2023 NHL Draft Results

Round 1 Picks 17-32

Owen Sound Attack captain Colby Barlow was my ninth best player in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He was one of five players that I projected as a player who could go straight to the NHL at the age of 18.

Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Last Updated: June 28, 2023.

17. Detroit Red Wings: Axel Sandin Pellikka, D, Skelleftea AIK (Elitserien) B- Grade
    
    
    The 5-11 180 lb Axel Sandin Pellikka had 16 goals, 20 assists, and 36 points in 31 games with Skellefttea AIK's Under 20 Team in 2022-2023. Axel Sandin Pellikka had 2 goals, 3 assists, and 5 points in 22 SHL games against men on Skelleftea AIK in the league once known as Elitserien.
    
    
    
    Axel Sandin Pellikka has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Elite Prospects has him at 5-11 while Hockey Database has him at 5-9. We'll find out which site is correct at the 2023 NHL Combine since this is a guy with the traits to be a difference maker for Detroit once his contract in Sweden expires following the 2024-2025 SHL Season. Detroit can bring Axel Sandin Pellikka up to the NHL in two years from now in 2025-2026.
    
    
    
    The NHL player that Axel Sandin Pellikka has been compared to is Vancouver Canucks first line defenseman Quinn Hughes, the seventh overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. This pick will be a steal if Axel Sandin Pellikka becomes as good as Quinn Hughes, but I see a second line defenseman rather than a first line diference maker. Also, Axel Sandin Pellikka had a heavy workload playing 114 games last year with the Skelleftea AIK Under 18 Team, Skelleftea AIK Under 20 Team, Skelleftea AIK SHL team in the league once known as Elitserien, as well as Sweden's Team at the World Junior Championships and the IIHF Team.
    
    
    
18. Winnipeg Jets: Colby Barlow, LW, Owen Sound Attack (OHL) A+ Grade
    
    
    The 6-0 195 lb Colby Barlow is a goal scoring sniper that passes well, defends well, and skates well. Colby Barlow was Owen Sound Attack's first round pick that was drafted eighth overall in the 2021 OHL Draft.
    
    
    
    Colby Barlow has the floor of Taylor Hall and the ceiling of Gabriel Landeskog. Colby Barlow is the best left winger that I've seen defend plays since Gabriel Landeskog was in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Kitchener Rangers left winger Gabriel Landeksog was praised for his defense before the Colorado Avalanche drafted Gabriel Landeskog second overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Barlow's defensive ability for a left winger is quite exceptional.
    
    
    
    Colby Barlow has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Colby Barlow isn't a blue chip prospect, but he's got All Star traits as well as All Star potential. Colby Barlow really didn't showcase any glaring weaknesses when I saw him on tape. You can make an argument that Colby Barlow should be ranked as high as the sixth best prospect and as low as the tenth best prospect in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    Colby Barlow had 30 goals, 17 assists, and 47 points as a rookie with 5 goals, 1 assist, and 6 points in 7 OHL Playoff games as a rookie during the 2021-2022 OHL Season. That promising season had Barlow locked into the top 10 heading into his second season. Barlow has only continued to improve with 46 goals, 33 assists, and 79 points in 2022-2023 heading into the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Barlow also had 3 goals and 3 points in 4 games during the 2023 OHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Colby Barlow is a surprise dark horse candidate to make the NHL right away as an 18 year old. I think the top three picks in this draft Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, and Leo Carlsson all make the NHL next season. Zach Benson is my fourth player that could make the NHL right away. My surprise candidate to make the NHL right out of the gate at the age of 18 is Colby Barlow. Winnipeg got my fifth most ready NHL player and my ninth best overall player with the eighteenth pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    Winnipeg had bigger needs at center, right wing, defense, and goalie, but Colby Barlow was the best player on the board at 18. That's why this is easily an A+ grade for the Winnipeg Jets because Winnipeg got a player that checks off every box, has All Star potential, and was a team captain with the eighteenth pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    
    
19. Chicago Blackhawks: Oliver Moore, C, USNTDP (USHL) A+ Grade
    
    
    The 5-11 195 lb Oliver Moore had 31 goals, 44 assists, and 75 points in 61 games with the US-Under 18 Team. Oliver Moore had 8 goals, 17 assists, and 25 points in 23 USHL games. Oliver Moore will be a second line center on Minnesota behind Logan Cooley. Moore might spend two years at Minnesota one as the second line center and one as the first line center before signing his rookie deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
    
    
    
    Oliver Moore has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Oliver Moore isn't a blue chip prospect, but he's got All Star potential just lik. Oliver Moore needs to improve his stick handling and get stronger. He could be a member of the Chicago Blackhawks by 2025 if he does these two things during his two seasons of College at Minnesota.
    
