By now you are (should be) aware the Bruins have traded picks in the first, second and fifth rounds of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. They also gained the Los Angeles Kings pick in the seventh round giving them five picks in the draft.
The prospect pool is depleted as is their draft capital so it can only benefit the Bruins to play it safe with their drafting philosophy this time around while also trying to find that diamond in the rough. If it appears to be an impossible task to play it both ways, it is. The scouting department has their work cut out for them. And as tough as that task will be come June 29 in Nashville, 2024 will be even more difficult making it vital that they get this one right.
With Mason Lohrei and Trevor Kuntar having turned pro, and a few more likely on the way before September (Brett Harrison, Ryan Mast and Frederic Brunet), the Bruins are not in a great position where it comes to assets. Several more will turn pro over the next couple of years (as many as eight) so it might make more sense to look heavily towards Europe, USHL, NCAA and Canadian Junior A where they have the rights to players for up to 5 years as opposed to CHL players with only two years.
That doesn’t mean ignoring CHL players altogether. But if all things are considered equal, shouldn’t you go with the player you have control over for a longer period? We are talking third to seventh round here so it’s not like one player is going to be “that much better” than the next guy on the list.
It’s quite possible none of these players will be available when the Bruins approach the mic. If they are, I would give them some consideration (or not in some cases). A lot will depend on when General Managers decide it’s time to draft a goaltender. Usually, when one goes, we see a string of them. Since the 2000 Entry Draft, the majority of goaltenders were selected in the sixth round followed closely by the fifth round. Then there is a drop off to the third round followed closely by the seventh round. If they pass on these players, I won’t lose any sleep.
Let’s take a look at where the Bruins will be picking and some possibilities based on my own rankings. I have also included NHL Central Scouting’s rank as well as some of the public rankings for comparison including McKeen’s Hockey, Red Line Report and Upside Hockey. You will see by the difference in opinion how much of a crapshoot it really is. (My player rating scale is from 3 to 9):
Third Round – 92nd overall
Noel Nordh – Right Wing – Brynas Jr – J20 Nationell (Sweden) – HT: 6’2” WT: 195 – Shoots: Right
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 20 Europe | 97 | 94 | 114 | 99 | 81 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 6.5 |
You’d think that a player Central Scouting has ranked 20th among European skaters is looking like a middle second rounder, right? Then, some of the public rankings have him as a very late third rounder, or very early fourth rounder. I can honestly say having watched a lot of the J20 Nationell the last couple of seasons, I am not impressed – at least not in this spot.
He’s got NHL size and he is a very good skater. But his game consists of going up and down the wing and going to the net. There is no east-west game in his mind. I will admit he has good hands when in front of the net and he has an NHL caliber shot, but his below average hockey IQ makes it a non-starter for me. So, why include him on this list? Because someone is going to look at his rankings and ask why not? I just wanted to give my thoughts. And I am sure PJ Axelsson has a good read on the player.
Jesse Nurmi – Left Wing – KooKoo – SM sarja U20 (Finland) – HT: 5’10” – WT: 165 -Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 28 Europe | 101 | 91 | 90 | NR | 157 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
I like Nurmi. A lot. I know a lot of fans will question the size, but he plays a much bigger game than his size indicates. The thing that stands out the most is his motor. He’s a great skater who gets in on the forecheck and causes havoc. And he wins many more pucks than not. Highly intelligent player who finds the soft spots on the ice to get open and then goes straight to the scoring areas once he receives a pass. He has great vision with very good passing/playmaking skills. He’s been a driver for KooKoo but I’m not so sure he can be at the next level. Certainly, the heart is there. He works just as hard defensively. You’d be hard pressed to find a player that puts in the effort on the backcheck he does at this level.
Nurmi got into 9 games with the big club in the Finnish Liiga last season and is under contract with them for the 2023-2024 season.
