2023 NHL Draft: Standouts from the CHL-NHL Top Prospects Game
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January is filled with fantastic showcase events, whether it be the World Junior Championship, Biosteel All-American Game, or, most recently, the CHL’s Top Prospect Game.
Last night’s contest was a tight affair once again, with Connor Bedard – the most hyped prospect since Connor McDavid – somehow failing to get on the scoresheet. Many looked at Team Red, saw his name and just expected Bedard and Co. to take over. Red scored early, but White scored four unanswered goals to win 4-2, with Riley Heidt (Red) and Carson Rehkopf (White) earning player of the game honors in Langley, B.C.
I released my updated NHL Draft rankings yesterday in anticipation of the game, and many of the names you saw take center stage are high up on my list. I broke down some of the top performers from major junior’s top showcase event, and you’ll notice No. 98 was most notable for work he did off the scoresheet:
Team Red
Connor Bedard, C (#98): Of all the amazing things Bedard does, the thing that really stood out to me was his physicality. It’s something that I’ve liked from him since the summer World Junior Championship, and it didn’t really matter what he did on the scoresheet on Wednesday. So the fact he was willing to throw some hits and battle for the puck as hard as he did is awesome. He had at least three solid hits and got into a few shoving matches after whistles. He’s not afraid to stand up for himself and once opponents take note, they tend to shy away. Bedard was also excellent in the faceoff dot, winning nine of the 11 he took. Funny enough, this is only third time Bedard has gone without a point all season long in any meaningful game despite leading the way with six shots.
Gracyn Sawchyn, RW (#59): Bedard was the one everyone was talking about on Red, but Sawchyn was maybe the next best player. He was buzzing all over the ice in the first and created traffic that allowed Mathieu Cataford the opportunity to score on a backhander to open the scoring early. Sawchyn is having a solid first year with Seattle after coming over from the USNTDP and showed scouts what he can do with his tenacity and pucksmarts.
Mathieu Cataford, C (#22): Cataford scored the opening goal of the game, but it was his play away from the puck that was more impressive. He never stopped moving, was involved defensively and when the pressure was on, he kept drawing defenders to him and away from scoring lanes for his teammates. An excellent showing for the Halifax star.
Etienne Morin, D (#5): It felt like one of the better games for Morin this year. He did an excellent job of bailing out his teammates and getting involved in the attack, too. And that’s not surprising – he has 15 goals and 45 points this year. Morin’s game is full of high upside and he can be used in any situation needed without much difficulty. A good multi-faceted prospect that’ll likely land in the second or third round.
Luca Cagnoni, D (#73): Cagnoni didn’t register a point, but he had five shots and his teammates kept using him as much as possible. Cagnoni excelled in many notable testing categories ahead of the game itself and the momentum kept flying with an excellent showing when it mattered.
Riley Heidt, C (#27): Heidt played as well as you can expect for a guy who had nothing to show for it on the scoresheet. He nearly pulled off a lacrosse goal, only for Scott Ratzlaff to get his shoulder over in time. He then had a five-bell opportunity midway through the third but hit the post. He had four shots on net and a few that came close – and every opportunity was dangerous.
Team White
Brayden Yager, C (#29): Yager is one of the smartest prospects in the draft and isn’t afraid to use his patience to his advantage. He helped set up the game-tying goal early in the first when, instead of firing a hard shot from far out, he shot it low to create a rebound for Colby Barlow. He then came close after creating his own opportunity near the midway mark of the third, instead hitting the post. Yager didn’t score, but you noticed him every shift, and you’re used to that if you watch him closely.
Scott Ratzlaff, G (#33): After allowing the game’s first goal – a tough one off a backhander – Ratzlaff was excellent, making a couple of big stops against Bedard and Co. The Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender entered the game with four shutouts and a 16-5-0 record and was fantastic at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup over the summer, too. He tends to show up when the scouts are watching. Ratzlaff ended the night with 24 saves, including a fantastic right shoulder stop on Heidt near the end of his time in the crease. Personally, I haven’t had many negative viewings of Ratzlaff. And, maybe most importantly to many others, Bedard couldn’t figure him out.
Oliver Bonk, D (#59): Bonk had to deal with a high-flying offensive effort from Red and continuously found a way to shut down the game’s top talent. And even when he didn’t have the speed advantage, he made sure to take lanes away and force shots from the perimeter. Bonk never looks fazed against other top scoring talent and that poise should help him translate well to the NHL.
Kalan Lind, RW (#13): Lind is such an intriguing player. He’s got the skill to play with anyone and knows how to put a ton of points on the board. But few players hit like he does, and he loves to challenge anyone who’ll take him on. Lind dropped the gloves in the first minute of the third with Alex Pharand and both got a couple of good shots in. Lind also landed a big hit on Zach Benson in the opening period that set the tone for the game before getting in the face of a few others. That game felt like the full Kalan Lind experience, minus scoring a goal.
Carson Rehkopf, LW (#16): It seemed like it was only a matter of time until the strong Kitchener forward got one on the board and the go-ahead goal in the third was a pretty one. He came in at speed and whipped a wrister past Charlie Robertson, hyping up a squad that was getting outplayed for most of the fight. It’s not easy to beat Matteo Mann like Rehkopf did on the 1-on-1, but Rehkopf thrives under pressure. He then set up Cal Ritchie for an empty-netter with over three minutes to go, with the pair being the only multi-point producers on Wednesday.
Luca Pinelli, LW (#20): Pinelli is so dangerous when he’s in the slot, and he was rewarded in the third with the 3-1 goal. Pinelli was buzzing all night and had three shots in the first and tied for the team lead with five shots. Pinelli is small at 5-foot-9, but he plays such a high-energy game and gets so much out of his release in a quick fashion. There’s always talk about whether a small player can transition to the NHL effectively – you give him a setup guy and he’s not going to miss many opportunities.