    
    
    Worst case scenario Oliver Moore is your second line center to Connor Bedard in 2025 if you don't land the top pick or the second pick in the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery. Best case scenario, Chicago wins next years lottery gets Macklin Celebrini as a second line center behind Connor Bedard with Oliver Moore as their third line center forming a similar center core to Pittsburgh when the Penguins had Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal during Crosby's first Stanley Cup with the Penguins. Chicago gets an A+ for landing my best player Connor Bedard at 1 and my tenth best player in Oliver Moore at 19.
    
    
    
20. Seattle Kraken: Eduard Sale, RW, HC Kometa Brno (Extraliga) C Grade
    
    
    The Seattle Kraken had the best NHL Draft of any NHL team in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Seattle looks to strengthen that prospect pool even more in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    Seattle has Andre Burakovsky as their first line left winger, Matthew Beniers as their first line center, and Jordan Eberle as their first line right winger. Seattle has Jaden Schwartz as their second line left winger, Alexander Wennberg as their second line center, and Jared McCann as their second line right winger. Seattle has Eeli Tolvanen as their third line left winger, Yanni Gourde as their third line center, and Oliver Bjorkstrand as their third line right winger. Seattle has Tye Kartye as their fourth line left winger, Shane Wright could take over as the fourth line center next season with Seattle letting fourth line center Morgan Geekie walking, and Brandon Tanev as their fourth line right winger.
    
    
    
    The only forward that Seattle loses to Free Agency is fourth line left winger Ryan Donato who filled in for an injured Andre Burakovsky. With Andre Burakovsky coming back, Seattle won't need Donato. Alexander Wennberg and Jordan Eberle are Free Agents in 2024-2025, but Seattle will have Shane Wright their fourth pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft replacing Wennberg as their second line center and Jagger Firkus their thirty fifth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft as a potential replacement to Jordan Eberle unless Eberle agrees to a team friendly extension. I had first round grades on both Shane Wright and Jagger Firkus in 2022. Jani Nyman, who Seattle drafted forty ninth overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft could potentially replace Brandon Tanev as Seattle's fourth line right winger while center David Goyette their sixty first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft that I had a first round grade on could replace Yanni Gourde as Seattle's third line center in 2025-2026.
    
    
    
    Seattle has 12 quality forwards projected to be on their NHL roster in 2023-2024. They will have 12 quality forwards in 2024 with Wright and Firkus arriving. Then Seattle will still have 12 quality forwards in 2025 once Nyman and Goyette arrive.
    
    
    
    Seattle has Adam Larsson and Vince Dunn as their first line defensemen with Larsson anchoring the blue line on Seattle's first line. William Borgen and Jamie Oleksiak are the second line defensemen with Borgen anchoring the second line. Justin Schultz will anchor the third line of Seattle's blue line on defense. Carson Soucy was the number six defender on Seattle this past season, but he's an unrestricted Free Agent. Seattle has Jaycob Megna under contract next season as the number six defenseman in a contract year if Soucy walks. Seattle has $19,589,167 in cap space for the 2023-2024 NHL Season, so Seattle can bring back Soucy or let him walk and try to find someone better.
    
    
    
    Seattle also has Ty Nelson, a defenseman they selected sixty eighth overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and Nelson is a guy I had a first round grade on. Nelson improved his point total from 51 points in his draft year to 76 points this past season. Even though it's unlikely that Ty Nelson plays on the Seattle Kraken next season, I'm not ruling out that possibility since Nelson was the first overall pick in the 2020 OHL Draft one year after Shane Wright was the first overall pick in the 2019 OHL Draft. Somehow the Kraken ended up with both of those OHL studs which is just not fair. I can see Ty Nelson beating out Jaycob Megna for that number six defenseman job if Soucy goes elsewhere in Free Agency, but I can also see Seattle bringing Ty Nelson back to the OHL and giving their 2022 NHL Draft class one more year to develop before possibly bringing Nelson up as a replacement to Justin Schultz when his contract expires after next season. I think we will see Ty Nelson in the NHL by 2026 at the vary latest since he should be ready for the NHL by the time Jamie Oleksiak's deal is up by 2026.
    
