Luke Hughes3-50 (plus full evaluations, 55 honourable mentions, player tiers, and more at @TheAthletic): https://t.co/JpsFEKs7Ax, Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) February 13, 2023. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Hes got time to put it all together given his summer birthday, too. Trending Players. 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. After playing on Russias Hlinka Gretzky team twosummers ago, But played to a point-per-game level in the MHL as one of its top 2005s last season and began his draft year on a tear in the MHL, scoring 11 goals in his first 15 games of the season before earning a mid-October promotion to the KHL for the first time (he has since scored his first two pro goals and has bounced between the KHL and MHL). He does a good job maintaining gaps and matching opposing forwards step-for-step skating backwards. He can beat you on the perimeter with his skill (highlighted by excellent one-on-one hands-on defenders). 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. Name. He provides a ton of offense in transition as well as in the offensive zone where he seems to create scoring chances at will. Danielson is great at attacking the middle of the ice which makes up for his lack of a finishing touch because it leads to a plethora of chances that good line mates could finish at a solid clip. Michael Hrabal, G (Omaha) WHL Draft Territory Alberta - British Columbia - Manitoba - Northwest Territories - Saskatchewan - Yukon Alaska - Arizona - California - Colorado - Hawaii - Idaho - Kansas - Minnesota - Montana - Nebraska - Nevada - New Mexico - North Dakota - Oklahoma - Oregon - South Dakota - Texas - Utah - Washington - Wyoming Michael Hrabal, G, Omaha Lancers (USHL), 61. The bantam draft allows for the orderly transfer of players to WHL Protected Player Lists (PPL) from the bantam ranks (13-14 year-olds). Roman Kantserov, RW (Magnitogorsk) by. If he can become a second-pairing offensively-inclined defenceman at even strength, and a PP1 QB, that has value in the middle of the first round. 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. However, his real calling card is his shot which ranks near the top of the draft class in terms of deception and power. Players from non-North American countries are allowed to be added in the CHL Import Draft which is held in June. His near point-per-game production at the top of the Huskies stat sheet comes a year after he led the BCHL in goals (45 in 46 games) and points (85) for a 1.85 points-per-game clip that stands as the most productive 16-year-old season in the league in decades, besting Alex Newhook(1.47), Kyle Turris (1.26), Tyson Jost (0.98), and Kent Johnson (0.81) while being four months younger than Johnson was at the time. And while hell fade in stretches, the talent level is clear. Dmitri Simashev is a very intriguing prospect with the size/skating combo (6-foot-4) that is so coveted in the modern NHL. Brindleys a plus-level skater who gets through his extensions quickly (including from a standstill), excels on his edges, rounds corners sharply, and darts around the ice, hunting pucks and pushing through holes. All 22 WHL Clubs participated in the four-phase lottery . "The Mintos program was great. Adam Gajan, G (Chippewa/Green Bay) He was theNo. There are the little delays and stutters he uses to create separation and get to his spots. It often takes two to take the puck off of him when hes twisting and turning, too. 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. pic.twitter.com/ZNwH9wYcC0. Western Hockey League. with the Wolverines). 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). pic.twitter.com/OOjR1KDavy Thibaud Chatel (@Thibaud_Chatel) January 24, 2023, 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. 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. On talent, and upside, and pedigree, his game checks all three boxes. 3 in advance of any draft and the best Russian prospect since Alex Ovechkin. Hes just a natural creator for himself and others who manufactures offence in a variety of ways. Holding steady at about two points per game, Cristall has already shown improvements following his impressive 69-point WHL rookie season last year. Not Cole Caufield. Ritchie is the complete package. 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. Bradly Nadeau, C, Penticton Vees (BCHL), 39. Hes gotdecent hands when he pushes through the middle. 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. Luke Mittelstadt, LHD (U. of Minnesota) 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. I dont see a lot to nitpick in either his tools or his approach. He has regularly blown me away in viewings these last couple of years (at Hockey Canadas showcase two summers ago, in games where he looked like a man among boys in the USHL, and now again at various points throughout his historic freshman year at Michigan, where he was the best player in college hockey from the jump andseems to have found another level of late). I have questions about his talent level, though. 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. For some, it will be. After a solid showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer, Quentin Musty was considered by many to be the best U.S. born prospect in this draft class. 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. Nicknamed Big Rig when he was at the program, Stramel is a heavy but not doughy kid whoseathletic, muscular build jumps out at you right away. 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. 