2023 NHL Draft: Best players available on Day 2

NASHVILLE – Now, the fun really begins.

We had the excitement of Day 1 of the NHL Draft on Wednesday, led by Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson and Adam Fantilli. But Day 2 is where scouting departments show their worth.

Here’s a look at the top 15 prospects still on the draft board:

Andrew Cristall, LW (Kewlona, WHL)

Cristall would have easily blown past the 100-point mark had he not had a lower-body injury. From a skill perspective, Cristall has everything going for him. His skating can be a bit of a disaster at points, though. In a vacuum, there’s a lot to like. When he has the puck on his stick, though, he’s dangerous. Surround him with quality linemates and you should be fine.

Riley Heidt, C (Prince George, WHL)

One of the best point producers in the WHL, Heidt was a huge part of Prince George’s resurgence this year. I know scouts were hoping to see him remain a consistent producer throughout the year – no issues there. It’s his play away from the puck that some are more concerned about. Count me in as a believer, though.

Gavin Brindley, LW (University of Michigan, NCAA)

Small but feisty, Brindley went under the radar in Michigan, largely due to Fantilli’s heroics. He’s as competitive as it comes, and he’s a solid straight-line skater, but there’s still some room to improve from an overall puck skill and hockey sense standpoint. Another year of college will help.

Gracyn Sawchyn, C/RW (Seattle, WHL)

Sawchyn left the USNTDP in 2022 and used it as a chance to earn more ice time and opportunity with Seattle. After scoring at a point-per-game pace, it worked, but he’s just incredibly smart and deceptive with the puck. He’ll be a solid playmaker one day, and I truly think there’s more to his game we haven’t seen fully realized at this point.

Ethan Gauthier, RW (Sherbrook, QMJHL)

One of my favorite players from a style perspective, Gauthier is fierce, aggressive and never stops moving. He saw his offensive output jump by 30 points to a nice 69 this year, establishing himself as a strong goal-scorer. His power-forward style suits him well in a middle-six role.

Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, C (HV71, SHL)

Mølgaard didn’t produce much in the SHL, but the fact that a 2005-born played more than 40 games against some of the best competition in Europe is nothing to sneeze at. He was excellent against U-20 competition, and, honestly, the smart, controlled center could end up becoming one of the biggest steals of the draft given his pro-ready tools.

Lukas Dragicevic, D (Tri-City, WHL)

Dragicevic loves joining in on the attack and getting involved in the play any way he can. There aren’t many draft-eligible defenders that can set plays up like him, using as much available time as possible to make the correct play. He needs to work on his foot speed if he’s going to excel in the NHL.

Nick Lardis, LW (Hamilton, OHL)

Late-season dominance can be very misleading, but there might not have been a more interesting forward down the stretch than Lardis. After putting up just 19 points in 36 games with the Petes, he blew up with 25 goals and 46 points in 33 games with Hamilton before going on a tear in the playoffs.

Kasper Halttunen, RW (HIFK, Liiga)

Halttunen produced nothing against men but was too good for HIFK’s U-20 team. He’s big, has a powerful wrister and has produced at all levels up until Liiga. Next year will be a big one. A bit more maturity will help take his game up another level next year, but he hits as hard as anyone, and that’s fun to watch.

Caden Price, D (Kelowna, WHL)

His game-to-game play varies, but when Price is on, he can take over and be the best player on any given shift. He’s a strong skater who throws hits with purpose and loves to rush the puck.

Anton Wahlberg, C (Malmo, SHL)

Standing tall at 6-foot-3, Wahlberg was a C-rated prospect in the NHL’s initial Central Scouting Rankings. Now? I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go in the first round. He had an impressive season against men with Malmo to help the team avoid relegation. Wahlberg then closed the year out by helping Sweden win silver as one of the team’s most valuable forward threats. He’s a good skater for a prospect his size and works hard, hits hard and wins a ton of battles along the boards. Teams will appreciate his work ethic.

Luca Cagnoni, D (Portland, WHL)

Another quick-moving, modern-day two-way blueliner. He’s not the quickest skater, and he’s definitely not a physical defenseman, but he has a wicked release and can dominate the power play.

Beau Akey, D (Barrie, OHL)

While most eyes have been on Brandt Clarke in Barrie this year, it’s hard to ignore Akey jumping up 30 points this year. He does an excellent job of rushing the puck down the ice from his own zone and he panic-passes the puck far less these days.

Michael Hrabal, G (Omaha, USHL)

The University of Massachusetts commit’s numbers might not look like much in the USHL, but he did a lot of load-carrying this year. His international play has been solid, and despite an early exit at the U-18s, Hrabal gave his team a fighting chance. It also helps that he’s 6-foot-6 but moves like a much smaller, more agile netminder.

Timur Mukhanov, C (Omskie, VHL)

At 5-foot-8, Mukhanov is undersized, but it hasn’t stopped him from producing in Russia. He’s an excellent skater, plays a dynamic two-way game, and is difficult to take the puck off despite his size. You don’t see a ton of players his size play down the middle, so expect him to move to the wing in the NHL, if he makes it.