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). The Scouting News. The 18-year-old has accumulated 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 60 games so far this season. He can push into space. 2020 All rights reserved to Puck Preps. Related: Early Look at the 2024 NHL Draft. Connor Bedard, C, Regina (WHL), 5-foot-10, 187 pounds. On the puck, hes a multi-faceted playmaker who often looks like the player who was the No. He was theNo. Sign up for premium. Hell of a performance from Slovakia especially their Tendy! I dont think hes going to become the kind of star that youre hoping to get when you draft him in the 5-7 range that some expected him to land in this year, but hes got 2C, PP1 upside if he can fill out his game and continue to add dimension. Riley Heidt C, Prince George Cougars, 5-foot-11. He has struggled in spurts with the pace required of centres at higher levels (whether that be last summers world juniors, or the pro game, he could stand to get and play a little quicker) and some scouts worry about his consistency at five-on-five, but he has shown important progress on that front and showed well at this winters world juniors at evens. Not Logan Cooley. 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). Smith is flanked by the two best wingers in the program while Moore has found incredible success without that level of supporting talent. Hes also a dexterous player who has good size (which will fill out). The SHL demands a lot of players when it comes to physicality and defensive effort, both of which Carlsson has excelled at. 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. Slick. We seldom see them play big minutes in a good league, though even when theyre on the older side, like Reinbacher is with his October birthday. Ive liked the progress Ive seen in how strong he is over pucks and getting up and under sticks to take them back in pursuit, or go to the net for tips (which hes actually quite dexterous on) instead of always trying to free himself for his shot. Wood is 6-foot-3 so his ability to make plays in tight to his skates at speed while maintaining control is very impressive for his size. 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. Problem-solving. 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. Wins it in OT for !!! January 2023 WHL Draft Ranking update | Top-80 Joel Henderson Final Thoughts: John Reid Memorial Tournament 2023 Joel Henderson 10 Puck Touches: Day Three and Four - 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament Joel Henderson 10 Puck Touches: Day Two, 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament Joel Henderson He has every physical tool you could hope for, and uses each of them well, with the speed, strength, and reach to be a really great top-four defender in the NHL. 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. He uses his body to gain inside positioning on defenders and shields pucks effectively. He was theCHL Rookie of the Year (on 34 goals). Publishing date 2022-10-13 User Anonymous Views 18875 Favorited 3 Share Embed 2023 WHL Draft Rankings He could suffer from the Russian factor, but the lack of top-end defensive prospects and his impressive offensive toolset leads me to believe hes got a good shot at being drafted in the top-20. 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. Im prepared to stick my neck out on Perreault at this point. 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. 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. Theres a lot of belief out there that hes going to be a good, well-rounded NHLer. When hes on, he can completely take over a game. NHL. Related: The NHLs Best Farm Systems Ranked Midseason Update. He gets shots off extremely fast and without bobbles in catch-and-release sequences. Matvei Michkov might just be the smartest player in this draft class, with an incredible ability to manipulate opposing defenses. 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. Its powerful when it needs to be and light and adjustable when it needs to be. Im talking nobody. 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. He has shown a knack for making big plays at big moments. The WHL Bantam Draft is an annual outing, in which the Clubs of the Western Hockey League select players who have graduated from bantam. (Maksim Konstantinov / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images), how strong the 2022 draft class was for Slovakia. Sign up for EP Premium to create your own ranking. Carlssons ability to find and make space off the puck is also impressive for such a young player playing against grown men. Name. Hes a treat to watch in possession and processes the game at such an advanced and rapid level. Sign up for EP Premium to create your own ranking. There has been a lot of hockey since my. Beckett Hendrickson, C (NTDP) Cameron Allen, RD, Guelph Storm (OHL), 62. "The Mintos program was great. Tomas Suchanek, G, Tri-City Americans (WHL), 59. Once the true cream of the crop in this class are gone, hes the kind of talent Id swing on in the second round. 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. One of three draft eligibles on this list playing college hockey this season, Brindley hasnt just settled in at the University of Michigan, he has looked anywhere from comfortable to impactful in every game, including at centre and on the wing. 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. 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. Jesse Nurmi, LW, KooKoo U20 (U20 SM-sarja), 58. He is very intentional with his routes, offensively and defensively, which should help him stick at the centre position long term. 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. And despite suffering a lower-body injury in a KHL preseason game, Michkov (who played to a goal a game last year in the MHL) played to a goal a game in Russias second-tier VHL and has been very productive for his age since the move to Sochi in the KHL. 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. 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. 1 pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins posted). Hes also a very selfless player for his age who is quick to change in the offensive zone and will sooner make the right play than trying to overdo it. Manipulation. Hes strong. William Whitelaw, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL), 56. 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. He can pick apart opposing defenses with pin-point passes and sly fakes, and his effort level is admirable. With the World Junior Hockey Championship coming. 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. His skills make him very well suited as a center at the next level with good size, a coveted right-handed shot, good defensive habits (kills penalties quite well), and solid faceoff results. 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. Maxim Strbak, RD, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL), 40. 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. Calgary, Alta. 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. pic.twitter.com/ZNwH9wYcC0 Pavel Barber (@HeyBarber) January 3, 2023, WELCOME TO THE BEDARD SHOW! Updated: Feb 16/2023 - Welcome to the Top 500 Prospect Rankings List plus Additions/Watch List/Players To Be Evaluated list. 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. 1. Related: The NHLs Top 100 Prospects Midseason Update. With a hot start in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) as a 17-year-old Leo Carlsson has shot up draft boards and quickly made the top tier of the draft a four-player group. So far, his offense has only improved, even considering the increased competition. Hes great along the wall on the cycle, but he can also occasionally make a play that pulls you out of your seat. The bantam draft allows for the orderly transfer of players to WHL Protected Player Lists (PPL) from the bantam ranks (13-14 year-olds). 