Hes got excellent touch and weight on his passes (hes a great saucer passer off of his forehand and backhand, in particular), and does a beautiful job waiting for lanes to open. He thrives in transition creating breakaways and putting defenders on their heels with his speed and plays with a ton of confidence and swagger on the puck as a deft handler. 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. He has also proven to be a bit too good for the OHL, scoring over 30 goals in his draft-1 year and not being on pace to eclipse the 50-goal mark. He has a great release on his shot, and he has a knack for manipulating shooting lanes or goalie positioning in just a split second to give himself a better scoring chance. Everywhere he plays, Bedard just oozes poise and talent unlike any other player on the ice. He goes to the front of the net and will bail out to make effort plays. He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. And after how good he looked as an underager at U18 worlds in Germany last April, nobody has been surprised by his near goal-per-game breakout this season (in fact, I wrote I wont be surprised if he challenges Smith and Moore on the stat sheet this year while providing all of the energy that he does in my preseason ranking). Denver Barkey, C, London Knights (OHL), 63. Its all there. Hes a commanding offensive defenceman who is at his best when hes looking to take charge with his feet. 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.. He looks like he could be a hard-working top-six winger who complements your top guys really well while providing real offensive value on his own. League. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Carey Terrance, C (Erie) . He shows off his edgework and hands best while playing through traffic as he just seems to be nearly impossible to nail down and knock off the puck. Hes got quick hands one-on-one, he drops pucks back into his shooting stance effortlessly, and hes got a beautiful curl-and-drag motion. - The Western Hockey League announced today the Spokane Chiefs will select first overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft following the completion of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft Lottery. Fantilli is a big, strong, powerful kid who takes pucks from the wall to the interior with force, and ease, and speed. 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. 2022 WHL Prospects Draft Results - First Round #1 - Medicine Hat Tigers Name: Gavin McKenna Position: Forward Hometown: Whitehorse, Yukon Team: Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna U18 Prep Stats: 35 GP - 23G-42A-65 points #2 - Tri-City Americans Name: Jackson Smith Position: Defence Hometown: Calgary, Alta. . Hes consistent shift-to-shift and game-to-game and while he might lack the dynamism of some of the players in front of him here, he can make plays in a variety of ways on and off the puck and the ice usually tilts in his teams favor when hes out there. The 2021 WHL Prospects Draft is scheduled for Thursday, December 9, 2021. The 2021 WHL Prospects Draft Pre-Show begins with co-hosts Chris Wahl and Taylor Rocca at 9:30 a.m. MT, with live draft coverage beginning at 10 a.m. MT. Follow Scott on Twitter @scottcwheeler, Matvei Michkov. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Hes also a strong skater who is light on his edges, builds speed quickly into flight to put defenders on their heels and/or create separation, leads a lot of neutral-zone carries into entries, and makes plays into space for himself or his linemates at pace. The 2023 draft is led by three maybe four A-plus (or close) prospects at the very top, a superb collection of high-end talents at forward behind them that will run deep into the first round and produce additional stars, and better depth on defence and in net than I anticipated when the year started. After being selected 10th overall in the 2022 CHL Import Draft by the Vancouver Giants, Samuel Honzek has done nothing but impress in his first season in North America. Hameenaho has the strength and stick skills to not just battle well, but win puck battles and keep possession alive for his team. Dmitri Simashev is a very intriguing prospect with the size/skating combo (6-foot-4) that is so coveted in the modern NHL. Now that the 2023 World Juniors are firmly in the rearview mirror, it's time to take another deep-dive into the top prospects for the 2023 Draft. His performance at the 2023 World Juniors helped his draft stock a bit, though Austria was dominated by every team they played against. Smith is flanked by the two best wingers in the program while Moore has found incredible success without that level of supporting talent. Hes got quick hands and instincts, with standout puck control and shading. There arent many players in this draft class whove come along quite like Sandin Pellikka has in the last year or so. Hes a versatile, high-RPM player who makes things happen when hes on the ice and pulls teamates into the fight with his scrappy, competitive, never-stop style. Tyler Bertuzzi (F) NHL. Hes got a great release. Hes eager physically. 