    
    
    Seattle has Philipp Grubauer as their starting goalie for next season. Chris Driedger will be Seattle's backup goalie back from a season ending injury which placed him on injured reserve in a contract year with Martin Jones set to be a Free Agent.
    
    
    
    Seattle also has Niklas Kokko, a goalie on Oulun Karpat that Seattle drafted fifty eighth overall in the second round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft after Niklas Kokko had a 1.000 save percentage with two shutouts in two starts during his draft year. Kokko was under contract with Oulun Karpat in Finland until 2024-2025, but he signed his rookie deal so he may be going to the AHL to develop as early as next season, and could potentially take over as the starting goalie in 2027-2028 when Grubauer's contract expires.
    
    
    
    Seattle doesn't have to draft for need. The Kraken took a player that resembled Ron Francis in Matthew Beniers second overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft before killing it in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by getting my top player in Shane Wright as well as three other players that I had first round grades on in Jagger Firkus, David Goyette, and Ty Nelson. Seattle took the eighth best player on my board at twenty, so they get a C grade here after two strong first rounds in their first two years as an NHL franchise.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 175 lb Eduard Sale had 7 goals, 7 assists, 14 points, and a -9 +/- ratio for HC Kometa Brno against men in the Extraliga league located in the Czech Republic in 2022-2023.
    
    
    
    Eduard Sale is the most polarizing prospect in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Craig Button of TSN called him the fifth best player in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft stating that Sale has the floor of William Nylander, the second line right winger on the Toronto Maple Leafs and the ceiling of David Pastrnak whose the star first line right winger on the Boston Bruins. Other scouting services have this guy in the second round. Lisa Donovan put Sale in her top ten mocking him to Vancouver at 8 prior to the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery, yet I have him in the back end of the first round because Sale did not impress me on tape. He also had 0 points for HC Kometa Brno in 6 playoff games in Extraliga.
    
    
    
    This first round pick is essentially a luxury pick for Seattle. In a game against the Sweden for the Czech Republic Under 18 Team he lined up as an extra defender on the power play. This is a first line winger on both HC Kometa Brno's roster as well as the power play unit and that should translate to the NHL down the road.
    
    
    
    Eduard Sale has the playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Eduard Sale stride when skating is choppy. He needs to clean that part of his game up and improve his skating. He's not as aggressive as you'd like him to be. His defensive awareness also needs to improve. Those are the three biggest reasons I'm lower on Sale than the consensus. Seattle can gamble on him without getting too much crap for it.
    
    
    
    
    
21. Minnesota Wild: Charlie Stramel, C, Wisconsin C Grade
    
    
    Detroit drafts another center here. Charlie Stramel can develop for a few years at Wisconsin. He can either to go to the Iowa Wild in the AHL or the Minnesota Wild in the NHL after his NCAA career is over.
    
    
    
    Charlie Stramel entered the year as a preseason top 10 pick. Charlie Stramel needed a big season at Wisconsin in the NCAA.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 222 lb Charlie Stramel only had 5 goals, 7 assists, 12 points, and a -10 +/- ratio during his freshman season at Wisconsin in 2022-2023. Charlie Stramel's underwhelming season at Wisconsin caused him to fall to the back end of the first round.
    
    
    
    Charlie Stramel, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Charlie Stramel is raw he needs to develop as a passer, shooter, and skater. He's intelligent enough to process plays in the heat of the moment.
    
    
    
    Minnesota needed a first line center. I don't think Charlie Stramel has the traits of a first line center. I gave the Minnesota Wild an A grade every year in the first round from 2019 to 2022, but that streak is officially over.
    