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. 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. Hes also highly creative despite his goal-scoring tilt. 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. 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. Jake Leschyshyn (/ l s n / leh-SIH-shuhn; born March 10, 1999) is an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Carson Bjarnasson, G, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL), 47. Within his movement patterns, he can handle the puck on a string. Hes got an impressive one-timer from the right flank and can really lean into and rip his catch-and-release or in-stride wrister. Wins it in OT for !!! The show will also include the unveiling of WHL Divisional Award Winners and All-Star Teams for the 2021-22 WHL season. Continue with Recommended Cookies. I think theres a small chance he becomes a star or close with the right development, too. Musty is an athletic winger who can beat goalies with his hard shot or by crashing the net and scoring in tight. Six WHL Players from the 2021 Draft selected outside of the Top-10 who've had early success Joel Henderson The Five Star Hockey Show: 2023 Canada Winter Games Preview Puck Preps Western Canada Ramblings: NHL and WHL Draft Joel Henderson Four 2005-born OHLers trending up Sam McGilligan He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. Hes excellent in puck protection twisting away from coverage to make things happen along the boards. 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 plans things out on the ice at speed and then finds ways to make his desired play. 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. With a little more consistency and some maturity, theres a top-six playmaking winger there. 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 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. You can also find an additional 32 honourable mentions below. The way that Fantilli plays wouldnt really fly in the SHL where you need to be dependable at all times, and Carlssons maturity, reliability, and his clear understanding of what makes him great are the reasons he has succeeded in a top pro league as a teenager. Try a week on us. Hes quick side-to-side on little jumps and drags. 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. Sandin Pellikka had a great showing for Sweden at the World Juniors, and is now probably the favourite to be the first defenseman drafted in 2023. While his game doesnt have the dynamism of the other kids in this loaded WHL class, most scouts project Danielson as an everyday top-nine NHL center. Its not often we see players his size who can move like him. The . He has now impressed me wherever Ive watched him (NCAA, USHL, Five Nations, U18 Worlds, world juniors, etc.) And even at 6-foot-2 and about 200 pounds, hes one of the best skaters in this draft. 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. Just a couple of weeks away from having been eligible for the 2022 draft, Danielson, who was an MVP of Albertas U15 AAA circuit and the No. His head is always up and on a swivel and he does a good job pre-surveying the ice when hes going back to get pucks through frequent shoulder checks. He hasnt looked out of place against men and has scored points at an excellent rate so far for a draft eligible player. 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. At the time of writing, he leads all defenseman in points per game and is on pace to have one of the most impressive offensive seasons in league history amongst defensemen of any age, not just draft eligible ones. I wondered if my thoughts were altered by the late start and had an effect on how I viewed. Players from non-North American countries are allowed to be added in the CHL Import Draft which is held in June. 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). Last season was certainly a strange one for WHL scouts as they anticipated the task of two drafts in one calendar year. There have been Lane Hutson (2022 Draft), Olen Zellweger (2021 Draft), Logan Stankoven (2020 Draft), and Cole Caufield (2019 Draft), to name a few. 7 overall in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and he made his debut in 2019-20 playing in four games. The combination of Michkovs position and the uncertainty around Russias invasion of Ukraine and his contract in the KHL with SKA (which is signed through to the end of the 2025-26 season and has been loaned out to Sochi after he reportedly forced his way out in search of greater opportunity) could complicate where he goes on draft day, but he still belongs here. Scott Wheeler. On talent, and upside, and pedigree, his game checks all three boxes. Viewed as a mid-round pick by most, Ciernik is a player I diverge from the public and private scouting communities on. 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. Felix Nilsson, C (Rogle) 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). Chloe Primerano was the Giants final selection in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. His skating is excellent, and his high energy level makes him a possession monster. 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. 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. 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). Though hes not big, he plays hard and engages in battles in the defensive zone with some sneaky strength. While he benefits from playing with talented linemates, Bensons a driver in every sense. . Carson Bjarnason, G (Brandon) Luke Mittelstadt, LHD (U. of Minnesota) 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). Michkov wasnt earning regular minutes in the KHL earlier this year, so he was loaned to HK Sochi which is one of the KHLs bottom feeders so that he could get substantial ice time. 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. . Noel Nordh, LW (Brynas) Roman Kantserov, LW/C, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL_, 53. Western Hockey League completes 2022 WHL U.S. When you think youve got him trapped, you usually dont. 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. 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. We sometimes see draft-eligible D play their full draft year in a professional league. 3 pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. 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. Holding steady at about two points per game, Cristall has already shown improvements following his impressive 69-point WHL rookie season last year. 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. Adam Fantilli is an absolute monster with the puck, with the skill, skating, and strength to beat defenders no matter how they attack him. Tyler Peddle, LW (Drummondville) There were also five more goalies who were among the final cuts for this list and I fully expect each will be on my final draft board. 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. Max Domi (F) Check out his skating and awareness! One of the most surprising junior players so far this year is Lukas Dragicevic who has put up points at well above a point per game rate in the WHL from the back end, making him the highest scoring defender in the league as of writing. 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. 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. 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. Heidt, taken No. He currently leads the Giants in scoring and is among the top scorers in the WHL at large. 33. Not Phil Kessel. Hes got superb vision and ranks among the best in the class at dissecting coverage as a passer. 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.