WHL Draft - WHL Prospects 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. 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 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. This draft class marks a decade of me doing this work, and I still believe this 2023 group is rivalled only by 2015 among the talent pools Ive scouted to date. There are many whove settled on Perreault as more of a mid-to-late-round first because of the combination of his skinny frame and the linemates he plays with. 7 overall in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and he made his debut in 2019-20 playing in four games. 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. Leonard is a prospect thateveryonelikes. 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. Once the true cream of the crop in this class are gone, hes the kind of talent Id swing on in the second round. I expect hell be the first defenceman picked when all is said and done, and he may be my top-ranked one too even though Gulyayev excites me a little more and remains there for now. Arttu Karki, LHD (Tappara) Tyler Peddle, LW (Drummondville) Then he got back in late February and after a pointless return put up two goals on six shots in his second game back. Maxim Strbak, RD, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL), 40. The . WHL Behind The Scenes - 2023 Road to Nashville. Hes great along the wall on the cycle, but he can also occasionally make a play that pulls you out of your seat. There have been Lane Hutson (2022 Draft), Olen Zellweger (2021 Draft), Logan Stankoven (2020 Draft), and Cole Caufield (2019 Draft), to name a few. Hunter Brzustewicz, RD, Kitchener Rangers (OHL), 43. Danielson plays a well-rounded two-way game, is a proficient penalty killer, wants to make a difference in all areas when hes on the ice and blends good overall skill with his effort. Reinbachers got pro size, desired handedness, and a really strong foundation of tools that all but guarantee hell become an NHLer. Not Logan Cooley. 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. 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). Hes also outscoring most of the WHL for that matter, dominating the opposition when he has possession. 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. Tomas Suchanek, G, Tri-City Americans (WHL), 59. Players from non-North American countries are allowed to be added in the CHL Import Draft which is held in June. He is very intentional with his routes, offensively and defensively, which should help him stick at the centre position long term. Ill be shocked if he doesnt become a playmaking top-six centre and PP1 creator. The Bantam Draft Lottery will determine the order of selection for the first six picks. 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). Hes a treat to watch in possession and processes the game at such an advanced and rapid level. Sweden's best prospect for the 2023 draft, Carlsson dominated the J20 level with his size and skill last season, playing at nearly two points per game (35 in 18) and adding nine points in 35. close. Not Phil Kessel. He has learned to use some clever movement patterns to make defencemen miss and get to his spots as a shooter. Riley Heidts excellent acceleration and edge work make him a natural choice as the lead puck carrier for zone entries and he has excelled in that role. Connor Levis, RW (Kamloops) That will limit concerns about his height (he certainly hasnt played small in his freshman year so far). Carson Bjarnason, G (Brandon) 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. Honourable mentions (sorted alphabetically): Beau Akey, RHD (Barrie) 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. 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. WHL Network. While that bent-sideways cannon that he has off of his right hip is his defining quality, its not the only tool he has that is singular, either. His transition play and wicked shot make him the most important player on his team on many nights. Hes different than Bedard in tools and approach. He projects as a pass-first playmaking centre with a middle-six floor, first-line potential, and clear PP value (in multiple roles, too, because hes great around the net and below the goal line but can also run it from the flank). It will be followed by my midseason top 64 (released in February), an updated top 32 following U18 Worlds. For all the talk about how strong the 2022 draft class was for Slovakia, Dvorsky leads another excellent group into 2023. 1 pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins posted). He walks the line and bends coverage as an impressive and tactical power-play quarterback. My best guess at a player who has great skill but might slide on draft day due to his height is Gavin Brindley. In fact, its not even the only element of his shooting arsenal that is one of one. Hes a slick one-on-one player. While there are some great prospects in the top-five of the draft, theres no doubt that Bedard is the reason teams are tanking. His strength complements a competitive, physical, forechecking, middle-lane style that makes good use of his length and hard wrister from midrange. The way he walks through coverage and hangs onto pucks is special. His long stick can limit him catching and handling pucks in his feet at times, and he doesnt have a great shot, but those things should come and hes got great dexterity and reflexes. 