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. He uses his body to gain inside positioning on defenders and shields pucks effectively. At this point I think his offensive abilities will at least make him a power play threat even if his skating never catches up. Hes the go-to center for the Cougars in the faceoff circle. Sign up for EP Premium to create your own ranking. Moores game is defined by his skating (both in straight lines, where he turns defenders with ease out wide, and in quick bursts from explosive stops and starts) and presence on the ice. 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. For all the talk about how strong the 2022 draft class was for Slovakia, Dvorsky leads another excellent group into 2023. Hes got really good edges and mobility, though he doesnt have the speed in straight lines to pull away from faster chasers. Connor Levis, RW (Kamloops) His skating is a bit of a weakness with less-than-ideal speed, but he more than makes up for it with his offensive creativity and hands. 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. 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. 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. Riley Heidt C, Prince George Cougars, 5-foot-11. 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. 33. We sometimes see draft-eligible D play their full draft year in a professional league. Ondrej Molnar, LW (Erie) 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). Hes excellent in puck protection twisting away from coverage to make things happen along the boards. 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. 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. All-Time Trophies & Winners. Eventually, when the points pile up like they have, and they happen making the kinds of plays that he does, you cant ignore them. A Maine Black Bears commit, Nadeau creates offence in a variety of ways, bursting wide or pulling away from defenders in transition with his quick feet, taking the puck right at or through coverage with his maneuverability, or leaning into a pinpoint shot (whether off of catch-and-releases, standstill shooting mechanics off the flank on the power play or through his one-timer which the Vees have tried to open by playing him, a right-handed shot, on his off-wing this season). William Whitelaw, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL), 56. In order to get away from scouting peewees, the WHL instituted a bantam draft. But youll also see him make the heady escape play out of his own zone under pressure at five-on-five, or slide into a passing line to intercept a pass, or disrupt an opposing carrier with a tight gap and active stick. The WHL Bantam Draft is only one step in this process. League. 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. This had many drawbacks including the need for extensive scouting systems along with the related expense, as well the added pressure on peewee-aged players (12-13 year-olds). He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. Nico Myatovic, LW (Seattle) Hes got everything else you look for in a dynamic play creator, too. 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. 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). I think hell stick at centre, too (nice to see him at 53 percent in the circle so far this year). Hes got some poise and processing under pressure, even if his play with the puck on his stick isnt dynamic per se. I like the way he has learned to hunt and come up with pucks, too. 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. Hes quick side-to-side on little jumps and drags. 4 pick in the 2019 Bantam draft (a year ahead of when most of the plethora of other top WHL names on this list were selected). 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. 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. Viewed as a mid-round pick by most, Ciernik is a player I diverge from the public and private scouting communities on. 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. 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). There arent many players in this draft class whove come along quite like Sandin Pellikka has in the last year or so. 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. 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. WHL Network. Hes going to be an NHLer. He has also shown a little more fire. Manage Settings 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. 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. 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. 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. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. Sign up for EP Premium to create your own ranking. His skating is excellent, and his high energy level makes him a possession monster. 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. Ill be shocked if he doesnt become a playmaking top-six centre and PP1 creator. Note: Though I consult scouts, coaches, general managers, team staff, and agents in building my draft boards, the following evaluations are strictly my own. Im less and less convinced of that. His strength complements a competitive, physical, forechecking, middle-lane style that makes good use of his length and hard wrister from midrange. Hes going to be a transition monster. Tyler Peddle, LW (Drummondville) Carlssons one of the smartest players in the draft, a very heady player who understands spacing and timing on and off the puck at an advanced level for his age. Hes as fun to watch with the puck on his stick as almost anyone in this draft. However, first-year bantams had been playing at the peewee level the previous year, and in order to list first-year bantams, WHL Clubs needed to scout the peewee ranks.