Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - BONUS: Locked On NHL Mock Draft 2023: Picks 11 through 21

Starting point is 00:00:00 Gil Martin here from Locked-on NHL with a special presentation of the Locked-on NHL mock draft special. Today you'll hear your team make its first pick-in-R mock draft conducted by the local NHL hosts of the Locked-on podcast network. For the full 32-pick mock draft, complete with analysis from Hadi-Kalikesh of Locked-on NHL prospects, tune into the Locked-on NHL YouTube channel or listen to all three parts on the Locked-on NHL podcast on the app of your choice for free. Now on with the show. Welcome to the 2023 Locked-on NHL mock draft presented by the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. I'm Gilmartin, one of the hosts of Locked-on NHL,

Starting point is 00:00:43 and today we will bring you picks 11 to 21, courtesy of the local hosts of the Locked-on NHL network paired with analysis of each selection by Hadi Cala Cash of Locked-on NHL prospects. So we go now with pick 11 and it is time for the Vancouver Canucks to be on the board. Let's see who Vancouver is going to pick. All right. With the 11th overall selection and the locked on NHL block draft, the Vancouver Canucks select David Reinbacher of EHC Cloutin of the Swiss National League. And honestly, the Vancouver Canucks are pretty surprised to get this.

Starting point is 00:01:29 player at 11th overall in the draft. Just the way things shook out again a defenseman wasn't taken until 10th overall by the St. Louis Blues, David Reinbacher, expected by many to be a top 10th pick in this year's draft, expected by many to be the first defenseman taken off the board in this year's draft. So he fills an immediate need for the Vancouver Canucks. It's easy to envision this guy being that's a long-term right-handed defenseman staple beside Quinn Hughes. Again, he's got some offensive upside, but at the end of the day, I think he really feels need for the Vancouver Canucks. Trevor Beggs of the Vancouver Canucks picking David Reinbacher, a defenseman. Your thoughts, Hadi, on that selection. I'm not surprised at all to see Ryan Bucker go here. In terms of right-handed

Starting point is 00:02:17 defenseman, he's probably the most sure-fire bet in order to make the NHL. Now, he's the type of guy who I have a hard time seeing becoming anything less than a second-payer defenseman, but also have a of trouble seeing him become anything more than that. He's a very, very certain type of second pair defenseman. And to get that 11th overall, it depends on much of value, but I think the Canucks are looking for someone to pair up with Quinn Hughes long term. So in terms of getting that value, he might be playing higher in the lineup than he should, but he's big, he's rangey, he's extremely good in his own zone, really good at defending the rush, great skater, and really good at facilitating breakouts for his team as well. So those are a couple of his assets. Now,

Starting point is 00:02:58 the puck skills aren't to a level where I think he's going to score 40 plus points a year, but he's definitely got the skill set in order to be a solid, solid defenseman at the NHL level. All right. Sounds like a solid pick. Up next, the Arizona Coyotes and a pick they got from the Ottawa Senators. And let's take a look at who Robin Lianio picks for Arizona. With the 12th pick in the 2003 lockdown NHL mock draft, the Arizona Coyotes will select defensemen from Russia, Dmitry Shimeshv. A little bit of an off-the-board pick that a lot of people might not have seen coming,

Starting point is 00:03:40 but picking a defenseman is an absolute must for the Arizona Coyotes at this point in the draft, with them needing a defenseman in their ranks, and with ASP and Reinhbacher already off the board, they had to find the next best available, someone that could fit once again, as I mentioned earlier, Bill Armstrong's mold. And at 6-4-201 pounds, Dimitri Shimeshav fits that mold perfectly. And that is why he will be selected at number 12 in this draft. Arizona going with Dimitri Simashev,

Starting point is 00:04:15 Russian defensemen as we have our third straight defenseman coming off the board. How do your thoughts? Yeah, so for me, Simashev is basically David Reimbacher's more offensive version. He's better at him in terms of a skating ability, better than him defensively. Even though Reimbach is up there in terms of those abilities, Simashev is a step ahead. And on top of that, I feel like Simishav has a bit more untapped offensive potential. Little habits in the offensive zone, little give and goes from the blue line, pump fakes to change the angle of his shot.

Starting point is 00:04:46 Small things like that, he's also really good with a stick handling at times. There are some flashes of really brilliant kind of examples of him, deeking out of forward, who's pressuring him at the blue line in order to open up a passing lane. that kind of thing. So obviously he's left-handed. So that puts Ryan Bacher ahead of him. Unfortunately, it's the way that the NHL works. Right-handed defensemen are at a premium. But I feel like Simashev is going to be a more solid and more offensively capable version of Ryan Bacher. I said earlier that I have a hard time projecting Ryan Bacher as a top pair defenseman. I feel like Simishev could reach that. So this is a great pick for me here at 12 overall for Arizona.

