He draws tons of attention in the offensive zone and is great at making smart plays under pressure to help open teammates up to make their jobs easier. Tyler Peddle, LW (Drummondville) The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) cares about your privacy. After being selected 10th overall in the 2022 CHL Import Draft by the Vancouver Giants, Samuel Honzek has done nothing but impress in his first season in North America. . 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, January Top-80 2023 OHL Draft Ranking Update, 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, 14 2008-born Defensemen profiles from Sask First Top-160, 2022 WHL Draft Review: From Prince George to Winnipeg, 2023 NHL Draft: Breaking down the WHL Defensemen in the CHL Top Prospects game. After scoring 30 goals as a rookie in the OHL last season, Colby Barlow has been on my radar as a pro-sized winger with a legit NHL-caliber shot. The 2022 WHL Prospects Draft Pre-Show begins with co-hosts Chris Wahl and Taylor Rocca at 8:30 a.m. PDT, with live draft coverage beginning at 9 a.m. PDT. Crafty is the best word to describe his game. The WHL Bantam Draft is only one step in this process. He has the potential to change the trajectory of an NHL franchise and will likely score a ton of goals along the way. Yager plays a threatening, attacking, puck-dominant game with skill in straight lines and in cutting sequences in transition. Final Thoughts: John Reid Memorial Tournament 2023 Joel Henderson. Hes an entry machine driving play through the neutral zone and across the line in control. The Chiefs hold the first-overall selection, as determined by the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft Lottery on June 2, 2021. The U18 teams first line of Smith, Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault has been piling up points and attention (deservedly so) this year, but Ive been as impressed by Moore and the offence he has created as the focal point of its second line. A hand injury kept Moore out of action late last year and prevented him from likely playing at U18 worlds as an underager, but he impressed me on three trips down to Plymouth these last two years (last November when he was already playing up, this fall for U18 Five Nations, and this winter for the BioSteel All-American Game. But at this point in time theres also only one player in the history of the U.S. NTDP who has produced at a higher points per game clip in their draft year than Perreault has this season: Jack Hughes. Connor Levis, RW (Kamloops) Hes got good tools all around with solid speed, stick skills, and defensive play. Add in the strength and power that comes with his physically mature frame, an ability to drive and shed contact when he gets bumped, and a defensive conscience, and theres more than just a hands-shot-worker skill set. 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). Hes a smooth skater who is noticeable in transition for both his ability to weave up ice and facilitate and also his ability to create breakaways for himself and beat goalies one-on-one. Related: The NHLs Top 100 Prospects Midseason Update. If he develops a bit more as a creator, Hameenaho could easily out-perform his draft slot. 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. 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. Felix Nilsson, C (Rogle) There are times when he can wait too long to make his decisions and I wouldnt call him creative, but he makes good choices more often than hes careless with it and he has progressed really rapidly for a kid who doesnt turn 18 until a couple of weeks from now. His June birthday makes him one of the younger players on this list and he has already accomplished a lot, including leading a Slovak Hlinka Gretzky Cup team that featured Juraj Slafkovsky and Filip Mesar in scoring as an underager, producing well above a point per game in Swedens J20 level last year, and now producing in his draft year in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan (while clicking at two points per game in stints back down at J20). Hes a smooth skater. Hes also a strong skater who is light on his edges, builds speed quickly into flight to put defenders on their heels and/or create separation, leads a lot of neutral-zone carries into entries, and makes plays into space for himself or his linemates at pace. The 18-year-old has accumulated 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 60 games so far this season. A brilliant handler and manipulator of the puck, including at full speed, Smith is a tantalizing and slippery talent who blends deception, baits and fakes (with his eyes, shoulders and head) into his movements to not just make opposing players miss but often send them the wrong way. Note: Though I consult scouts, coaches, general managers, team staff, and agents in building my draft boards, the following evaluations are strictly my own. Cameron Allen, RD, Guelph Storm (OHL), 62. Beckett Hendrickson, C (NTDP) Barlow plays a direct, intentional game built around great hands, a physically mature pro frame, and an NHL shot (he can cleanly beat goalies from mid-range). Im not sure there has ever been a player Connor Bedards age in the history of hockey who has been able to shoot the puck like he can. His playmaking and shot arent exceptional, but theyre both good enough to be reasonably sure that his offense would translate to the NHL some day. Good habits away from the puck lead me to believe he will be a reliable NHLer with top-six forward upside. 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. Hes also going to be an able penalty killer, which should give him all-situations upside at the next level. January 2023 WHL Draft Ranking update | Top-80 Joel Henderson Final Thoughts: John Reid Memorial Tournament 2023 Joel Henderson 10 Puck Touches: Day Three and Four - 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament Joel Henderson 10 Puck Touches: Day Two, 2023 John Reid Memorial Tournament Joel Henderson Hell of a performance from Slovakia especially their Tendy! 