Another junior hockey season has come to an end and brought with it the selection of a brand new batch of NHL prospects, this time featuring the class of 2022. The conclusion of the season also marks the end of chapter one in The Draft Report’s history as it was the first draft class I have ever personally scouted for this blog based on my own viewings and analysis. Now, as we turn the page to chapter two, my focus is squarely on the class of 2023 and ensuring that I further improve as an armchair amateur over the next year. It all starts here, with my preliminary rankings of the top thirty-two prospects eligible for selection in next summer’s 2023 NHL Entry Draft. I did not release a preliminary rankings list for the 2022 draft but felt it was a necessary step to take now that I am ahead of the game a little bit. These rankings will be based on the players’ output as 16/17-year olds during the 2021-22 season as well as the potential they were able to demonstrate through their performances. This will likely be one of the very first rankings for 2023 that you will find anywhere, and that’s perfectly fine by me. As The Draft Report it is my duty to bring you the latest information, and that is exactly what I plan to do with this article.
This draft class is a special one for a number of reasons but chief among them are the two generational talents who sit comfortably perched at the very top. On the one hand we have a supremely gifted Canadian center by the name of Connor Bedard, and on the other hand is a dynamic Russian right winger named Matvei Michkov. Both players are world class phenoms who are set to help define the future era of the sport with their gamebreaking abilities. Beyond those two we also have a star-studded cast of centermen who appear to have top-line NHL upside and an almost equally enticing group of wingers destined for top-six roles on their respective clubs. I don’t want to delve too much deeper in this introduction, so instead I will save my early observations on these players for the write-ups that follow their placement in the rankings below. Suffice it to say that I believe this to be a deep draft class with prospects capable of becoming franchise cornerstones in the NHL one day. Just who and how many of them will actually reach those heights remains to be seen.
Sidenote: While the ongoing Russia/Ukraine conflict is bound to have some sort of effect on the selection of Russian prospects in the 2023 NHL draft, I have no way of accurately factoring world politics into my assessments. Therefore I have decided to focus only on a player’s talent and NHL projection when deciding upon rank. The general managers and franchise owners will make their own choices on how to handle this situation at the end of the day, so it’s best to leave it up to them.
With that being said, let’s get to the list. Here are my preliminary rankings of the top prospects available in the upcoming 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Enjoy!
THE TOP 32 PROSPECTS
1. Connor Bedard ,C, Regina Pats (WHL)
The first WHL prospect ever granted exceptional player status by the CHL, Bedard took the hockey world by storm with a dominant rookie campaign in which he racked up 12 goals and 28 points in just 15 games to win the league’s 2020-21 Rookie of the Year award as a 15-year old. Ever since then he has only continued to pile up the points and accolades. He helped Team Canada to its first gold medal since 2013 at the Under-18 World Championships last year with 14 points (7g7a) in 7 games, then set a record at the Under-20 World Juniors tournament this year as the youngest player to score 4 goals in a single game. Bedard’s sophomore season with the Regina Pats saw him become the youngest 50-goal scorer in league history and finish fourth in the WHL with 100 points (51g49a) in 62 games played, all despite being one of the lone offensive threats on a scoring-starved squad. At just 5’9” and 181 lbs. currently, Bedard is smaller than your typical superstar prospect yet his blazing footspeed, razor-sharp hockey sense, and tremendous puck skills more than make up for any lack of size. As a one-on-one stickhandler he is as electrifying as it gets, and he might be the most dangerous pure shooter we’ve ever seen at his age with a lightning-quick release and stunning accuracy on a shot that is easily NHL-caliber already. His Team Canada head coach at the U20 WJC spoke of a need for increased attention to the defensive aspects of his game, and Bedard made noticeable improvements in that area throughout the course of the season following his 2 games at the event. Connor Bedard is the most promising young talent to enter draft eligibility since Connor McDavid in 2015, which should tell you how high his ceiling really is. The number one spot is his to lose.
