2023 is obviously way far out but 8 Sask . The WHL Bantam Draft is an annual outing, in which the Club's of the Western Hockey League select players who have graduated from bantam. Still, I would argue hes been a more consistent offensive player for Moose Jaw this season than Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus has been, while playing an off-puck game that is inarguably stronger than Firkus (he has also been a dangerous penalty killer and is decently-strong in the faceoff circle). Michkov is, without question or hesitation, the best prospect Ive ever ranked at No. The 2021 WHL Prospects Draft is scheduled for Thursday, December 9, 2021. His consistent game-to-game impact, whenever Ive sat down to do watch the 2005s at the NTDP on tape, has struck me as well. 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. He can unload from his hip into a heavy snapshot (which hes probably owed a few more goals off of this year) or drop and drive the net into a tuck play in tight. His playmaking skills either at full speed or after settling in the offensive zone are impressive and make him a very mobile and skilled threat whenever he has the puck. WHL Bantam Draft 2023 - full list of selections with facts and stats. Theres just this elusiveness to his game where you never know where hes going with the puck. The top 50 drafted NHL prospects ranking, 2023 edition:1. Denver Barkey, C, London Knights (OHL), 63. He can definitely drift a little at five-on-five but his eyes light up and his head swivels when the puck lands on his stick, and skill plays against the grain usually follow. His consistency, effort, speed, and skill make him a coachs dream even though he doesnt have the dynamic offensive qualities of some of his peers. He works hard when hes on the ice, making high effort plays without the puck that give me more confidence that he will continue to play as a center in the NHL. Scouts are fascinated by his power forward package and size down the middle (following a move to centre from the wing as a 16-year-old). 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. Still, though he is a dominant junior player and could chase down a 50-goal season this year, its also fair to ask if his advanced growth gives him less runway for improvement (he really does look like a man already). I believe Austrian defender David Reinbacher is the best defenseman in the 2023 Draft class right now and an argument could be made that he could be ranked as high as the top-10. The way he patrolled the blue line for Sweden on the powerplay was very impressive and the trust that he earned from his coaches as a 17-year-old spoke volumes. Theres his variety of shooting stances above and beyond that pop off of his hip (right down to his curl-and-drag, his one-timer, and his feel off of his backhand). Without further ado, let's get to the 2023 draft board. 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. 2002 Rankings. 2020 All rights reserved to Puck Preps. Brindley is a 5-foot-9 forward who has been quite good in the NCAA as an 18-year-old, a very impressive feat. Martin Misiak, RW/LW (Youngstown) Dalibor Dvorsky is another player who has been impressive this season against men, playing in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-tier Swedish professional league, for most of this season. Few centers in junior hockey enter their draft year as well-rounded as Nate Danielson. 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game Joel Henderson. Slick. Related: Early Look at the 2024 NHL Draft. 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. Hes a versatile, hard-working player who excels in pretty much every facet of the game, gets to the middle of the ice, and makes plays around the net through skill and timing. Smith has turned the top-four of this draft into a top-five. 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. Related: The NHLs Top 100 Prospects Midseason Update. ), a quick move into a pass, a sudden stop-up, or an attacking cut. Lenni Hameenaho has been an early riser this year, establishing himself as a prospect to watch while playing in the Finnish Liiga where he has scored at roughly a half point per game pace as a draft year player. But after looking like one of the most talented players in Germany for U18 worlds, and then in Red Deer for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and now producing in the Czech Extraliga, he looks closer to a special Czech talent with real top-10 aspirations than he does to interesting prospect-who-torched-a-bad-league. The pro build, mentality and scoring tools are very appealing though and there will be teams that fall in love with his game/makeup. Ondrej Molnar, LW (Erie) It will be followed by my midseason top 64 (released in February), an updated top 32 following U18 Worlds. Im prepared to stick my neck out on Perreault at this point. Hes got high-end speed with his galloping crossover strides and strong acceleration from a standstill (with continued work to do to take his first two steps up a notch and find an even quicker gear), which help him carry the puck up the ice or join in transition as the trailer whenever he has to play catchup. He problem-solves his way out of trouble as well as anyone in this age group. While there are some great