PicoBlog

Below is my final mock draft for the 2023 NHL draft. This is not a ranking, which will be unveiled in my 2023 Draft Report. Which brings me to this infamous quote:

“NHL GM’s are great liars. Never believe a word they say about the draft, about free agency, and about a coach’s job security. They are literally advised to lie and will never face legal action for lying to the media. A slip of the tongue can compromise an entire year’s worth of scouting or strategizing. They aren’t stupid, but know most people are.”

Dave Biethovinn

Imagine a stressed-out Ike in late May, 1944, just two weeks before the launch of the D-Day invasion, telling the New York Times, “Actually, we’re leaning towards the Cotentin Peninsula for our landing beaches. I really like that area much more than the Pas De Calais, which is where the Germans are expecting us anyway”.

Silly, isn’t it?

It’s one thing to be labeled generational, but actually delivering on the hype is what separates the very good from the all-time greats. Bedard, a hypnotizing stickhandler and plus-plus finisher, already met the initial requirements of superstardom by obliterating the WHL with scoring levels unseen in over two decades. His play will deliver plenty of oohs and ahhs, but Bedard appears to be driven by winning more than anything else.

Bottom line: The Hawks’ rebuild accelerated towards the penthouse level when they won the lottery for the right to draft Bedard, who will be counted on to bridge the competition gap now that the Patrick Kane-Jonathan Toews era is officially over. Expectations for the young man will be through the roof, be he’ll be prepared.

Fantilli’s freshman season for the ages dismissed any doubt about his standing as the best center in the draft behind Connor Bedard, and his impressive resume now includes an NCAA scoring crown, a trip to the Frozen Four semifinals, and the Hobey Baker Memorial Award recognizing college hockey’s best player. He’s got the size, speed, shot, and desire to be an effective team contributor as early as next season, but his ceiling includes taking over the reins for the franchise in one way or another.

Bottom line: The Ducks can’t go wrong with this pick for several reasons, beginning with Fantilli’s NHL readiness covering more areas than any other draft prospect, Bedard included. There simply aren’t many available options beyond Bedard who have the potential to become a bigger hit than current Ducks Trevor Zegras or Mason McTavish, but Fantilli’s definitely one of them.

Surprise pick: Matvei Michkov, RW (HK Sochi, KHL) — Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek, was a feisty winger with elite finishing skills in his day, so he probably knows how deadly a Zegras-Michkov combination would be.

Another top-flight forward prospect who entered his draft campaign with plenty of hype, Carlsson played with style and produced at a clip rarely seen in a tough elite league like Sweden’s SHL. Carlsson’s Orebro squad benefitted greatly from his scoring punch during the regular season and later in the playoffs, and he was productive in a top-six role for the national team at the men’s world championships.

Bottom line: The Blue Jackets don’t hide from the fact that they prefer their top draft picks to have size and achieve NHL readiness as early as the following season. But much like Adam Fantilli, the 6-foot-2 Carlsson slots in the top three for more than just having ideal measurements. His playmaking and touch near the net shouldn’t take long to translate to impressive scoring totals

Surprise pick: Will Smith, C (U.S. U18, NTDP) — Smith rose considerably after his 20-point effort in leading Team USA to gold at the U18 worlds, meaning the Jackets have to entertain the idea of supporting all their shoot-first gunslingers with one of the best pure playmakers around. He doesn’t have Carlsson’s size, but Carlsson doesn’t have Smith’s vision.

An unguardable playmaker with exceptional vision, Smith centered one of the most prolific scoring lines in junior hockey history, as he and wingers Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard — all Boston College bound, by the way — combined for 155 goals and 353 points over a 63-game slate, with Smith scoring 51 and assisting on 76 others. Smith surpassing scoring marks previously held by the likes of Patrick Kane, Auston Matthews, Clayton Keller, and Jack Hughes was an accomplishment few, if any, could have predicted, but he certainly performed like a potential all-star.

Bottom line: It’s been at least two years since Smith was tabbed the top NTDP prospect for the 2023 draft and also a potential top-10 pick. The fact that he’s a charismatic Bay Stater with an upcoming stint in Hockey East makes the decision even easier for Boston-area guys like GM Mike Grier, top advisor Tim Burke, and head coach David Quinn.

