The 2023 NHL Entry Draft will begin next week on June 28 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. After losing to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final last month, the Carolina Hurricanes earned the 30th pick in the first round of the draft. It will surely be an interesting offseason to follow for the Hurricanes with free agency beginning shortly after the draft on July 1.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft Guide
Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell has plenty of decisions to make over the next few weeks, including which free agents to re-sign as well as weighing potential trade opportunities to bring a proven finisher to Raleigh. Due to all of these storylines, there hasn’t been as much focus on the Hurricanes’ draft plans, but I believe they should hone in on a playmaking forward with their first pick in the draft. Let’s take a look at three prospects they could potentially target with the 30th pick.
Bradly Nadeau
Bradly Nadeau is a 5-foot-10, 163-pound center who is coming off a season in which he dominated the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), finishing with 113 points (54 goals, 68 assists) in 54 games played. The 18-year-old Canadian who is committed to the University of Maine next season is arguably one of the best shooters in the draft. If he played in a different junior league and was a little bit taller, I truly believe he would be considered a lock to be a top-10 pick.
“He sees the ice at a high level, making a lot of seam passes and making tough passes on the move. On the power play he can make a lot of plays, but it’s his shot that’s a real weapon. He has an excellent one-timer that projects to beat NHL goalies from distance.”
– Corey Pronman, The Athletic (2023 NHL Draft prospects: Bedard No. 1 on Corey Pronman’s ranking, Fantilli and Michkov next, March 7, 2023)
If he’s available when the Hurricanes are on the clock, I don’t think they should think twice about selecting the speedy forward. His speed and shooting ability are too good to pass up in my opinion.
While it could be a few years before he sees action in Raleigh, his wrist shot and one-timer could allow him to be a power-play specialist in the near future. Given the chance to add some muscle to his frame and improve his defensive game, I believe he could grow to become a strong top-six forward for the Hurricanes and head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
Gavin Brindley
Another flashy forward the Hurricanes could target with the 30th pick is Gavin Brindley from the University of Michigan. The major question mark surrounding him is his size, as the 18-year-old measured in at 5-foot-9 at the combine. Logan Horn of THW discussed how the American forward doesn’t let his small stature define his game in a pre-draft prospect profile earlier this year.
What Brindley lacks in size, he makes up for with every other possible facet of his game, from puck battles to physical play, from his incredible compete level to an excellent skating package. He is incredibly agile with and without the puck, and has the speed to really take advantage of his opponents’ weaknesses both off the rush and while forechecking.
– Logan Horn, The Hockey Writers
While Waddell has mentioned that the Hurricanes need to look for size to round out the roster, I don’t believe that should deter them from taking a hard look at Brindley if he is available when they are set to pick. He has all of the intangibles of a successful NHL player to go along with his impressive speed and agility. He finished his 2022-23 season at the University of Michigan with 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in 41 games.
If he were given the opportunity to develop in the Hurricanes system, while continuing to work on his shooting ability, I believe he has the potential to be a consistent middle-six scoring threat with the ability to star on both the power play and penalty kill thanks to his high-energy and puck skills.
Quentin Musty
The last prospect I believe the Hurricanes should target with their first pick in the draft is Quentin Musty of the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The 2021 first-overall pick of the 2021 OHL Draft is coming off a career-best season in which he finished with 78 points (26 goals, 52 assists) in 53 games played. The American forward has impressive size for his age measuring in at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. With his size and playmaking ability, he has the potential to grow into a top-six power forward in the NHL.
“Musty is a dual-threat offensive winger who has the chance to create a scoring chance every time he steps on the ice. Normally his playmaking stands out when you watch him play, but he made his impact as a shooting option in this game.”
– Austin Broad, FC Hockey
While he has much more impressive size than the other two prospects mentioned above, he is not near as consistent at this point in his career, which is why he’s not being projected to be selected earlier in the draft. However, if he were to get drafted into a good situation with a solid organization such as the Hurricanes, I believe he has the potential to develop into a star if he improves his overall consistency and leans into his physical stature.
It will be interesting to see which direction the Hurricanes decide to go with their first pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, but if they were to select any of the three prospects listed here I believe it will be remembered as a successful night for the organization.