whl bantam draft rankings 2023 whl bantam draft rankings 2023

Hes a rare kind of player where hes got A-grade tools across the board, and star talent in spades, but hes also got an efficiency to his game that is incrediblyrare for a skilled player (especially one his age). The bantam draft allows for the orderly transfer of players to WHL Protected Player Lists (PPL) from the bantam ranks (13-14 year-olds). 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). Hes got one of the best shooting actions in motion Ive ever seen. His skating is balanced. ), but he has shown that his timing and puck protection skills are strong enough for him to succeed in college. Denver Barkey, C (London) If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Chloe Primerano was the Giants final selection in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. But even when things arent going his way and the points arent falling, Ive always liked his involvement level, so its hard to get too down on him. Hes the go-to center for the Cougars in the faceoff circle. He is a special player and looks like he will become a franchise-defining player for whoever selects him, when he finally makes it to North America that is. Martin Misiak, RW/LW (Youngstown) 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. Brayden Yager has been talked about in the public scouting sphere for nearly as long as Connor Bedard, being drafted third overall in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft and winning the CHL Rookie of the Year award last year on the back of a remarkable 34-goal, 59-point rookie season. 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. He is agile enough that I expect hell be very successful on zone entries in the NHL some day, giving his team a chance to control play in the offensive zone whenever he touches the puck. Selected first overall in the WHL bantam draft that year, he played 22 games with the Winnipeg Ice in 2019-20 when he became . (other than Brad Lambert who's half Sask) but we'll see how the kids develop. 2023-2024 relegation player stats for Erste Liga, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. Sports Apr 22, 2020 Winnipeg Ice select B.C. close. He credited the Mintos for helping prepare him to make the jump to Major Junior hockey. During every draft cycle there are a handful of prospects who are 5-foot-10 or shorter who get a ton of praise in public scouting circles before unceremoniously sliding on draft day. They are: 1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-22, 23-33, 34-64+. We believe in fully disclosing the methods to which we collect and use your personal information. 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. Hes not the most cerebral player and he can be a little too net-focussed at times, but hes the kind of player who will score, add physicality to a line, and slide up and down a top nine in an NHL lineup while endearing himself to his coaches. He currently leads the Giants in scoring and is among the top scorers in the WHL at large. Hes a versatile, hard-working player who excels in pretty much every facet of the game, gets to the middle of the ice, and makes plays around the net through skill and timing. Thank you for your interest in our network of websites, newsletters, and other services. This year, wearing an A as a 17-year-old with the Generals, hes been arguably their most consistent forward while playing a key role on the penalty kill and late in games in the faceoff circle (where he is really strong). If he were guaranteed to be coming to the NHL next fall, a centre, and an inch or two taller, hed have a nearly perfect profile for me. Perron, who didnt go the popular prep school route in Western Canada, was a terror in Manitobas minor hockey ranks who stepped right into the titanic Steel last season and immediately flashed his skill with the puck, producing 48 points in 63 games to earn USHL All-Rookie Second Team honours. However, his offensive production has left much to be desired, leaving many questions about if he will have much offense to provide in the NHL someday. All-Time Trophies & Winners. 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. . I expect him to become a top point producer in college at the University of North Dakota, too. 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. Few centers in junior hockey enter their draft year as well-rounded as Nate Danielson. He loves attacking defenders and beating them in one-on-one skill battles. 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. When hes on, he can completely take over a game. Cameron Allen, RD, Guelph Storm (OHL), 62. Scott has written for the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, The Toronto Sun, the National Post, SB Nation and several other outlets in the past. Hes also got some of the quicker hands and better touch on this list. 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. With a little more consistency and some maturity, theres a top-six playmaking winger there. pic.twitter.com/OOjR1KDavy. Mix in a multi-dimensional shooting arsenal and I see top-six upside. He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. 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. Jesse Nurmi, LW, KooKoo U20 (U20 SM-sarja), 58. Then you add in instincts off the puck to get open even when hes a marked man, an improved physical engagement (hes really quite feisty and competitive), some underrated skill as a puck thief, and youve got a superstar prospect. In order to get away from scouting peewees, the WHL instituted a bantam draft. Without further ado, let's get to the 2023 draft board. When hes around it, he can be a handful. 