    
    
22. Philadelphia Flyers: Oliver Bonk, D, London Knights (OHL) A- Grade
    
    
    Columbus got this pick from the Los Angeles Kings for trading Vladislav Gavrikov to the Los Angeles Kings. Columbus ended up trading this pick and pick 34 to the Philadelphia Flyers for Ivan Provorov.
    
    
    
    Philadelpha was going to take a defenseman here. I really like the Oliver Bonk pick and I'm glad the Philadelphia Flyers took a chance on Oliver Bonk.
    
    
    
    The 6-1 180 lb Oliver Bonk had 10 goals, 30 assists, 40 points, and a +17 +/- ratio in 67 games in his first full season as a starting defenseman for the London Knights in 2022-2023. Oliver Bonk also had 0 goals, 11 assists, and 11 points in 21 games during the OHL Playoffs before the Peterborough Petes defeated the London Knights in the 2023 OHL Cup.
    
    
    
    Oliver Bonk has the skating, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Oliver Bonk is raw, but he's got the best shot of any defenseman I've seen in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. If Oliver Bonk improves on his 2022-2023 Season with the London Knights, he's got an outside shot to make the Philadelphia Flyers in 2024 or 2025.
    
    
    
    Oliver Bonk was my fourth best defenseman on the board. In most cases that would get you a B+ grade, but he was the first player to hug his grandma after getting drafted so I'll bump this pick up to an A- grade as a result since I really like Oliver Bonk's ceiling long term as well as his character.
    
    
    
    
    
23. New York Rangers: Gabe Perreault, LW, USNTDP (USHL) B+ Grade
    
    
    The 5-10 163 lb Gabe Perreault is versatile enough to play left winger or right winger. He played on the United States National Team Developmental Program first line at left wing with Will Smith playing first line center and Ryan Leonard playing right wing on that first line.
    
    
    
    Gabe Perreault had 53 goals, 79 assists, and 132 points on the US-Under 18 Team breaking the previous record which was set by Auston Matthews in 2022-2023. Gabe Perrault had 19 goals, 26 assists, and 45 points in the USHL in 2022-2023.
    
    
    
    Gabe Perreault is going to Boston College with Will Smith and Ryan Leonard. Chicao can develop Gabe Perreault at Boston College and when he's done developing there. ESPN said this guy is a right winger, but that is a lie as he played mainly left wing.
    
    
    
    Gabe Perreault has the playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, and offensive awareness to succeed in the NHL. Gabe Perreault is amazing on special teams with the power play and penalty killing. He's got to get stronger, improve his defensive awareness, improve his skating, and improve his foot speed at Boston College if he wants to get to the NHL. Luckily for the Rangers, they are stacked at left winger, so they can patiently develop a player that was my fourth best player available prior to getting picked by the New York Rangers.
    
    
    
24. Nashville Predators: Tanner Molendyk, D, Saskatoon Blades (WHL) C Grade
    
    
    The 5-11 181 lb Tanner Molendyk was drafted fifth overall in the 2020 WHL Draft. Tanner Molendyk had 9 goals, 28 assists, 37 points, and a +31 +/- ratio for the Saskatoon Blades in 2022-2023. Tanner Molendyk also had 3 goals, 5 assists, and 8 points in 18 games during the 2023 WHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Tanner Molendyk was a first line defenseman for the Saskatoon Blades in the 2023 WHL Playoffs. I'm not sure Tanner Molendyk will be a first line defenseman in the NHL though since he didn't have an answer when defending against Regina Pats center Connor Bedard.
    
    
    
    Tanner Molendyk has the skating, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Tanner Molendyk is raw to the point where he has the floor of a third line defenseman in the AHL, but he's also got the ceiling of a first line defenseman that can anchor the blue line down the road. If Tanner Molendyk plays like he did against Bedard he won't reach that ceiling, but the fact that Molendyk's ceiling is that high is why he got picked in the back end of the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He's a warrior who will take a puck to the head for his team as well as a high character guy cleaning up trash off the ice.
    
    
    
    
    
25. St. Louis Blues: Otto Stenberg, C, Frolunda Indians (Elitserien) A Grade
    
    
    The 5-11 185 lb Otto Stenberg is a versatile enough to play left wing, center, and right wing. Otto Stenberg is effective as far as offense, defense, and skating goes.
    