Gavin McCarthy – Defence – Muskegon Lumberjacks – USHL – HT: 6’1” – WT: 180 – Shoots: Right
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 52 N.A. | NR | 95 | 81 | 70 | 117 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
McCarthy got off to a slow start with Muskegon last season but he came on strong as the season progressed. He has good size but has some filling out to do. He is not shy about physically engaging along the walls or protecting his net and is one of the better hitters in this draft class. He’s a good skater who is quick to retrieve pucks and begin the transition to offence either by skating or making an excellent first pass. He can quarterback the powerplay using good vision and playmaking skills from the point. However, his point shot is below average for a true quarterback, but he does get it on target and he does get it through. Improving on it is key for McCarthy.
McCarthy is committed to Boston University for the 2023-2024 season. I need not remind Bruins fans they love guys playing in their back yard. If he’s available, I think the Bruins give him some serious consideration. I have to admit, I don’t understand the “Not Ranked” by FC Hockey here.
Zach Nehring – Center – Shattuck St. Mary’s – USHS Prep – HT: 6’3” – WT: 185 – Shoots: Right
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 59 N. A. | NR | 103 | 93 | 116 | 82 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
High level hockey IQ with great size and capable of playing in any situation. Nehring is an elite scorer at this level and in a good program with Shattuck St. Mary’s. He’s also more than capable of grinding it out with a body that just needs a little filling out. He is already well accomplished defensively, able to use his long reach and active stick to break up plays and he is dominant on the penalty kill with an effort and ability to throw his body in front of shots. He is a very good skater with some quick first steps and is not afraid to challenge defenders one-on one or go through them. His willingness to crash the net with or without the puck is breathtaking (if you’re a Bruins fan).
He’s headed to Western Michigan University for the 2023-2024 season and my guess is he won’t be spending 4 years there. Will he be available when the Bruins pick? The combination of size, skating, Hockey IQ and work ethic are intriguing but if you go by Central Scouting, he should be on the board. Some of the public rankings have him as a very late third to very early fourth rounder.
Matthew Mania – Defence – Sudbury Wolves – OHL – HT: 6’1” – WT: 180 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 70 N. A. | 85 | 101 | 92 | 46 | 106 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
Mania has good size and is a smooth skater who moves well in all directions with a good amount of speed. For you Bruins fans, don’t expect a lot of physicality. That is to say, if you want a lot of physicality, look elsewhere. What he does bring is puck transitioning. He can skate the puck out of danger or make a good first pass. He has a good level of Hockey IQ, knows when to join the rush and pinches at the right times. At this level, he has shown to be capable of quarterbacking the powerplay. He has very good vision and with his Hockey IQ he makes the right decisions. He does an excellent job of getting his shot through and he has a pretty good shot.
Defensively he needs to put in a lot of work but, Mania has the skill set I like offensively. I’m not to worried about the defensive aspect of his game as with good coaching, that part of his game can come along. I’m more worried about the lack of effort at times but that can improve in the right situation.
Fourth Round – 124th overall
Brady Cleveland – Defence – USNDT U18– USHL – HT: 6’5” – WT: 210 – Shoots: Left
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 64 N. A. | 257 | 121 | 106 | 120 | 78 |
Few players in this draft possess the size Cleveland does. And even fewer play as nasty as he does. He’s the old-style defenceman that likes to punish the opposition every chance he gets. If you’re going up against him, you’d better have your head on a swivel. His mobility is good for a player his size. He keeps his gaps tight before rubbing out his opponent along the walls. He uses his long reach very well and with an active stick. He’s a tough S.O.B. to battle against in front of his own net. Few will also stand up for a teammate like Cleveland does. He’s not going to bring offence to the table and that’s fine for a shut-down defenceman. My concern is that he sometimes struggles with the break out.
If the Bruins are serious about bringing some muscle to the back end like they’ve tried to do by bringing in the likes of Nick Wolff and JD Greenway, then Cleveland deserves a look.