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. Regardless, it is always impressive to see a draft-year player earning serious minutes in the KHL, especially a defenseman, and Simashev might just have the highest defensive potential in the whole draft. On top of it all, hes physical, hes strong in the faceoff circle, hell get after it on forecheck and track pucks, he plays with energy, hell pounce on turnovers and be opportunistic. When he does go there, too, Ive seen him show that dexterity he has getting sticks on tips and redirects. Dower Nilsson doesnt have Lekkerimakis shot or Ostlunds passing ability, but his offensive IQ is terrific and he has shown the ability to produce at an incredible pace without any other high-end scorers around him to help him pick up a few points here and there. . 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, January Top-80 2023 OHL Draft Ranking Update, 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, 14 2008-born Defensemen profiles from Sask First Top-160, 2022 WHL Draft Review: From Prince George to Winnipeg, 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game. The WHL Bantam Draft is only one step in this process. The U17 teams leader in assists and points last year, Perreault has played to nearly two points per game with the U18 team this year. Hes got poise and patience on the puck. Few centers in junior hockey enter their draft year as well-rounded as Nate Danielson. This ranking follows my way-too-early top 26, my preseason top 32 (released in August), and my preliminary top 64 (released in November). Jayden Perron is an excellent play-driving winger with tons of offensive talent. Max Domi (F) Calum Ritchie has great puck skills and sometimes it looks like he has glued the puck to his stick while carving through defenders or when hes on a breakaway. It will be followed by my midseason top 64 (released in February), an updated top 32 following U18 Worlds. Perron, who didnt go the popular prep school route in Western Canada, was a terror in Manitobas minor hockey ranks who stepped right into the titanic Steel last season and immediately flashed his skill with the puck, producing 48 points in 63 games to earn USHL All-Rookie Second Team honours. When you package all of that skill with a dogged work ethic that keeps him around pucks all the time, and youve gota tremendous player. Heidt, taken No. 22-Mason Fauser F Swift Current Broncos 5-8 23-Cash Lanigan F Regina Aces 5-8 24-Dane Mansuy D Regina Monarchs 5-8 25-Charlie Kay F Saskatoon Outlaws 5-8 26-Dryden Deobold D Regina Monarchs 5-8 27-Keaton Lesperance F Regina Aces 5-8 28-Cameron Jacobson D Humboldt Broncos 5-8 29-Ethan Dundas F Regina Monarchs 5-8 3 in advance of any draft and the best Russian prospect since Alex Ovechkin. Denver Barkey, C (London) Western Hockey League completes 2022 WHL U.S. pic.twitter.com/ZNwH9wYcC0. His release is lightning-quick. He currently leads the Giants in scoring and is among the top scorers in the WHL at large. 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - TOP 50 - Elite Prospects 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - TOP 50 Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. Hes also outscoring most of the WHL for that matter, dominating the opposition when he has possession. Hes a big winger whose game really fit right from the get-go on North American ice, quickly establishing himself as a a go-to player in all-situations for the Giants (even though he was an underager, Slovakia was playing him a ton early on in the world juniors, too). Sign up for EP Premium to create your own ranking. Theres a lot of belief out there that hes going to be a good, well-rounded NHLer. And while he may not be a driver on a top-six line, its not hard to imagine him as a first- or second-line playmaker who makes finishing plays off of a drivers work and does damage on PP1. The WHL Bantam Draft is an annual outing, in which the Clubs of the Western Hockey League select players who have graduated from bantam. Because of his genetics, he should add the necessary weight and strength eventually. He can beat you by pushing through lanes to the middle third, driving the net, or dropping a shoulder to take space that isnt there. He has a good shot but hasnt been encouraged to use it much in Liiga yet. 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. 2023 Whl Bantam Draft - Elite Prospects 2023 Whl Bantam Draft Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. It often takes two to take the puck off of him when hes twisting and turning, too. I think the former outcome is the more likely, which is why Id probably steer clear of him in the teens (where some believe he belongs). Last season was certainly a strange one for WHL scouts as they anticipated the task of two drafts in one calendar year. Hes a crafty handler who hangs onto pucks to spin away from pressure, attacks in and out of crowds, makes plays into space for himself, and can comfortably make plays through layers to others. He has now impressed me wherever Ive watched him (NCAA, USHL, Five Nations, U18 Worlds, world juniors, etc.) The midseason ranking divides into six tiers. Note: Though I consult scouts, coaches, general managers, team staff, and agents in building my draft boards, the following evaluations are strictly my own. Jaden Lipinski, C (Vancouver) This year, he has already broken past both of those marks and sits top 10 in the WHL in scoring (though he has regressed a little after a hot start). Im not sure he has the star power of the names in front of him here, but hes got some unique attributes in this class and hes going to make a heck of an NHL player. With the puck on his stick, hes a treat to watch. As in, you could put him on the icewith the worlds best shooters (say, Auston Matthews, Nikita Kucherov, Patrik Laine, Alex