Post your 2023 Prospect Draft Results Here

[Axeman33]

I find it amusing how often a player will get knocked down the ranking because of "skating". That has to be the most coachable deficiency in the sport, any player that's willing can easily improve that. Personally I think Suniev is a sleeper. Everyone ran away from him at the draft table because of "skating".

Then why hasn't coaching up to their draft year fixed it if it's a known deficiency?

[Pengwin7]

I agree with Axe too.
Skating can be "improved"... it can't be "fixed". If it's bad... it's bad.

Poor skating means a guy can't help carry a puck through the neutral zone.
You can't have a single forward on NHL ice unable to do that.
(And usually - when critics rag on a guys skating... it's "with the puck".)
(Conversely - if the skating is generally not good - then your line is in trouble if that forward NEEDS to be the first forward back to mark 3rd opposing F. You get in trouble there.)

re: Great skating vs No Skills
John Beecher is another guy I thought of re: Skating.
2019 late 1st pick for Boston.
Great skater.
Does nothing else well.
Raise your hand if you are still expecting something significant from John Beecher.


re: Bad Skating vs. Other Skills.
That's a major concern, because skating is the "basis" of hockey.
Kids/young-men have learned all of their skills while they are skating.
So your pace for anything: thinking the game, anticipation, gap control, stickhandling, passing, shooting, forechecking... its all based on YOUR PACE.
If you go and try to fix that... you mess almost everything up.

So... at best... a "slight improvement" to skating might be done - and it might, still, throw other-skills a bit out of whack.

I'd say skating can be improved maybe 10% from draft year. Maybe.
If NHL-low-average skating is a 6.
Then a guy could be at a 5... and make it (Boldy, Kaliyev, Maccelli).
But he can't be at a 4. (for example, Alex Beaucage - 2019 3rd rounder to COL... Nolan Foote - 2019 1st rounder to NJ... these guys are probably career AHL-ers. *Some sources suggest that Foote's skating has improved since his draft - we shall see once he gets more NHL games.)

[random-d]

I think it just depends on how much it affects overall performance. If a players has a diverse range of other skills that allows them to compensate than I don't think anyone sees it as an emergency to correct the skating issue in a hurry. It's not something that would show up overnight anyway, it would improve slowly over time. But I think if an NHL team said "we need you to work on your skating mechanics because it's going to hinder your chance at success", most talented players would be able to make enough adjustment to get there.

[Axeman33]

I think it just depends on how much it affects overall performance. If a players has a diverse range of other skills that allows them to compensate than I don't think anyone sees it as an emergency to correct the skating issue in a hurry. It's not something that would show up overnight anyway, it would improve slowly over time. But I think if an NHL team said "we need you to work on your skating mechanics because it's going to hinder your chance at success", most talented players would be able to make enough adjustment to get there.

I look at it this way, if it's a deficiency that could/should be worked on leading up to their draft and it improves their chances of getting drafted sooner/earlier then it's on the player to put in the work. Maybe they have and this is as good as it's going to get. Maybe there's still room for improvement; who knows. Thats just it, we don't know, but I'd like to think the scouts would know or at least have a good idea on that information before doing up their own rankings for their teams. I am not a pro scout but when I read a scout report that their skating needs work or improvement, I tend to steer clear of those players but that's just a decision I make as a FANTASY GM. If you are willing to gamble on them improving their skating, or it being good enough for the NHL then so be it. It's not the be-all end-all for me as far as drafting for my fantasy team goes, but I tend to look for skating and hockey smarts as ideal traits from players. That's me. There's a reason these kids with great skills but lacking in foot speed drop in the draft. That being said, there's also a lot of kids who get drafted outside the 1st round who make it to the show, and that's usually because they are willing to put in the work in their development years post-draft. No one can predict that, not even pro scouts. If I see someone with a pro ready shot but not there skating-wise, sure I'll consider them as well.

We all know these drafts are a crapshoot for fantasy GMs even more-so than the real scouts/GMs because we rely on their opinions and where they draft kids. There's a reason teams pass on these kids. I guess I like the prospects who are closer to being NHL ready with skating and smarts than waiting and hoping they will figure those things out after they get drafted.

Would I draft someone like Suniev? Sure, but I am not going to reach for him. I'll gamble on the kids who don't need to work on their skating and hockey sense.

My preference when reading scouting reports on what I like is 1) hockey sense/smarts 2) skating 3) compete level 4) shot in that order.

