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Card shark clipart6/21/2023 After all, it was Michkov, not Bedard, that led the 2022 U18s with 12 goals and 16 points.īut there are many other factors involved that make Michkov's eventual landing spot on draft day so murky. On talent alone, Michkov would seriously contend - or possibly even be the favorite - for second overall. Matvei Michkov is one of the biggest wild cards in recent memory at the top of the NHL draft. Wild card of the top 10 SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Fantilli is a superb second-ranked prospect in the class. His pace and competitiveness can make him a forechecking nightmare and bodes well for future two-way prowess.ĭon't let a more average world junior performance get you down on his talents. Fantilli's a well-rounded offensive threat with immense puckhandling and skill. His 6-foot-2 frame is ideal for a future top-line pivot, as is his blistering speed. Unlike Bedard, Fantilli's size makes him a safe bet at center long-term. In more than half of the past six drafts, Fantilli would have been a serious challenger for the top pick. He joins Eichel and Hall of Famer Paul Kariya as the lone first-year players to win the honor.įantilli scored more goals than Eichel did in 2015 and exceeded his scoring rate on a per-game basis. With 30 goals and 65 points in only 36 games, Fantilli captured the Hobey Baker Award as the top men's player in college hockey. The University of Michigan star dominated the NCAA as a freshman. Just as Bedard has drawn parallels to McDavid, Fantilli's profile is similar to that of McDavid's running mate in 2015, Jack Eichel. Adam Fantilli is far from your typical consolation prize. The consolation prize Jaime Crawford / Getty Images Sport / Gettyĭon't be too disappointed if your team wins a lottery but doesn't get the first overall pick. Whether he remains at center or becomes a Nikita Kucherov-esque dominant winger, a team is getting an immediate game-breaking talent in Connor Bedard. Despite his lack of size, Bedard doesn't shy away from the rough stuff, playing with intense competitiveness and a surprisingly physical edge. He's played center with the WHL's Regina Pats but shifted to the wing with Canada at the world junior. He's listed at just under 5-foot-10 and 183 pounds, leaving some to wonder whether he will be a better fit on the right wing in the NHL. The lone knock on Bedard is his smaller frame. Bedard processes the game at an incredibly high level - which combined with his array of puckhandling, playmaking, and shooting - makes for the best 17-year-old hockey player we've seen since McDavid. His drag-and-release wrister has decimated goaltenders across the WHL and international stage. Bedard annihilates opponents with deception, skill, and a lethal shot. While he's still a well-above-average skater, he's not the "best in the world" caliber burner that McDavid was. Whichever team wins the draft lottery is landing a legitimate franchise-altering player in Bedard.īedard hasn't wowed quite the same way McDavid did in junior. The stats speak for themselves with 71 goals and 143 points in 57 WHL regular season games as a first-year draft eligible, a Canadian world junior-record 23 points in seven games en route to a gold medal in January, and 20 points in a single WHL playoff series. Projected top pick Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / GettyĬonnor Bedard is the most hyped prospect in hockey since Connor McDavid. *** - The Ottawa Senators will keep their first-round selection should they move up in the lottery and would instead transfer their 2024 first-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes, as a result of the Jakob Chychrun trade. The Canadiens selected Juraj Slafkovsky first overall in 2022. ** - Should the Montreal Canadiens win one of the two lotteries, the club won't be eligible to win another draft lottery until the 2027 draft. * - The Anaheim Ducks have a 25.5% of landing the first overall pick as five teams can't pass them with a lottery win. The Predators last hosted the draft in 2003, when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Marc-Andre Fleury first overall. ![]() The draft will be held June 28-29 in Nashville. Ottawa, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Nashville, and Calgary won't pick first overall if they win one of the lotteries. Only the bottom 11 teams in the league standings have a chance at landing the first overall pick. Lottery winners prior to 2022 don't count toward this total, meaning every team is eligible to win a lottery. Two draws will occur to determine the order for the top 16 picks of the first round.Ĭlubs can't win the lottery more than twice in a five-year span. ![]() The 16 teams that failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs are in the draft lottery and can move up no more than 10 spots. The 2023 draft lottery has been highly anticipated thanks to a host of exceptional talent available at the top of the board, headlined by phenom Connor Bedard. A pivotal day for the future of multiple NHL franchises has arrived.
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