Ovechkinand Steven Stamkos) and they wouldnt be able to load up just off of their lead skate and fire it off balance like he does. Id like to see him pick up a bit more of an acceleration gear from a standstill (his stride can look a little short/stunted/heavy), and fill the scoresheet a little more (though the talent around him has something to do with that too), but theres a lot to like. Noel Nordh, LW (Brynas) But thats what the Austrian has done in Switzerlands top flight this season, where he plays over 20 minutes in a game more often than he plays under it. Hes a rare kind of player where hes got A-grade tools across the board, and star talent in spades, but hes also got an efficiency to his game that is incrediblyrare for a skilled player (especially one his age). The son of longtime NHLer Yanic Perreault and brother of Ducks prospect Jacob, Gabe doesnt have his dads defensive acumen or his brothers build (hes listed at 165 pounds now), but hes an intuitive, highly-intelligent player who sees the play develop offensively at a more advanced level than his two family members did/do and than almost anybody in the draft does. Logan Cooley2. Matvei Michkov might just be the smartest player in this draft class, with an incredible ability to manipulate opposing defenses. Nobody can defend his inside-out cut into that low, hard wrister of his at the junior level. He looks to take instead of give in the neutral zone, regularly stepping up to try to bump puck carriers off possession and force dumps (though there are times when that style can leave him chasing if his timings off or hes flatfooted). 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game Joel Henderson. Wins it in OT for !!! He skates quite well for his size, hes got good hands and dexterity, hes got great feel and sense for the pressures that exist on the ice, and hes by all accounts a great teammate and kid who is coachable and pays attention to the details of the game. He is so difficult for defenders to pin down because of the way he manipulates defenders movements (like waiting for them to turn their skates in one direction before darting in the other), and him being a right-handed centerman doesnt hurt either. Jesse Kiiskinen, RW, Pelicans (Liiga), 36. When hes around it, he can be a handful. I think the bigger question is whether hes going to be more of a middle-six or a top-six one? 2023 Whl Draft Projected Rankings - Elite Prospects 2023 Whl Draft Projected Rankings Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - Elite Prospects 2023 WHL Draft Rankings Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. The pro build, mentality and scoring tools are very appealing though and there will be teams that fall in love with his game/makeup. 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. Im not sure there has ever been a player Connor Bedards age in the history of hockey who has been able to shoot the puck like he can. He doesnt have any one skill that really pops out at you, but I find that hes good at pretty much everything. About 2023 Draft Nhl Prospects . Once the true cream of the crop in this class are gone, hes the kind of talent Id swing on in the second round. When he tries things and he often does hes never trying them out of desperation but rather intention. On talent, and upside, and pedigree, his game checks all three boxes. His playmaking and shot arent exceptional, but theyre both good enough to be reasonably sure that his offense would translate to the NHL some day. He has been utterly dominant at the J20 level, played big minutes when things mattered most as an underager at the world juniors (including in three overtimes) and looked himself in spot usage in the SHL. Oscar Fisker Molgaard, C (HV71) His near point-per-game production at the top of the Huskies stat sheet comes a year after he led the BCHL in goals (45 in 46 games) and points (85) for a 1.85 points-per-game clip that stands as the most productive 16-year-old season in the league in decades, besting Alex Newhook(1.47), Kyle Turris (1.26), Tyson Jost (0.98), and Kent Johnson (0.81) while being four months younger than Johnson was at the time. However, his offensive production has left much to be desired, leaving many questions about if he will have much offense to provide in the NHL someday. 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. His actual statistical profile is good without being great, though. My best guess at a player who has great skill but might slide on draft day due to his height is Gavin Brindley. Ondrej Molnar, LW (Erie) with the Wolverines). On the puck, hes a multi-faceted playmaker who often looks like the player who was the No. The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) cares about your privacy. Hes just a natural creator for himself and others who manufactures offence in a variety of ways. Its powerful when it needs to be and light and adjustable when it needs to be. Manage Settings The way he drops the puck into the middle of his stance and then explodes it off of his blade almost without any forward motion to indicate the shots coming is remarkable. 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. I cant think of a first overall pick so far above the rest of the competition since Connor McDavid back in 2015, of course some tried to argue for Jack Eichel (as they do now for Adam Fantilli), but that argument doesnt hold up well. Theres the pinpoint accuracy from impossible angles. Scott Wheeler covers the NHL draft and prospects nationally for The Athletic. 