Starting point is 00:05:23 All right. Good pick by the coyotes. The Buffalo Sabers are a next. With the 13th pick in the 23 locked on NHL mocked draft the Buffalo Sabers and Locked on Sabres are proud to select defensemen Lucas Dragasevic defenseman from the tri-city

Starting point is 00:05:45 Americans of the WHL Dragusivik mocked a lot lower than this sometimes sometimes this high but maybe some would consider it a bit of a reach. The reason why I like the pick, this is a right shot defenseman. There is a premium on right shot defenseman because they are far and few between

Starting point is 00:06:04 nowadays in the NHL, including on the Buffalo Sabres. They need a player like this. They have very a lot of left shot defenseman, not a lot of right shot. This guy is a puck mover, 75 points, 68 games, good size 6 foot 2. I like this pick as a developmental player with a handness on the blue line the Sabres don't have in their organization. Joe DiBiasey of locked on Sabers picking defenseman Lucas Dragasevic from the Tri-City Americans. Another defenseman, how do you run on defensemen here? Yep, absolutely. And another right-handed defenseman, but this one's a bit of an eyebrow razor for me because

Starting point is 00:06:42 Dragasevic has a lot of limitations defensively. I'm usually not too scared of, you know, good defensemen in transition who are decent offensively. Obviously, the point totals for Dragasovic speak for themselves, but he's probably the worst rush defender I've seen in this draft year. and that's rough because he's going to be spending a lot of time pinching, a lot of time creating things in the offensive zone. So rush defending is a must for a defenseman with an offensive profile,

Starting point is 00:07:09 and that's his biggest weakness. So this is high for me. I would have Dragasevich in this range of the second round to give you an idea. But I get it with the offensive upside. I mean, it's sky high with Dragasovic if he hits, but a lot of stars need to align in order for us to see the best out of Jagger's Savage in the future. The savers need a right-handed defenseman, and among those available, he's up there. But I've always put position second over skill. And there are more certain

Starting point is 00:07:40 and higher upside players available in this range. But if they're looking for right-handed defensemen, you know, Dragon Savage could definitely be one of the best available at this point. We move on now. Next pick in the draft belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins. the 14th overall pick in the locked on NHL mock draft. The Pittsburgh Penguins are proud to select Braden Yeager of the Moose Jaw Warriors and the W.HL. Lawson made. Whether the Penguins will either keep this pick or trade it for immediate help. But in my view, Yeager is too good of a player to pass up on. He's a center, which the Penguins do not have a lot of in their system. And he's also a pure goal score. I think he has a top five shot in this draft class, had 34 goals as a rook.

Starting point is 00:08:28 in the WHL in 2022, had 28 this past season, so he regressed a little bit in that department, but he worked on his two-way game and finished the season with 78 points, and then got back to basics in the playoffs where he scored six goals in 10 games. I think there's definitely a good shot that he could be on the big club towards the tail-tale end of the Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malcolon era. So Hunter Hodes have locked on penguins going with Braden Yeager of the Moosh-jaw Warriors, the center. How does he fit in in Pittsburgh?

Starting point is 00:08:58 Well, he's a high upside bet. He's one of the best scores in this draft. A really, really good shot. He can score from anywhere, but also is really good at finding space in the offensive zone. And he's also up to his playmaking ability as the season went on, got more comfortable, dishing pucks and making plays. But it is a bit of a risk with Yeager because he does lack some of that transition ability. And I see him more as a winger in the future.

Starting point is 00:09:21 The hockey sense is about average, and there are some concerns with this projectability in the way he plays. but overall the skill set is there. 14th overall isn't a bad bet for a guy like Yeager. He's proven, I mean, at the start of the year, he was in top five, top 10 contention. He dropped massively as a year went on due to some concerns there. But at the end of the day, he's got the goal scoring ability of a top liner and an improving playmaking ability.

