This mock draft has a number of significant differences from Red Line Report’s own value board, which has Russian prospect Matvei Michkov at No. 2 behind generational talent Connor Bedard. Michkov, an absolute master at changing speeds, would be the top pick in eight of the last 10 drafts.
Red Line Report is a pure scouting service and ultimately ranks prospects in the order we would select available players if we lived in a vacuum where needs and other outside forces never entered the equation. This mock draft merely represents a fun exercise in scenarios that we think might happen on draft day.
Our first mock draft had Michkov being taken in the top five. In this version, he drops lower in the draft:
1. Chicago Blackhawks — Center Connor Bedard, Regina Pats
What more needs to be said at this point? This is not so much a choice as it is a coronation of King Connor.
2. Anaheim Ducks — Center Adam Fantilli, University of Michigan
They’ll go with a big, skilled center to join Trevor Zegras and give them some size down the middle. They got used to the size/skill advantage Ryan Getzlaff gave them down the middle for so many years and look to replicate it here.
They need speed and offense to excite the fan base. They consider Michkov here, but the Columbus franchise needs more instant gratification than he provides, and Smith is an easy sell.
4. San Jose Sharks — Center Leo Carlsson, Orebro (Sweden)
The Sharks are happy to land a player who is probably the most pro-ready of the bunch. Carlsson has already proved he can play, and excel, against men, and instantly upgrades them down the middle.
5. Montreal Canadiens — Left wing Zach Benson, Winnipeg Ice
Montreal extends its history of choosing unwisely in the top 5 (see Doug Wickenheiser, Alex Galchenyuk, Jesperi Kotkaniemi). Nothing against Benson, who will be a very productive pro, but it has literally been 40 years since the Habs have had a chance to add a goal scorer as explosive as Michkov. No guts, no glory.
6. Arizona Coyotes — Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Skelleftea (Sweden)
They traded away Jakob Chychrun, their only puck-moving defenseman, at the deadline, so Sandin-Pellikka is just what is needed. He’s probably not physically ready yet to play 82 games against men, but he should be soon.
7. Philadelphia Flyers — Right wing Ryan Leonard, U.S. NTDP
They could certainly use an elite shooting winger who can score 30-35 goals while playing good two-way hockey. Then again, who couldn’t?
8. Washington Capitals — Right wing Matvei Michkov, Sochi (Russia)
When have the Capitals ever shied away from taking the most skilled Russians? It has been almost 20 years since Alex Ovechkin landed in D.C., and this seems like a perfect passing of the torch.
9. Detroit Red Wings — Defenseman David Reinbacher, EHC Kloten (Switzerland)
Steve Yzerman believes in building strength from the goal line out, so he jumps at the chance to pair Reinbacher up with Moritz Seider along the back end.
10. St. Louis Blues — Left wing Eduard Salé, Brno (Czech Republic)
They have three first-rounders and use the first to nab the highest-end skill player left on the board. After parting ways with Vladimir Tarasenko last season, they need a new game-breaking winger.
11. Vancouver Canucks — Right wing Matthew Wood, University of Connecticut
After dealing away Bo Horvat, they could use some more size up front. Bring the western Canada boy home – he’ll be a big hit.
12. Arizona Coyotes (from Ottawa Senators) — Left wing Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack
They shored up the back end with their first pick, now they go after some goals. Adding another young gun on the wing to Dylan Guenther makes for a nice pair of bookends.
13. Buffalo Sabres — Right wing Gabriel Perreault, U.S. NTDP
Wow, this Sabres club is starting to look awfully scary up front. They have a bunch of jumbo-sized goal scorers. How about a smallish distributor to facilitate for all those monsters?
14. Pittsburgh Penguins — Center Dalibor Dvorsky, AIK (Sweden)
How much longer can Sid and Geno continue to be their strong, dominant centers? They need to start planning ahead, and they couldn’t do any better than this big bull.
15. Nashville Predators — Left wing Samuel Honzek, Vancouver Giants
They have a very vanilla group up front and could really use an injection of size and goal scoring. That makes Honzek a natural fit.