Surprise pick: Ryan Leonard, RW (U.S. U18, NTDP) — Although I don’t advise passing on Matvei Michkov for a lower-ceiling, higher-floor winger like the physical Leonard, it’s just a known fact that losing teams picking high in the draft watch the Stanley Cup playoffs and are often envious of the “heavy” team making a deep run. Also doesn’t hurt that Ryan’s brother John played for the Sharks in 2021 and 2022.

Looking back on their respective draft seasons, it’s fair to say that what Alexander Ovechkin did for the notion of shooting, Michkov did to finishing. No draft prospect in either of Russia’s top two adult leagues — the second-division VHL and elite-level KHL — scored goals at a higher rate than Michkov, who two seasons earlier outproduced Connor Bedard with an epic performance at the 2021 U18 world championships. Being tied to a KHL deal for a least three more seasons shouldn’t scare the Habs, who already own an incredibly deep system and should be playoff-bound by the time a seasoned Michkov is allowed to join them

Bottom line: People tend to forget that the Canadiens just drafted first overall and seemed quite happy labeling winger Juraj Slafkovsky as the future of the franchise. With a bevy of pass-first playmakers throughout the farm system, it also makes sense for the Canadiens to create a surplus on the wings, with Michkov and Slafkovsky leading the charge.

Surprise pick: David Reinbacher, RHD (Kloten, NLA) — The Canadiens’ prospect pool is by no means in need of a righty defensemen (or any defenseman for that matter), but it’s easy to fall in love with Reinbacher’s poise, maturity, and problem-solving. Adding him to a group that already includes Kaiden Guhle, Justin Barron, Lane Hutson, and Logan Mailloux bolsters Montreal for the wars they’ll have to win in the challenging Atlantic Division.

Benson pulled off the incredible feat of leading a star-studded team in scoring while guiding them to the best record in all of Canadian major junior. Benson’s 1.63 points-per-game average was among the WHL’s highest scoring rates in the last 20 years, and he bounced back from a late-season upper-body injury to deliver an inspiring playoff performance. Listed at 5-foot-9 but aggressive on the forecheck and physical along the boards, Benson’s real calling-cards are playmaking and attacking off the rush. He’s also an expert penalty killer.

Bottom line: Call it a hunch that the Coyotes were more than impressed with Benson’s performances in a high-stakes WHL postseason, where he teamed with Arizona prospect Conor Geekie and later went chance-for-chance with Yotes’ 2021 first-rounder Dylan Guenther in the finals. Benson has Clayton Keller’s dynamism, scoring ability, and killer instinct.

Surprise pick: David Reinbacher, RHD (Kloten, NLA) — He may not be available, but Reinbacher makes a ton of sense for Arizona, even if over-drafted by a few spots. Remember, the Coyotes have Ottawa’s No. 12 pick a few slots later, so the need for right-shot defensemen allows GM Bill Armstrong to get it out of the way early and still go for the gusto on a forward just six picks later.

Leonard is in the running for the most physical forward available, but hitting the 51-goal mark for the NTDP shows he impacts the game in other areas as well. Just ask Team Sweden, whose 2-0 lead in the gold-medal game of the U18 worlds began to evaporate after Leonard’s in-your-face efforts shifted momentum and resulted in his golden goal in overtime. Fast, diligent, aware, and creative with his scoring chances, the western Massachusetts native is committed to Boston College, where he will join Flyers’ centerpiece prospect Cutter Gauthier next season.

Bottom line: The Flyers are desperately trying to make themselves harder to play against and drafting Leonard moves them closer to reaching that objective. Some may bash this pick for leaving skill on the table, but those people probably never watched Leonard play. He was given a critical role and he executed it selflessly, but his hands, shot, and IQ are not to be underestimated.

Surprise pick: Nate Danielson, C (Brandon, WHL) — Philly has scoring wings slicing their way up the depth chart, plus a potential franchise center in Cutter Gauthier. But adding a similar pivot in Danielson can present Flyers’ opponents with nightmarish matchup problems.

