Game Tape with Tony: Luca Cagnoni Will Smith [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTkzNzY5MTAyNTg1MDQ2NTEy/will-smith-credit-rena-laverty-us-ntdp.jpg] Will Smith Behold, my final 2023 NHL draft rankings. We know the first pick, and we pretty much know the second pick, but this draft will be intriguing based on a number of X-factors. Matvei Michkov and his Russian peers will be the big one - in-person viewings were limited by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and all the commensurate international fall-out, and no Russian-based players came to the Draft Combine. Michkov has top-three talent, but which team will pull the trigger in Nashville to secure his rights? There's also the matter of defense. The least number of blueliners to go in the top 10 of the past five drafts is two, back in 2020 (Jake Sanderson went fifth to Ottawa, and Jamie Drysdale went sixth to Anaheim). Based on projection and skill set, it's possible we don't see any defensemen go in the top 10 this year, but on the other hand, I do expect a team with a need to take one (most likely Austrian David Reinbacher) nonetheless. As for the rankings below, they are very similar to the top 100 from Draft Preview, available now [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription] everywhere. I did take license to make some changes based on late-charging players (Martin Misiak helped USHL Youngstown win a title, for example, and his play was already trending up), so there are differences. And as I have been doing in recent years, I've tossed on an additional 20 names to give you a sense of who some of the latter-round picks may be. I can only fiddle around with this draft board for so long, so let's just make it official. Here is the 120. THN.com/free. 1. Connor Bedard, C, Regina (WHL): Absolute star of a junior player whose electric skill set and junkyard dog mentality will translate easily into NHL success sooner than later. 2. Adam Fantilli, C, Michigan (NCAA): Size, speed and skill are matched with a great compete level. Leading the NCAA in scoring as a freshman cannot be ignored. 3. Leo Carlsson, C, Orebro (Swe.): Long, talented and in possession of excellent vision, Carlsson played wing but projects as a center - maybe even an Anze Kopitar type of pivot. 4. Matvei Michkov, RW, Sochi (KHL): His dynamic skill set rivals Bedard, but there is the Russian factor and his contract. On the other hand, players like Kaprizov and Kuznetsov were worth the wait. 5. Will Smith, C, NTDP (USHL): Centered the NTDP's top line and excelled. The Boston College commit is an elite playmaker with power who is just scratching the surface. 6. Dalibor Dvorsky, C, AIK (Swe.): The Slovakian national has amazing vision, which he pairs with skill and compete. Dvorsky will be a 200-foot center - and likely a very good one. 7. Ryan Leonard, RW, NTDP (USHL): Another Boston College commit and Smith's linemate, Leonard is a do-everything winger with great compete level who comes from a family of athletes. 8. Zach Benson, LW, Winnipeg (WHL): Undersized but never undervalued by his team, Benson is an offensive force. His great hands and willingness to play through traffic certainly helps. 9. David Reinbacher, D, Kloten (Swi.): The Austrian national has size, mobility and puckhandling abilities. If he can harness more offense, he's going to be a lot to handle at the next level. 10. Brayden Yager, C, Moose Jaw (WHL): A smart two-way player with a wicked shot, Yager still has some growth coming and could be a steal for a team that misses out on the first tier of centers. 