Dvorsky has shown solid defensive play so far against men and his vision and puck skills have looked right at home, especially on the power play. After scoring 30 goals as a rookie in the OHL last season, Colby Barlow has been on my radar as a pro-sized winger with a legit NHL-caliber shot. Ferrari's 2023 NHL Draft Rankings: Mid-Season Top 50 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. The . Sign up for EP Premium to create your own ranking. Tom Willander, RD, Rgle BK J20 (J20 Nationell), 57. Its all there. 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. 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. 2022 WHL Prospects Draft - First Round Order of Selection 1) Medicine Hat Tigers 2) Tri-City Americans 3) Victoria Royals 4) Calgary Hitmen 5) Swift Current Broncos 6) Regina Pats 7) Vancouver Giants 8) Spokane Chiefs 9) Prince George Cougars 10) Prince Albert Raiders 11) Lethbridge Hurricanes 12) Brandon Wheat Kings 13) Saskatoon Blades C Berkly Catton - Spokane Chiefs, WHL (2024 Draft) League. He has also shown a little more fire. William Whitelaw, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL), 56. Denver Barkey, C (London) Fantilli is currently averaging about one and a half points per game on a University of Michigan team filled to the brim with talent. He has even driven results at both ends in those minutes, with a positive goal differential on an under-.500 team that has been outscored pretty significantly on the whole this season. I dont see a lot to nitpick in either his tools or his approach. 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. Carson Bjarnason, G (Brandon) Carey Terrance, C (Erie) 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). There he excelled as the team's number one d-man . He sustained an injury during the World Juniors that has kept him out of play for a while, but hopefully he can return to dominating the WHL soon. 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 . So far, his offense has only improved, even considering the increased competition. Hes different than Bedard in tools and approach. 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. Players from non-North American countries are allowed to be added in the CHL Import Draft which is held in June. The combination of his skating, shot, and playmaking skills makes him a true offensive weapon. Tyler Peddle, LW (Drummondville) Reinbacher is looking like a potential top-four mainstay in the NHL with exciting defensive potential. However, his real calling card is his shot which ranks near the top of the draft class in terms of deception and power. This year, though he has struggled defensively in his limited minutes in the KHL, he has looked dominant at both ends in his returns to the MHL and comfortable in the second-tier VHL. 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. He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. Roman Kantserov, LW/C, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL_, 53. Not Cole Caufield. Chloe Primarano is the first ever female to be selected in a WHL Bantam Draft. There have been Lane Hutson (2022 Draft), Olen Zellweger (2021 Draft), Logan Stankoven (2020 Draft), and Cole Caufield (2019 Draft), to name a few. Hesa clever beyond belief, maneuverable facilitator and playmaker who plays the game with a light touch and a heady spatial awareness of not only where his teammates are, but where he is in the flow of play (and relative to defenders). 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. Im not talking about him compared to other prospects in this draft. Check out his skating and awareness! 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. 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). He was theNo. 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). Chloe Primerano was the Giants final selection in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. Viewed as a mid-round pick by most, Ciernik is a player I diverge from the public and private scouting communities on. Mazden Leslie, RHD (Vancouver) Bedards statistical profile speaks for itself: 28 points in 15 games as a 15-year-old in the WHL, two points per game at U18 worlds as a double underager, 51 goals and 100 points on a dreadful team at 16, six goals in four games at U18 Worlds as an underager this time (in what wasnt even his best hockey), 13 goals and 31 points in 14 world juniors games (after forcing his way onto the first of those three teams by torching the selection camp), and now, as a 17-year-old who wont turn 18 until July (we can almost forget that! 33. One of the USHLs most talented players, Perron got off to a hot start, was briefly halted by an eight-game December stretch that saw him register justone assist, and has really turned it back on to play his best hockey of late. 2022-2023 regular season player stats for CSDHL 13U, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. Gauthier brings a lot to the table. The Clubs that miss the playoffs are placed into a lottery for the 1st round only. If he were a little bigger, hed be a scouts dream. as a small but highly-involved forward who plays the game with energy and pace, making little skill plays between coverage. NHL Entry Draft -3004 - full list of selections with facts and stats. He can slow it down and pick things apart or