Cole Knuble – Center – Fargo Force – USHL – HT: 5’11” – WT: 184 – Shoots: Right
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 105 N. A. | NR | 125 | 177 | 106 | 118 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 5.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
Cole Knuble, son of former Bruins Mike had a very good rookie season with the Fargo Force during the 2-21-2022 season yet, he went undrafted. He followed up last season with 30 goals and 36 assists in 57 games and was great at the Junior A Challenge Under-19 and surely will hear his name called out in this draft. The issue is that he lacks the speed you want to see in a player that is 5’11”. His overall technique could use some work.
Knuble thinks the game at a quick pace. He instinctively knows where his teammates are and finds them. On the flip side, he finds the soft spots so that teammates can find him. I was surprised to find that Knuble was fifth in the USHL in primary points. How does he find success with his skating? His hockey IQ, his ability to process quickly and his excellent passing abilities. His defensive game is ahead of the curve. If someone believes they can really help him with his skating, he should go higher, much higher.
Jordan Tourigny – Defence – Shawinigan Cateractes– QMJHL – HT: 5’11” – WT: 165 – Shoots: Right
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 123 N.A. | 56 | 124 | 105 | 103 | 143 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
Tourigny is a smaller puck-moving offensive defenceman that really needs to add some bulk to his frame. He’s a smart player who is constantly surveying the ice to make plays. He makes a good first pass but has the willingness to skate the puck out of danger if he doesn’t find an outlet option. He picks his spots on when to jump into the play, rarely making a mistake. He can quarterback the powerplay and always has his head up knowing what his options are even before the puck reaches his stick. It’s hard to get a true read on his defensive game because he played on a poor Shawinigan team that spent a majority of time defending, but he displayed some ability there. It’s probably going to need some work and finding consistency.
Personally, I think Central Scouting has him ranked far too low and on the opposite end of the spectrum, FC Hockey has him ranked far too high. NHLCS would place him in and around the sixth-round while FC would have him in the second-round. For me, he’s somewhere in the middle.
Angus MacDonell – Center – Hamilton Bulldogs – OHL – HT: 5’10” – WT: 180 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 142 N. A. | 185 | 148 | 120 | NR | 112 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
If I had to pick one player on this entire list that would be a fan favorite in Boston, it’s MacDonell. There is only one gear on his motor and its top gear. He’s a great skater with good top speed. Despite his size, he takes the body at every opportunity. On the forecheck, he gets in quickly and makes contact despite size differences and wins battles and pucks. He gets to the danger areas quickly with no hesitation. He’s dangerous in front of the net and can score from the dots. His defensive game is advanced for this level.
I guess it’s safe to say he can find a fourth line role who can kill penalties, provide energy and physicality and can play both center and wing at the next level. If he can continue to develop his puck skills, he could become a third liner at the next level.
Eric Pohlkamp – Defence – Cedar Rapids Roughriders – USHL – HT: 5’10” – WT: 201 – Shoots: Right
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 118 N. A. | 209 | 127 | 128 | NR | 119 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7.0 |
Pohlkamp is another draft re-entry who went from a decent first year in the USHL to being named the league’s defenceman of the year this season. While he isn’t the poster child on why the NHL should raise the draft age, you can put his name on a growing list of reasons. Pohlkamp can impact the game at both ends. He plays aggressively in his own zone. He’s a very good skater in four directions, keeps his gaps very tight and aggressively attacks. He’s great at transitioning and once in the offensive zone, he is constantly surveying the ice and knows where everyone is and can make plays look simple. He also possesses a howitzer of a shot from the point and is certainly capable of beating goaltenders with it.
There are still things to work on for Pohlkamp. One of those things is to better understand zone coverage in his own end. He can get caught chasing the puck and leaving his zone uncovered but it’s not something coaching can’t fix. Pohlkamp will be heading to Bemidji State next season to further develop.
Sixth Round – 188th overall
Emil Pieniniemi – Defence – Karpat U20 – SM-sarja U20 (Finland) – HT: 6’2” – WT: 170 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 31 Europe | 174 | 191 | 154 | 135 | 105 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
I’ll be the first to admit, this is a gamble. Pieniniemi has good size at 6’2” but is pretty lean and is lacking in the physicality department. He’s got good mobility and decent speed. He appears to understand his responsibilities in the defensive zone and is quite effective when the puck is on his stick. However, he seems lost at times when he doesn’t. Could he benefit from more coaching?