11. Oliver Moore, C, NTDP (USHL) 12. Andrew Cristall, LW, Kelowna (WHL) 13. Colby Barlow, RW, Owen Sound (OHL) 14. Axel Sandin Pellikka, D, Skelleftea (Swe.) 15. Eduard Sale, LW, Kometa Brno (Cze.) 16. Matthew Wood, LW, UConn (NCAA) 17. Quentin Musty, LW, Sudbury (OHL) 18. Gabe Perreault, LW, NTDP (USHL) 19. Samuel Honzek, LW, Vancouver (WHL) 20. Tom Willander, D, Rogle (Swe.) 21. Riley Heidt, C, Prince George (WHL) 22. Nate Danielson, C, Brandon (WHL) 23. Gavin Brindley, RW, Michigan (NCAA) 24. Lukas Dragicevic, D, Tri-City (WHL) 25. Michael Hrabal, G, Omaha (USHL) 26. Oliver Bonk, D, London (OHL) 27. Cal Ritchie, C, Oshawa (OHL) 28. Mikhail Gulyayev, D, Omsk (Rus.) 29. Otto Stenberg, C, Frolunda (Swe.) 30. Dmitri Simashev, D, Yaroslavl (Rus.) 31. Lenni Hameenaho, LW, Assat (Fin.) 32. Daniil But, LW, Yaroslavl (Rus.) 33. Jayden Perron, RW, Chicago (USHL) 34. Adam Gajan, G, Chippewa (NAHL) 35. Bradly Nadeau, C, Penticton (BCHL) 36. Theo Lindstein, D, Brynas (Swe.) 37. Carson Bjarnason, G, Brandon (WHL) 38. Ethan Gauthier, RW, Sherbrooke (QMJHL) 39. Luca Pinelli, LW, Ottawa (OHL) 40. Etienne Morin, D, Moncton (QMJHL) 41. Charlie Stramel, C, Wisconsin (NCAA) 42. Oscar Fisker Molgaard, C, HV71 (Swe.) 43. Alexander Rykov, RW, Magnitogorsk (Rus.) 44. Hunter Brzustewicz, D, Kitchener (OHL) 45. Kalan Lind, LW, Red Deer (WHL) 46. Andrew Gibson, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) 47. Brad Gardiner, C, Ottawa (OHL) 48. Cam Allen, D, Guelph (OHL) 49. Tanner Molendyk, D, Saskatoon (WHL) 50. Nick Lardis, RW, Hamilton (OHL) 51. Roman Kantserov, RW, Magnitogorsk (Rus.) 52. Kasper Halttunen, RW, HIFK (Fin.) 53. Jakub Dvorak, D, Liberec (Cze.) 54. Maxim Strbak, D, Sioux Falls (USHL) 55. Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Prince George (WHL) 56. David Edstrom, C, Frolunda (Swe.) 57. Jan Sprynar, RW, Rimouski (QMJHL) 58. William Whitelaw, RW, Youngstown (USHL) 59. Luca Cagnoni, D, Portland (WHL) 60. Dylan MacKinnon, D, Halifax (QMJHL) 61. Casey Terrance, C, Erie (OHL) 62. Beau Akey, D, Barrie (OHL) 63. Aram Minnetian, D, NTDP (USHL) 64. Jordan Tourigny, D, Shawinigan (QMJHL) 65. Quinton Burns, D, Kingston (OHL) 66. Jessi Kiiskanen, RW, Pelicans (Fin.) 67. Anton Wahlberg, C, Malmo (Swe.) 68. Andrew Strathmann, D, Youngstown (USHL) 69. Coulson Pitre, RW, Flint (OHL) 70. Nico Myatovic, C, Seattle (WHL) 71. Noel Nordh, LW, Brynas (Swe.) 72. Mathieu Cataford, C, Halifax (QMJHL) 73. Caden Price, D, Kelowna (WHL) 74. Denver Barkey, RW, London (OHL) 75. Brady Cleveland, D, NTDP (USHL) 76. Emil Pieniniemi, D, Karpat (Fin.) 77. Trey Augustine, G, NTDP (USHL) 78. Brady Stonehouse, RW, Ottawa (OHL) 79. Matteo Mann, D, Chicoutimi (QMJHL) 80. Noah Dower Nilsson, LW, Frolunda (Swe.) 81. Martin Misiak, C, Youngstown (USHL) 82. Carson Rehkopf, C, Kitchener (OHL) 83. Tyler Peddle, LW, Drummondville (QMJHL) 84. Aydar Suniev, LW, Penticton (BCHL) 85. Alex Pharand, RW, Sudbury (OHL) 86. Danny Nelson, RW, NTDP (USHL) 87. Tristan Bertucci, D, Flint (OHL) 88. Jayson Shaugabay, RW, Warroad (MN HS) 89. Easton Cowan, LW, London (OHL) 90. Gracyn Sawchyn, C, Seattle (WHL) 91. Zeb Forsfjall, LW, Skelleftea (Swe.) 92. Albert Wikman, D, Farjestad (Swe.) 93. Alex Ciernik, LW, Sodertalje (Swe.) 94. Rasmus Kumpulainen, C, Pelicans (Fin.) 95. Jesse Nurmi, LW, Kookoo (Fin.) 96. Jake Fisher, C, Cretin-Derham (MN HS) 97. Ruslan Khazeyev, G, Chelyabinsk (Rus.) 98. Ethan Miedema, LW, Kingston (OHL) 99. Tuomas Uronen, RW, HIFK (Fin.) 100. Jonathan Castagna, C, St. Andrew's College (PHC) 101. Gavin McCarthy, D, Muskegon (USHL) 102. Jaden Lipinski, C, Vancouver (WHL) 103. Jacob Fowler, G, Youngstown (USHL) 104. Mazden Leslie, D, Vancouver (WHL) 105. Joseph Willis, C, Saginaw (OHL) 106. Matthew Mania, D, Sudbury (OHL) 107. Michael DeAngelo, LW, Green Bay (USHL) 108. Gabriel Szturc, C, Kelowna (WHL) 109. Zach Nehring, RW, Shattuck-St. Mary's (PHC) 110. Tomas Suchanek, G, Tri-City (WHL) 111. Terrell Goldsmith, D, Prince Albert (WHL) 112. Carsen Musser, G, NTDP (USHL) 113. Ondrej Molnar, LW, Erie (OHL) 114. Hoyt Stanley, D, Victoria (BCHL) 115. Timur Mukhanov, LW, Omsk (Rus.) 116. Angus MacDonnell, C, Mississauga (OHL) 117. Felix Nilsson, C, Rogle (Swe.) 118. Connor Levis, RW, Kamloops (WHL) 119. James Petrovski, D, Owen Sound (OHL) 120. Aiden Fink, RW, Brooks (AJHL)