2. Matvei Michkov ,RW, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)
Our first introduction to the many talents of Matvei Michkov came during the 2021 edition of the U18 Worlds tournament where a 16-year old Michkov led all players in both goals (12) and points (16) to capture MVP and Best Forward honours. That same season he led the MHL in goals (38) and broke Nikita Kucherov’s points record for under-17 players with 56 in 56 games. He would then lead Team Russia to gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with a tournament-best 8 goals (tied) and 13 points in 5 games, put up 30 goals and 51 points in just 28 games as an MHL sophomore, and even produce 5 points (2g3a) in an outstanding 15-game stretch with SKA-St. Petersburg in the KHL. Michkov shares similar size with Connor Bedard at just 5’10” and 159 lbs. and also possesses the same level of incredible offensive skill. He has lethal one-shot goal scoring ability with his pinpoint-accurate laser-beam wrister, regularly turns opposing defenders inside-out with practically unmatched puckhandling, and is an underrated (but highly effective) playmaker with his vision and killer instincts. Michkov lights up the highlight-reels on a near nightly basis with a variety of lacrosse-style goals, between-the-legs beauties, and perfectly placed shots. He is the only player in this draft class whose abilities rival Bedard’s, and the only player with a legitimate chance of dethroning the Canadian king.
3. Leo Carlsson ,C/RW, Orebro HK (SHL)
This hulking 6’3” Swedish forward grabs the number three spot due to his wide-ranging skillset and the enormous progress he made throughout the 2021-22 season. After a so-so showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup he quickly tore up the J20 Nationell as a 16-year old to the tune of 10 goals and 27 points in just 14 games, earning him a call-up to Orebro’s SHL club for the remainder of the campaign. Though Carlsson contributed just 9 points (3g6a) in his 35 games he demonstrated plenty of promise with superb playmaking vision, soft hands, and great speed for a player his size. He only managed to appear in 2 of Sweden’s games during their gold medal run at the U18 Worlds but notched 2 goals and 3 points in that span. I usually tend to stay away from NHL player comparisons but I can’t help seeing shades of Evgeni Malkin when I watch Leo Carlsson play. The big Swede gets up to full speed in a hurry and can carve his way through the opposition with brilliant stickhandling or power his way through a crowd with his impressive strength, and he has the special hockey sense required to execute high-difficulty passing plays with relative ease. Much of his placement in these rankings is based on the potential he has shown to this point in his young career, but it is far from set in stone. There is serious competition to replace him inside the top three so he will need to deliver on his promise in order to maintain his standing.
4. Dalibor Dvorsky ,C, AIK (J20 Nationell)
My final rankings of the 2022 draft class featured two Slovakian prospects (Simon Nemec and Juraj Slafkovsky) in my top three, and now in 2023 there is a Slovakian prospect just outside the top three who has the ability to advance higher with a strong 2022-23 season. Dalibor Dvorsky was the surprise star of the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, tying Matvei Michkov for the tournament lead in goals (8) and finishing just a single point behind him with 12 in his 5 total contests as the Slovaks won silver. He then suited up for AIK in the Swedish J20 Nationell and posted 20 goals and 40 points in 33 games to lead all under-17 players in the league and even spent 17 games competing against men in the second-tier Allsvenskan and didn’t look out of place producing 3 points (2g1a) in a limited role. With all the top-notch talent Slovakia has pumped out lately it is possible Dvorsky is the very best of the bunch, especially considering his all-world performance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he was the team’s most potent offensive weapon from start to finish. The 6’1” center is a strong skater with a blistering shot and equally excellent playmaking skills as well as a driven competitor who works just as hard at both ends of the ice. It will be interesting to see the trajectory of his athletic progression in his 17-year old season. The sky may not even be his limit.