prospects in the top-five of the draft, theres no doubt that Bedard is the reason teams are tanking. Hes strong. Hes a smooth skater. Fantilli is a big, strong, powerful kid who takes pucks from the wall to the interior with force, and ease, and speed. And while we dont often see smaller defenceman taken as high as I have him ranked here, he doesnt play small and I like his game at both ends of the ice because of his mobility and the confidence with which he reads the play. Id like to see him go past effective and really take over more, but he makes his fair share of plays, hes a sub-.500 teams leading scorer, and it does feel like he has middle-six centre written all over him. He has also shed some of the selfishness and force-it plays that could frustrate me and others at lower levels (hes making better decisions onshot selection, overhanding less, utilizing his linemates better, etc. His skill and power combination make him a nightmare for defenders as he can beat you with his hands or by tossing his large frame into you to protect the puck. Expectations were unfairly high for Connor Bedard coming into his draft year, with the generational talent label floating around in many draft conversations. This year, after getting off to a bit of a slow start (one goal and five points in his first eight games), he has really come on. The biggest arguments against him are his size and skating, since a 5-foot-10 winger often needs to be an above average skater to make an impact in the NHL and Cristall is not quite there. WHL Network Tigers sign Gavin McKenna, first overall selection in 2022 WHL Prospects Draft 9 months ago This top 64 is made up of 46 forwards, 17 defencemen and one goaltender. If he were a little bigger, hed be a scouts dream. Hes an up-tempo playmaker and dynamic skater (in straight lines, through his three-step acceleration from a standstill, and around corners through his crossovers) who looks to involve himself more than you might expect at his size. And while he creates a lot off the rush, he also has the finer skills to play the flank on the power play, create inside the offensive zone, finish from mid-range (hes got a nifty release) and dice up coverage. 2023 Whl Bantam Draft - Elite Prospects 2023 Whl Bantam Draft Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. More and more his game has shown dimension inside the offensive zone so that he can make things happen shift after shift out of all of his effort plays up and under sticks. Hes got one of the best shooting actions in motion Ive ever seen. Ive seen him create breakaways with ease, win races he should, and send defenders sliding when he stops up on them with a head of steam. He draws tons of attention in the offensive zone and is great at making smart plays under pressure to help open teammates up to make their jobs easier. When hes on, he can completely take over a game. Get the inside scoop on the top prospects in the world with our comprehensive grading system and access to career stats, data, and news stories . He can score from mid range consistently with his low-kick wrister, hes got an ability to protect the puck and shade in and out of coverage, hes got a dangerous curl-and-drag wrister, and hes comfortable in traffic. He is very intentional with his routes, offensively and defensively, which should help him stick at the centre position long term. He keeps his head up in the neutral and defensive zones and is a confident puck carrier on exits and entries. record-breaking performance at the World Juniors, be the smartest player in this draft class, The NHLs Top 100 Prospects Midseason Update, The NHLs Best Farm Systems Ranked Midseason Update, 10th overall in the 2022 CHL Import Draft, Every NHL Teams Top Prospect Midseason Update, Canucks Acquire Beauvillier & Raty From Islanders For Horvat, Bruins 3-Game Losing Streak Highlights Trade Deadline Needs, 2023 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker Live Updates, NHL Trade Bait List for the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, NHL Rumors: Bruins, Coyotes, Senators, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Ken Holland Improved the Oilers at the 2023 Trade Deadline, Predators Poile Pulls Off Masterclass in Final Trade Deadline, Oilers Outperform Division Rivals at 2023 Trade Deadline, Will Smith 2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile, Time for JT Miller to Prove Himself with the Canucks, Connor Bedard 2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile, Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Murray, Zohorna, OReilly & Woll, Lightning Greatly Overpaid for Tanner Jeannot, 2023 NHL Trade Deadline Was a Wildly Lopsided Arms Race, Devils Didnt Need Flashy Move After Adding Meier, NHL Rumors: Canucks, Penguins, Flyers, Red Wings, Maple Leafs, Canucks Forgotten Ones: Mathieu Schneider, Bruins All-Time Best and Worst Trade Deadlines. Jakub Vrna (F) NHL. Watch out for Stenberg in the last months of the season, hes been playing better and better and I think hell go in the first round despite his lack of production in the SHL this year. I think hes going to be a star regardless. You can also find an additional 32 honourable mentions below. 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. 