Starting point is 00:09:48 If you want to bet on improvement and see that he continues to work on his stuff, if you're hands on with your development, you can make a really good top six player out of Brady Yeager. Today's episode is brought to you by Game Time. Buying tickets to your favorite events shouldn't be stressful. Game time is the fast and easy way to buy tickets for all the sports, music, comedy, and theater near you. With killer deals on last minute tickets and their best price guarantee, you could stop stressing over the tickets and start getting hyped for the fun that you'll have. Game time is the place for last minute tickets. Forget planning months in advance. Game time has deals on tickets right up to the day of the event. and you can get exclusive flash deals on tickets for football, basketball, baseball, concerts, comedy, theater, and more. And the game time guarantee means you'll always get the best price. If you find tickets in the same section and row for less,

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Starting point is 00:11:54 to take your bird dogs off, we promise you. On the clock next, the hosts of this draft, the Nashville Predators. With the 15th pick in the locked on NHL mock draft, the Nashville Predators Select, Colby Barlow, winger of the OHL's Owen Sound attack. In Colby Barlow's second season in the OHL, the 18-year-old Canadian earned an impressive 1.34 points per game, including 46 goals in his 59 games played. The 6-foot-1-inch winger's calling card is without a doubt his shot. In the OHL's coach's poll, he ranked first in the league for best shot, first for most dangerous in the goal area,

Starting point is 00:12:38 and tied for first for hardest shot. Barlow has great offensive anticipation, and he can shoot an accurate one-timer from even a small pocket of space. He plays a solid two-way game, and he took on a leadership role as captain of the Owen Sound Attack at just age 17. So why is Colby Barlow a great fit for the Nashville Predators? Well, the Predators just hired a new head coach in Andrew Brunette, who is looking to take this franchise in a new direction.

Starting point is 00:13:09 It's going to be more focused on offensive production and speed than relying on defense and goal tending to steal wins. Barlow's offensive talent as a finisher could be an exciting addition to now. Nashville's future roster. Plus, his beard per 60 is off the charts. So Anne Kimmel of Locked on Predators going with Kobe Barlow from the Owen Sound Attack. And is he a good fit in Nashville, a team that could use a little offense? Sure.

Starting point is 00:13:40 I mean, if you're looking for offense, Barlow brings it. He's very similar to Yeager in that element, but less playmaking and more kind of a power element to him. He's one of those guys who has the frame and the strength and the, and the physicality in order to be an NHEL. I'm pretty sure he's going to be in NHEL in some capacity. The concern with me is Barlow heavily relies on goals scoring. And it's a great ace to have in your in your in your in your back. You know, he's a great great score. I can shoot from anywhere really accurate and really powerful shot. But I struggle to see what he brings outside of that. So him and Yeager are kind of in the same category for me of guys who

Starting point is 00:14:15 struggle with hockey sense struggle with translatability, but overall have the physical kind of elements. and have enough skills in their arsenal in order to be goal scores at the NHL level. But Barlow strikes me a lot more as a winger. I could see Yeager pulling it off at center, but Barlow's a pure winger for me, a pure power forward winger if you're looking for one. And Nashville certainly seems to like those guys. Sounds like a logical pick right there. Next up, the Calgary Flames.

Starting point is 00:14:45 With the 17th pick in the locked-on NHL mock draft, the Calgary Flames select Matthew Wood, Left-wing, University of Connecticut. Wood presents a tantalizing toolbox at 6'3, 190 pounds as someone who's only 18 years old. Wood was the youngest player in Division I NCAA hockey this past season and led the Huskies in scoring with 33 points. A strong shooter that can let the puck rip off of either foot. The Canadian is an opportunity for the flames to develop a true power forward. The flames lack size in their lineup, especially on the wing. down the road, Wood's physical traits could make him truly a pain to play against.

Starting point is 00:15:24 As the old adage goes, you can't teach size, and Wood has plenty of it. So the Calgary Flames on the clock right now, and Nick Zereris of Locked-on Flames, making the next pick. And it is going to be Matthew Wood from the University of Connecticut, a center. Where does Wood fit in in Calgary? Matthew Wood reminds me so much of Tyler Topholi. And Tofoli's been doing great in Calgary. So if you can get a similar player to that in this range, you're happy. Good goal score, decent movement off the puck.

Starting point is 00:16:00 Honestly, very impressive defensively as well. But, you know, with Wood, you're betting on his skating and improving because it does definitely need to. He's a big guy and a really heavy skater. So you can see it in a stride that he struggles to carry that weight up the ice. But Defoli is not the best skater either, and he's made it more than good at the NHL level. So, you know, Matthew Wood has those elements in his games. Also, you know, got the elements to at least make a penalty-killing impact. So I'd be very, very surprised if Matthew Wood doesn't become an NHLer.

Starting point is 00:16:34 But the highest I'd see him become is a middle six score. That's what I see from him. Next up, the Detroit Red Wings with a pick that was originally belonging to the New York Islanders, and then the Vancouver Canucks. With the 17th pick in the lockdown NHL mock draft, the Detroit Red Wings are selecting Gabriel Perrault, a right wing from the United States and national team development program. Listen, guys, Scotty and I have talked about it a lot.

