Welcome to the third edition of The Leafs Nation’s Complete First Round Model Draft. We’ve handled picks 1-16 so far, and the last piece started with the Detroit Red Wings pick of Dalibor Dvorsky ninth overall. He ended up picking the Calgary Flames off Eduard Sale 16th overall.
Today we’re going to dive in deeper and look at the next eight hypothetical choices between 17 and 24 overall. And with their second first-round pick, the Red Wings are back on the clock again at number 17.
17. Detroit Red Wings (from Van) – Lukas Dragicevic (D, Tri-City American, WHL, 6ft-1, 194 lbs)
When you have multiple picks in the first round, one of the most common paths to take, depending on your needs of course, is to take players from different locations. Or you could pull the Buffalo Sabers from last season and take three spots. In this case, the Red Wings have turned to the back end and selected Lukas Dragecevic, the highest-ranked NHL central defender, the highest-ranked North American. In 68 WHL games last season, he had 75 points.
The Richmond, British Columbia native finds himself as an early second-rounder, perhaps a late first-rounder in most draft experts’ rankings. I’m probably a little higher than most people, given the Red Wings are up to him at 17th overall, but when you have more than one first-round draft pick, you can afford those chances, and Dragecevic hits me as the best offensive defenseman in North America. . With the Wings already in their first defense ahead of Moritz Seider on the right flank, Dragecevic would be the perfect complement to the running back in play on the second pair on the road.
18. Winnipeg Jets – Dmitry Semashev (D, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL, 6-foot-4, 201 lbs)
The last time the Jets selected a defenseman in the first round was when he selected Ville Heinola in 2019. With aspirations to do so in 2023-24, he hasn’t managed to earn a place in the NHL yet, but if he develops into a player the Jets hope he will return in 2019, Symashev would be a perfect compliment to him on the back end. Although both players are left-handed, Simashev is seen as one of the best home defense defenders in the entire draft class, and if he can figure out a way to use some offense in his game, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with at the NHL level.
The other blow to Simashev’s game is that his body hasn’t quite built into his massive frame just yet. Those two things certainly come with development, and given that his roof has a potential Top 4 defense that can kill penalties and a solid pass, it’s worth looking out for a Jets organization that’s pretty weak on defense as prospects.
19. Chicago Blackhawks (TB) – Gabriel Perrault (LW, USNTSP, USHL, 5-foot-10, 165 lbs)
When you’re drafting a generational talent like Conor Bedard, your next pick in the draft doesn’t really matter. Well, in terms of positioning at least. I don’t see the Blackhawks pivoting to recruit a defenseman just because they used their first pick with a forward, especially since they drafted a seventh defenseman overall last year in Kevin Korczynski. Instead, I feel they will pick another player with a high ceiling, and one player whose name has yet to be announced is Gabe Perreault.
The son of former NHLer and Maple Leaf Yannick Perrault, Gabriel is a brilliant little forward who bleeds offense. Every year there seem to be quite a few players like this who fall into the draft because of their size, and Perreault could be one of those players. Senior or not, he’s got some incredible offensive skills, with a total of 178 points in 86 games for the USA National Development Program. If the Blackhawks can get Perreault to play on the same line as Bedard one day…we may be looking at a new era of Toews and Kane.
20. Seattle Kraken – Daniel Butt (LW, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL, 6-foot-5, 201 pounds)
After drafting top-two finishers Matty Benners and Shane Wright in 2021 and 2022, Team Kraken is off to a good start building their potential pool for the future. Not only that, they’ve already had a mini-playoff run with a second-round appearance under their belts, something quite unheard of that was brought to the norm by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017. All in all, the future is bright in Seattle, and it’s likely that Get brighter this year.
Daniel but reminds me a lot of Taj Thompson with his size and his ability to score goals. He had 15 goals and 26 points in 26 games with Loko Yaroslavl of the MHL’s Russian Junior League, and will be looking to book a full spot with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, the parent team in the KHL next season. If he can find a way to make fitness a regular part of his game, having him alongside one of the Wrights or Benners for the foreseeable future will be a really fun combination to watch.
21- Minnesota Wild – Callum Ritchie (C, Oshawa Generals, OL, 6-foot-2, 187 lbs)
In the years since moving on from the Zach Barris-Ryan Sutter era to the team, the Wild have been quietly assembling a nice little prospect centered around the likes of Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren and Jesper Wallstedt. This also does not include players like Matthew Boldy, who have already graduated and joined the senior team. Ritchie would be really good in Wild’s group of young, vibrant forwards.
Especially if the Wild see a future with Rossi as their number one center, Richie would be a nice compliment behind him as a two-way option. Of course, Wild Joel Eriksson Ek still has that six in hand for them, but anything is possible in the time between the draft and when Ritchie is ready for the NHL. He’s a player with the potential to spend two years, but he deserves the patience that will accompany his drafting.
22. Philadelphia Flyers – Samuel Hunzik (Central Vancouver Giants, WHL, 6-foot-4, 185 pounds)
Drafted 10th in the CHL Import Draft, in 2022, Honzek made a strong impression with his freshman team in his rookie season, scoring 23 goals on his way to 56 points in 43 games. After the Flyers selected (by default) Reinbacher with their first pick, I could see them moving forward with their next pick. It’s unknown how much the Flyers’ brand of Broad street bullies will change under the new GM Daniel Briere, but Honzek is more than just a big body.
He’s got a solid, accurate shot, and while his defensive game needs some work, he’s got the NHL’s top six with the right development. Furthermore, he plays left wing as well as center, so if the Flyers or whoever is drafting him see him more as a strong front winger at the NHL level, he can be moved around the front crop. The Slovak already had a year of experience playing against big guys under his belt when he came overseas, so his transition to the AHL and eventually the NHL shouldn’t be difficult.
23. New York Rangers – Brayden Yeager (Q, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL, 6 ft, 166 lbs)
His streak of 28 goals and 50 assists in 67 games won’t show it, but Yager has an explosive shot and one that the Rangers would love to have in their system. It’s been a very strange team to watch these past few years. While 2019 second overall picks and 2020 first overall picks Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere are yet to produce at the NHL level at the rate they were expected to, everything else seems to be clicking.
If they keep their first-round pick, Yager will be a very high pick for them. He was originally intended to be a top-10 selection, but didn’t take as much of a jump forward as expected after a 59-point campaign over 63 games in a solid rookie season. The talent is still there, and whether he becomes a two-way center with offensive ability or a high-octane winger at the NHL level, he’ll be a solid pick wherever he ends up.
24. Nashville Predators (TB) – Riley Haidt (C, Prince George Cougars, WHL, 6ft 181lbs)
After going with a safe option in Tom Willander in 15th overall, I have the Predators go for a ceiling-high position in 24th. Heidt took a massive step forward in 2022-23, being named to several draft boards, and his 97-point campaign saw him score in 68 games also recording 72 assists, tied with Conor Bedard for the most in the WHL.
After selecting Joakim Kemell in 2022, someone who was originally supposed to rise high but fell through for one reason or another, the Predators can add another offensive specialist with their second first-round pick. It’s unknown whether or not the Predators’ new GM will want a proper rebuild or simple retool with this team, but if they stick with both picks, Heidt will be a solid bet at 24.