Re-Drafting the Top 10 Picks of the 2023 NHL Draft

Hindsight is never an option in drafting, nor should it be.

So many variables that only come into play post-draft affect where a player's career ends up; to judge based on hindsight is unhelpful at best.

Still, it's fun to revisit a draft class and consider how they stack up against each other after time has passed and we've had the opportunity to watch them in a variety of situationsinternational tournaments, overseas leagues, the NHL.

So where would we draft the NHL's 2023 top 10 now? A year isn't a lot of time in the totality of a hockey career, but at this stage of development it's nothing to sneeze at either.

We now have a better picture of who a lot of these guys could be as NHLers.

Obviously pick 1 wasn't going to change.

Connor Bedard is still hands-down the best player to come out of the 2023 draft class.

Obstacles like a broken jaw and a terrible team did nothing to derail his successful Calder trophy campaign, and it won't be long before he's knocking on the door of other, more prominent league trophies.

He makes players around him better, though I'm sure he wishes that wasn't as necessary as Chicago has made it thus far.

Top of the list of his goals for this season is probably playing a full 82 games.

If that happens expect to see a points increase for that reason alone.

With Tyler Bertuzzi likely to play on his wingsomeone whose play should complement Bedard's style quite wellthose totals should rise even more.

Everyone's most anticipated overseas addition to the Philadelphia Flyers would, in this alternate universe, be taken where he should've been all alongat second overall.

And hey, with the Ducks' recent uniform overhaul, he'd even still be wearing all orange! All jokes aside, Michkov's offensive skill is significant enough that it warrants this high of a rise, jumping from 7th to 2nd.

He's got incredible hockey sense and vision, allowing him to be a creative playmaker and problem-solver, and his arsenal of shots is already NHL-quality.

Are there legitimate concerns about Michkov's game? Of course.

There are for everyone on this list, because that's how player development works.

But I promise you, hockey fans: you're going to love watching him this season.

Unless you're not a Flyers fan and he's playing against your team.

Then you have my condolences.

Will Smith's hockey sense and playmaking abilities make bumping him up from fourth to third feel like a no-brainer.

It's something that would've even made sense without the benefit of hindsight, which is zero slight to Adam Fantilli, who previously occupied this spot.

Smith is invigorating to watch, a playmaker of the sort that every coach wants in their lineup, taking boring, everyday plays and turning them into electric opportunities.

His puckhandling skills are top notch.

Don't be fooled into thinking that he's only a one-zone wonder, however.

Smith is just as often caught working hard in his own end, anticipating where opponents are or will be and shutting down lanes with his stick and backchecking.

Smith would fit right in with the crop of young forwards coming up in Columbus, and would likely help drive their offense to new heights.

Adam Fantilli on a team with Macklin Celebrini? Sign me up.

He only gets bumped down a slot because Smith's skill is just that slight hair higher.

Fantilli has already proven that he can hang in the NHL, despite a lacerated calf muscle ending his season early.

He struggled to sustain offensive production for long stretches during the 49 games he played, but that's not an accurate representation of the player Fantilli is capable of being at his bestit's a guy adjusting to the grind of the NHL game after leaving college.

That move looks different on everyone.

Reasons for the Sharks to draft Fantilli here in our alternate timeline are exactly the same as why the Blue Jackets actually took him at third.

He's a two-way center with fantastic skating abilityhis edgework and acceleration are to die for.

The combination of his hockey IQ and playmaking with the physicality of his game mean there's no way he'd stay on the board past fourth.

Let's be clear: Leo Carlsson being at fifth in this redraft says nothing negative about Carlsson, only positive things about the players ahead of him.

Carlsson is another player who saw time in the NHL this season, though the Anaheim Ducks managed his workload so that he didn't play a full 82 games.

Even so, he was able to showcase the skill that caused him to go second overall, and if he was still on the board at 5th in this alternate timeline the Montreal Canadiens would not let him slip through their fingers.

Hallmarks of Carlssons game include his confident playmaking and awareness, as well as the way he is able to make any move he makes appear effortless.