The old sports axiom claiming “you can’t teach size” still holds true in the present-day NHL, where the bigger, stronger teams always seem to be the last ones dancing in the postseason. Danielson at 6-foot-2 isn’t a menacing beast, but he’s smart enough to use his thick frame advantageously in all scenarios, including when protecting the puck at top speed. He’s a solid 200-foot performer with excellent vision who can run a power play and deceptively feed pucks into prime scoring areas.

Bottom line: It’ll be hard for the Caps to pass up the opportunity to draft a best-player-available type who conveniently addresses a major organizational shortcoming at center ice. Danielson also is a reliable checker and can add value to the depth lines until he graduates to a top-six role.

Surprise pick: Dmitry Simashev, LHD (Loko Yaroslavl, MHL) — Drafting Russians from all positions has been a Caps’ thing dating back to Sergei Gonchar over 30 years ago, but the nimble Simashev, much like Danielson, own a significant size edge over most of his closest peers to elevate his upside to all-star potential

His J20 Nationell dominance overlooked and a target of unfair criticism for not shredding a men’s league, Dvorsky still remains one of the draft’s most complete centers who can impact the game in all three zones. He’s already delivered signature performances at big-ticket events like the U18 Ivan Hlinka and U18 worlds, and his play in Sweden’s second-division Allsvenskan was going just fine until a brief second-half slump that saw his ice time reduced. What Dvorsky becomes in four or five years is what matters, however, and there’s no denying how much he crushes it against his own age group.

Bottom line: It wasn’t until last year’s top-10 selection of Marco Kasper that the Red Wings stopped punting away the obvious need for a No. 1 center, which Dvorsky can become thanks to his scoring ability, leadership, and two-way acumen.

Surprise pick: Axel Sandin-Pelikka, RHD (Skelleftea, SHL) — The Red Wings rarely draft smaller defensemen this high, but one of the best they ever plucked from any recent draft was Filip Hronek, who also was slight of frame on draft day. Sandin-Pelikka has top-of-the-charts offensive ability and also fills a need — the Red Wings’ power play was been the league’s worst since 2016-17.

It was far from the best of times for the Blues last season, but the reward for allowing their opponents to fill the St. Louis net with impunity will be a near-unanimous choice for best defense prospect in the 2023 draft. Reinbacher delivered an outstanding wire-to-wire performance as one of the top blueliners on a team who suffered in the goals-against department much like the Blues. Smooth, mobile, reliable, and a shoot-first mindset, the native Austrian automatically becomes their top defense prospect, and one with a short development path to boot.

Bottom line: There’s still a good chance not a single defenseman gets picked in the top 10 for the first time since 1983 (Hello, Bobby Dollas), but the Blues have three picks in Round 1 and can’t afford to wait until the late 20’s to find the blue-chip defenseman their system is missing.

Surprise pick: Dmitry Simashev, LHD (Loko Yaroslavl, MHL) — The Blues under Doug Armstrong haven’t drafted like they’re concerned with the Russian factor, and a big-bodied two-way defenseman with mobility like Simashev fits their mold.

Potentially lost in all the hoopla surrounding Adam Fantilli’s award-winning freshman year was Wood’s own point-a-game season for UConn. A natural playmaker with quick wits, Wood came to play every night, using his thick 6-foot-4 frame to handle defensemen four, five, sometimes six years older. Wood isn’t fast, but that’s also the case with half the guys who hit the 100-point mark in the NHL last season. He obviously makes up for it with eye-popping production in tournaments and top-scoring numbers at the NCAA level, and Hockey East is by no means a forward’s paradise. Although he played wing exclusively last season, there’s enough evidence for a potential future as a center.

Bottom line: The Canucks can’t afford to let position get in the way of rebuilding every aspect of their pipeline. Wood is a local kid with BCHL roots who has been racking up points everywhere he plays. Elite-level playmaking isn’t limited to the center position, and Wood’s got it in spades.

Surprise pick: Tom Willander, RHD (Rogle J20, Nationell) — Confusing as it may be to see the rumor mill’s subject du Jour somehow considered a shock pick at No. 11, the realities are that Willander can be a high-yield investment, but he’s also an on-ice gambler who simply didn’t do enough to overtake any of the defensemen earmarked for the top-20 all season. This could be the overdraft of the event, but the upside’s undeniable.