    
    
    Otto Stenberg has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Otto Stenberg has the versatility, offense, defense, skating, and leadership traits you want as a captain of Sweden's team at the World Junior Championship this past season. He changes the release of his direction. He showcases speed and direction. He's built like a fire hydrant and is hard to defend.
    
    
    
    Otto Stenberg had 11 goals, 15 assists, and 26 points with Frolunda's Under 20 Team. Otto Stenberg had 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points, and a -1 +/- ratio with the Frolunda Indians now known as Frolunda HC in the SHL in 23 games in 2022-2023 in the league once known as Elitserien.
    
    
    
26. San Jose Sharks: Quentin Musty, LW, Sudbury Wolves (OHL) A Grade
    
    
    The 6-1 200 lb Quentin Musty was the first overall pick in the 2021 OHL Draft. He's been a cornerstone player for the Sudbury Wolves, and he is a player that's a great fit for the San Jose Sharks at 26.
    
    
    
    Quentin Musty has the playmaking, passing, stick handling, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, and offensive awareness to succeed in the NHL. He's a great forechecker despite not always having top notch defensive awareness. His skating isn't a weakness, but it certaintly needs improvement as he refines his stride by showcasing more burst and top end speed when gliding on the ice as a skater. Musty can go back to the OHL for a season.
    
    
    
    I mocked Quentin Musty to Buffalo at 13 and he was fourteenth on my big board. This was my second best player available.
    
    
    
    Chicago wanted to move back into the first round for a player. Chicago was willing to offer 35 and 51, but San Jose wanted another second and Chicago thought that was too much. This led to Quentin Musty getting picked by San Jose.
    
    
    
    Quentin Musty had 18 consecutive games in the OHL with a point. That point streak lasted just over two months.
    
    
    
    
    
27. Colorado Avalanche: Calum Ritchie, C, Oshawa Generals (OHL) A+ Grade
    
    
    I considered a left winger here with Gabriel Landeskog's injury and Lisa Donovan almost mocked a goalie here. However, Colorado is losing second line center J.T. Compher, third line center Lars Eller, and fourth line center Darren Helm to Free Agency in 2023. Losing all of those centers pretty much forces Colorado to reload at center.
    
    
    
    The Colorado Avalanche will have Arturri Lekhonen as their first line left winger until team captain Gabriel Landeskog returns to Colorado in 2024 and Colorado barely won the Central Division without Landeskog. Nathan MacKinnon is a top 5 center as well as a first line center in the NHL. Mikko Rantanen is a great first line right winger. Colorado has to promote their fourth line center Ben Meyers whose an RFA to second line left winger, go out and get a good UFA at left winger, or promote their 2021 first round pick Oskar Olausson to the NHL roster since Evan Rodrigues a third line left winger who got promoted to line 2 due to Landeskog's injury and Matthew Nieto a fourth line left winger who got promoted to line 3 are both unrestricted Free Agents. Colorado will have Ryan Johansen who they got in a trade with Nashville as their second line center and Valeri Nichushkin as their second line right winger.
    
    
    
    Sampo Ranta, Colorado's 2018 third round pick was promoted from the Colorado Eagles in the AHL to the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL on six different occaisions from November to January due to injuries. Ranta is an RFA and he's got a shot be a third or fourth line left winger if he gets promoted. Alex Newhook their 2019 first round pick will compete with Ryan Johansen to be the second line center. Colorado traded their third line center Alex Newhook who was also the 2019 first round pick of the Colorado Avalanche for the thirty first and thirty seventh overall picks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft before trading the thirty seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Ross Colton who will be Colorado's third line center. Logan O'Conner will either be the third line right winger. Colorado has Frederik Olafsson as their fourth line left winger.
    
    
    
    Defenseman Brad Hunt was a fourth line left winger due to how thin Colorado was at the wing. Ben Meyers who we mentioned earlier is an RFA as is fourth line right winger Denis Malign.
    
    
    
    Colorado's blue line is still strong. Cale Makar will continue to anchor the blue line on Colorado's first line while Devon Toews continues to compliment him. Bowen Byram the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft finally did enough to earn a promotion from the third line to being the number three defenseman on Colorado due to Josh Manson's injury during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Samuel Girard got demoted to the third line, but he still finisehd third among defensemen in points, so I'd imagine that Girard and Manson compete for that number four defensemen spot unless one gets traded in the offseason since both are top four defenseman on any other NHL roster with the loser of that competition anchoring the third line of Colorado's blue line.
    