Pucks almost seem to come to him, and he's excellent at creating opportunities.

In a universe where he's drafted by the Habs, he'd see time with guys like Nick Suzuki or Cole Caufield and the combination would be electric.

The hockey club formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes, now the Utah Hockey Club, initially chose Dmitriy Simashev at 6th overall.

Ryan Leonard is a much better option for this spot (zero slight whatsoever to Simashev), as what he brings to the table is something every organization can benefit fromlethal goal-scoring and high-energy play with a work ethic that doesn't quit.

Leonard also brings versatility, having played at all three forward positions during his draft year, something that would have to appeal to a team like the Coyotes/Utah.

His playmaking and shot are high-end, though not elite, but it's the motor behind it allthe relentless nature of his gamethat elevates Leonard into a player you can't look away from.

What made the line of Smith, Leonard, and Gabe Perreault so lethal at Boston College and with the NTDP was that there was no one guy carrying the other two.

They were all pushing each other higher.

Leonard will likely bring that same quality to his NHL team.

Zach Benson is one of the few players from the 2023 draft who spent this season in the NHL and as such, we have a more complete picture of how he handles himself in the league than we do about other players.

Yes, even though he played for the Sabres (I would argue perhaps especially because he played for the Sabres).

A highlight of Benson's season, with all its ups and downs, was his work ethicand that's something that the Flyers would value, particularly head coach John Tortorella.

That work ethic is what will allow him to showcase the skills he brings to the table this upcoming season.

His forechecking and defensive skillset were on full display in his first year in the league, but it's his hockey IQ and anticipation that really allow him to shine.

He's genuinely one of the smartest players in the 2023 draft, a big reason why he got bumped up from 13th, and those smarts, along with his elite passing skills, will cause an increase in his offensive production as he settles into the league and gets better teammates.

Moving Gabriel Perreault to 8th overall from 23rd feels like quite the mental leap on the surface.

When you dig deeper into Perreault's skillset, however, it becomes clear that it's not really a stretch at all, and that 23rd overall spot will look like a steal before too long.

He makes much more sense inside the top 10 when looking solely at talent.

With Boston College linemates Will Smith and Ryan Leonard already off the board in this redraft, why wouldn't the Capitals take a swing at him instead? Perreault is a highly creative playmaker with elite instincts, able to anticipate where his linemates are and where he, in turn, needs to be.

His skating is likely one factor that knocked him down the draft board (the other is his size), as it's not pretty.

Skating coaches exist for a reason.

It's far less likely that someone can be taught the vision and the instincts that Perreault brings to the table, particularly when it is combined with the kind of poise he's able to maintain even under pressure from opponents.

Dalibor Dvorsky had a wild ride last season, but that ride ended in him tearing apart the OHL.

It's been noted that Dvorsky intends to try to compete for a roster spot with the Blues this fall.

In this alternate universe where the Red Wings snag him before the Blues get a chance to, he'd probably have an easier time cracking the lineup.

He's a two-way guy with great instincts and a killer shot, and would be an excellent addition to the rebuild happening in Detroit.

He's tenacious both with and without the puck.

He'll dive into puck battles with the same energy he finds teammates and makes difficult passes.

His puck skills pair well with his above-average intelligence, and any hockey coach in the league would be delighted to have a player with his work ethic.

Much like Carlsson at 5th, Reinbacher falling to 10th is less commentary on him and more commentary on what we've seen from the players ahead of him.

He's a mature, mobile defenseman who reads the ice well and is good at using his size and reach to kill plays and shut down opponents.

The style of game he plays suits the Blues' system well, with defense taking priority, but he has good hockey sense and some playmaking potential.

Getting his feet under him and playing consistent minutes could give him the opportunity to contribute on the offensive side of the game as well.

He does need to improve his gap control and be a little more active when it comes to taking away opponents' space in this particular way, especially at the NHL level.

This is likely an area in which he'll improve with more time on NHL ice..

This article has been shared from the original article on bleacherreport, here is the link to the original article.