5. Adam Fantilli ,C, Chicago Steel (USHL)
Adam Fantilli has been heavily hyped for a couple of years already thanks to a standout playoff showing as a rookie in the USHL where he led the Chicago Steel to a Clark Cup championship and took home postseason MVP honours. He led all players with 8 goals in 8 games as a 16-year old, then followed it up by finishing third in the league in goals (37) and seventh in points (74) after 54 regular season games in 2021-22. It was the second-highest point total in the USHL’s history by a player still one year away from draft eligibility, trailing only current Winnipeg Jets star Kyle Connor. Regarded mostly for his goal scoring acumen, Fantilli proved he also has elite playmaking vision when he teamed up with Connor Bedard on Canada’s U18 Worlds roster and recorded 6 points (1g5a) in 4 games played. The 6’2”, 191-lb. natural center employs a gritty power forward-style of hockey with his ultra-physical approach to the position. He is every bit as likely to demolish an opponent with a massive hit as he is to light up the scoresheet with his devastating combination of speed and skill. As an October 2004 birthday he is one of the older prospects in this draft class, which perhaps means he has less runway to develop than some of the younger players, and that ultimately played a big part in his eventual rank. Committed to the powerhouse University of Michigan program for the 2022-23 campaign, he will be afforded every chance to prove his value next season.
6. Zach Benson ,C, Winnipeg ICE (WHL)
The Winnipeg ICE scored big at the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft when they landed Matthew Savoie (1st overall) and Conor Geekie (2nd) as their future top two centers, but their biggest score arguably came in the very next year’s draft when they selected Zach Benson with the fourteenth pick. The undersized speedster immediately put up 10 goals and 20 points in 24 games as a 15-year old rookie in 2020-21, blowing away all preconceived notions about his possible point production. In 2021-22 he posted another 63 points (25g38a) in 58 regular season contests before exploding for a team-high 23 points (9g14a) in 15 games during Winnipeg’s run to the Eastern Conference Final. Not to mention he was the best player at the Under-17 Capital City Challenge in leading Canada Black to gold with a brilliant 7 goals and 12 points in just 5 games. Benson does everything at a blinding rate of speed and has the stick skills and hand-eye coordination to make plays or unleash a quick, accurate wrister while in full stride, plus he brings a fearlessness in the way he drives the net and battles in the tough areas against bigger and stronger opponents. Though he is undersized at 5’10” and 150 lbs. his unbelievably high degree of talent will make him a hot commodity on draft day, and rightfully so.
7. Brayden Yager ,C, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
He applied for exceptional player status in 2020 and, though he was ultimately denied early entry, a temporary relaxation of the rules on underaged competitors in 2020-21 allowed Yager to play the entirety of the shortened WHL campaign. The former third overall pick (2020 WHL Bantam Draft) notched a solid 18 points (7g11a) in 24 games that season as evidence that he was, indeed, an exceptional talent. This past season he raised his level even further and broke Theoren Fleury’s Moose Jaw franchise record for goals by a 16-year old with 34 and posted 59 points in 63 contests, resulting in WHL Rookie of the Year honours for the Warriors center. Yager showed off a smart, responsible two-way game and was charged with killing penalties and shutting down the opposing top lines when needed. He greatly excelled with more responsibilities, thriving as a natural leader and trusted all-around pivot while also contributing big numbers offensively. At the U17 Challenge he was outstanding in leading Canada Red to the silver medal too, tying for the team lead with 4 goals and 7 points in his 5 games. Yager wears the number “29” in homage to his idol Nathan MacKinnon, and there may be a similar number one center role waiting for him once he reaches the NHL.
8. Charlie Stramel ,C, U18-NTDP (USHL)
Born in October 2004, Charlie Stramel joined the U.S. NTDP in 2020-21 as a U17 player and quickly moved his way up to the U18 team after he produced 21 points (9g12a) in 30 games with his own age group. Stramel’s best moments came at the end of the year with Team USA during the U18 Worlds tournament though, as the 16-year old notched 4 points (2g2a) in 5 games and was one of his squad’s most consistent all-around forces. Unfortunately, an injury in the off-season kept him out of the beginning of his U18 campaign in 2021-22 and he spent most of his 26 contests shaking off the rust and finding his groove again. He still collected 22 points (10g12a) in those games, including another strong showing at his second U18 Worlds with 5 points (2g3a) in 6 games, but in all likelihood he would have had a dominant season had he been fully healthy. Stramel’s physical gifts at 6’3” and 215 lbs. speak for themselves, but it is his excellent mobility and tantalizing playmaking abilities at that size that make him an elite young prospect. He will be honouring his commitment to the University of Wisconsin next season and it will be fascinating to see how his freshman NCAA campaign goes.