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. Elite Prospects - CCHL Bantam Protected Draft 2023. He can get a little ahead of the play, and hes got work to do on his game defensively if he doesnt want to get hemmed in at the next level, but those are things you live with with a talent as singular as his. 3 in advance of any draft and the best Russian prospect since Alex Ovechkin. 2 that you take inside the top 10, but hes got everything needed to become a good second-pairing guy and maybe slightly more than that. Adam Gajan, G (Chippewa/Green Bay) This ranking follows my way-too-early top 26 and my preseason top 32 (released in August). WHL Bantam Draft: December Top 22 - #5 - #1 January 1, 2021 | In General, WHL Draft | By Ashley It's The Final Countdown!!!! The Kamloops Blazers drafted the former Burnaby Winter Club star No. His average SHL TOI is around 4:30, so this should be a confidence boost for the 2023 top prospect.In the J20 Nationell, Stenberg has 20pts (8G, 12A) through 23 games.pic.twitter.com/H36RVcNC4H Alexa Potack (@alexa_potack) January 24, 2023, Otto Stenberg scores his first SHL goal and point! He excels in puck battles, whether along the boards or in front of the net, even against grown men in Finland. He can beat you along the wall on the cycle. For some, it will be. He loves attacking defenders and beating them in one-on-one skill battles. 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). 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - Elite Prospects 2023 WHL Draft Rankings Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. He can pick apart opposing defenses with pin-point passes and sly fakes, and his effort level is admirable. Hell make plays through seams. Its all there. His production has been disappointing so far this year, but his talent as a high-skill puck carrier is still clear.Otto Stenberg scores his first SHL goal and point! Tyler Peddle, LW (Drummondville) He uses his body to gain inside positioning on defenders and shields pucks effectively. Reinbacher is a 6-foot-2 defender with a right-handed shot and great mobility who is playing lots of minutes in the National League (NL), Switzerlands top professional mens league. Roman Kantserov, LW/C, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL_, 53. Hes a commanding offensive defenceman who is at his best when hes looking to take charge with his feet. Maxim Strbak, RD, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL), 40. Connor Bedard, C, Regina (WHL), 5-foot-10, 187 pounds. Honzek has played and succeeded on both special teams this year and his size and strength have made him too much for opposing defenders to handle on more than a few occasions. His skating also continues to improve (hes not fast, but hes an above-average skater for his size by my measure and it shouldnt be preventative in him reaching his NHL upside). His June birthday makes him one of the younger players on this list and he has already accomplished a lot, including leading a Slovak Hlinka Gretzky Cup team that featured Juraj Slafkovsky and Filip Mesar in scoring as an underager, producing well above a point per game in Swedens J20 level last year, and now producing in his draft year in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan (while clicking at two points per game in stints back down at J20). His size is obviously a talking point, and theres a boom or bust element to his projection, but hes a first-round talent and a clear play creator on a team with a few of them in Chicago this year. He has the tools to be a top-16 player in the draft easily, but I want to see some more offense from him in the OHL before I increase his ranking that much. Catton is the early front runner for 1st overall in next years WHL bantam draft and has recently been granted exceptional player status to play up in Midget AAA next year for the Saskatoon Contacts as a underage player. Sports Apr 22, 2020 Winnipeg Ice select B.C. He was more impressive than his already-impressive 61-points-in-68-games season last year (where he led the Cougars in scoring), and the same is true in his strong production on a middle-of-the-pack Cougars team this year. 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. Within his movement patterns, he can handle the puck on a string. Nico Myatovic, LW (Seattle) Get access to our unique free agency lists and many more premium features. 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). Logan Cooley, C, U.S. National U18. Check out his skating and awareness! Luke Mittelstadt, LHD (U. of Minnesota) Hes also not fast despite his strength, although he has made progress in his skating and does at times look powerful in straight lines. Only time will tell if they can do the same for him as a pro. 