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Prospect Watch: Top Five Defensemen available in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft
Welcome back to our continuation of the top five players available at every position in the upcoming draft. Previously we have covered centers, wings, and goaltenders.
So, the only position left to talk about is the blueliners, better known as defensemen. Now, what attributes teams consider in determining whether one defenseman is better than another has all become relative to the type of defender they are looking for. Some NHL executives may be looking for more of an old school defensively responsible defenseman like the great Larry Robinson, whose career +722 average helped him hoist the Stanley Cup on six separate occasions. Others may prefer one more offensive-minded, like the legendary Ray Bourque, who netted 410 goals in his career. Not saying that one type is better than the other it just depends on what type a general manager may need or want to add to his club at the present time. I’m an old goaltender, so I like my defensemen to take care of things in their own end before they go jumping up into the play in the offensive zone. Remember, a player can score 50 goals a year, but if he’s on the ice when his opponent scores 60, is he really being that effective?
Keeping that philosophy in mind, I constructed this list of the following players.
5. Luca Cagnoni
The first player on my list comes from the Western Hockey League’s (WHL’s) Portland Winterhawks, and his name is Luca Cagnoni. Luca is an 18-year-old left-hand shot defender who stands at just 5’10 and weighs 172 pounds. With this season being Cagnoni’s third in the WHL, he has more than proven that he can excel at both ends of the ice. For example, offensively, Luca is scoring at a rate of 1.00 points per game (P.P.G.), totaling 15 goals and 45 assists for 60 points in 60 games played. What may be more impressive, though, is what he has been able to do defensively, considering the talent he faces on a nightly basis in the WHL. Through 133 total regular season games played with the Winterhawks, Cagnoni has averaged a career +45. Because of these traits mentioned, Luca is projected by many to hear his name called in the second round. So, if this two-way defender can hit the gym and get a little stronger in the future, he has the chance to be a top-four defender in the NHL.
4. Lukas Dragicevic
Is a 17-year-old right-hand-shot defenseman who currently is playing in the WHL for the Tri-City Americans. He is 6’2 and 181 pounds and is on this list purely because of his offensive abilities. Throughout 61 games played this season, Lukas has scored 15 goals and an incredible 53 assists to achieve 68 points. Folks, that’s a defenseman who is scoring at a rate of 1.11 points per game right now! From his long outlet passes, he puts right on the tape of a teammate in full stride. To his ability to cycle the puck in the offensive zone, I guarantee you Dragicevic’s skill set has more than one NHL executive dreaming of what he could do on his franchise’s power play unit right now. The only problem is Lukas has to learn when to go and when to stay at home, seeing that he, unlike others on this list, is a minus player. And once again, I reiterate it doesn’t matter how many points you score if you’re out on the ice when the other team scores more.
3. Etienne Morin
In the third slot, I have possibly my favorite defender in this draft, 18-year-old Etienne Morin. Morin, who is also expected to go in the second round this summer, plays for the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He is another responsible left-hand shot two-way defender who excels at both ends of the ice, but where his game differs from Cagnoni’s is that Etienne can bring the physical aspect. You wouldn’t know that from looking at him, seeing that he’s only 6’0 and 183 pounds, but I bet if you asked the opposition’s winger who is having trouble skating back to the bench after colliding with him at the blue line, they would swear to you it felt as though they were just hit by their team bus. But, as impressive as Etienne’s open-ice hip checks in the defensive zone are, he has shown that he can also get it done in the offensive zone by filling up the stat sheet. Morin has recorded 17 goals, and 40 assists for 57 points in 60 games played this season. All while averaging a +21. With all these intangibles at his disposal, it’s no surprise that Morin’s name has been shooting up teams’ draft boards this season.
2. David Reinbacher
Next up on my list is the 18-year-old Austrian-born David Reinbacher. Standing at 6’2 and 187 pounds, this coveted right-hand-shot defender has been impressive this year playing for the EHC Kloton in Switzerland’s National League (top pro league). A kid who is holding his own playing against men, Reinbacher has demonstrated that he is not afraid to use his size to his advantage. Whether it be to knock his opponents off the puck, matching his forward’s stride for stride as he joins them on the rush, or unloading an accurate shot on net that the goaltender will still feel after the game, David has proven he belongs at the pro level, and thus will likely get selected somewhere in the later part of the first round of the NHL Draft this summer.
1. Axel Sandin Pellikka
Finally, we’ve arrived at who I think is the top consensus defenseman available in the draft, Axel Sandin Pellikka. Pellikka is an 18-year-old right-hand-shot blueliner in Sweden’s top professional league, the SHL. He is 5’11 and 181 pounds and is signed to play for the Skelleftea AIK until the end of the 24/25 season. Now, while Axel’s SHL’s stats of two goals and three assists for five points in 22 games played may not look that impressive compared to others on this list. His point totals from him playing in the J20 (the top junior league in Sweden) do. Before moving up to play in the SHL, this season, Pellikka was dominating the J20 by scoring 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in just 28 games. Paired with that 1.17 points per game pace in juniors, he maintained a +16 average. You may be asking what traits Axel has over the other talented young players on this list. He has the hands and accuracy that very few skilled forwards in the NHL have right now. So much so that if he was implemented into an NHL team’s roster today, I assure you he would be taking a veteran’s place in the shootout if the game went to overtime.