9. Kasper Halttunen ,LW, Jokerit (U20 SM-Sarja)
The top Finnish prospect for the 2023 draft has to be this 6’3”, 192-lb. bruiser with a terrific scoring touch. Halttunen was named the U20 SM-Sarja’s top rookie in 2021-22 after he posted 24 goals and 38 points in 41 games to lead all under-17 players in the league. He was also voted a top three performer for Finland at the U18 Worlds as he recorded 3 goals and 5 points in 6 games while providing a punishing physical presence to help the team to a bronze medal finale. Though the left winger spent this past season with Jokerit he will be moving on to HIFK next year with the possibility of playing much of the campaign in the men’s Liiga. His numbers as a 16-year old at the U20 level were strikingly similar to those of projected 2022 first rounder Brad Lambert at the same age, and he was being discussed as a top two prospect in his draft class back then. Halttunen packs a heavy shot and knows where to be on the ice to generate grade-A scoring chances, and his success rate when it comes to puck battles in the dirty areas is exceedingly high (as one would guess based on his size). There is a lot of NHL upside here.
10. Will Smith ,C, U17-NTDP (USHL)
The top 2005-born NTDP prospect in this draft class right now has to be this highly intelligent, highly skilled young forward. After a stellar start to his U17 campaign where he posted 17 goals and 37 points in 35 games, Smith saw his goal scoring increase over the next 28 games as he was elevated to play with the U18s. His 14 goals and 27 points gave him the best scoring rates of any 2005-born playing with the U18 squad and he fit in so well on the second line with projected 2022 first rounders Frank Nazar and Isaac Howard it was his full-time spot for the duration. Smith even notched 4 points (2g2a) in 4 games to help Team USA win silver at the U18 Worlds having just barely turned 17 years old. The 6’0” center is quick on his feet and thinks the game just as fast, consistently finding his way to loose pucks before the opposition or slipping into open pockets and making himself a passing target for his teammates. He can make plays as well, though there is room for growth in that area. Smith’s overall performance in 2021-22 was more than enough to justify a spot in the top ten.
11. Calum Ritchie ,C, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Calum Ritchie’s offensive numbers as a rookie may not leap off the page (19 goals and 45 points in 65 games) but his rank has more to do with the tremendous potential he demonstrated throughout the season and less to do with his actual point production. The former second overall pick (2021 OHL Priority Selection) was dominant at the U17 Challenge, however, in putting up 11 points (5g6a) in 5 games alongside Zach Benson to help Canada Black win gold. He also had a strong playoff showing for the Oshawa Generals, tying for the team lead in scoring with 7 points (4g3a) in their 6-game opening round loss to the Kingston Frontenacs. Ritchie, who is listed at 6’2” and 180 lbs., is an outstanding skater with a set of highly skilled hands to match. He scored some highlight-reel goals by splitting the opposing defense and beating the netminder with a perfectly placed shot, and he began learning to use his size and reach to his advantage as the season progressed. Big things appear to be in store for Ritchie as he enters his sophomore OHL campaign, with the talented center easily leading the charge among his league’s 2023-eligible prospects. Now it’s up to him to live up to the massive wave of hype that has begun to build around him.