    
    
    Both Erik Johnson the first overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft who resurrected his career in Colorado and Jack Johnson are UFA's. Colorado did acquire San Jose Sharks 2018 first round pick Ryan Merkley at the trade deadline. If Colorado uses a team friendly RFA tender on Merkley then he can be the number six defenseman rounding out the core of Colorado's defense or you can move fourth line left winger Brad Hunt back to defense since Hunt has one year left on his contract.
    
    
    
    Colorado won the 2022 Stanley Cup while Samuel Girard was injured, but couldn't beat the Kraken without Josh Manson this season while Makar had three different concussions. This is still one of the best blue lines in the NHL when fully healthy, but staying healthy has been a problem for this core as of late.
    
    
    
    Colorado has Alexander Georgiev and Pavel Francouz in a contract year both back at goalie. I feel like both goalies are backups at best and products of a really stout Colorado Avalanche blue line when Cale Makar and his teammates are all fully healthy.
    
    
    
    Colorado has $13,350,000 in cap space. However the Avalanche can place Gabriel Landeskog on the long term injured reserve list following his cartilage transplant in his right knee which will cause him to miss all of the 2023-2024 NHL season after missing all of the 2022-2023 NHL season following arthroscopic knee surgery on his right knee after Colorado won the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals over Tampa Bay by preventing a Tampa Bay Lightning three peat, but it will also give Colorado $7 million more in cap space bumping their cap space up to $20,350,000 for next season. Before Landeskog's season ending injury in 2022, he was healthy enough to lead Colorado to their first Stanley Cup as team captain during the 2021-2022 NHL Season.
    
    
    
    Colorado could still challenge for a top 2 spot in the Central Division next season with a strong Free Agency class if they can add a few forwards at left wing and center. I don't view them as a threat to the Dallas Stars until Landeksog comes back next season despite the fact that Colorado managed to win the Central Division without their team captain. Frankly the fact that Colorado won the Central Division with all of their injuries says more about the terrific job Jared Bednar has done as Colorado's head coach. Colorado got their Stanley Cup right before their window of opportunity closed last season.
    
    
    
    There's two centers left in my top thirty two with Oshawa Generals center Calum Ritchie and Brandon Wheat Kings center Nate Danielson. Both of those guys are first line centers on their hockey teams in Canada. One more wild card center to keep an eye on is Penticon Vees center Bradly Nadeau in the BCHL.
    
    
    
    Bradly Nadeau and his older brother Josh Nadeau who plays right winger with Bradly Nadeau on the Penticon Vees both exceeded 100 points in the BCHL with the Penticon Vees this past season in 2022-2023. I'm intrigued by what both of John Nadeau's sons can do in the NHL down the road, but both Bradly and Josh Nadeau are going to Maine this Fall to start their NCAA careers with the Maine Black Bears. That tells me that either Calum Ritchie or Nate Danielson will be in the NHL before Bradly Nadeau even though Nadeau impressed me enough on tape to earn an honorable mention despite being outside of my top 32. Calum Ritchie is the tallest of those three centers and he interviewed really well after being drafted second overall in the 2021 OHL Draft behind Quentin Musty. Calum Ritchie was a preseason candidate to go in the top ten and now he gets to go to Colorado where he will be an effective third line center behind Nate MacKinnon and Alex Newhook once he finishes developing in the OHL.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 187 lb Calum Ritchie had 19 goals, 26 assists, 45 points, and a -7 +/- ratio in 65 OHL regular season games in 2021-2022. Calum Ritchie had 4 goals, 3 assists, and 7 points in the 2022 OHL Playoffs. Calum Ritchie had 24 goals, 35 assists, 59 points and a +1 +/- ratio in 59 OHL regular season games averaging a point per game as an alternate captain with the Oshawa Generals in 2022-2023. Calum Ritchie had 2 goals, 4 assists, and 6 points in 5 games for the Oshawa Generals during the 2023 OHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Calum Ritchie has the skating, playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Calum Ritchie has to improve as a skater and develop his slap shot by improving both his slap shot power and slap shot accuracy. Right now Ritchie's wrist shot is at an AHL level, but it could easily develop into an NHL wrist shot after another season on the Oshawa Generals in the OHL next season. He's a good player with most of the tools you want from an NHL center. Some say he's too nice and too unselfish of a teammate because he doesn't cease control of the game when given the opportunity. It's not a weakness because the talent is there, but it's certainly an area Ritchie has to incorporate into his game next season if he wants to make the NHL.
    