hurry up his passes through holes. Connor Bedard has made the competition for first overall a one horse race, absolutely dominating at the World Juniors where he clearly looked several steps ahead of his competitors Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson. He provides a ton of offense in transition as well as in the offensive zone where he seems to create scoring chances at will. Wins it in OT for !!! The raw potential is there in spades and the production is starting to catch up to it. He problem-solves his way out of trouble as well as anyone in this age group. For the 2010 bantam draft, players born in 1995 may be selected. He was theCHL Rookie of the Year (on 34 goals). Honourable mentions (sorted alphabetically): Beau Akey, RHD (Barrie) In order to get away from scouting peewees, the WHL instituted a bantam draft. 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 started to come on before the world juniors, though, and then he was good in a bottom-six role for Team USA and he has played quite well in his return to college hockey. Ravndahl was selected by Portland in the fourth round, 83 rd overall in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft. Arttu Karki, LHD (Tappara) His release is lightning-quick. Hell of a performance from Slovakia especially their Tendy! 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). - 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. Hes got some poise and processing under pressure, even if his play with the puck on his stick isnt dynamic per se. This is a multi-part series which we will be releasing over the next couple weeks to give you the readers some insight on whom we feel is the cream of the crop for 2023. To say he has met those expectations would be a profound understatement. 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. 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). 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. Riley Heidt C, Prince George Cougars, 5-foot-11. 3 pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. 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. The SHL demands a lot of players when it comes to physicality and defensive effort, both of which Carlsson has excelled at. It will be followed by my midseason top 64 (released in February), an updated top 32 following U18 Worlds. The 2022 WHL Prospects Draft Pre-Show begins with co-hosts Chris Wahl and Taylor Rocca at 8:30 a.m. PDT, with live draft coverage beginning at 9 a.m. PDT. Publishing date 2023-01-18 User Anonymous Views 922 Favorited 0 Share Embed 2023 Whl Bantam Draft When you spend some time watching him and asking around about him, you quickly realize why. 2023 whl bantam draft prospects - bfa.tamc.info He wants to hang onto the puck and make plays but hell also hurry it up and dominate in and out of give-and-goes. Noah Dower Nilsson is purely an offensive player at this point, but hes a very skilled one. Adam Gajan, G (Chippewa/Green Bay) Ryan Leonard is a high energy winger who never takes his foot off the gas in terms of both speed and effort. WHL Bantam Draft - WHL Network He hasnt looked out of place against men and has scored points at an excellent rate so far for a draft eligible player. We also invite you to ask us about our policies or feel free to let us know how we can better serve your privacy concerns. Hes a smooth skater. Eduard Sale is a great offensive winger who currently leads all U20 players in scoring as a 17-year-old in the top Czechian professional league. Hes also got some of the quicker hands and better touch on this list. Michkovs brilliance comes primarily from his ability to read and process the play at an extremely advanced level, make his decisions quickly, and execute on them with incredible proficiency, whether thats ripping a patterned shot (his one-timer, his standstill wrister, his curl-and-drag, etc. Hes got gallops, cutbacks, crossovers, all of it. 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. 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. Michael Hrabal, G (Omaha) Hes as fun to watch with the puck on his stick as almost anyone in this draft. He can push into space. 1 pick in the 2021 QMJHL draft and son of former 10-year NHLer Denis Gauthier, followed up a strong showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (where he scored six goals in five games) with a strong start to his draft year at the top of a stacked Sherbrooke lineup, before seeing his production taper off some as they added more talent ahead of the deadline. You can also find an additional 32 honourable mentions below. After the season, the WHL holds a draft specifically to allow teams to add bantam players in an orderly manner to their protected lists. Western Hockey League. 2022 NHL Draft Tracker: Matthew Seminoff - FCHockey Draftpro - an Introduction to The 2023 Draft Class - Whl And this season theres no doubt: Hes the best forward on arguably the CHLs most talented team at forward. Hes got superb vision and ranks among the best in the class at dissecting coverage as a passer. hes patient under pressure and can find his way out of trouble weaving and swerving through holes or away from sticks. About 2023 Draft Nhl Prospects . This year, he has been pretty clearly one of the most talented players in J20 whenever he has been there, has shown some really positive signs in spurts in HockeyAllsvenskan (he has actually been equally as productive on a rate basis as Dvrosky), and I liked him at the world juniors before a quiet quarterfinal against Team Canada. There has been a lot of hockey since my. 