12. Matthew Wood ,RW, Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL)
We have seen some fantastic young talent come out of junior-A hockey leagues recently, including Cale Makar (4th overall in 2017) from the AJHL and Kent Johnson (5th overall in 2021) from the BCHL, and now 6’3” right winger Matthew Wood from the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies looks like the next in line. As a 16-year old he notched a league-leading 45 goals and 85 points in 46 games to capture the BCHL Rookie of the Year award for the 2021-22 season. That gave him a 1.85 points-per-game average comparable to Kent Johnson’s (1.94) at the same age. Wood, who was a second round pick of the WHL’s Regina Pats in 2020, has dynamic one-on-one abilities and a wicked wristshot that make him a threat to score anytime he steps foot inside the offensive zone. He’s not an elite skater per se, but gets from point A to point B well enough that his footspeed shouldn’t be an issue with a little time and attention paid to improving his stride. Coming from a junior-A league rather than major junior complicates his projections somewhat, but he was one of Canada Red’s top players in tying for the team lead with 7 points (4g3a) in 5 games at the U17 Challenge and also contributed 2 goals in 4 games despite largely playing a secondary role for Team Canada at the U18 Worlds. The skillset is high-end and the numbers are top-notch, so the only question left is just how high his ceiling truly is.
13. Ryan Leonard ,C, U17-NTDP (USHL)
This 5’11”, 180-lb. natural center was an exceptionally rare example of a U17 player in the U.S. NTDP who actually spent more time playing with the U18 team than his own age group. Leonard produced 10 goals and 20 points in 26 games with the U17s before being bumped up to the U18 squad for the remaining 36 contests and contributing 16 goals and 23 points while also solidifying the team’s penalty kill with his smart positioning and two-way hockey sense. In fact, Leonard poses real competition to become the first 2005-born NTDP prospect selected in 2023 as he only seemed to become more comfortable and confident as the year went on, culminating in a brilliant performance at the U18 Worlds where he finished third on the team in goals (5) and posted 6 points in 6 games played. He has all the tools one could possibly want to have in a prospect: skating, IQ, strong defense, a great shot, playmaking skill, etc., and he plays with the kind of courage that should eliminate any worries about his size.
14. Riley Heidt ,C, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Heidt was one of three players to apply for exceptional status in 2020 (Connor Bedard and Brayden Yager were the others) and while he did not receive approval from the CHL he was still the number two overall selection of that year’s WHL Bantam Draft. His 2020-21 rookie campaign was decent (8 points in 22 games as a 15-year old) but didn’t see him reach the same heights as some of his peers. The gifted young centerman excelled for Prince George in Year Two though, leading the team in scoring with 58 points (21g37a) in 65 games and forging fantastic chemistry with linemate and fellow 2023-eligible forward Koehn Ziemmer. Heidt is an effortless, magnificent skater who sees the ice extraordinarily well and has the soft hands to execute high-difficulty passing plays with stunning regularity. His 21 goals as a 16-year old this past season indicates he has relatively untapped goal scoring potential as well, though setting up his teammates will likely always be his niche as an NHLer. The Cougars are a club on the rise and Riley Heidt is the one leading the charge in that regard.
15. Otto Stenberg ,C, Frolunda HC (J20 Nationell)
The second-highest Swede in my preliminary rankings, Stenberg was the only 2005-born forward added to the national team roster for the recent U18 Worlds tournament and the 16-year old performed well in a lesser role with 2 goals in 6 games as Sweden took home gold medals. When one looks at his production prior to the event the reasons for his inclusion are quite obvious: he was named the top J18 player after recording a ridiculous 24 points (8g16a) in 12 Nationell games and another 12 points (5g7a) in 8 Region games, then collected the second-most points of any under-17 player in the J20 Nationell with 35 (16g19a) in 38 total contests. Stenberg, listed at 5’11” and 176 lbs., has a phenomenal combination of speed and dynamic skill with the puck, racking up plenty of his points in highlight-reel fashion. There is work to be done on the defensive side of his game but his ability to continually contribute on the scoresheet is what most NHL GMs and scouts will be looking for from him anyways.