Again, this list was constructed based on my own preferences and biases. Each one of these players has distinct characteristics that certain clubs are looking for. Feel free to let me know which player from this list is your favorite. I’m sure, despite the order I choose to rank them in, it will not matter soon enough, as I can almost guarantee they all will make excellent pros in the years to come.
The Flyers need to get rid of the Old Guard
With management serving up yet another trade deadline folly, the fans of the Philadelphia Flyers have had enough! With teams around the league making significant moves for the better part of two weeks before the deadline Chuck Fletcher (the Flyers’ General Manager) set idle. He did so while playoff contenders acquired player after player they felt would improve their team’s chances at hoisting the Stanley Cup this season. For example, the New York Rangers went for broke, giving up all kinds of assets to add aging superstars like Patrick Kane from the Blackhawks and Vladimir Tarasenko from the Blues.
But the buyers weren’t the only ones improving their team’s outlook. Many sellers (teams considered out of the running for the postseason) were able to unload their impending free agents or unwanted contracts to gain draft capital and/or other teams up and coming prospects to get a head start on their potential rebuilds. One of the teams that were able to plunder away the best treasures at the deadline was the Chicago Blackhawks. Who over the subsequent three drafts has the possibility (with all the conditional picks they acquired) to select seven first-round talents. Make eight second-round selections, and have a total of five third-rounders. Folks, I don’t know about you, but with all those draft picks at their disposal, they are bound to build back another dynasty team sooner rather than later.
When you compare that to what the Flyers were able to do by trading Patrick Brown to Ottawa for a 6th-round pick. Giving away fan favorite Zac MacEwen to the Kings for Brendan Lemieux and a ’24 5th-round pick and sending Isaac Ratcliffe to the Predators for future considerations, you can begin to see why Philadelphia has been stuck in mediocrity for so long now.
But their troubles go well beyond Chuck’s inability to unload an impending free agent like James van Riemsdyk, who has scored 20+ goals seven times in his career (with one of those times being last year when he finished the season with a team-high 24 lamp lighters). Their problems are so deeply rooted that they date back to the beginning of their existence. Since their induction into the league, the Flyers have been known as a team that takes care of their players. This includes even after they hang up the skates for the last time, which on its face sounds amazing right? Not necessarily. Like no other team in the NHL, the Philadelphia Flyers have shown no shame in their corrupt practices of nepotism. Time and time again, the powers at be for the Flyers have seen to it that their friends and former teammates are gifted a job opportunity over a more qualified candidate from outside the organization. Now, I know what you’re thinking both head coach John Tortorella and GM Chuck Fletcher are from outside the organization, right? Sure, they are, but just like in politics, sometimes the people who appear to be in some of the most powerful positions, are but figureheads or puppets. In the Flyers case, the puppeteers or real shot callers are none other than former Flyers greats Bob Clarke (who is currently an executive and/or senior advisor to the Flyers), Paul Holmgren (who is a senior advisor to Dave Scott), and Bill Barber (who is a senior advisor and scouting consultant for the Flyers). These three men (all of which) who haven’t even played professional hockey in close to 40 years are the real powers that be. The ones who have been around the organization SO LONG that they have become consiglieres of sorts. But my question is, why do they still hold this mafia-type control over the team when the league as a whole has changed so much from when the Bullies ruled the ice?
In their day, teams filled their rosters with knuckle draggers who would beat their opponents into submission. Now, teams are built on the premise of skill using new in-depth hockey analytics that helps competent executives find affordable role players to fill their salary cap-restricted rosters. Something that the Flyers’ old guard knows nothing about. Hence the reason why Philadelphia has been so unsuccessful since the league’s implementation of said salary cap back in the 2005-2006 season.
This fear of the unknown has resulted in the team’s blind hiring of people in key positions for their franchise. People like 64-year-old Kjell Samuelsson, a former Flyers player who, since the moment he retired some 24 years ago, has been gifted jobs within the organization anywhere from an assistant coach with the Phantoms to his current role of being the Director of Player Development.
Or how about Dave Brown, a former Flyers tough guy who, over parts of 22 seasons, has held at one time or another the position of Assistant Coach, Director of Player Personnel, and or Director of Professional Scouting. As Coaches and GM’s came and went for the team, who could fathom that these two men would be allowed to hold onto these titles for that long despite Philadelphia being viewed among the league’s worst in scouting and player development? The old guard, that’s who. A bunch of old men who would rather see the team they claim to love so much falter year after year so that their old linemates are not without a job.