Starting point is 00:17:01 The Red Wings number one problem is their goal scoring. They just lack it all around. And Gabriel Perrault might be their best shot at fixing that problem. He had over 100 points and 50 goals with the US NTP this year. and he's always a threat to score or make a play from wherever he is on the ice. His incredible vision allows him to either draw defenders in before making a pass or get to an open area of the ice to receive a pass for a shot himself. That's why Scotty and I have elected to take him with the 17th pick.

Starting point is 00:17:32 So Brian Fisher of Locked on Red Wings taking Gabriel Perot, right wing from the U.S. national development team, with this well-traveled pick and your thoughts on Perot. Yeah, Perrault has been a bit of a head scratcher for me. It took a long while for me to come around on his game. I didn't see the level of intelligence that I liked from him, but once I really started focusing on him and his play on that line with Will Smith and Ryan Leonard, I realized that he was really very much a player that's able to connect with

Starting point is 00:18:04 teammates regularly, loves to cut to the inside and make small passes under Defender's sticks. Really a very connective player. If there's one word to describe him as that. Really smart, really crafty. and has a very unique skill set in terms of high-end playmaking, decent goal scoring, and high-end hockey sense as well. So I've come around on him.

Starting point is 00:18:25 He's still in my 20s on my personal rankings, but at 17, with the Red Wings working on him, especially in the abilities of their scouting department and development team, they could make a really good play out of Perot. With the 18th pick, we have the Winnipeg Jets on the clock. With the 18th overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft, Locked on Winnipeg Jets is proud to draft Edward Chalet from H.C. Commodore. Chalet is a wonderfully skilled, extremely talented, and very much raw, but still developing young winger with a great shot, excellent passing, and high hockey IQ.

Starting point is 00:19:05 Given that the Jets will be drafting towards the latter half of the first round, Chaleigh could be a very intriguing pick with a lot of upside, and Winnipeg believes in his ability to work on some of the compete issues, and continue to develop his offensive instincts. His potential is extremely high. He could be a wonderful top six winger. He brings some formidable size. And with a bit more strength and aggression,

Starting point is 00:19:30 could become a punishing winger if he also works a little bit more on his mobility. But all of the IQ, decision-making, passing, vision, and shooting are there. It's just marrying a few other elements to make him into the complete winger that the Jets desperately need. And Harrison Lee of Locked on, Winnipeg Jets. Your thoughts on this pick? Yeah, so Edward Chal is a very interesting guy. He started off the year for me in the top 10.

Starting point is 00:19:55 I was really impressed with a skill set with his off-puck movement, with his goal-scoring ability. But as the year went on, it was very obvious that you're getting nothing out of him in the defensive zone so far in his career. And obviously playing at the check top level didn't help in that regard. He was facing very strong, very powerful forwards on the back check, had trouble getting under sticks and getting, you know,

Starting point is 00:20:20 turnovers created for his team. But I feel like there was an overcorrection. I've seen him outside of first rounds entirely, but I still think he's a first round talent with the offensive skill and the offensive intelligence in order to make it work. So I've still got my bets hedged on him. 18's a tiny bit high for me. I've got him at 22nd in my rankings,

Starting point is 00:20:38 but I'm not against this bet at all for the Jets. They're looking for high upside profiles, and Shala definitely fits that profile. On the clock next for the second time, the Chicago Blackhawks. With the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft, the Chicago Blackhawks select

Starting point is 00:20:55 Samuel Hansek forward from the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. And I think the Blackhawks are in a really interesting position here at number 19. We've heard tons of rumors that they could potentially try and trade up, but if they do wind up staying put, I think

Starting point is 00:21:11 based on the players who had already been selected, Samuel Hansek is a good fit here at number 19. Gabe Pro is already off the board. Same with Colby Barlow. Matthew Wood as well. And Hanzek fits what the Blackhawks are trying to do. I think he could add some nice size to their forward prospect pool at 6 foot four, 185 pounds. And he also skates really well for that size, which is important with the Blackhawks trying to add some speed to their system as well. Good offensive player, good strong, powerful shot. Just put up 56 points in 43 WHL games this past season in his first year over in North America.

