The idea of Quentin Musty falling all the way to pick No. 21 seems like a long shot, but it is something that could happen. In fact, the Wild watched the two guys they were targeting fall all the way to them in the past two drafts.
Jesper Wallstedt fell to the Wild in 2021, which led to Bill Guerin trading up to pick No. 20 by trading pick No. 22 and pick No. 92. The Wild then saw Danila Yurov fall to them the next year because of the unknowns at the time for the Russian prospect.
Right now, Ryan Kennedy from The Hockey News has Musty getting drafted at No. 17. Other draft sites have Musty in the top 15, while some have him in the 20’s or even the 30’s. I feel like based off his ability to play the game, Musty is a top-15 pick.
“A playmaking power forward with an underused but excellent shot, Musty found himself just one point back of Colby Barlow for the scoring lead among OHL draft-eligible players despite playing in six fewer games. Musty improved with each passing week throughout the season. He blended power and skill, making plays with defenders on his back, finding passing lanes with ease at times.” - Tony Ferrari (The Hockey News)
Like Riley Heidt, Musty has a very deceptive playmaking style that is super intriguing to me. His 6-foot-2 frame doesn't result in him being the quickest of skaters, but he makes up for it with the agility he possesses.
I am never one to knock a player's skating ability and quickness, so I don’t think this will make him fall out of the top 15 – but maybe his recent illness could? Musty suffered from mononucleosis early in the year, which helps explain his slow start. But he has shown that his recent illness is behind him and since returning from it, he has been dynamite.
Who Does Musty Compare To?
I do see some Sam Bennett in Musty’s game and think that serves as a decent comparable. Bennett is a center for the Florida Panthers, but he was drafted by the Calgary Flames at pick No. 4 in 2014. After not really panning out, the Flames traded him and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the Panthers for a 2022 second-round pick and Emil Heineman.
The Panthers' second line center has 50 goals and 104 points in 144 games with Florida across three NHL seasons.
As Byron Bader points out in the graphic, Musty has almost identical D-1 NHLe and D0 NHLe as Bennett did. The only difference is Bennett is a center and Musty is a left winger.
The comparison is being made based on how Bennett plays the game relative to how Musty does. Both are physical forwards with very good playmaking ability. Bennett has the ability to make creative plays, which is something that Musty also excels at.
I believe Musty has the ability to be a top-six winger in the NHL. If the Wild take Musty, he would likely be a second or third line winger who would play on the power play. His vision and passing ability is too good to not have on the power play.
What Could You Expect From Musty?
In his second season with the Sudbury Wolves, Musty put up 26 goals and 78 points in 53 games. His first season in the OHL with the Wolves, Musty scored 12 goals and 31 points in 50 games. The former 2021 first overall pick in the OHL draft has continued to show progress for the Wolves that predicts Musty to be an effective NHL player.
The only thing I wish Musty would show more of is his shot. He has a great shot, but he doesn't use it much and elects to pass the puck more. Which sounds a lot like Mats Zuccarello, and I’d say thats a good comparable.
Even if Musty’s offensive numbers he’s shown throughout his junior hockey years doesn't translate to the NHL, he will still be a very effective bottom-six forward.
Musty is one of the better forwards in the OHL when playing in transition, and he provides a spark physically and defensively, which should translate to the NHL level.
If the Wild were to select Musty, it would take upwards of three years before he would be a staple in the Wild’s lineup. I would like to see how Musty’s game would translate to the American Hockey league before he plays in the NHL.
So with another year in the OHL and the likelihood of him getting one to two years in the AHL, you could expect to see Musty in the NHL in three years.
All data via Hockeydb, EliteProspects, and HockeyProspecting.