    
    
    Calum Ritchie's character and attitude is through the roof, but he's an average skater that lacks the top end speed you want from a first line center at the NHL level despite having most of the traits you want from an NHL center. He's great at using his hands to manipulate defenders and was once considered the sixth best overall player in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Calum Ritchie interviewed well right after the 2021 OHL Draft and there's fewer red flags with Ritchie in the 2023 NHL Draft compared to Mazi Smith in the 2023 NFL Draft.
    
    
    
    Calum Ritchie scored in a penalty shootout and produced over a point per game in both of the Oshawa Generals OHL Playoff losses in 2022 and 2023. This is a guy whose gonna step up during the playoffs and the New York Rangers certainly need a guy like that since their gonna have to play Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier in the playoffs moving forward.
    
    
    
    Calum Ritchie will probably be a third line center down the road behind Nate MacKinnon and Ryan Johansen because he's the one center left in this draft with enough potential to develop into a 100 point player during the regular season and a 20 point player during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It's possible that he becomes Colorado's second line center down the road thanks to Colorado trading away Alex Newhook.
    
    
    
28. Toronto Maple Leafs: Easton Cowan, LW, London Knights (OHL) C Grade
    
    
    The 5-10 170 lb Easton Cowan took off in his draft year after being limited to 7 games during his rookie season. Easton Cowan had 20 goals, 33 assists, 53 points, and a +10 +/- ratio in 68 OHL games in 2022-2023. Easton Cowan had 9 goals, 12 assists, and 21 points in 20 games during the 2023 OHL Playoffs helping the London Knights get to the 2023 OHL Cup.
    
    
    
    Easton Cowan has the skating, versatility, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Easton Cowan isn't always as accurate with his passes as he could be, but Toronto will not need him until 2026 or 2027, so he will have plenty of time to develop with the London Knights for two more seasons before going to the AHL for a year or two. Easton Cowan also has to get stronger, but the talent is there if Toronto remains patient.
    
    
    
    
    
29. St. Louis Blues: Theo Lindstein, D, Brynas IF (Elitserien) A Grade
    
    
    I initially mocked Theo Lindstein to Dallas at 61 since many believe he can develop into a star defenseman I've seen some NHL mock drafts put Lindstein in the first round, so if he gets to the Tampa Bay Lightning at 37, I cannot see the Lightning passing on him unless someone better falls to their second round pick. The St. Louis Blues ended up taking Theo Lindstein at 29 and this young man has the upside to develop into a star player. The St. Louis Blues got three players with the upside to be star players with their three first round picks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-0 185 lb Theo Lindstein had 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points, and a +6 +/- ratio in 14 games on the Brynas IF Under 20 Team in 2022-2023. He got promoted to the Brynas IF main roster in the SHL where he had 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points, and a -3 +/- ratio in 32 games with Brynas IF in the SHL once known as Elitserien in 2022-2023.
    
    
    
    Theo Lindstein has the floor of a number six defenseman on an AHL team, but he also has the ceiling to be a first line defenseman who anchors the blue line on a really bad NHL team. I really like the value the St. Louis Blues got with Theo Lindstein.
    
    
    
    Theo Lindstein has the skating, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Theo Lindstein just needs to increase his pace of play and display better production in the SHL moving forward since his contract with Brynas IF expires in 2024.
    
    
    
30. Carolina Hurricanes: Bradly Nadeau, C, Penticon Vees (BCHL) A Grade
    
    
    The 5-10 160 lb Bradly Nadeau gives the Carolina Hurricanes a future center at some point down the road. The Penticon Vees top line featured Aydar Suniev as their first line left winger, Bradly Nadeau as their first line center, and Josh Nadeau the older brother of Bradly Nadeau as a first line right winger. The Penticon Vees also have Joshua Neidermayer the son of Scott Neidermayer as their first line defenseman.
    