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. The combination of his skating, shot, and playmaking skills makes him a true offensive weapon. NHL Entry Draft -3004 - full list of selections with facts and stats. And he just always seems to play well, no matter the role/usage/stage. Adam Gajan, G (Chippewa/Green Bay) whl - PuckPreps Last year, he led Prince George in goals (30) and finished second in points (57, one back of Heidt). Wins it in OT for !!! Hes got quick hands and instincts, with standout puck control and shading. Id be quite surprised if he slid all the way to 16 (where I have him ranked), because a right-handed centre with his shot has a ton of value to NHL teams. Jacob Fowler, G (Youngstown) 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). Hes a commanding offensive defenceman who is at his best when hes looking to take charge with his feet. Heidt, taken No. Im prepared to stick my neck out on Perreault at this point. Gabriel Szturc, C (Kelowna) 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. I think its only a matter of time until he starts to produce more consistently. His ability to make plays offensively both off the rush and inside the zone (where hes got slick skill in traffic, great instincts off of the puck, and a lunch-pale approach) also gives me a lot of confidence that hell continue to progress. Hes got some poise and processing under pressure, even if his play with the puck on his stick isnt dynamic per se. WHL News. A brilliant handler and manipulator of the puck, including at full speed, Smith is a tantalizing and slippery talent who blends deception, baits and fakes (with his eyes, shoulders and head) into his movements to not just make opposing players miss but often send them the wrong way. 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 This top 64 is made up of 46 forwards, 17 defencemen and one goaltender. 2023 Whl Bantam Draft - Elite Prospects 2023 Whl Bantam Draft Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. Barlow plays a direct, intentional game built around great hands, a physically mature pro frame, and an NHL shot (he can cleanly beat goalies from mid-range). Its all there. Reinbacher is looking like a potential top-four mainstay in the NHL with exciting defensive potential. 2022 NHL Draft: WHL Players to Watch - FCHockey League. But at this point in time theres also only one player in the history of the U.S. NTDP who has produced at a higher points per game clip in their draft year than Perreault has this season: Jack Hughes. 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, 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, 2022 WHL Draft Review: From Prince George to Winnipeg, 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game, Rocky Mountain Classic 2022: Rambling Part Two, 9 forwards who impressed at the Graham Tuer U15 Challenge, Preliminary Top 25 2023 WHL Draft Rankings Released. The following WHL stars were not selected in the WHL Bantam Draft but were added to a WHL Club PPL at a later date: Jarome Iginla, Darcy Tucker, Dan Hamhuis, Scottie Upshall, Joffrey Lupul, Jeff Woywitka, and Shane Doan, just to name a few. Brayden Yager has been talked about in the public scouting sphere for nearly as long as Connor Bedard, being drafted third overall in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft and winning the CHL Rookie of the Year award last year on the back of a remarkable 34-goal, 59-point rookie season. Elite Prospects - NHL Entry Draft -2998 Cameron Allen, RD, Guelph Storm (OHL), 62. He also hunts pucks and applies pressure with the best of them, and his motor doesnt stop, bouncing from one won battle to the next. 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). Smith is an incredibly shifty playmaker who can create high danger plays at will by threading passes through traffic, stickhandling around pressure, or taking a shot of his own. Elite Prospects - Erste Liga Stats 2023-2024 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - TOP 50 - Elite Prospects Hes going to be an NHLer. 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. 2022 NHL Entry Draft Rankings First Round 1. 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). He can slow it down and pick things apart or hurry up his passes through holes. Hes unafraid to try things and has the skill to execute difficult plays. 2 in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft with the pick between Bedard and Yager (he and Yager were actually teammates in minor hockey), is a talented and hardworking playmaker who keeps himself involved in the play off the puck and then makes plays between battles in possession of the puck. pic.twitter.com/ZNwH9wYcC0 Pavel Barber (@HeyBarber) January 3, 2023, WELCOME TO THE BEDARD SHOW! Hes as fun to watch with the puck on his stick as almost anyone in this draft. - The Western Hockey League announced today the results of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft Lottery will be broadcast in a free WHL Live event Thursday, April 21 at 2 p.m. MT. If he can add another gear (or two) to his max speed, Benson would be an absolute force in transition. Paul Fischer, LHD (NTDP) After the 1st round, the Clubs select in order from fewest to most regular season points. Oliver Bonk, RD, London Knights (OHL), 48. Thank you for your interest in our network of websites, newsletters, and other services. After no Manitobans were selected in the opening round of the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft, five players from the province were picked in round two. Leschyshyn played junior hockey for the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League, serving as . And he always seems to be around it. Beyond his natural skill in possession, he also impresses with his smarts with the puck, his cerebral play style, and his ability to play to his linemates. Hes also going to be an able penalty killer, which should give him all-situations upside at the next level. After the draft is completed, all the remaining bantams become eligible to be listed by teams, and many will be added as spots become available on Clubs PPLs, or as a players talents improve or are more noticeable at a later date or at a higher level of hockey. WHL Clubs prepare for deep 2022 WHL Prospects Draft Theres work to do to get a little quicker from a standstill, and that leaves some believing hes more of a mid-to-late first than an upper-half-of-the-first guy, but hes better suited as a playmaker and finisher than a power forward type anyways. Wheeler: Ranking the top 64 prospects at the 2023 NHL Draft Theres a lot of belief out there that hes going to be a good, well-rounded NHLer. 