16. Daniil But ,LW, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (MHL)
The biggest winger on this list hails from Russia and is a 6’4”, 198-lb. behemoth who spent 2021-22 with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the MHL. Daniil But had a fantastic rookie campaign at 16 years old, by the way, notching an impressive 44 points (17g27a) in 49 games for a 0.90 points-per-game average that actually bests projected 2022 first rounder Ivan Miroshnichenko’s (0.75) at the same age. Of course, But didn’t have the greatest Hlinka Gretzky Cup performance (1 assist in 5 games) but was deployed in a bottom-six role for a stacked roster that won gold at that tournament. The big, powerful forward is a decent skater for his size and has a higher degree of skill with the puck than one might first assume. His best attribute might be the way he sees the ice and can make plays, particularly when he uses his strength to fend off opponents and is able to spot open lanes inside the offensive zone. He is certainly a player to keep a close eye on over the next season.
17. Lukas Dragicevic ,D, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
The first defenseman to enter the top thirty-two is a 6’2” rookie blueliner with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans and a former fourth overall pick in the Bantam Draft (2020). Dragicevic took on a heavy top-pairing workload as a 16-year old this past season and excelled, putting up 32 points (6g26a) in 62 games while also tasked with shutting down the opposition’s top players night after night. He manned the number one role for Canada Red at the U17 Challenge and again for Team Canada at the U18 Worlds and was terrific during both tournaments too. In a draft class that appears to be very light on elite defense prospects, Dragicevic is one of the very few with the potential to become a minute-munching all-situations stud at the next level. He is a fluid skater with the explosive acceleration and mobility required of puckmovers in today’s game, he makes a great first pass exiting the zone, and he has the vision to make plays inside the offensive zone and quarterback a top powerplay unit. That is a rare combination to find among 2023-eligible defenders.
18. Oliver Moore ,C, U17-NTDP (USHL)
Oliver Moore was the NTDP’s U17 team leader in goals (24) and finished second in points (39) after 43 games in 2021-22, then had a solid 11-game run with the U18s where he notched another 7 points (2g5a) and created plenty of scoring opportunities. The 5’11” center is one of the fastest skaters in this draft class and has a fierce competitive edge to his game that usually results in big plays at big moments. He has an extremely well-rounded skillset offensively and has shown himself to be equally capable of lighting the lamp with a wicked wrister or setting up a teammate with a gorgeous saucer pass. Moore didn’t spend as much time with the U18s as some of the other 2023-eligible prospects in the NTDP, but that likely has a lot to do with the U17 team not wanting to move all their prime scorers up to the older club. All in all he has just as much talent as any of his 2005-born peers and could easily find himself the first of them to be selected on draft day with a strong 2022-23 campaign.
19. Quentin Musty ,LW, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
The first overall pick of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection is in much the same boat as the second overall pick, Calum Ritchie, in that he had an underwhelming 2021-22 rookie campaign but showed promise beyond what his numbers did. Musty produced just 12 goals and 31 points in 50 games but was on a young and inexperienced team where he played secondary minutes as a 16-year old. He’s 6’2” and 203 lbs. and moves with the finesse of a much smaller player, plus he has some slick one-on-one stickhandling ability and a great shot to go along with his impressive skating. His game lacked aggression and competitiveness at times, which does raise red flags, but as a young rookie he was still getting a feel for the league without much of a veteran presence in Sudbury to help guide him. With the size and skill he brings to the table he could potentially end up higher in these rankings, but so far I haven’t seen enough to justify it.
20. Cam Allen ,D, Guelph Storm (OHL)
The third overall pick of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection was the winner of the Emms Family Award as the league’s Rookie of the Year after he set a Guelph Storm franchise record for first-year defensemen with 13 goals and totalled 37 points in his 65 games played. He had a strong U17 Challenge tournament as well, anchoring the top pairing and number one powerplay unit for gold medal-winning Canada Black while contributing 3 points (0g3a) in 5 games. Allen’s smooth-skating puckmoving ability is custom-made for the modern day NHL and he’s a decent one-on-one defender who made strides in that area over the course of the season. Whether he projects as a “number one” at the next level is up for debate, but he certainly has the potential to be a top-pairing/powerplay quarterback stalwart in the NHL one day.