[Belexus75]

Must be middle of summer…

[stevegamer]

My take on skating (which I understand less well than many things because I can't skate) is that it's similar to other sport things. There's how it looks, and how well it works. If your style looks like crap, but it works well enough for you that you are average or better among the top of your peers, then it's likely fine.

My go to example is a baseball one: a guy named Hunter Pence. His swing mechanic that is ugly to watch, and is widely derided as "don't do that, or that, or that." However, he's a multi time All-Star who had a 14 year career with a 114 OPS+ (14% above average as a hitter at the plate). Weird can work.

[Bass56]

Here is for my league in sig. (my picks are in bold if ever you want to give your feedback )

1.1 Connor Bedard
1.2 Adam Fantilli
1.3 Leo Carlsson
1.4 Matvei Michkov
1.5 William Smith
1.6 Ryan Leonard
1.7 Zach Benson
1.8 Dalibor Dvorsky
1.9 Matthew Wood
1,10 Brayden Yager
1,11 David Reinbacher
1,12 Alexander Nikishin
1,13 Axel Sandin Pellikka
1,14 Colby Barlow
2.1 Oliver Moore
2.2 Gabe Perreault
2.3 Andrew Cristall
2.4 Nate Danielson
2.5 Adam Gajan
2.6 Samuel Honzek
2.7 Jayden Perron
2.8 Quentin Musty
2.9 Eduard Sale
2,10 Trey Augustine
2,11 Otto Stenberg
2,12 Anton Wahlberg
2,13 Logan Mailloux
2,14 Ryker Evans
3.1 Calum Ritchie
3.2 Dmitri Simashev
3.3 Riley Heidt
3.4 Daniil But
3.5 Carson Bjarnason
3.6 Bradly Nadeau
3.7 Michael Hrabal
3.8 Mikhail Gulyayev
3.9 Seamus Casey
3,10 Jacob Fowler
3,11 Kasper Halttunen
3,12 Ryan Mcallister
3,13 William Whitelaw
3,14 Gavin Brindley
4.1 Joey Daccord
4.2 Tom Willander
4.3 Alexei Kolosov
4.4 Filip Bystedt
4.5 Oliver Bonk
4.6 Gracyn Sawchyn
4.7 Jakub Dobes
4.8 Nick Lardis
4.9 Carl Lindbom
4,10 Koehn Ziemmer
4,11 Nico Daws
4,12 Yaniv Perets
4,13 Matthew Mania
4,14 Carter Mazur

[Pengwin7]

^Those are for sure the right picks in multi-cat H2H.
[It won't surprise me if a guy like Honzek ends up being better multi-cat than Perreault, who is more of a light-weight.]
Well done! (not sure how Simashev is falling in multi-cat league).

[PenguinHunter]

Our draft is completed prior to the actual entry draft.
Points only league.

1.1 Connor Bedard
1.2 Adam Fantilli
1.3 Matvei Michkov
1.4 Leo Carlsson
1.5 Will Smith
1.6 Zac Benson

2.1 Andrew Cristall
2.2 David Reinbacher
2.3 Dalibor Dvorsky
2.4 Ryan Leonard
2.5 Axel Sandin-Pellikka
2.5 Gabe Perreault

3.1 Nate Danielson
3.2 Oliver Moore
3.3 Eduard Sale
3.4 Bayden Yager
3.5 Samuel Honzek
3.6 Quentin Musty

4.1 Riley Heidt
4.2 Colby Barlow
4.3 Daniil But
4.4 Mikhail Gulyayev
4.5 Matthew Wood
4.6 Dmitri Simashev

5. 1 Tom Wallinder
5.2 Calum Ritchie
5.3 Jayden Perron
5.4 Otto Stenberg
5.5 David Edstrom
5.6 Gavin Brindley

6.1 Charlie Stramel
6.2 Theo Lindstein
6.3 Nick Lardi
6.4 Trey Augustine
6.5 Luca Pinelli
6.6 Michael Hrabal

[Bass56]

^Those are for sure the right picks in multi-cat H2H.
[It won't surprise me if a guy like Honzek ends up being better multi-cat than Perreault, who is more of a light-weight.]
Well done! (not sure how Simashev is falling in multi-cat league).

Thanks P7! Not sure why Simashev is dropping either but I’m sure it’s a vicious cycle as managers tend to follow draft boards from other leagues… Willander is another one that fell pretty far. I think his hockey mechanics are incredible. Putting up offensive numbers will require decent linemates but I’m not too concerned at the moment as he has everything else going for him.