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. WHL Network. He could suffer from the Russian factor, but the lack of top-end defensive prospects and his impressive offensive toolset leads me to believe hes got a good shot at being drafted in the top-20. This past season, he played for the Chicago Cougars of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) and scored 11 points (two goals, nine assists) 10 games. He loves attacking defenders and beating them in one-on-one skill battles. Only Hughes. Hedid that after notching five points in five games at lastyears Hlinka Gretzky Cup as a young 16-year-old, too. - The Western Hockey League announced today the Spokane Chiefs will select first overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft following the completion of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft Lottery. A slow start to the OHL season saw his draft stock swing way down, but his production has leveled up significantly of late, and hes beginning to rise again. ), a quick move into a pass, a sudden stop-up, or an attacking cut. He profiles similarly to David Jiricek physically, but with a more defensive tilt to his game. He problem-solves his way out of trouble as well as anyone in this age group. Hes unafraid to try things and has the skill to execute difficult plays. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. There are many whove settled on Perreault as more of a mid-to-late-round first because of the combination of his skinny frame and the linemates he plays with. Thank you for your interest in our network of websites, newsletters, and other services. I dont see a lot to nitpick in either his tools or his approach. Timur Mukhanov, LW (Omsk) That is, of course . Hell of a performance from Slovakia especially their Tendy! pic.twitter.com/ZNwH9wYcC0. He has also proven to be a bit too good for the OHL, scoring over 30 goals in his draft-1 year and not being on pace to eclipse the 50-goal mark. The son of longtime NHLer Yanic Perreault and brother of Ducks prospect Jacob, Gabe doesnt have his dads defensive acumen or his brothers build (hes listed at 165 pounds now), but hes an intuitive, highly-intelligent player who sees the play develop offensively at a more advanced level than his two family members did/do and than almost anybody in the draft does. Reinbacher has fallen slightly on my list through no fault of his own, but because of the excellent play of prospects around him. ), but he has shown that his timing and puck protection skills are strong enough for him to succeed in college. While his game doesnt have the dynamism of the other kids in this loaded WHL class, most scouts project Danielson as an everyday top-nine NHL center. Hes got gallops, cutbacks, crossovers, all of it. Paul Fischer, LHD (NTDP) Honourable mentions (sorted alphabetically): Beau Akey, RHD (Barrie) This year, he has already broken past both of those marks and sits top 10 in the WHL in scoring (though he has regressed a little after a hot start). The draft's top player this season is a borderline generational talent. The WHL Bantam Draft is an annual outing, in which the Club's of the Western Hockey League select players who have graduated from bantam. Expectations were unfairly high for Connor Bedard coming into his draft year, with the generational talent label floating around in many draft conversations. Manipulation. Fantilli is currently averaging about one and a half points per game on a University of Michigan team filled to the brim with talent. One of the more impressive 2005s in the CHL last season, Barlow scored 35 goals in 66 combined regular-season and playoff games as a rookie in the OHL and was named captain of the Attack for his draft year (both rare goal scoring for a player his age, and a rare honour for a player his age). He goes to the front of the net and will bail out to make effort plays. While this draft is the first opportunity for teams to select bantam players, it is not the last chance for a player to be listed. The 2023 draft is led by three maybe four A-plus (or close) prospects at the very top, a superb collection of high-end talents at forward behind them that will run deep into the first round and produce additional stars, and better depth on defence and in net than I anticipated when the year started. 2023 WHL Draft Ranking Update: . He is on the younger side of the draft class with a July birthday so he has plenty of time to grow into the potential that he has shown thus far and increase his draft stock. This is a multi-part series which we will be releasing over the next couple weeks to give you the readers some insight on whom we feel is the cream of the crop for 2023. Ill be shocked if he doesnt become a playmaking top-six centre and PP1 creator. And he always seems to be around it. Now that the 2023 World Juniors are firmly in the rearview mirror, it's time to take another deep-dive into the top prospects for the 2023 Draft. 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. 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. 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). His skating is a bit of a weakness with less-than-ideal speed, but he more than makes up for it with his offensive creativity and hands. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. Ondrej Molnar, LW (Erie) Hes a pro-sized, hardworking pivot who can skate and excels in driving through the middle of the ice, pushing tempo, and playing with energy. A Maine Black Bears commit, Nadeau creates offence in a variety of ways, bursting wide or pulling away from defenders in transition with his quick feet, taking the puck right at or through coverage with his maneuverability, or leaning into a pinpoint shot (whether off of catch-and-releases, standstill shooting mechanics off the flank on the power play or through his one-timer which the Vees have tried to open by playing him, a right-handed shot, on his off-wing this season).