    
    
    Bradly Nadeau had 20 goals, 26 assists, and 46 points in 49 games in 2021-2022. Bradly Nadeau had 11 goals, 13 assists, and 24 points in 17 games during the 2022 BCHL Playoffs. Bradly Nadeau had 45 goals, 68 assists, and 113 points in 54 games in 2022-2023. Bradly Nadeau also had 17 goals, 18 assists, and 35 points in the 2023 BCHL Playoffs.
    
    
    
    Bradly Nadeau was the Elliott Row Player Of The Month for the month of October to begin the season. Bradly Nadeau also accepted a hockey scholarship to play at the Maine Black Bears with his brother this Fall. Bradly Nadeau is versatile enough to play center and left winger, but I see Bradly Nadeau as an NHL center.
    
    
    
    Bradly Nadeau has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, versatility, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. You can make the argument that Bradly Nadeau was more impressive on film than Callum Ritchie or Nate Danielson, but the level of competition he faced was weaker which is a big reason Bradly Nadeau fell to the end of the first round. This was a really good value pick for the Carolina Hurricanes at 30.
    
    
    
    
    
31. Colorado Avalanche: Mikhail Gulyayev, D, Avangard Omsk (KHL) A Grade
    
    
    Mikhail Gulyayev has been proclaimed the Russian Cale Makar by various NHL and KHL scouts. Now he gets drafted by Colorado and will play with Cale Makar at some point down the road.
    
    
    
    The 5-10 170 lb Mikhail Gulyayev had 2 goals, 23 assists, and 25 points with Omskie Yastreby in the MHL leading defensemen in points in the MHL in 2022-2023. Mikhail Gulyayev had 0 goals, 4 assists, and 4 points with Omskie Kyrile in the VHL in 2022-2023. Mikhail Gulyayev had 0 goals, 1 assist, and 1 point in 13 KHL games with Avangard Omsk against men in Russia in the KHL in 2022-2023.
    
    
    
    Mikhail Gulyayev has the speed, explosion, burst, agility, skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. Mikhail Gulyayev is a very similar Russian defenseman compared to Dmitri Simashev. Simashev is the better skater and is a much bigger defenseman at 6-4 201 while Gulyayev is 5-10 180. That's why Simashev went to the Seattle Kraken at 20 while Mikhail Gulyayev fell to the Philadelphia Flyers at 22. However, Gulyayev is a better shooter at this point even though Gulyayev needs to continue to improve his shot mainly the mechanics on his shot.
    
    
    
32. Vegas Golden Knights: David Edstrom, C, Frolunda Indians (Elitserien) C Grade
    
    
    Vegas needed left wingers and defensemen. David Edstrom was the only third round prospect in my 2023 NHL Mock Draft to get picked in the first round and to be fair he got picked at thirty two. He was a first line player Frolunda's Under 20 Team s well as a first line player in Sweden. I was unaware of this until rewatching the 2023 NHL Draft on ESPN which is why I bumped this grade up from a D to a C grade.
    
    
    
    To be fair, David Edstrom is a traits guy that an NHL team is gonna fall in love with. He's also extremely unselfish.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 185 lb David Edstrom had 15 goals, 13 assists, and 28 points with the Frolunda Indians Under 20 Team. David Edstrom had 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points, and a +2 +/- ratio in 11 games with Frolunda HC formerly known as the Frolunda Indians in the SHL once known as Elitserien in 2022-2023.
    
    
    
    David Edstrom has the skating, foot speed, playmaking, passing, sniping, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, vision, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, and hockey IQ to succeed in the NHL. David Edstrom has the best forecheck and backcheck combination of any center I've seen in this years draft meaning he might be the best defensive center. He lacks the top end explosion you want to see from a skater, but many NHL scouts believe that will be fixed once he adds more muscle and fills out his frame getting closer to 200 lbs since he's got the 200 foot game you want from an NHL center in addition to his stout defending. He's also got to improve in terms of winning face offs, but the traits you want from an NHL player are there.
    
    
    
    Vegas gets the second D grade of the first round. You took a third round player in the first round. The traits he covets and his unselfishness keep this from being a D- or an F grade.