[Pengwin7]

Simashev is getting a bad rap because he had 0pts in 18gp in KHL.
If you are doing any kind of "due diligence" on a player... and you see that... you aren't drafting them, right?!
Even in MHL, he only had 10pts in 29gp.
(I mean - consider you are a teenager in Russia and you get thrown into the highest level and your team coach simply says "You are defense. No goals against. OK? No goals against". Right? You aren't trying to score. You are trying to do.your.job. I think that's what it's like for some players in Russia. Not all teams - for some reason Nikishin was let loose... IDK. but I'd imagine a team coach has a directive for players.]

Pure numbers models are NOT fond of this guy.
Also - there's a ton of young prospect analysts self-dubbing themselves with lists on twitter/internet right now and they love:
*North Americans
*Flashy Offensive Highlight Guys

Bah.
Simashev has game - not a lot of offensive upside - but enough in multi-cat.
The older prospect analysts on the internet have much more glowing praise in what they see.
I can actually send you a PM of one of my favourites... so long as you don't tell a soul!
(And you'll be happy with what you hear.)

[cappy76]

Round 1

1.) Washington Capitals - Connor Bedard
2.) Toronto Maple Leafs - Adam Fantilli
3.) Colorado Avalanche - Matvei Michkov
4.) Colorado Avalanche (NJ) - Leo Carlsson
5.) Vancouver Canucks (SEA) - Will Smith
6.) Vancouver Canucks (ANH) - Ryan Leonard
7.) Washington Capitals (WPG) - Zach Benson
8.) Detroit Red Wings - Brayden Yager
9.) Calgary Flames - Oliver Moore
10.) San Jose Sharks - Dalibor Dvorsky
11.) Seattle Kraken (VAN) - Nate Danielson
12.) Colorado Avalanche (OTT) - Matthew Wood


Round 2

13.) San Jose Sharks (WSH) - Gabe Perreault
14.) Toronto Maple Leafs - Colby Barlow
15.) Colorado Avalanche - Eduard Sale
16.) New Jersey Devils - Quentin Musty
17.) San Jose Sharks (SEA) - Andrew Cristall
18.) Anaheim Ducks - Daniil But
19.) Vancouver Canucks (WPG) - Otto Stenberg
20.) Detroit Red Wings - Axel Sandin Pellikka
21.) Calgary Flames - Samuel Honzek
22.) San Jose Sharks - Mikhail Gulyayev
23.) Vancouver Canucks - Gavin Brindley
24.) Ottawa Senators - Jayden Perron


Round 3

25.) Washington Capitals - Dmitri Simashev
26.) Toronto Maple Leafs - Carson Bjarnason
27.) Colorado Avalanche - Kasper Halttunen
28.) New Jersey Devils - Calum Ritchie
29.) Seattle Kraken - Michael Hrabal
30.) Toronto Maple Leafs (ANH) - Trey Augustine
31.) Winnipeg Jets - Easton Cowan
32.) Washington Capitals (DET) - David Reinbacher
33.) Calgary Flames - Bradly Nadeau
34.) Seattle Kraken (SJ) - Jacob Fowler
35.) Winnipeg Jets (VAN) - Damian Clara
36.) Ottawa Senators - Riley Heidt

Happy with the players I got where I did (I'm Washington). Traded for an extra pick when Reinbacher made it to the 30s and figured it was worth the chance he pans out into more than a 2nd pair guy. Any thoughts from the dobber community?

[Dennis]