He’s another player you might ask why I have on this list and the answer is that the general consensus is he would be drafted right around this spot. I believe his skill set is average right across the board, meaning he isn’t going to hurt you. It also means he projects as a bottom pairing defenceman and I don’t believe the upside is there for more than that. But you need those kinds of players to fill your roster at this spot.
Yegor Rimashevsky – Right Wing – Dynamo Moskva – MHL (Russia) – HT: 6’3” WT: 200 – Shoots: Right
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 36 Europe | NR | 90 | 193 | NR | 137 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
The scouting community is divided when it comes to Rimashevsky. Born in Belarus and playing in Russia, it will be easier to name any success story the Bruins have had drafting out of Russia than it would to name all this misses over the years. As a draft prospect, he is still very green. He is just now learning to use his size to his advantage. He’s an excellent skater with a powerful stride and excellent edge work for a player of his size with very good top speed. He’s shown flashes of upside in every aspect from IQ to playmaking to vision but is a work in progress.
He will return to the MHL for next season and is under contract with the KHL for the 2024-2025 season so there is opportunity and room for him to develop in Russia before he comes to North America. Past experience drafting from Russia probably makes the Bruins shy here.
Zaccharya Wisdom – Right Wing – Cedar Rapids Roughriders– USHL – HT: 6’1” – WT: 172 – Shoots: Right
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 104 N. A. | NR | 164 | 135 | NR | 184 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 7.0 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
Wisdom is the younger brother of Zayde Wisdom, who I had hoped the Bruins would give some consideration too in the 4th round of the 2020 Entry Draft. Zaccharya is a draft re-entry and was not selected last year after too many concerns about his skating, lack of offence and play with the puck. He’s a prime example of what putting in the effort in the offseason can do. His skating has improved dramatically. His offence has improved. His play with the puck has improved to the point where he drove his line. His tenacity and physicality have also improved to the point he is always looking to make contact.
If MacDonell is my choice as most likely to be a fan favorite, Wisdom is not far behind. I may be a little bold in my placement of him on this list, but I can’t ignore the work he has put in and will likely continue to put in. You can’t teach work ethic and he has enough skill to play a well-rounded game. He’s a sleeper here.
Luke Mittelstadt – Defence – University of Minnesota – Big 10 – HT: 5’11” = WT: 198 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 98 N. A. | 131 | 198 | 235 | 119 | 130 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 |
If there was ever a poster child for a player being ranked all over the map, Mittelstadt could be him. Maybe being Casey’s younger brother plays a role? Or maybe it’s because he is a late bloomer who is now in his third and final year of draft eligibility. He had a very good freshman season with the University of Minnesota and even earned a spot with Team USA at the WJC U-20.
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 105 N. A. | NR | 125 | 177 | 106 | 118 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 5.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
Cole Knuble, son of former Bruins Mike had a very good rookie season with the Fargo Force during the 2-21-2022 season yet, he went undrafted. He followed up last season with30 goals and 36 assists in 57 games and was great at the Junior A Challenge Under-19 and surely will hear his name called out in this draft. The issue is that he lacks the speed you want to see in a player that is 5’11”. His overall technique could use some work.
Knuble thinks the game at a quick pace. He instinctively knows where his teammates are and finds them. On the flip side, he finds the soft spots so that teammates can find him. I was surprised to find that Knuble was fifth in the USHL in primary points. How does he find success with his skating? His hockey IQ, his ability to process quickly and his excellent passing abilities. His defensive game is ahead of the curve. If someone believes they can really help him with his skating, he should go higher, much higher.
