Fantilli, Carlsson Highlight Best of Rest in NHL Draft
Years from now, 2023 may be renamed the Connor Bedard Draft.
Still, whether the 17-year-old center becomes a generational talent or just a very good professional, it would be a good bet in the sportsbook that Bedard won’t be the only future multiple-year All Star selected at the NHL Draft on Wednesday and Thursday in Nashville.
Bedard put up an amazing 71 goals and 72 assists in 57 regular-season games, and 20 more points in seven playoff contests for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League this season. No one can match those numbers, but five more natural centers and several others have the tools to develop into stars.
University of Michigan standout center Adam Fantilli is the big favorite (-800) in the NHL betting lines to go second to the Anaheim Ducks, after the Chicago Blackhawks grab Bedard. Swedish two-way forward Leo Carlsson is the -170 favorite to go third overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Boston College-bound center Will Smith (-145 to go fourth) leads a strong group of players from the U.S. National Team Development Program who will go high in the first round. Which defenseman goes first is a mystery and Russian wing Matvei Michkov is the wild card.
Who Fits Where Behind Bedard?
Fantilli could have been a strong No. 1 overall pick in a lot of years, so the Ducks will be quite happy to put a jersey on him.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Canadian-born Fantilli won the Hobey Baker Award as the best collegiate player after registering 30 goals, 35 assists and a +31 rating in 36 games.
There have been some comparisons to the 2015 draft when superstar Connor McDavid went first followed by recent Stanley Cup winner Jack Eichel.
“He’s a fast-skating, hard-driving scorer,” TSN Scouting Director Craig Button said of Fantilli. “That’s his game.”
Adam Fantilli enters the 2023 Upper Deck #NHLDraft as the No. 2-ranked North American skater and could become the sixth player from the University of Michigan selected in the top 10 since 2015.#NHLStats: https://t.co/K2Uzbka7Ft pic.twitter.com/XKN2Eri8H6
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 18, 2023
Carlsson is a natural center who had 25 points in 44 games playing a lot of wing against men for Orebro HK in Sweden’s top league this season. The 6-3, 198-pound Carlsson shined in the World Championships (five points, eight games) against professionals as well.
European scout Janne Vuorinen told NHL.com of Carlsson, “He’s a complete player.”
NHL expert picks are varied after the top three. Undersized, but smart and very productive (98 points, 60 games) left wing Zachary Benson from the Winnipeg Ice (WHL), Smith, Slovakian forward Dalibor Dvorsky or one of the top defensemen could go next to San Jose and Montreal. But the most intriguing player is Michkov.
The left-shot right wing had 20 points in 27 games after being loaned to Sochi HC of the Kontinental Hockey League by SKA St. Petersburg – playing against men. The problem for those deciding whether to draft him is that Michkov is signed for three more years and may not arrive in the NHL until 2026.
Teams such as Washington (eighth), among others, may want to move up to get Michkov – perhaps to fourth with San Jose. But many of those making NHL predictions project he could fall to those teams without a deal or be on the way to San Jose. Stay tuned.
“The timeline to be competitive should not preclude them from drafting somebody that may or may not come for three seasons,” Button said on TSN.com.
USA Top Line Popular
The No. 1 forward line for the U.S. National Team Development Program could be gone by the top half of the first round and several others won’t have a long time to wait.
Smith leads the way after recording 127 points and a +71 in 60 games. The skillful, speedy and creative 6-0, 181-pound Lexington, Mass., native likely won’t last past the fifth pick.
“You rarely see an off game from Smith,” Central Scouting director David Gregory told NHL.com. “I love the fact he plays with his head up and is always moving so he knows he can handle the puck at full speed.”
Smith’s right wing, Ryan Leonard, is very good defensively and had 94 points in 57 games while left wing Gabe Perreault was a perfect complement on the line with 132 points in 63 contests. Leonard and Perreault are also committed to Boston College.
Minnesota-bound center Oliver Moore could go higher than at least one of those players and scouts have said he may be the most “NHL ready.” Moore (75 points, 61 games USNTDP) has good speed and is strong defensively.
Defensemen: To Each His Own
All of the top half dozen-ranked defensemen in this year’s draft have been first to go in someone’s mock draft.
None of them are considered elite by most experts, but there is still a strong group to choose from that should help many team’s NHL futures odds. Teams such as San Jose (fourth) and Arizona (sixth) may even drop down and get the top defenseman on their board.
Austrian right-hander David Reinbacher might be the consensus top pick among defensemen. The aggressive 6-2, 185-pounder had 22 points in 46 Swiss A League games and has the tools to be a top-four defenseman.
Two Swedes, including swift-skating Axel Sandin Pellikka and steady Boston University-bound Tom Willander, both shined with their junior teams. Meanwhile, a pair of Russians – physical Dmitri Simashev and mobile Mikhail Gulyayev – have plenty of upside.
The top three Canadian defensemen on most NHL picks lists are offensive-minded Lukas Dragicevic from Tri-City (WHL) along with steady two-way defenders Tanner Molendyk from Saskatoon (WHL) and Oliver Bonk from London (Ontario Hockey League).
