That was fun, wasn’t it? Now that the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft is out of the way, I wanted to take a look at the very best of this year’s draft class who are still available to be selected on day two. NHL teams always find ways to disturb the public consensus so I thought I’d take this opportunity to quickly look at the top players who are still available.
These players are ranked based on how high I ranked them in my final draft rankings piece, and will be accompanied by some analysis and the possible reason they’re still on the board after the first 32 picks.
Andrew Cristall, LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
My Ranking: 21st
One of the most skilled and slippery players in this draft is Andrew Cristall, one of the only draft eligible players in the WHL who was able to roughly keep pace with Bedard in terms of production this year. Holding steady at about 1.7 points per game, Cristall has already shown improvements following his impressive 69-point WHL rookie season last year. He draws tons of attention in the offensive zone and is great at making smart plays under pressure to help open teammates up, making their jobs much easier.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft Live Tracker
The biggest arguments against him are his size and skating, since a 5-foot-10 winger often needs to be an above average skater to make an impact in the NHL and Cristall is not quite there. At this point I think his offensive abilities will at least make him a power play threat even if his skating never catches up, but if the team that drafts him can help him improve his skating, he will be an absolute terror on offense. One thing about Cristall that I think is being overlooked is his shot. He doesn’t have the lightning quick, adaptive release of Bedard or the power of Barlow, but Cristall’s shot is a legitimate weapon and should be effective in the NHL.
Gavin Brindley, C/LW, University of Michigan (NCAA)
My Rankings: 22nd
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. Some of the most recent examples are: Lane Hutson (2022 Draft), Olen Zellweger (2021 Draft), Logan Stankoven (2020 Draft), and Cole Caufield (2019 Draft), to name a few. My best guess at a player who has great skill but might slide this draft season due to his height was Gavin Brindley and that is unfortunately coming true.
Brindley is a 5-foot-9 forward who was excellent in the NCAA as an 18-year-old freshman, a very impressive feat. His skating is top-tier in the draft class, and his high energy level makes him a possession monster. His combination of speed and effort will make him a very flexible player who can fill in whatever role is needed of him, which earned him time on all four of Michigan’s lines this year before landing next to Fantilli for the final months.
Riley Heidt, C, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
My Ranking: 23rd
Riley Heidt’s excellent acceleration and edge work make him a natural choice as the lead puck carrier for zone entries and he has excelled in that role with the Prince George Cougars. His playmaking skills either at full speed or after settling in the offensive zone are impressive and make him a very mobile and shifty threat whenever he has the puck. Good habits away from the puck lead me to believe he will be a reliable NHLer with top-six forward upside.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft Guide
Heidt has blossomed into one of the WHL’s best playmakers this year with great vision and the ability to not just see tough passing lanes, but hit them in stride as well. There wasn’t a single player in the WHL who had more assists at the end of the season with 72 (Bedard also had 72 assists).
Gracyn Sawchyn, C, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
My Ranking: 27th
Gracyn Sawchyn has a very high motor and is constantly skating and making small, smart plays all over the ice. Sawchyn is reliable defensively and is a great forechecker, making him an absolute nuisance for opposing forwards who aren’t likely to get a lot of space when he’s on the ice. He forces turnovers at a remarkable rate, and while his shot and playmaking aren’t anything to write home about, they should serve him well enough in the NHL. The real calling card of Sawchyn’s offensive game is his hands. I could count on one hand the number of draft eligible players with quicker side-to-side hands than him and he is quite confident using that advantage to blow by or through defenders.
Gracyn Sawchyn, Seattle Thunderbirds (Brian Liesse/Seattle Thunderbirds)
Skating is another positive for Sawchyn whose above-average acceleration pairs wonderfully with his high-end compete level to make him an absolute force in transition on both sides of the puck. The biggest reason that Sawchyn isn’t getting more attention is the depth and strength of the Thunderbirds. In fact, he has spent most of the last few months centering the second or third line behind one or both of Brad Lambert and Colton Dach.
Jayden Perron, RW, Chicago Steel (USHL)
My Ranking: 29th
Jayden Perron is an excellent play-driving winger with tons of offensive talent. Although he is just 5-foot-9, Perron is earning more and more buzz as a potential first rounder due to his excellent skating, playmaking, and offensive awareness. He’s great at changing speeds in transition to separate himself from defenders before either making a move around them or passing to an open teammate. Perron is so agile that his lack of size and strength don’t often hinder his game, however he will need to develop a bit of a physical game (like Logan Stankoven has) if he wants to grow into his ultimate potential as a top-six forward in the NHL.
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, C, HV71 (SHL)
My Ranking: 31st
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard might have one of the lowest skill floors in the entire draft, with the effort and defensive game to become a serviceable bottom-six forward if he makes very little improvement. However, if Fisker Mølgaard can improve his offense a bit, he’s got the potential to rise up an NHL lineup considerably. Despite not creating much offense on his own, Fisker Mølgaard led all U18 players in points in the SHL this season, and was fourth in points among U20 players, behind only Carlsson, Marco Kasper, and Filip Bystedt.
Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
My Ranking: 32nd
Koehn Ziemmer is another pro-built winger who loves to shoot the puck hard whenever given the chance. 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. He loves attacking defenders and beating them in one-on-one skill battles. Ziemmer often seems to have the puck on a string and that’s part of why he was one of the leading scorers in the WHL this year.
Ethan Gauthier, RW, Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
My Ranking: 36th
Ethan Gauthier is one of the most consistent players in this draft class in terms of effort and habits, not just production. He’s a hard worker who makes his team better whenever he steps on the ice. He has great 1-on-1 skill, allowing him to regularly beat defensemen in juniors.
Gauthier has cooled off following an incredibly hot start to the QMJHL season production-wise, but his smart and reliable habits have not changed. I watch him and I see an NHL player with the kind of well-rounded, high-effort skill set that could see him move around an NHL lineup (in a good way) someday provided his lack of speed doesn’t hinder him too much.
Lukas Dragicevic, RD, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
My Ranking: 37th
One of the most surprising junior players so far this year is Lukas Dragicevic who has put up points at well above a point per game rate in the WHL from the back end, making him the fourth highest scoring defender in the league as of writing. He provides a ton of offense in transition as well as in the offensive zone where he seems to create scoring chances at will. His skating is average and so is his defending, but his offensive skill and smarts package could get him a look even higher on draft day as there’s not a single NHL team who wouldn’t love an offensive defender as dynamic as Dragicevic.
Honourable Mentions
Nick Lardis (Ranked 39th on my final board)
Hunter Brzustewicz (Ranked 43rd on my final board)
Michael Hrabal (Ranked 46th on my final board)
Luca Cagnoni (Ranked 50th on my final board)
Plenty of High-End Talent Left on Day 2
While most of the players who will end up at the top of NHL lineups were drafted in the first round, there are always players drafted throughout the mid-to-late rounds that surprise and out-perform their draft stock. These are some of the guys who I think deserve the most attention as Day 2 kicks off.
I can’t wait for the rest of the draft to take place and I hope that there’s more movement than there was in the first round where exactly zero trades were made. Hopefully NHL GMs get a little restless and start calling each other with ridiculous deals in mind. A guy can dream.
