? Yeah he was great at the U18s and he was great at the Hlinka.

Being under a PPG at the J20 level in your draft season at 17/18 is not good.

Dower Nilsson literally had way better production on the exact same team. Are we going to prioritize <10 games in a tournament over 20-30 games in league play? I don't know if that is a good idea.

I get the ppg argument, but Stenberg has been way more impressive in every international game that I've seen. I havent watched any of his club games, but I watched him in last years u18, the Hlinka, and now this tourney. He's consistently stood out, and not just because of his production. He just pops when you watch him vs his peers. I would have absolutely no issue with taking him at 17 (lets go Panthers!).

I finally got a chance to watch all of the games that I had on my DVR, I was busy during the actual week of the tourney, but tried to avoid spoilers as best as I could.

Honestly, I liked Wood and Ritchie from Canada. Barlow was a little disappointing but he was playing injured (I think Ritchie was as well.) I didnt care for Cristall as much as I thought I would, he just didnt stand out enough in the games that I watched to compensate for his size. I would be ok with Wood at 9/10 and Ritchie at 17/18. Barlow was originally top 10 for me, but I would slide him down to being closer to the second 1st round pick.

I have liked Dvorsky more than most, and he didnt disappoint at all. I would be thrilled with him at 9/10. Sale was obviously good for Czechia, but I think he will fall in the no mans land between the Wings picks.

Of the USA guys, I did actually like Smith's game in this tourney, he played with more pace than I had seen before. I mean, you can't discredit the numbers. He stirred the drink on his line and I came away more impressed with him and Perrault, less so with Leonard (but obviously Leonard came up clutch.) Personally, I would only be happy with Perrault or Leonard with the second 1st. I think there are better options at 9/10. Moore slid for me as well. I love the skating and motor obviously, but like everyone else mentioned, he didnt show enough hockey sense and overall skill to make me happy with him at 9 or 10. 17/18, sure.

 

[lilidk]

2023 U18 -Russia - not good Canada - not good Finland = worse tournament I ever seen.