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. Im talking nobody. Dmitri Simashev is a very intriguing prospect with the size/skating combo (6-foot-4) that is so coveted in the modern NHL. Increasingly, Ive been impressed by his agility in and out of breaks and cuts (his skating is a real asset for him and particularly impressive through his edges and crossovers, though he can get going the length of the ice too). Melker Karlsson (F) SHL. He is a very intelligent offensive player and can make these great reads and plays at full speed. 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. Sign up for premium. Hes not just the energy guy though either. And he just always seems to play well, no matter the role/usage/stage. Elite Prospects - NHL Entry Draft -3004 10 Puck Touches: . One of the most skilled and slippery players in this draft is Andrew Cristall, the only draft eligible player in the WHL who has been able to roughly keep pace with Bedard in terms of production this year. Mikhail Gulyayev is an intelligent offensively minded defenseman who has found moderate success in the top Russian pro leagues this year while dominating the Russian junior circuit whenever he plays against his peers. This ranking follows my way-too-early top 26, my preseason top 32 (released in August), and my preliminary top 64 (released in November). WHL Network. Logan Cooley2. WHL Prospects The Chiefs hold the first-overall selection, as determined by the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft Lottery on June 2, 2021. And yet most believe hes the third-most compelling and projectable prospect on USAs top line. Yager is a prospect that I fully expect to still be drafted very early on draft day, I just havent been that impressed with his game this year. Fantilli is a big, strong, powerful kid who takes pucks from the wall to the interior with force, and ease, and speed. Hes a natural scorer and creator, but hes also got plus vision and deft touch (though I wouldnt say his creativity is necessarily a strength). This ranking follows my way-too-early top 26 and my preseason top 32 (released in August). Continue with Recommended Cookies. There has been a lot of hockey since my last rankings and tons of prospects are on the move as a result. 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. And while hell fade in stretches, the talent level is clear. Reinbachers a solid forward and backwards skater (though he can look a little stilted at times) who gaps well and defends the rush effectively with a noticeably long stick. Reinbacher had a solid tourney on a bad team despite dealing with an illness the entire time. 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. Hes going to be a transition monster. Michael Hrabal, G, Omaha Lancers (USHL), 61. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. 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. 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. Name. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The way he wheels across the top of the circles and then play-makes from the high slot is special. I see clear, projectable top-six tools as a play-creating winger and Im not the least bit worried about him doing it against NHL defences because of how hard he is to pin down. 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. I love the way he slows down the game, adjusts and maneuvers his frame and shades pucks. His skating is balanced. Trending Players. Sports Apr 22, 2020 Winnipeg Ice select B.C. For some, it will be. Hes strong. Try a week on us. Related: Every NHL Teams Top Prospect Midseason Update. 5 pick into the WHL, was a point-per-game player and one of Brandons top producers last season before being named captain for his draft year. Not Phil Kessel. With the 268th overall selection (Round 13) the Vancouver Giants have selected 2007-born defender Chloe Primerano (North Vancouver, BC) in the 2022 @TheWHL Prospects 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). Carlssons a big kid who has begun to come into his body (hes 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds), buthes also got slick handling and finesse for a forward his size, regularly finding his way through traffic or around it by out-waiting defenders one-on-one in shielded puck protection off of his hip. 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. Scouts are drawn to him because of his size-skill combo and while he can look a little uncoordinated out there at times, that draw is real and theres some definite tools there. Shane Wright, C, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) 2. 