2023 NHL Draft prospects: Player comparisons for top prospects in 2023 NHL Draft

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2023 NHL Draft player comparisons

Many believe that Bedard is the best pure hockey prospect since Connor McDavid came around. We've had some pretty great players come out since McDavid as well, including Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Hughes and Cale Makar. I think early on Bedard will look more like McDavid offensively and eventually develop into a better two-way player like Sidney Crosby. Really, the sky's the limit for Bedard. We should see him in the Hart Trophy conversation in 4-5 seasons if the Blackhawks' rebuild continues to progress.

Player comparison: Sidney Crosby

There are a lot of players you could compare to Fantilli, who just won the Hobey Baker award for top collegiate player this past season at Michigan. Fantilli is the complete package and it's crazy to think his skill may be getting overlooked a bit. Not only does he have top-end skill and scoring ability but should develop into a very good two-way forward. So think Patrice Bergeron, Jonathan Toews, Ryan O'Reilly, Brayden Point. I see a lot of Los Angeles Kings C Anze Kopitar in Fantilli.

Player comparison: Anze Kopitar

The top of this draft is just stacked with top-end talent. Carlsson and Fantilli you could make a case for at No. 1 overall in a draft without Bedard. Swedish prospects are generally tough to project given the difference in ice and style of play in Europe. What should give us hope for Carlsson is his size. He isn't the quickest skater but can get up the ice and has good vision. At 6-foot-3, Carlsson will win puck battles, can crash the net and set screens. It's easy to point to Elias Pettersson of the Canucks when thinking Carlsson. Though, I do think Carlsson projects more as a scoring wing than a pivot. Dallas Stars C Roope Hintz also comes to mind. Honestly, Carlsson won't end up with the same career but Alex Ovechkin without the shot/scoring touch? Let's go with someone who should have been playing with Ovechkin.

Player comparison: Filip Forsberg

Not to play the nationality bias game but … Ovechkin? You can point to a handful of elite Russian forwards and Michkov comes to mind. The easiest is Artemi Panarin, who took a while to come over to the NHL. Michkov's skating and skillset look a lot like Panarin. The big difference between the two will be Michkov can play a 100-foot game. He's got a bit more defensive sense and has some of the best KHL numbers ever. Michkov's ceiling is one of the great Russian hockey forwards. The big risk is when and if he'll come over to the NHL. It appears possible but could take a few seasons and there are rumors Michkov could force his way to a certain team. Those are more draft-related concerns. As for comps, Nikita Kucherov, Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov, somewhere in that mold makes sense.

Player comparison: Artemi Panarin

  
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