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. 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. Im not all that worried about either (5-foot-9, 160 pounds) because he has the tenacity and elusiveness that smaller players need to have to make a difference at the NHL level these days. WHL Bantam Draft - WHL Network Arttu Karki, LD, Tappara U20 (U20 SM-sarja), 49. Sports Apr 22, 2020 Winnipeg Ice select B.C. Auston Matthews had Patrik Laine, Jack Hughes had Kaapo Kakko, and Alexis Lafreniere had Quinton Byfiled, its hard for top prospects to separate themselves from the pack but Bedard has done just that.WELCOME TO THE BEDARD SHOW! Sign up for EP Premium to create your own ranking. Adam Fantilli is an absolute monster with the puck, with the skill, skating, and strength to beat defenders no matter how they attack him. Gauthier, the No. When he plays with pace and intention, hes both effective and flashes his skill in all three zones. Aiden Fink, RW, Brooks Bandits (AJHL), HM: Ian Scherzer, C, Rgle BK J20 (J20 Nationell), HM: Gracyn Sawchyn, C, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL), HM: Isac Born, C, Frlunda J20 (J20 Nationell), HM: David Edstrom, C, Frlunda J20 (J20 Nationell), HM: Noel Nordh, LW/RW, Bryns IF J20 (J20 Nationell), HM: Zeb Forsfjll, C, Skellefte AIK J20 (J20 Nationell), HM: Jakub Dvorak, LD, Bl Tygri Liberec (Czechia). He has gone from point-per-game U17 season (the only player on that team to do so) to nearly two points per game in his U18 campaign. Hes a marvel, with legit 50-goal upside at the next level. Hes just a rock-solid, projectable two-way defenceman. 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). 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. 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). Hes an entry machine driving play through the neutral zone and across the line in control. During every draft cycle there are a handful of prospects who are 5-foot-10 or shorter who get a ton of praise in public scouting circles before unceremoniously sliding on draft day. 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). 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. 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). There are some whod like to see him get to the guts of the ice and battle a little more (he glides a little too much off of the puck offensively and defensively). 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. Carlssons ability to find and make space off the puck is also impressive for such a young player playing against grown men. 2023 Whl Draft Projected Rankings - Elite Prospects 2023 Whl Draft Projected Rankings Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. Elite Prospects - CCHL Bantam Protected Draft 2023 Each of those guys played quite well at the tournament for draft eligible players, but nobody at the tournament of any age could hand the offensive pressure of Bedard. Honzek was on one of the steeper ascents in the draft this season when he suffered a leg injury in Slovakias second game of the world juniors. 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). Ethan Miedema, LW (Kingston) Emil Jarventie, LW, Ilves U20 (U20 SM-sarja, 64. 2023 Whl Draft Projected Rankings - Elite Prospects At this point I think his offensive abilities will at least make him a power play threat even if his skating never catches up. I like the way he supports the puck defensively as a centreman, too, though hell need to get stronger to be reliable defensively at the NHL level. Crafty is the best word to describe his game. Stenberg is never the biggest guy on the ice, but hell drop a shoulder and push his way to the dangerous areas of the ice without hesitation. I think hell stick at centre, too (nice to see him at 53 percent in the circle so far this year). 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. His skating is balanced. Related: Every NHL Teams Top Prospect Midseason Update. Hell make plays through seams. 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. He can beat you along the wall on the cycle. Hes excellent in puck protection twisting away from coverage to make things happen along the boards. Hes also well-regarded as a great kid who is easy to coach and understands whats required of a centre. All 22 WHL Clubs participated in the four-phase lottery . Hes also dangerous inside the offensive zone from the top of the circles in, with a quick-release wrister (one of the faster releases in the draft) that comes off of his blade hard and with a slight, goalie-fooling adjustment pre-shot, impressive puck skill in congested areas, an ability to attack in bursts and make something happen out of dead plays, and an equal ability to play off of coverage and make himself available for his linemates. Gabriel Perrault looks like someone who could be a power play specialist at the next level with great skill and smarts in the offensive zone. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent.
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