Sandin-Pelikka toyed with the J20 Nationell at an MVP-level and was Sweden’s No. 1 defenseman at every under-18 tournament. But what may have been his most impressive achievement was earning a 22-game look from contending Skelleftea, which was the SHL’s top defensive team. If there’s a catch, it’s that Sandin-Pelikka likes to do nearly everything himself, although simply watching him handle the puck explains why.

Bottom line: The Coyotes wouldn’t be wrong in taking a BPA approach on a forward for each of their two valuable first-rounders. But much like Blues, the need for a top-quality defenseman should take priority instead of being saved for the later rounds.

Surprise pick: Daniil But, LW (Loko Yaroslavl, MHL) — One of the MHL’s top forwards as a 2005-born draft prospect, But is another full-season success story who earned his standing as the second-best Russian prospect after Matvei Michkov (no small achievement). He’s a big body who can dominate the cycle and create.

Simashev is a towering Dead-Puck-Era throwback who looked like he dwarfed every opposing forward from any of the four lines he faced. Comical as these mismatches were, you couldn’t help but marvel at Simashev’s footwork and overall escapability, and how confident he was in his puck moving during brief call-ups to the KHL. He’s a potential No. 1 defenseman just waiting to make his mark.

Bottom line: The Sabres are heavily intrigued by Russian prospects (six drafted in the last two years) and likely know all about Simashev and how respected he was around in both the MHL and KHL. They may not need defense at the NHL level, but it wouldn’t hurt the Sabres to add an elite option for further down the road.

Surprise pick: Eduard Sale, RW (Brno, Extraliga) — Loaded at wing at both levels, Sale would be a safe option for his scoring prowess in tournaments, a full season of elite league play, and his chemistry with top Sabres’ prospect Jiri Kulich.

The NTDP’s single-season record holder for points, Perreault was on a season-long scoring binge that saw him record 12 games of four points or more. He skated the entire season on the top line with Will Smith and Ryan Leonard, and the future Boston College Eagles combined to make a nightly mockery of opposing five-man units, especially in international play. Perreault was more the final piece to the puzzle than the actual possession driver, but he’s at the plus-plus category for playmaking and rarely make mistakes when finishing near the goal.

Bottom line: The Penguins finally began acquiring playmakers in recent drafts but it’s still not enough. Regardless of what becomes of him in the NHL, Perreault will always be remembered as the kid who delivered record-setting numbers in his draft year. When was the last time you could say that about a pick in the early teens? Besides, GM Kyle Dubas loves drafting smaller kids who can light it up.

Surprise pick: Andrew Cristall, LW (Kelowna, WHL) — Not many CHL prospects can claim that they reached a 2.00 points-per-game average at any point during their draft season, but Cristall is one of them. He has one of the best shot-release combos around.

A late-season riser who spent the entire season as Rogle J20’s top-pairing defender, Willander possesses advanced measurables in skating and awareness, in addition to thriving under critical situations on the international stage and in the J20 playoffs. Willander’s contributions on offense (beyond point shots) can be limited to winning 50/50 battles to keep possessions alive rather than making fancy feeds or draw attention with his stickhandling, but he is a key cog in the offensive zone nonetheless.

Bottom Line: Incoming-GM Barry Trotz said he wanted to load up on “high-end” draft prospects, and this pick will be the first of what should be several notable grabs from the Predators throughout their two days as draft hosts. Willander’s quickness and punch mirror what the Preds have going on with their kids on defense.

Surprise pick: Mikhail Gulyayev, LHD (Omskie Yastreby, MHL) — The Predators are another organization who draft like they’re unfazed by the Russian factor, and the swift-skating Gulyayev can make a strong case for best defenseman in the draft class after he led all MHL defensemen in points per game before guiding Omskie Yastreby all the way to the league final.

A clutch 200-foot center who was taken two spots after Connor Bedard in the WHL bantam draft, Yager was Moose Jaw’s Mr. Consistency while serving as the Warriors’ top-line center. He finished the season as one of their leading scorers while logging almost 21 minutes a game, and his playmaking helped linemate Jagger Firkus reach the 40-goal mark. Yager can do it all and plays a spirited, team-first game.