Ov Pick	Fantasy Team	Pos	Player	Team
1	Fergus Thistles	C	Connor Bedard	CHI
2	Hartford Whalers	C	Adam Fantilli	CBJ
3	Colorado Avalanche	W	Matvei Michkov	PHI
4	Hartford Whalers	C	Leo Carlsson	ANA
5	Manley's Men	C	Will Smith	SJS
6	Fergus Thistles	W	Ryan Leonard	WSH
7	Fergus Thistles	W	Zachary Benson	BUF
8	KV Canadiens	C	Dalibor Dvorsky	STL
9	Danbury Trashers	C	Oliver Moore	CHI
10	Hartford Whalers	W	Quentin Musty	SJS
11	Hartford Whalers	W	Gabe Perreault	NYR
12	TOP GUNS	C	Brayden Yager	PIT
13	SJ Sea Dogs	W	Colby Barlow	WPG
14	Toronto Maple Leafs	D	David Reinbacher	MTL
15	Danbury Trashers	D	Axel Sandin Pellikka	DET
16	Colorado Avalanche	W	Matthew Wood	NSH
17	Quebec Nordiques	W	Easton Cowan	TOR
18	Toronto Maple Leafs	C	Nate Danielson	DET
19	Manley's Men	D	Dmitri Simashev	ARI
20	Hartford Whalers	W	Eduard Sale	SEA
21	Hartford Whalers	W	Andrew Cristall	WSH
22	Quebec Nordiques	W	Daniil But	ARI
23	Seattle Thunderbirds	W	Samuel Honzek	CGY
24	Colorado Avalanche	G	Michael Hrabal	ARI
25	SJ Sea Dogs	C	Bradly Nadeau	CAR
26	Colorado Avalanche	D	Tom Willander	VAN
27	TOP GUNS	C	Otto Stenberg	STL
28	Seattle Thunderbirds	W	Charlie Stramel	MIN
29	Seattle Thunderbirds	D	Tanner Molendyk	NSH
30	SJ Sea Dogs	W	Ethan Gauthier	TBL
31	New York Rangers	D	Oliver Bonk	PHI
32	Nurnberg Tiger Kings	C	Calum Ritchie	COL
33	Manley's Men	D	Mikhail Gulyayev	COL
34	New York Rangers	C	David Edstrom	VGK
35	Seattle Thunderbirds	G	Trey Augustine	DET
36	Danbury Trashers	C	Gavin Brindley	CBJ
37	SJ Sea Dogs	G	Adam Gajan	CHI
38	New York Rangers	C	Riley Heidt	MIN
39	New York Rangers	G	Jacob Fowler	MTL
40	Danbury Trashers	W	Jayden Perron	CAR
41	Hartford Whalers	C	Gracyn Sawchyn	FLA
42	KV Canadiens	G	Carson Bjarnason	PHI
43	Seattle Thunderbirds	W	Nico Myatovic	ANA
44	SJ Sea Dogs	D	Lukas Dragicevic	SEA
45	Toronto Maple Leafs	W	Nick Lardis	CHI
46	Seattle Thunderbirds	W	Kasper Halttunen	SJS
47	Manley's Men	C	Oscar Fisker Molgaard	SEA
48	KV Canadiens	W	Juraj Pekarcik	STL
49	Minnesota North Stars	W	Jesse Ylonen	MTL
50	Quebec Nordiques	D	Theo Lindstein	STL
51	Danbury Trashers	D	Mike Benning	FLA
52	Seattle Thunderbirds	W	Kalan Lind	NSH
53	Nurnberg Tiger Kings	C	Anton Wahlberg	BUF
54	Danbury Trashers	G	Leevi Merilainen	OTT
55	Quebec Nordiques	W	Jesse Kiiskinen	NSH
56	Toronto Maple Leafs	W	Tye Kartye	SEA
57	SJ Sea Dogs	W	Felix Unger Sorum	CAR
58	Toronto Maple Leafs	W	Nikolai Kovalenko	COL
59	SJ Sea Dogs	C	Felix Nilsson	NSH
60	KV Canadiens	D	Hoyt Stanley	OTT
61	Manley's Men	D	Andrew Gibson	DET
62	Danbury Trashers	C	Massimo Rizzo	CAR
63	Minnesota North Stars	C	Danny Nelson	NYI
64	New York Rangers	W	Martin Misiak	CHI
65	SJ Sea Dogs	D	Beau Akey	EDM
66	KV Canadiens	W	Alexander Rykov	CAR
67	Fergus Thistles	D	Ryan Chesley	WSH
68	KV Canadiens	W	Florian Xhekaj	MTL
69	KV Canadiens	W	William Whitelaw	CBJ
70	Toronto Maple Leafs	D	Max Wanner	EDM

[Daydream Nation]

Round 1

1.) Washington Capitals - Connor Bedard
2.) Toronto Maple Leafs - Adam Fantilli
3.) Colorado Avalanche - Matvei Michkov
4.) Colorado Avalanche (NJ) - Leo Carlsson
5.) Vancouver Canucks (SEA) - Will Smith
6.) Vancouver Canucks (ANH) - Ryan Leonard
7.) Washington Capitals (WPG) - Zach Benson
8.) Detroit Red Wings - Brayden Yager
9.) Calgary Flames - Oliver Moore
10.) San Jose Sharks - Dalibor Dvorsky
11.) Seattle Kraken (VAN) - Nate Danielson
12.) Colorado Avalanche (OTT) - Matthew Wood