Aron Jessli – Left Wing – Pickering Panthers – OJHL – HT: 6’0” – WT: 183 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 162 N. A. | NR | 195 | NR | NR | 217 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 |
Born in Lorenskog Norway, Jessli and his family moved to Canada in time for the 2018-2019 season and except for a short stint in Finland during the pandemic, has been plying his hockey skills in Ontario and was named the OJHL Top Prospect for this season. Let’s clear up one thing first: If you’re surfing the internet, you will see him listed anywhere between 5’11” and 6’4”. NHLCS officially measured him in at 5’11.5” and 183 pounds.
Jessli is a great skater with very good speed and plays the game at a high pace – which isn’t always a good thing. Sometimes you just have to slow it down. Put he can create offence for himself or his teammates and has excellent puck skills. He finished third among all CJHL (excluding the BCHL) skaters in points by Under-19 players. Jessli is also not afraid of contact and amassed 111 penalty minutes. His defensive game is a work in progress and has a way to go. He’s committed to Niagara University next season and will get proper development time there.
Seventh Round – 214th overall (via Los Angeles Kings) & 220th overall
Frantisek Dej – Center – Vitkovice Jr – Slovakia -2 – HT: 6’4” – WT: 200 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 48 Europe | 259 | 212 | 213 | NR | 163 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 5.5 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
It’s been a few years since the Bruins had a hulking Slovak on their roster. Dej is no Zdeno Chara. He’s a center, not a defenceman, but he is big though and his body is almost filled out. He loves to get on the forecheck and outmuscle his opponents. Ditto with the front of the net. Excellent using his body to take away the goaltender’s vision. Plays physical at both ends and is actually quite accomplished defensively. Just in the last year, Dej has represented Slovakia at the Hlinka-Gretzky, the WJC U-18 and the WJC U-20.
There’s one major flaw with Dej and that is his skating. I have no issues saying he is probably one of the slowest skaters in this draft class. So, is he worth taking a gamble this late hoping you can work with him on improving his skating? I like all aspects of his game but the lack of speed. The technique is okay, and he is strong on his skates so I’m not sure how or if you can fix it.
Matvei Maximov – Center – Dynamo Moskva – MHL (Russia) – HT: 6’0” – WT: 175 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 77 Europe | NR | 213 | 274 | NR | HM |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.0 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
If you watched Maximov early in the season, you thought he might just tear up the MHL. But things kind of tapered off for him. To his credit, he continued to work hard and it all came back later in the season and he carried that into the playoffs where he finished with over a point per game.
Maximov is a good skater with a decent amount of speed. He’s also a smart player who sees the ice very well and can make crisp, clean, tape-to-tape passes. He’s also sneaky, able to always get into the soft spots himself to receive a pass and then rip off a very good wrist shot. His defensive game will need some work, especially if he’s going to play down the middle. But he also plays all three forward positions and brings a little physicality. He’s a couple of years away though, with a KHL contract for the 2024-2025 season.
Owen Beckner – Center – Salmon Arm Silverbacks – BCHL – HT: 6’1” – WT: 175 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 86 N. A. | NR | 199 | 186 | NR | HM |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
Beckner is one of those players that you can hold onto his rights for 5 years. He is committed to Colorado College for the 2024-2025 season so he will return to the BCHL for next season or could go to the USHL – Drafted by Tri-City Storm 51st overall at the 2023 USHL Entry Draft – and if he spent the entire 4 years in the NCAA, that would be 5 years of holding his rights. He could slip from Central Scouting’s list because not many teams are willing to invest the five years – if it takes that long.
He’s a big center. he can skate, he can score and he can make plays. He’s a highly intelligent player that you can rarely look at and say he made a mistake. His attention to detail, especially for a centreman’s responsibilities is advanced. He’s willing to do all the little things that don’t show up on the scoresheet. That said, he can lack in the motivation department at times and I feel comfortable enough to say it will come along with experience and the right situation.