Starting point is 00:21:47 Oh, I might also add he's from Trenchen, Slovakia. There's another notable Blackhawks legend from that same town in Marion Hosa. I know that doesn't correlate whatsoever, but it could be interesting to see the Blackhawks adding another player from Trenchen here with the 19th overall selection in Samuel Hanzek. Blackhawks now with their second pick, this one originally belonging to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Jack Bushman of Locked on Blackhawks going with Samuel Hansek of the Vancouver Giants,

Starting point is 00:22:17 center and what does he add to the black hawks lineup eventually definitely size and skill in terms of size and skill combinations you don't get better much than samuel hansick at this range in the draft really crafty really elusive good at gaining the middle and and drawing players in center's really his natural position and he took a bit of a while as well to grow on me at the start of the year i wasn't a big fan but near the end of it i saw a lot more progression in hansk's game especially his physical game. I saw him rely a lot less on his frame and be more comfortable actually using his mechanics,

Starting point is 00:22:53 outworking opponents to gain pucks back. And he's approved his transition ability as well. So he's got a well-rounded profile, but also some high-end skill set in terms of his playmaking. So you never know. He could end up being a top six talent at the end of the day. And to get that at 19, this is a great valley for the Blackhawks.

Starting point is 00:23:09 No doubt about that. On the clock next, the NHL's youngest team, the Seattle Cracket. With the 20th overall pick in the Lopton NHL mock draft, the Seattle Crackin select Etienne Morin, defenseman for the Moctin Wildcats. Now, there are a lot of things to like about Etienne, the way he skates, his speed, his puck handling. But for me, what solidified it was the relationship that he has had with his coaches over the years. He reveres them. He respects them.

Starting point is 00:23:47 And for me, not only does he add the skill set that the Seattle Cracken are going to need in the years to come, but he fits into the Seattle Cracken character. And so that's why we're going with Etienne Morin. So Erica Ayala of Locked on Cracken going defense, Aetian Morin of the Mockton Wildcats. And how does that pick fit into the team that the Cracken are trying to be? build right now. This one's honestly a head scratcher for me. I've tried very hard. I think I've watched itchen Maire more than any other prospect in this draft and I've always come away underwhelmed. He's been playing 30 plus minutes on Moncton and that's kind of why the point totals are

Starting point is 00:24:31 that high, but he's a static blue line shooter, struggles to change the angle on his shots. He has the intelligence to do it. So it's just a bit of a headache as to why. Really aggressive pinches in the neutral zone and defensive zone that take his, that put his team in trouble at times. He's the type of guy would start swinging at in the third, fourth rounds, but at 20th overall, even among defensemen, if you're trying to reach, there are a couple

Starting point is 00:24:55 that were drafted after him that I would definitely look at first, but maybe the Seattle crack can see something different in him that I don't. Time will tell. He definitely has smarts, that's for sure. All right, and our last pick of this segment, next up, the Minnesota Wild.

Starting point is 00:25:13 With the 21st overall pick in the locked-on NHL mock draft the Minnesota Wild select Callum Richie Center from the Oscewa Generals. Elite prospects has this to say about Richie's game. Richie's hockey senses is defining quality in his separating skill. In the offensive zone, that means supporting the puck carrier, connecting plays, anticipating gaps in coverage, identifying where to position himself off puck,

Starting point is 00:25:38 and controlling his skating to arrive in the right places at the right time. Richie has the size profile. He has the offensive game profile. He has good defensive instincts. And he's good in the faceoff circle as well. So for a wild team looking for true centers every season, it seems like. Richie is a great ad at 21. So the Wilde closes us out on this segment with the 21st pick.

Starting point is 00:26:07 And Seth Tuple of Locked on Wild going center here with Kalim Richie of the Ashwa generals. Yeah, so Callum Ritchie, if there's one word to describe him, it's nasty. He is the Tom Wilson, Brad Marchine type of let me get under your skin at all costs and get you penalties that way. Really smart as to how he goes about it as well. He's not throwing people around and drawing penalties for nothing. Oftentimes when he draws a penalty, it's a coincidental minor. On top of that, he's one of the smartest players in this range of the draft. Really intelligent and crafty with the puck.

Starting point is 00:26:42 He's comfortable holding on to it. and making place through pressure really well. Cross-ice passes are a must with him all the time. He's able to connect with teams across the ice. So I love the skill set. I love the nastiness. It's just a matter of how he projects at the next level and how he brings that skill set up

Starting point is 00:26:59 because the skating needs to come a couple notches and the physical play needs to get a bit more refined. All right. We'll see if he can do it. Hoddy, thank you so much. That does it for part two of the locked-on NHL mock draft. tune back in for part three as we finish off the first round, discuss the steals of the draft, our biggest surprise picks, and more. All right here on Locked on NHL, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day.

Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - BONUS: Locked On NHL Mock Draft 2023: Picks 11 through 21

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