Now, as much as I would like to say that is where the systemic nepotism ends within the Flyers organization, I would be lying. It is SO deep-rooted that Danny Briere had his current job of Special Assistant to the GM made up for him. Both former Flyers Ian Laperriere and Jason Smith find themselves coaching the Phantoms. And there’s a laundry list of nostalgic players of old now inked to be player development coaches: Sami Kapanen, Sam Morin, Nick Schultz, and Chris Stewart, to name a few. Something has to change! While it is a nice gesture, it has not been conducive to the team winning championships. Operating with the same stagnant thought processes that they had since the late 60’s, and early 70’s is precisely why the Flyers haven’t been able to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup in the last 48 years. So, until ownership realizes they need to drain the swamp by cutting ties with their good old boys. Get used to the mediocrity, as the Flyers will continue to leave you wanting something more when they make future “massive moves” like trading for Brendan Lemieux at the deadline.
Contenders continue to add pieces for their Playoff Push as the Flyers sit Idle.
The NHL Trade Deadline is Friday, March 3rd, 2023, at 3:00 pm. And yet again, it would appear as though the Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher seems content waiting around for the action to come to him rather than doing his due diligence by picking up the phone and trying to SELL his less-than-desirable impending unrestricted free agents to a contending team.
While Chuck has been sitting on his hands pondering if his team should be buyers or sellers these past few days. Multiple playoff hopefuls have been paying other seller dwellers a premium to make deal after deal to acquire players that they feel will help them make a run at the Stanley Cup. Leaving the Flyers with fewer and fewer teams that will be willing to still make a deal with them come Friday.
Other floundering teams haven’t seemed to have a problem with this kind of indecisiveness because they understand that the early bird gets the worm. The Chicago Blackhawks realized their dynasty, in which Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were a big part of bringing the franchise three Stanley Cups together, is ending. Thus, they have been busy making deals to get an early start on a full rebuild. The Blackhawks already have garnered themselves a 2nd rd. pick this year, a conditional 1st in 2025, and a 2nd & 4th round pick in 2026. This is coming even before Patrick Kane’s imminent move to the New York Rangers.
How about Nashville? After announcing that he would be retiring at the season’s end, Predators GM David Poile was able to restock the cupboards after receiving quite the haul from the Lightning in exchange for their gritty forward Tanner Jeannot. Poile talked Tampa Bay into giving up defensive prospect Cal Foote, a top ten protected 1st in 2025, 2024 2nd, and their 2023 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks for Tanner. As well, as a 2nd in ’24 from Winnipeg for Nino Niederreiter
The Blues, who seemed to fall from grace after last season’s success, obtained two first-round picks in 2023, a 2nd in 2024, a 3rd in ’23, and a 4th in 2024 for Vladimir Tarasenko (NYR) and Ryan O’Reilly (Tor.)
All these teams mentioned above will be better for years to come for what they have already been able to accomplish. Meanwhile, the Flyers only move thus far has been to ship out a failed prospect in Isaac Ratcliffe to the Nashville Predators for future considerations. Hardly compares, right?
As for the dwindling number of teams willing to make a trade when the Flyers finally see fit to do so, all I can say is that list has only diminished that much more over the course of my writing this article. The Carolina Hurricanes, who sit atop the Metro Division, just acquired Jesse Puljujarvi from the Edmonton Oilers. Toronto added defenseman Jake McCabe from Chicago and paid dearly for center Ryan O’Reilly from the Blues. As previously mentioned, the Lightning got their guy in Tanner Jeannot from the Predators. The Devils pulled off a heck of a trade for Timo Meier, previously of the Sharks. Colorado added defensive depth from Chicago in the form of Jack Johnson. The Golden Knights picked up Ivan Barbashev from the Blues. The Stars got Evgenii Dadonov from the Canadiens. The Jets picked up Nino Niederreiter from the Preds. Boston pulled off a couple of deals that saw them add Shane Bowers from the Avalanche and Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway from the Caps. The Rangers have already seen Vladimir Tarasenko play for them, who they got in a deal with St. Louis, and the Islanders picked up captain Bo Horvat from the Canucks.
Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, while all these trades were taking place, Uncle Chuck debated whether he should get rid of a guy like Nick Seeler, a 29-year-old third-pairing defenseman. To which I would want to ask him why this was even a question. Although, Nick has proven to be rather serviceable with his physical play and ability to lineup on both the right and the left side. If a team was interested in him, then by all means, move him for a future asset. The Flyers have defensemen who can easily take his spot in Ronnie Attard who made the AHL All-Star Team, and Egor Zamula, who has been chomping at the bit to receive an extended look at the NHL level. The Flyers have Ethan Sampson and Emil Andrae ready to take their place on the Phantoms’ blue line next year.
All I have to say is that this organization had better acquire some future assets by ridding themselves of expiring and/or bad contracts in the next few days. If they don’t, the Flyers fanbase will be ready to give up on the team for the year and tune into something more exciting, like Phillies Spring Training Games or the Sixers fighting to make the Playoffs.