21. Nate Danielson ,C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Nate Danielson just missed the cut-off for 2022 eligibility by mere days, which obviously makes him one of the very oldest players in this draft class. The reasons I have him ranked so high are mostly related to the likelihood he becomes a full-time NHLer in some capacity or another. Danielson has a ton of speed and plays the game at a consistently high pace, he is good on faceoffs, kills penalties, and is a thorn in the side of the opposition’s top players. He also contributed 57 points (23g34a) in his 53 games after putting up a solid 15 points (3g12a) in 24 games as a 16-year old in 2020-21, so there is some offensive upside to his game as well. I see him as a perfect candidate to solidify a team’s second or third line center position for years to come.
22. Koehn Ziemmer ,RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Ziemmer teamed up with fellow 2023-eligible teammate Riley Heidt to form a dynamic one-two punch for the Prince George Cougars this past season. After notching a more-than-respectable 9 goals and 12 points in 22 games as a 16-year old in 2020-21, Ziemmer upped his totals in 2021-22 to a team-best 30 goals and finished second only to Heidt with 57 points while playing all 68 regular season games. Beyond just the point totals, the 6’0”, 195-lb. right winger provided a gritty physical presence and solid 200-ft. game that earned him the coaching staff’s trust and a resulting leadership role on the team. I’m not sold on Ziemmer being a big-time goal scorer at the NHL level just yet, but at the worst he’s a versatile and serviceable winger who can fit into a top-six or bottom-six role depending on need.
23. Colby Barlow ,LW, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Suiting up for the Owen Sound Attack on an all-rookie line with 2022-eligibles Cedrick Guindon and Servac Petrovsky last season, Barlow established a new franchise rookie record with 30 goals in his 59 games. He also tied for the team lead in playoff scoring with 6 points (5g1a) in their 7-game loss to the Flint Firebirds. Barlow isn’t the most graceful skater on the ice but he gets around with enough speed to pose a threat off the rush. His best work typically comes in front of the net or within a few feet of the crease, though, which is a style that fits the grind of a deep playoff run quite nicely.
24. Emil Jarventie ,LW, Ilves (U20 SM-Sarja)
This undersized yet extremely skilled young Finnish winger began the 2021-22 season in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks but after he put up just 6 points (3g3a) in his first 19 games he returned home to Finland and his Ilves club. Jarventie posted 5 goals and 8 points in 4 games at the U18 level, then was moved up to the U20 SM-Sarja where he continued to impress with 13 goals and 21 points in the final 20 games of the campaign. That made him the only under-17 player to produce at a point-per-game or better rate in the country’s top U20 league. If he continues to pile up the points in 2022-23 he could end up seeing time in the men’s Liiga before too long.
25. Mikhail Gulyayev ,D, Omskie Yastreby (MHL)
Mikhail Gulyayev is the most offensively gifted young Russian-born defenseman to come around in the last few years (at least) and made his first big impression at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup as a barely-turned-16-year old when he put up 5 points (2g3a) in 5 games to help lead his team to gold. He had an outstanding rookie season in the MHL in 2021-22 as well, finishing with 35 points (7g28a) in his 54 games as a member of Omskie Yastreby. Gulyayev is just 5’10” and 170 lbs., which is sure to scare some GMs off, but his skating and elite puckmoving game could prove to be well worth taking a chance on.
26. Tyler Peddle ,LW, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
The former second overall pick in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft began his rookie campaign on absolute fire, scoring 6 goals during a 4-game goal streak to start his major junior career and totalling 8 goals and 10 points in his first 9 games. Peddle struggled with consistency from then on, however, notching just 9 goals and 25 points over his next 56 games with Drummondville. A strong showing at the U17 Challenge where he led Canada White in goals (4) and tied for third on the team in points (6) after 5 contests alleviated some of the concerns, but there is no question the gifted goal scorer will need to dramatically raise his level of play to continue holding onto a first-round spot.