Bottom line: Yager falling outside the top 15 after being considered a top-five candidate in the preseason makes this pick a home-run swing that Calgary scouts can justify. To be fair, it feels like the reasons behind Yager’s slight dip had way more to do with the off-the-charts performances of his fellow WHL peers rather than anything he was doing or not doing. Yager never disappointed during his draft season and took his game to another level in the playoffs. He’ll remain top-10 quality no matter where he gets picked.

Surprise pick: Lukas Dragicevic, LHD (Tri-City, WHL) — The top-scoring defenseman among CHL draft-eligibles, Dragicevic is the prototypical modern-day defenseman who can deliver on-ice leadership, decisive plays, and create offense with minimal assistance. There’s plenty of flash to get excited about, but he’s always alert in his own end.

Ritchie left it all on the ice for Oshawa during their first-round loss to the top-ranked Ottawa 67’s, as he fought through a shoulder injury and still came up with inspiring play. But Ritchie isn’t just some battler who gets recognized for playing hurt — Ritchie is a creative pivot with quick hands and an even quicker release. Having ideal size for a center won’t hurt his chances of succeeding either, but it’s Ritchie’s scoring ability that deserves the most attention.

Bottom line: The pick acquired for defenseman Filip Hronek doesn’t have to be used on a potential replacement, and Ritchie fits the Marco Kasper mold of being a nightmare to handle along the boards and also outmuscling defensemen in front of the net.

Surprise pick: Oscar Fisker-Molgaard, C (HV71, SHL) — A cerebral 200-foot center who moves gracefully and is an effective setup man as well, Fisker-Molgaard spent nearly his entire draft season with HV71 as the youngest regular by almost two years. It goes without saying that he plays a mature game if an SHL club is entrusting him with minutes, but his creativity was front and center during junior-league play.

If culture change is in the offing in Winnipeg, then adding character forwards like Barlow should certainly help the Jets return to normalcy. Barlow was irreplaceable for Owen Sound and was their MVP in many areas. There’s no quit to his game, especially during penalty kills, and his shot — among the best in the class — is a weapon the Attack used on the power play. A minor injury prevented Barlow from reaching the 50-goal mark, but he still ranked among OHL goal-scoring leaders for the entire season.

Bottom line: This is the one situation where drafting a player for his leadership and resilience might be just as important as for his scoring and hockey sense. But Barlow is too intelligent, too creative, and too heavy a shooter to be pigeon-holed as some toolsy winger rather than the perennial 30-goal scorer he’s capable of becoming.

Surprise pick: Nick Lardis, LW (Hamilton, OHL) — Fast and feisty are but two of many reasons to get excited about Lardis’ prospects, as the slight-of-frame winger ripped up the OHL after Peterborough packaged him to Hamilton at the trade deadline. Lardis was scoring at a 52-goal pace in his 33 games as a top-line wing for the Bulldogs.

Still consoidered Sweden’s next best forward prospect after Leo Carlsson, Stenberg is another highly-touted forward who at the start of the season was unjustly criticized for not scoring as often as desired. To Stenberg’s credit, he dealt with an injury without missing much time, then went on to smoke notable tournaments in the second half — specifically the U18 worlds where he picked up 16 points in only seven games. He’s a mature teenager who hounded the puck during a brief SHL stint with Frolunda, and playing against adults didn’t deter Stenberg from using his smarts to assist in the defensive zone.

Bottom line: Stenberg is the kind of dart slinger whose scoring rate could balloon when sharing the ice with Connor Bedard. He’s also reliable in puck possession and can manage the five-man unit if necessary, but his shot is the real weapon.

Surprise pick: Bradly Nadeau, RW (Penticton, BCHL) — The BCHL’s reigning scoring champ, Nadeau also boasts a plus clapper and is able to keep pucks near the net by whipping accurate shots from anywhere in the offensive zone.

Honzek is a thick-framed boards beast with a projectable skill set highlighted by elite-level puck control and creativity. There aren’t many holes in Honzek’s game and his footwork is too quick over short distances to nitpick minor shortcomings in straight-line speed. He was leading the WHL’s Vancouver Giants in scoring in late December when he suffered a leg injury from a skate cut while playing for Slovakia at the world juniors. He returned in mid-February and averaged a point a game thereafter and looked no worse for wear in the playoffs.