Aaron Pionk – Defence – Waterloo Black Hawks– USHL – HT: 6’1” – WT: 170 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 117 N. A. | NR | 222 | 216 | NR | 101 |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
Pionk is a late blooming defenceman who is in his third year of draft eligibility. So, where do you take a chance on a player who has been passed over twice? The internet shows him listed anywhere between 5’10” and 6’2”. NHLCS officially measured him in at 6’0.75” and 170 pounds. The incredibly smart defencemen had a smooth transition and successful season in the USHL. He will be heading to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for next season.
Pionk is a good skater with excellent 4-way mobility. It is that mobility combined with his vision and high hockey IQ that makes him dangerous at the offensive blueline. His ability to move in any direction creates lanes and opportunities and then uses his other skills. Defensively, he can elude pressure and start the transition. There’s a surprising amount of physicality to his game. Pionk is the younger brother of Neal Pionk who was never drafted and was also a late bloomer.
Teddy Townsend – Center – Eden Prairie – USHS – HT: 5’10” – WT: 160 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 167 N. A. | 188 | 215 | 335 | NR | HM |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 |
Townsend is another player they could potentially hold onto his rights to for five years. He is committed to the University of Minnesota for the 2024-2025 season and will spend next season with the Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL where he played 5 games last season to get his feet wet. This is the draft territory where you want to take risks and I believe there is plenty of offensive potential with Townsend even though he didn’t show enough growth in his second season of high school hockey in Minnesota.
Yes, he is on the smaller side but has a lot of strength in his legs. He possess a strong, powerful skating stride with good speed and uses that effectively to drive to the danger areas. He’s able to find soft spots on the ice and if the puck comes to him, he can get off a very good shot. He’s also a terrific playmaker and passer who made those around him better. Eden Prairie wasn’t exactly a juggernaut offensive team which also intrigues me. With a September 2 birthdate, he is one of the youngest players in the draft and barely makes the cut-off date. It’s likely teams will wait until 2024 to select him after he gets into a full season in the USHL to better understand what he is as a player.
Jake Livanavage – Defence – Chicago Steel – USHL – HT: 5’10” – WT: 175 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 181 N.A. | 148 | 187 | 263 | NR | HM |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
After recording 45 points in 61 games during the 2021-2022 season, Livanavage went undrafted and re-enters the draft in 2023 coming off 36 points in 48 games season. He’s small, yes. But he can skate and as a puck moving defenceman he transitions with excellence. He can move up the ice quickly and gain the opposition blue line with possession and then set up shop and use extraordinary playmaking skills to set up teammates. He can quarterback the powerplay using superb lateral movement to create lanes to find teammates. The shot though, needs some work.
I guess a year ago, you could rightfully question his defensive game. But he took it upon himself, and with the help of the coaching staff in Chicago, made some big gains in that part of his game. I don’t think there’s a question anymore. Livanavage is heading to the University of North Dakota for the 2023-2024 season.
Spencer Sova – Defence – Erie Otters – OHL – HT: 6’1” – WT: 185 – Shoots: Left
| NHLCS | FC HOCKEY | MCKEEN’S | RED LINE | EP | UPSIDE |
| 182 N. A. | NR | 172 | 269 | NR | HM |
| SKATING | PHYSICALITY | SKILLS | IQ | SHOOTING |
| 7.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
Another draft re-entry and probably more likely to be a camp invite than selected in the draft (he was invited to Sabres camp last summer). But someone might like the fact that he can skate and this season vowed to use his skating ability to become more offensive, and it worked for him. Let’s face it: He was on a poor Erie Otters team that had trouble scoring and finished third on his team while pushing the offensive pace from the back end for his team.
Spencer has the skating ability and brains to be an offensive producer. He can start the transition by skating himself, or making a good first pass and then join the rush. He is very good at gaining zone entry and maintaining possession and then surveying the ice and making a good pass, or calling his own number. His defensive game is what needs some work and playing in Erie, it was hard to get a read on exactly where he sits in that department.
There you have it. Honestly, theses players could go anywhere from the third round to the seventh round. It will all come down to what team believes they can fix “issues” in a player’s development. This is just how I see it. Hope you enjoyed it.
Follow me on Twitter @dominictiano
Dom - Hockey 