16. Calgary Flames — Center Nate Danielson, Brandon Wheat Kings
Rugged, gritty two-way centers who can score are in the Flames’ DNA. It doesn’t hurt that he’s from right up the road in Red Deer, Alberta. so Calgary is happy to bring him home.
17. Detroit Red Wings (from New York Islanders) — Center Anton Wahlberg, Malmo (Sweden)
Detroit super scout Hakan Andersson is the most influential voice at their draft table, and he drills down deep on all the Swedish prospects. We think he’s going to love this robust winger who came on like gangbusters.
18. Winnipeg Jets — Center Brayden Yager, Moose Jaw Warriors
He didn’t dominate the way everyone expected, but he has top-10 talent and the Jets gamble that they can bring it out of him with the proper development.
19. Chicago (from Tampa Bay) — Left wing Quentin Musty, Sudbury Wolves
The Hawks are totally bereft of any wingers with size or skill, and Musty helps them take their first step on the long road back to relevance.
20. Seattle Kraken — Left wing Nick Lardis, Hamilton Bulldogs
The Kraken want to be a speed and skill team, and nobody fits that profile better than the best skater in the draft who scores goals in bunches.
21. Minnesota Wild — Center Oliver Moore, U.S. NTDP
They’re transforming themselves from a slow, lumbering team to a fast, attacking team. That style of play fits Moore to a T.
22. Philadelphia Flyers (from Columbus Blue Jackets) — Left wing Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets
This is strictly a “best player available” pick. The Flyers look over the field and see a top-15 talent left on the board, and it’s just too good a value to pass up.
23. New York Rangers — Center Otto Stenberg, Frolunda (Sweden)
The young wingers they’ve been counting on for secondary scoring haven’t gotten the job done, but this kid should. He drives the play and competes with passion.
24. Nashville Predators (from Edmonton Oilers) — Defenseman Lukas Dragicevic, Tri-City Americans
A team that used to be awash in good young defensemen is now relying on three guys in their 30s to play huge minutes, without much coming up in the system.
25. St. Louis Blues (from Toronto Maple Leafs) — Right wing Kasper Halttunen, HIFK Helsinki (Finland)
They continue restocking up front. They could use his size and chippy play in the Western Conference, and the booming shot is a bonus.
26. San Jose Sharks (from New Jersey Devils) — Center Calum Ritchie, Oshawa Generals
With a sure thing like Carlsson already in the bank, they can take a small gamble on a really talented center who doesn’t always play up to his capacity. If he hits, the center spot is locked up for a decade.
27. Colorado Avalanche — Winger Daniil But, Yaroslavl (Russia)
They’ve had pretty good luck with huge European wingers who score a lot (think Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog), so they dip into that well one more time.
28. Toronto Maple Leafs (from Boston Bruins) — Defenseman Luca Cagnoni, Portland Winterhawks
They’ve tried to populate their blue line with older, slower veterans these last few years and it hasn’t worked. They need someone who can move it up quickly and spring all those talented forwards on the break.
29. St. Louis Blues (from Dallas Stars) — Goalie Jacob Fowler, Youngstown Phantoms
Goalies aren’t selected to make immediate impacts, but the Blues do have to think of their long-term future in net. They have their pick of the litter here, and we think they’re fixated on Fowler.
30. Carolina Hurricanes — Defenseman Tom Willander, Rogle (Sweden)
He just feels so much like a Hurricanes defenseman – cut from the same mold as Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei. There are flashier offensive guys on the board, but this is a natural fit.
31. Colorado Avalanche (from Florida Panthers) — Right wing Gavin Brindley, University of Michigan
Tiny, but highly elusive, skilled and competitive, Brindley’s body control and ability to score off balance at odd angles are things you don’t see every day.
32. Vegas Golden Knights — Center Ethan Gauthier, Sherbrooke Phoenix
The Golden Knights value smart and versatile, and Gauthier represents both of those virtues. The bloodlines and work ethic seal the deal.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL mock draft 2023: Matvei Michkov falls out of top five;