Bottom line: There’s enough evidence to suggest Honzek would have been a legitimate challenger for the top-10 had he not been injured at midseason, but that doesn’t mean he still won’t end up there. It was reassuring to see him not only come back from a lengthy absence but also return to pre-injury battle levels, strength on the puck, and ripping shots with velocity. The Kraken grabbing him also balances their wingers-to-centers ratio.

Surprise pick: Nico Myatovic, LW (Seattle, WHL) — A high-end defensive specialist trapped in the body of a sniping winger, Myatovic came up big for the Thunderbirds during their run to the Memorial Cup Final. He tied for second in goal scoring on a loaded team.

Elite athleticism and stickhandling aren’t things you immediately associate with 6-foot-5, 200-pound wingers, but this Russian beast would have been in the running for MHL MVP had he not been frequently promoted by his KHL club. But (pronounced boot) has been on the 2023 draft radar for several years and would have likely excelled for the U18 and U20 national teams at key tournaments had the IIHF ban on Russia not been a thing.

Bottom line: The Wild didn’t draft a defenseman until Round 4 last season and could be in the market for a higher-end option to balance out the pipeline. But is worth the gamble on another winger, however, as he went through long stretches where he clearly was one of the best players on ice and proved impossible to slow down. He’s signed in the KHL until April of 2025.

Surprise pick: Theo Lindstein, LHD (Brynas, SHL) — There once was a time where it was Lindstein who was considered the cream of Sweden’s defense crop, but what hasn’t changed is that he remains the better defender of his own end than either Axel Sandin-Pelikka or Tom Willander.

A 6-foot-7 behemoth committed to UMass-Amherst, Hrabal was the USHL’s top rookie goalie while starting for last-place Omaha, recording a .908 save percentage that was fifth among backstops who appeared in at least 30 games. He began dialing it up in the second half and was phenomenal for the Czech Republic at the U18 worlds. It’s easy to label him as a project because of his size, but don’t expect Hrabal to spend all four years in Hockey East. He has earned his teammates’ trust and is capable of stealing games.

Bottom line: This is the extra first-rounder from the Provorov deal and the Flyers remain in the hunt for a franchise netminder. Drafting a goalie in the first round is no longer a bad idea — four of the last seven include Jack Campbell (2011), Andrei Vasilevskiy (2012), Ilya Samsonov (2015), and Jake Oettinger (2017), while Spencer Knight (2019), Yaroslav Askarov (2020), Jesper Wallstedt (2021) all trend towards No. 1 status. Hrabal puts on a show when facing a ton of shots and shows a real competitive edge as the clock ticks down, which marries with Philly’s desire to ice a more resilient bunch.

Surprise pick: Ethan Gauthier, RW (Sherbrooke, QMJHL) — Well-disciplined, tough, and slick with his hands when dealing with neutral-zone pressure, Gauthier was a preseason first-round option who hit the 30-30 mark as a top-six wing for powerhouse Sherbrooke. Might be important to add that Ethan’s father Denis briefly played defense for Philadelphia and was a Drummondville teammate of Flyers’ GM Daniel Briere during their QMJHL days.

A well-rounded center who consistently showcased his blazing speed in all situations, Moore is a University of Minnesota-bound roadrunner who served as the NTDP’s second-line center and go-to penalty killer. He didn’t get nearly as much attention as the top-line trio of Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, and Gabe Perreault, but Moore indirectly helped that line succeed by centering the secondary option, which at times were just as dangerous.

Bottom line: There’s probably a 50/50 chance Moore is gone by this pick, but the Rangers as contenders, unlike non-playoff teams picking higher with more on the line, have the benefit of overlooking Moore’s simple passing game in favor of his explosive speed, faceoff prowess, penalty killing, and 200-foot play. He’s their kind of player.

Surprise pick: Gracyn Sawchyn, C/W (Seattle, WHL) — Unless they’re picking first or second overall, the Rangers have always been willing to take major risks at the draft. Sawchyn at No. 23 would certainly be risky, mostly because he’s a late-season riser. Although the former NTDP’er needs to pack on muscle, his escapability, deception, IQ, and compete level are exactly what the Blueshirts need to help maintain an aggressive, up-tempo attack.