27. Eduard Sale ,LW, HC Kometa Brno (CzechiaU20)
This 6’1” Czech-born winger made a name for himself at the recent U18 Worlds tournament when he tied for second among all players in assists (8) and seventh in points (9) while forming a deadly duo with eventual MVP, 2022-eligible forward Jiri Kulich. Sale was voted as one of the Czech team’s top three performers at the event, following up a solid Hlinka Gretzky Cup performance where he collected 3 points (1g2a) in 4 games. He desperately needs to add muscle to his frame and more intensity to his game but the tools and resume are easily top thirty-two caliber.
28. Alex Ciernik ,RW, Sodertalje SK (J20 Nationell)
The second Slovak to crack my preliminary rankings list for 2023, Alex Ciernik is a late-2004 born right winger who played a big part in his country’s silver medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, contributing 7 points (1g6a) in 5 games, and to their gold medal in the Divsion 1A U18 Worlds tournament where he led his team and tied for second among all players with 12 points (5g7a) in 5 games played. Like his countryman and fellow 2023-eligible Dalibor Dvorsky, Ciernik has been plying his trade in Sweden and put together an excellent 2021-22 campaign in the J20 Nationell with 47 points (20g27a) in 43 games. In many ways he is the “Filip Mesar” of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft: a bit of a wildcard in terms of actual pro upside, but has undeniable abilities.
29. Mathieu Cataford ,C, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
The Halifax Mooseheads organization continues to produce high-end NHL prospects year after year it seems and in 2023 that prospect is 5’11” forward Mathieu Cataford, who was the team’s sixth overall pick in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft and the league’s highest-scoring 2005-born rookie with 46 points (17g29a) in 62 games. Unsurprisingly, that earned him a spot on the 2021-22 All-Rookie Team and he then proceeded to notch 4 goals and 5 points in 5 playoff games for good measure. Cataford stood out at the U17 Capital City Challenge as a member of Canada White’s lineup too, finishing second on the team and tying for fourth among all players with 7 points (3g4a) in 5 contests. The natural center’s consistency across the entire year is what ultimately confirmed his place on this list.
30. Arttu Karki ,D, Tappara (U20 SM-Sarja)
This late-2004 born Finnish defender gradually worked his way up from the U18 SM-Sarja (where he put up 16 points in 11 games) to the U20 level (leading all blueliners still one year away from draft eligibility with 22 points in 36 games) and all the way to the national team for the U18 Worlds tournament (where he helped Finland win bronze with 2 points in 5 games). Karki has the size, skating, and smarts required to thrive in today’s game and could move up these rankings with a strong Liiga campaign in 2022-23.
31. Kalle Carlsson ,C, Orebro HK (J20 Nationell)
A lesser-known commodity among 2023-eligible prospects, Kalle Carlsson dominated the Swedish J18-Region as a 16-year old with 16 goals and 39 points in just 17 total contests prior to being moved up to the J20 Nationell. Once there he continued to produce, putting up an excellent 27 points (8g19a) in his 30 games at the country’s highest level of junior hockey. Carlsson is a playmaker by trade, preferring to set-up his teammates with sublime passes instead of chasing bloated goal totals, and is especially effective on the powerplay where he knows how to take advantage of the extra ice using his fantastic vision and soft, skilled hands.
32. Andrew Cristall ,LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
A top ten selection in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft (8th overall) by the Kelowna Rockets, Cristall made his major junior debut in 2020-21 and posted 5 points (2g3a) in 14 games as a 15/16-year old. Those numbers did little to prepare us for his brilliant sophomore campaign, however, as the diminutive left winger exploded for 69 points (28g41a) in 61 regular season games to place third in team scoring. It also gave him the second-highest point total of any 2023-eligible forward in the WHL, trailing only number one ranked Connor Bedard. At 5’9” and 149 lbs. he may not have size on his side but he certainly has the kind of dynamic offensive skillset usually found among first rounders.
The Draft Report 