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. Hes also got some of the quicker hands and better touch on this list. Yager plays a threatening, attacking, puck-dominant game with skill in straight lines and in cutting sequences in transition. Noel Nordh, LW (Brynas) He has been dominating the Swedish J20 league this year and is scoring at a higher pace right now than both Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Noah Ostlund did last year (who were drafted 15th and 16th respectively in the 2022 NHL Draft). Good luck taking the puck away from him because he can easily move around you with his excellent skating or truck through you with his solid 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame. Hes different than Bedard in tools and approach. The beauty of Brindleys game is that while he may prove talented enough to play in a skill role at the NHL level, hes got the approach/tools to play an effective bottom-six game too. Although he is just 5-foot-9, Perron is earning more and more buzz as a potential first rounder due to his excellent skating, playmaking, and offensive awareness. as a small but highly-involved forward who plays the game with energy and pace, making little skill plays between coverage. Sign up for premium. Finally, Barlow has been one of the best goal scorers in junior hockey so far this year, scoring 36 goals in just 42 Ontario Hockey League (OHL), a 56-goal pace over the rest of the season. Denver Barkey, C (London) No, you haven't accidentally clicked a lyrics page add and been directed to an eighties anthem, it's DubNetwork Scouting's LAST REVEAL for our December Top 22 - WHL Bantam Draft prospect breakdown. I have questions about his talent level, though. Thats three more defencemen than my preliminary ranking, and while none still rank in the top 10 (which would be a first if it holds), theres a trio in the conversation for the 11-20 range and a ton of worthwhile second-round options behind them. For the 2010 bantam draft, players born in 1995 may be selected. Before the season began, many people saw Otto Stenberg as a top-10 prospect for this draft following his incredible performance for Team Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. ), the CHLs leader in goals per game, assists per game, points per game, and shots per game. Moore has identified himself as the second best prospect out of the NTDP this season, behind only Will Smith (and the gap isnt that big in my mind). 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 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. Ill be shocked if he doesnt become a playmaking top-six centre and PP1 creator. They are: 1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-22, 23-33, 34-64+. Hes excellent on the wall in puck protection and also has some outside-in skill so that he can attack off of holds into the middle third. 3 pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. Priority Draft 10 months ago 44 players were selected by the 22 WHL member Clubs in Wednesday's U.S. 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. 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). Last season, I didnt start viewing the 2022 WHL Draft class closely until after Christmas time and Ive thought about that quite a bit when getting used to viewing this 2023 class of players in comparison. 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. Tomas Suchanek, G, Tri-City Americans (WHL), 59. He too often looks like the third guy on his line. He has scored some highlight-reel goals in the WHL but he also excels at finding pockets of space off of coverage and remaining involved on offence and defence. Hes scoring roughly half a point per game there and has spent a few games in the J20 Nationell as well, Swedens top junior league, where he has shown that he is clearly a step above his age group, scoring nearly two points per game there. 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. The annual Western Hockey League bantam draft coming on May 7 will be full of mixed emotions for hundreds of Grade 9 kids in Western Canada and parts of the United States. Jaden Lipinski, C (Vancouver) There was a time when folks thought Musty was the best American-born 2005 prospect and while thats no longer the case theres still a lot to get excited about. 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. Ritchie is the complete package. He doesnt have any one skill that really pops out at you, but I find that hes good at pretty much everything. 1 pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins posted). There he excelled as the team's number one d-man . Hes also a dexterous player who has good size (which will fill out). 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). Once the true cream of the crop in this class are gone, hes the kind of talent Id swing on in the second round. 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. 2023-2024 playoffs qc player stats for Poland, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. The show will also include the unveiling of WHL Divisional Award Winners and All-Star Teams for the 2021-22 WHL season. Matvei Michkov might just be the smartest player in this draft class, with an incredible ability to manipulate opposing defenses. Without further ado, lets get into the January edition of my 2023 NHL Draft Rankings. But getting around it consistently enough at higher paces has proven to be a bit of a challenge and his decision-making can look a little slow. 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 bantam draft allows for the orderly transfer of players to WHL Protected Player Lists (PPL) from the bantam ranks (13-14 year-olds). The big question with Dvorsky for a while was whether or not hed be a centre or a winger long term. David Edstrom, C (Frolunda)
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