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). Catton is the early front runner for 1st overall in next years WHL bantam draft and has recently been granted exceptional player status to play up in Midget AAA next year for the Saskatoon Contacts as a underage player. He can score from mid range consistently with his low-kick wrister, hes got an ability to protect the puck and shade in and out of coverage, hes got a dangerous curl-and-drag wrister, and hes comfortable in traffic. Im a big fan of his and hes still my top ranked defenseman in this draft, it has just become harder to rank him above certain forward prospects who have really begun to establish themselves. There arent many players in this draft class whove come along quite like Sandin Pellikka has in the last year or so. 2023-2024 playoffs qc player stats for Poland, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more. Hes consistent shift-to-shift and game-to-game and while he might lack the dynamism of some of the players in front of him here, he can make plays in a variety of ways on and off the puck and the ice usually tilts in his teams favor when hes out there. Manage Settings This may be a little low given that, but also underscores the strength of this draft. Noah Dower Nilsson is purely an offensive player at this point, but hes a very skilled one. Holding steady at about two points per game, Cristall has already shown improvements following his impressive 69-point WHL rookie season last year. Try a week on us. He hasnt looked out of place against men and has scored points at an excellent rate so far for a draft eligible player. Its not that he plays poorly (he rarely does) but I dont see enough playmaking to warrant a top-20 slotting and hes a little sluggishfrom a standstill through his first few strides (once he gets moving, his stride actually has good power and hes a decent skater for his size on the whole). . 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. Ethan Gauthier is one of the most consistent players in this draft class in terms of effort and habits, not just production. Yager has been on the radar in Western Canada for some time now, and hes got some real pedigree to his profile and cache to his game to support it. Calgary, Alta. Bedard has crushed all expectations this year and has firmly planted himself in the first overall position. 2023 WHL Draft Rankings - Elite Prospects 2023 WHL Draft Rankings Add to Favorites This is a custom user-submitted ranking. He has also shed some of the selfishness and force-it plays that could frustrate me and others at lower levels (hes making better decisions onshot selection, overhanding less, utilizing his linemates better, etc. 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. Scott Wheeler covers the NHL draft and prospects nationally for The Athletic. 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. Youll commonly see him activate to lead plays into the offensive zone and create something. Carson Bjarnason, G (Brandon) 33. His size is obviously a talking point, and theres a boom or bust element to his projection, but hes a first-round talent and a clear play creator on a team with a few of them in Chicago this year. For all the talk about how strong the 2022 draft class was for Slovakia, Dvorsky leads another excellent group into 2023. And yet most believe hes the third-most compelling and projectable prospect on USAs top line. That is, of course . Michael Hrabal, G (Omaha) The Scouting News. Mazden Leslie, RHD (Vancouver) He provides a ton of offense in transition as well as in the offensive zone where he seems to create scoring chances at will. Ziemmer often seems to have the puck on a string and thats part of why he has been one of the leading scorers in the WHL this year as a 17-year-old. Trending Players. 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. It often takes two to take the puck off of him when hes twisting and turning, too. Scouts are fascinated by his power forward package and size down the middle (following a move to centre from the wing as a 16-year-old). The . Hes a multi-dimensional forward who has quick acceleration, can handle the puck at speed and change tempos in control, can shape play by opening up his hips to go heel-to-heel, thrives in traffic, is a dual shot-pass threat, plays one step ahead of the game in possession, supports the play effectively, problem-solves as well as anyone in this class (in an age group that is full of intelligent playmakers), works his tail off off the puck to keep his energy up (he plays heavier and scrappier than he looks, too), and sets the pace for his line (whether by picking it up or slowing it down to use his creativity). 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. His consistency, effort, speed, and skill make him a coachs dream even though he doesnt have the dynamic offensive qualities of some of his peers. Hes got smooth hands. 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. NHL Draft History 2021 Draft Rankings: Final 65-96 (May) Enter Player 2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Final 65-96 (May) Steve Kournianos | 5/25/2021 | [hupso] 1-32 | 33-64 | 65-96 | 97-128 | 129-160 | 0 replies Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 1 Notebook (East and Central Divisions) 2021 Draft Rankings: Final 97-128 (May) He doesnt have any one skill that really pops out at you, but I find that hes good at pretty much everything. The 18-year-old has accumulated 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 60 games so far this season. I think hes going to be a star regardless. Hes got gallops, cutbacks, crossovers, all of it. Im not sure hes got the soft skill to become the true No. Hes a slick one-on-one player. Reinbacher had a solid tourney on a bad team despite dealing with an illness the entire time. 2023 WHL Draft Ranking Update: . I think the former outcome is the more likely, which is why Id probably steer clear of him in the teens (where some believe he belongs).