Musty knows how to use his size to protect the puck and buy him enough time to exploit the space he creates while bringing his elite vision to bear. He’s had ups and downs with injuries, but nothing else stood in his way in what became one of the more productive seasons we’ve seen from recent OHL draft prospects. The 6-foot-2 Buffalo native led the circuit’s first-year eligibles with a 0.98 assist-per-game average and delivered 28 helpers during an impressive 18-game scoring streak. But Musty also plays a physical game replete with open-ice hits, aggressive 1-on-1 battles, and the occasional fight, and he seems to welcome contact and much as he initiates it.

Bottom line: Musty was the No. 1 pick in his OHL draft, which in itself links him to a celebrated group with ties to the NHL’s royal class. His health is going to be a concern until he can start piecing together full seasons, but the Predators have way too many picks to let that stand in the way of grabbing an elite offensive talent with tremendous upside.

Surprise pick: Koehn Ziemmer, RW (Prince George, WHL) — Ziemmer practically is a carbon copy of Musty — big, physical, soft-mitted, and an excellent setup man. He was a top-line mainstay for the Cougars and delivered plenty of highlight-reel feeds.

The Czech Extraliga is not the kind of European elite league where skilled players can skirt their off-the-puck duties and hang to the outside without serious repercussions. Sale proved early into his draft season that he wanted to belong, and his desire was reflected in his play as a middle-six wing for a playoff-bound team. As seen on the international stage, Sale can be the center of gravity for his offense, and trying to shadow or double-team him proved to be ineffective at limiting his looks.

Bottom line: A prospect doesn’t average a point a game over the course of five draft-year tournaments without owning serious talent, and it also bears mentioning that Sale’s Extraliga production is right in line with Martin Necas and Filip Chytil. The potential for Sale to become a force multiplier remains.

Surprise pick: Charlie Stramel, C (Wisconsin, Big-10) — Once considered a potential top-10 pick, Stramel’s adjustment to the Big-10 took longer than expected and initiated a steady drop. But he’s still a big, mean center who can handle the puck and make plays. The points will come.

A heady two-way defender with NHL bloodlines, Bonk was invaluable to his coaching staff by killing rush attempts, single-handedly transitioning to offense, and all while matching up against opposing top lines. His 40 points in 67 games may not seem like a lot, but the son of former Ottawa Senators’ defensive forward Radek Bonk had to share minutes on a blue line with three older NHL draft picks.

Bottom line: Bonk won’t blow you away with any individual displays, but the kid exploits his high IQ to achieve results at both ends of the rink. He probably never touches Nicklas Lidstrom’s career achievements, but stylistic mannerisms do exist. The Sharks need clean game managers on the right side, and Bonk has top-four upside.

Surprise pick: Danny Nelson, C/W (U.S. U18, NTDP) — A converted defenseman who was a second-line wing and later a third-line center during his draft season with the U18 NTDP, Nelson has sneaky puck skill, elusiveness, and quick feet to compliment his physical 200-foot game.

The Avs need bodies at every position in their system, so any player they swing at also addresses a need. But when it comes to defensemen, Akey checks nearly every block — strength, speed, shot, stick, and smarts are all on the plus side. His usage took a hit after Brandt Clarke was demoted by the Kings, but Akey stepped up in the playoffs in a big way.

Bottom line: The right side of the defense within Colorado’s barebones pipeline was hit the hardest two trade deadlines ago when they moved Drew Helleson and Justin Barron for Josh Manson and Artturi Lehkonen, respectively. Akey has all the makings of an everyday NHL defender and could be considered a steal when all is said and done.

Surprise pick: William Whitelaw, LW/C (Youngstown, USHL) — A creative playmaker with outstanding vision, Whitelaw was instrumental in Youngstown’s Clark Cup title run.

The first pick Brad Treliving makes as Toronto GM will be a familiar face for Toronto scouts, who saw Brindley’s Michigan Wolverines go head to head with top Leafs’ prospect Matthew Knies and Minnesota throughout last season. He’s an undersized pepperpot with plus vision who plays a spirited game both on and off the puck.

Bottom line: It always feels like there’s a select group of draft prospects who consistently create bang-bang chances off an aggressive forecheck, and Brindley is certainly one of them. He gets a bad rap for his size, but Treliving as Calgary GM drafted a similar player in Jakob Pelletier not too long ago.