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. Early results are extremely positive with Wood being one of the top rookie point scorers and one of the top scorers on his team despite being the youngest player in all of mens NCAA hockey. He has now impressed me wherever Ive watched him (NCAA, USHL, Five Nations, U18 Worlds, world juniors, etc.) Related: The NHLs Top 100 Prospects Midseason Update. Hes a commanding offensive defenceman who is at his best when hes looking to take charge with his feet. He profiles similarly to David Jiricek physically, but with a more defensive tilt to his game. 3 pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. Hes a very responsible defender who shuts down tons of rush attempts with an active stick and stellar positioning.David Reinbacher (#64 blue) (Draft 2023) just overskating former NHLer Alex Formenton, following up on his shots, winning a puck against Formenton and Former NHler Tim Heed before serving his teammate on a plate. There arent many players in this draft class whove come along quite like Sandin Pellikka has in the last year or so. Ondrej Molnar, LW (Erie) The top pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, Musty is one the focal points of the Wolves offence and would be their leader in shots on goal, assists and points were it not for a few weeks lost in January to a hand injury (following up on a strong showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer). . Hes a marvel, with legit 50-goal upside at the next level. The only player to ever score at a rate of two points per game on the U18 team for a full season is Jack Hughes, you might have heard of him. I think hes going to be a star regardless. 2023 NHL Draft top 64 prospects: Scott Wheeler's March ranking. 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. All-Time Trophies & Winners. 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. He stays on pucks, hes got good instincts and takes smart routes around the ice, hes sound positionally, he applies pressure off of the puck and comes up with possession despite not being very physical, and he just always seems to be involved in positive things inside the offensive zone. Tomas Suchanek, G, Tri-City Americans (WHL), 59. 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). 2022 NHL Draft Tracker: Matthew Seminoff Matthew Seminoff has made quite the name for himself on a talented Kamloops Blazers roster that boasts three potential draft picks at the 2022 NHL draft. Stenberg was, coming into this season, viewed by many as the second-best Swedish prospect in this class to Carlsson after he played to nearly a point per game at the J20 level last year, looked like he belonged as an underager on the national team at U18 worlds, and impressed as Swedens leading scorer captain at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (he also scored two Michigan goals last season and has continued to wear the C for Sweden this season at events like the falls Five Nations in Plymouth, and the World Jr. A Challenge). Priority Draft 10 months ago 44 players were selected by the 22 WHL member Clubs in Wednesday's U.S. He thrives in the small-area game, using light passes and rapid movements to play in and out of coverage. He can run the wall or the point on the PP, effortlessly picking coverage apart and feathering pucks through seams. He has the potential to change the trajectory of an NHL franchise and will likely score a ton of goals along the way. 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. 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 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 real question will be if he can make a difference in his own end as his defending has been a bit too relaxed for my liking. Hedid that after notching five points in five games at lastyears Hlinka Gretzky Cup as a young 16-year-old, too. Hes got everything else you look for in a dynamic play creator, too. It has been a few rough age groups for Russian defencemen but Gulyayevs got a chance to flip the script. 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. Good habits away from the puck lead me to believe he will be a reliable NHLer with top-six forward upside. His combination of speed and effort will make him a very flexible player who can fill in whatever role is needed of him, which has earned him the second-line center spot for a stacked University of Michigan team. Barlows size, strength, and maturity as a teenager lead me to believe he could have a real shot at making the NHL out of training camp for whichever team selects him, hes that talented and reliable. Within his movement patterns, he can handle the puck on a string. His statistical profile is really strong and continued progress in his skating (which has also noticeably improved this year) will keep it that way into the NHL. The big question with Dvorsky for a while was whether or not hed be a centre or a winger long term. Cameron Allen, RD, Guelph Storm (OHL), 62. forward. Hes a classic example of a jack of all trades, master of none, with solid scores across the board when it comes to defensive play, playmaking, skating and shooting, with none of those individual skills popping off the page at you. If he can keep up that pace then he could very well lock himself in as the second best prospect in the draft. 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). Last added: Carter Joo. When they got to the 2007-born player class, many had admitted to me that they had understandably focused all their attention on the 2006-born class from September to December so after a few. On February 5, 1992, the Rebels selected Mike McBain as their first player in the Bantam Draft. 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. 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).