2 pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection and an OHL First All-Rookie Team member. I love him on the half-wall/point on the PP with his ability to hit east-west seams (he just seems to see every lane and opening). During the bantam draft (typically held in early May), players from the four Western Provinces and the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming are eligible to be selected. Subscribe Now. Not Phil Kessel. 17, is one of the top prospects for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft , even though he was denied exceptional status by the WHL in 2019. It was tricky evaluating and contextualizing Sale last season, when he was above two points per game (99 in 44) in Czechias top junior league, doing things that had never been done and smashing (and even doubling in some cases) the production of recent top Czech players at the same age (including first-rounders like Jakub Voracek and Tomas Hertl). Hes an entry machine driving play through the neutral zone and across the line in control. The Rebels' first game was on September 25, 1992, in Red Deer against the Prince Albert Raiders (the Rebels won 6 to 3 in front of 5,240 fans). The biggest question following Reinbachers great performance last year in the Swiss League (SL), the second-tier Swiss professional league, was if he had more offense in his game to show. A hand injury kept Moore out of action late last year and prevented him from likely playing at U18 worlds as an underager, but he impressed me on three trips down to Plymouth these last two years (last November when he was already playing up, this fall for U18 Five Nations, and this winter for the BioSteel All-American Game. His skating is average in my eyes and so is his defending, but his offensive skill and smarts package could get him a look even higher on draft day as theres not a single NHL team who wouldnt love an offensive defender as dynamic as Dragicevic. 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. It will be followed by an updated top 32 after U18 Worlds (new this year in May), and my final top 100 (released in June). pic.twitter.com/ZNwH9wYcC0 Pavel Barber (@HeyBarber) January 3, 2023, WELCOME TO THE BEDARD SHOW! The U18 teams first line of Smith, Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault has been piling up points and attention (deservedly so) this year, but Ive been as impressed by Moore and the offence he has created as the focal point of its second line. The bantam draft allows for the orderly transfer of players to WHL Protected Player Lists (PPL) from the bantam ranks (13-14 year-olds). he wants the puck in the offensive zone and has the skill and shot to make things happen when teammates find him off the point or as the trailer off the rush. Dvorsky is a highly-talented and intelligent playmaker who can threaten defenders and coverage in a variety of ways, whether thats carving them up in control and finishing cleanly from the home plate area, or sliding off of coverage to find pockets of space to get open into. Wood is a rangy, goal-scoring forward who has silky hands for his size (considering the long stick he uses, hes got great control on the toe of his blade out wide and the heel in tight to his feet), a marksmans shot inside the offensive zone (both through a natural shooting motion and his one-timer), and a sixth sense for arriving around the net/slot at the right time. Viewed as a mid-round pick by most, Ciernik is a player I diverge from the public and private scouting communities on. Finesse. He has a high floor and should safely become a strong third-line player but also has the upside to become more if things really click in his north-south game at the next level. Bedard has crushed all expectations this year and has firmly planted himself in the first overall position. Will Smith has established himself as one of the very best prospects in this draft with his continued dominance as a member of the United States National Team Development Program where he is scoring just under two points per game. Tomas Suchanek, G, Tri-City Americans (WHL), 59. Paul Fischer, LHD (NTDP) He too often looks like the third guy on his line. 2023-2024 relegation player stats for Erste Liga, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. He was the No. forward. Hes not the hardest-working working player defensively, nor the fastest skater, but he always seems to be lurking around the play (and the puck) anyways and his skill level pops from there. While Bedard scores by trying to shoot a wrister as hard as possible, trying to punch a hole through the goalie, Michkov will outsmart the defense and score by finding holes in coverage. Holding steady at about two points per game, Cristall has already shown improvements following his impressive 69-point WHL rookie season last year. This season, after noticeably adding some needed muscle and rounding out his game nicely, I think he has shown folks that hell be able to stick down the middle. Publishing date 2023-01-18 User Anonymous Views 922 Favorited 0 Share Embed 2023 Whl Bantam Draft And even at 6-foot-2 and about 200 pounds, hes one of the best skaters in this draft. That continued to start this year as he struggled to have a real impact with the Badgers early on as a freshman (albeit it a young one, and albeit on a bad/at-times lost team).
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whl bantam draft rankings 2023