Surprise pick: Tanner Molendyk, LHD (Saskatoon, WHL) — Molendyk at this stage of his development is a defensive defenseman with excellent mobility who should see a production spike once securing a larger role.

A 6-foot, 180-pound rearguard who led all QMJHL defensemen with 21 goals and ranked third with 72 points, Morin was Moncton’s No. 1 defenseman and all-around catalyst from the back end. He’s not a perfect specimen and needs to find more consistency in recognizing threats, but the effort level, physical play, and scoring potential are similar to what the Blues usually look for in their defensemen.

Bottom line: It’ll come as a big surprise to see the Blues take two defenseman in Round 1, especially since it’s been 11 years since the last time they grabbed one that early. Nonetheless, Morin is a scoring machine and minute eater who proved he can shoulder tough matchups and play either side. His physicality intensified in the QMJHL playoffs and he delivered hard hits.

Surprise pick: Carson Rehkopf, C/W (Kitchener, OHL) — A smart, versatile, 200-foot performer who can play all three forward positions, Rehkopf’s slick moves and creative board play separates him from the typical power forward.

A physical winger who can bring the heat with his one-timer, Halttunen has the distinction of being the top draft prospect out of a thin Finnish class. He split his season between HIFK in the SM-Liiga and their junior squad but delivered some of his better performances in tournaments. Quick to the puck and a crunching bodychecker, Halttunen thrives in trench warfare and wasn’t shy about throwing his weight around when matched up against men.

Bottom line: Drafting high-round picks out of Finland has been a thing for Carolina dating back to the Ron Francis regime in the mid-2010’s, but they haven’t gone after pure finishers with size and an edge. Halttunen gets a bad rap for not ripping up the SM-Liiga, but he earned a promotion to a good team after tearing up the U20 SM-Sarja. He’s the best Finnish forward in the class.

Surprise pick: Luca Cagnoni, LHD (Portland, WHL) — A blue-line bomber who was the Winterhawks’ top scorer among defensemen, Cagnoni is on the smaller end of defensemen but he can handle a forecheck and run a power play.

An energetic right-shot sniper committed to the University of Maine, Nadeau owns the distinction of being the top draft prospect from Canadian Jr. A. Skating alongside his older brother Josh for the vaunted Penticton Vees organization in the BCHL, Nadeau led the circuit in scoring with 113 points in 54 games during the regular season, then tied Josh for the most playoff points with 35 in leading the Vees to a second straight Fred Page Cup championship.

Bottom line: Nadeau just started scratching the surface as a game-breaker and he won the BCHL scoring crown as as first-year eligible. Being a hard shooter with speed down the wing is never a bad thing, and playing for Maine makes it convenient to monitor his development.

Surprise pick: Carson Bjarnason, GK (Brandon, WHL) — Goaltending depth isn’t something the Canadiens have much of, and seeing this extra pick from Florida move to the bottom of the first round allows the Habs to address a critical area

Divisive prospects aren’t really a thing with this year’s draft class, but Heidt definitely belongs in the boom-or-bust category and it’s probably for only one simple reason — he’s a 5-foot-10 center who consistently ends up the scoresheet but rarely stands out in the process. To be fair, we’re talking about a full 20-minute-plus nightly showing, because when Heidt makes you do a double take, it’s usually worth it. He is quick, delivers dimes at top speed, and effectively runs the power play from the half-wall.

Bottom line: The Golden Knights have drafted a center with their first pick center every year of their existence and traded Zach Dean at the deadline, but pickings are slim for potential game-breaking pivots this late in Round 1. Heidt may not be a blood-and-guts type, but he’s a graceful skater, creative setup man, and a power-play specialist.

Surprise pick: David Edstrom, C (Frolunda H30, Nationell) — Edstrom as a center is the antithesis of Heidt — a dedicated checker and aggressive penalty killer with size who does the little things necessary to keep play going in the offensive end.

ncG1vNJzZmismJqxs63FrZinmZyuwLV60q6ZrKyRmLhvr86mZqlnYmV%2FdHnNoaNmpZ%2BYuG6w0ZqdrWWWnruiuIyem6KsmaS7