Round 2

13.) San Jose Sharks (WSH) - Gabe Perreault
14.) Toronto Maple Leafs - Colby Barlow
15.) Colorado Avalanche - Eduard Sale
16.) New Jersey Devils - Quentin Musty
17.) San Jose Sharks (SEA) - Andrew Cristall
18.) Anaheim Ducks - Daniil But
19.) Vancouver Canucks (WPG) - Otto Stenberg
20.) Detroit Red Wings - Axel Sandin Pellikka
21.) Calgary Flames - Samuel Honzek
22.) San Jose Sharks - Mikhail Gulyayev
23.) Vancouver Canucks - Gavin Brindley
24.) Ottawa Senators - Jayden Perron


Round 3

25.) Washington Capitals - Dmitri Simashev
26.) Toronto Maple Leafs - Carson Bjarnason
27.) Colorado Avalanche - Kasper Halttunen
28.) New Jersey Devils - Calum Ritchie
29.) Seattle Kraken - Michael Hrabal
30.) Toronto Maple Leafs (ANH) - Trey Augustine
31.) Winnipeg Jets - Easton Cowan
32.) Washington Capitals (DET) - David Reinbacher
33.) Calgary Flames - Bradly Nadeau
34.) Seattle Kraken (SJ) - Jacob Fowler
35.) Winnipeg Jets (VAN) - Damian Clara
36.) Ottawa Senators - Riley Heidt

Happy with the players I got where I did (I'm Washington). Traded for an extra pick when Reinbacher made it to the 30s and figured it was worth the chance he pans out into more than a 2nd pair guy. Any thoughts from the dobber community?

I think you made excellent choices for the picks you had. Benson was a homerun pick and the two top 10 D that fell into the 20s were great values. As I scrolled through the draft, Washington stood out before I even read that it was you. Well done.

[Axeman33]

Round 1

1.) Washington Capitals - Connor Bedard
2.) Toronto Maple Leafs - Adam Fantilli
3.) Colorado Avalanche - Matvei Michkov
4.) Colorado Avalanche (NJ) - Leo Carlsson
5.) Vancouver Canucks (SEA) - Will Smith
6.) Vancouver Canucks (ANH) - Ryan Leonard
7.) Washington Capitals (WPG) - Zach Benson
8.) Detroit Red Wings - Brayden Yager
9.) Calgary Flames - Oliver Moore
10.) San Jose Sharks - Dalibor Dvorsky
11.) Seattle Kraken (VAN) - Nate Danielson
12.) Colorado Avalanche (OTT) - Matthew Wood


Round 2

13.) San Jose Sharks (WSH) - Gabe Perreault
14.) Toronto Maple Leafs - Colby Barlow
15.) Colorado Avalanche - Eduard Sale
16.) New Jersey Devils - Quentin Musty
17.) San Jose Sharks (SEA) - Andrew Cristall
18.) Anaheim Ducks - Daniil But
19.) Vancouver Canucks (WPG) - Otto Stenberg
20.) Detroit Red Wings - Axel Sandin Pellikka
21.) Calgary Flames - Samuel Honzek
22.) San Jose Sharks - Mikhail Gulyayev
23.) Vancouver Canucks - Gavin Brindley
24.) Ottawa Senators - Jayden Perron


Round 3

25.) Washington Capitals - Dmitri Simashev
26.) Toronto Maple Leafs - Carson Bjarnason
27.) Colorado Avalanche - Kasper Halttunen
28.) New Jersey Devils - Calum Ritchie
29.) Seattle Kraken - Michael Hrabal
30.) Toronto Maple Leafs (ANH) - Trey Augustine
31.) Winnipeg Jets - Easton Cowan
32.) Washington Capitals (DET) - David Reinbacher
33.) Calgary Flames - Bradly Nadeau
34.) Seattle Kraken (SJ) - Jacob Fowler
35.) Winnipeg Jets (VAN) - Damian Clara
36.) Ottawa Senators - Riley Heidt

Happy with the players I got where I did (I'm Washington). Traded for an extra pick when Reinbacher made it to the 30s and figured it was worth the chance he pans out into more than a 2nd pair guy. Any thoughts from the dobber community?

I'm not questioning your pick (well, maybe I am) but im curious why you passed on Reinbacher when you took Simashev. Why did you prefer him over Reinbacher.

I get it, none of us are scouts but there had to be something you saw/read that lead you to make that choice. Care to share?