My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft - Part 3: 10-1

Here is the final part of my 2023 rankings; the top ten!

1. Colby Barlow - Wing - Owen Sound Attack

Barlow is just such a solid NHL prospect. Does he have the highest upside in the draft? Definitely not. But, he's such an efficient player in so many different ways, and as such, I just can't see him failing to become a quality/useful NHL player in some regard. For some people, that's not enough for a potential top 20 selection and I understand that. For me...if I'm picking in that range and I can get an Alex Killorn or TJ Oshie type of player, I'm pretty happy. There's no coincidence that both of those guys have Stanley Cup rings. You win in the NHL playoffs with players like Colby Barlow. There's no question that he's not the most skilled or creative player out there. There are currently some skill limitations that will need to improve for him to reach that Killorn/Oshie level. This is particularly true of his puck reception consistency. He can struggle to gather passes at full speed or cleanly catch pucks in the slot for scoring chances. This is partly why he's not a dynamic transition leader, but is better served as transition support. However, that can and should improve. Barlow's skating doesn't concern me either. I think that for the game he plays and for the game he is going to play at the NHL level, his skating is good. He generates great linear power and quickness and this helps him beat defenders to spots and pucks. Does he need to improve his balance/agility? Definitely. But, that can also be improved as we have seen recently with Mason McTavish, a fairly similar straight line attacker. The other parts of Barlow's game are...as I said earlier...just solid. The shot is very dangerous; his release is very deceptive. He can score in multiple ways and has a clear understanding of how to play a power game to get himself looks near the net. He's a hard worker in all three zones who won't need his starts sheltered. He competes hard physically. I think his playmaking ability and vision are underrated. He's not Craig Janney, but I've seen him make some really nice reads and passes out of the cycle or coming off securing possession on the forecheck. By drafting Barlow, you're getting a top notch offensive support player who can be a great complementary piece on your second line for many years.

2. Cal Ritchie - Center - Oshawa Generals

I can understand the hesitation with ranking Ritchie as a mid first round pick. His year and performance this year was a rollercoaster. It started with a tremendous Hlinka/Gretzky performance. That carried into a strong start with Oshawa. That was followed by a big time lull and some injury issues. Which, was followed by a great end to the year with both Oshawa and the Canadian U18 team. The year also included the struggle with a nagging shoulder injury that came to a head at the U18’s. I mean, talk about a whirlwind. But here's why I like Ritchie and why I would have no hesitation using a top 20 pick on him; I think he's one of the smartest players in the draft. Whenever Ritchie has been surrounded by other great talents and had strong support on his wings (or has moved there himself), he's played fantastic. But in Oshawa this year, the inconsistent play stems from him just not being ready physically to be the sole focal point of an attack. Thankfully for him, in the NHL, he'll be surrounded and flanked by other players of his quality. Are there things that concern me? Sure, he's not a perfect prospect. The skating, specifically his quickness, will need to improve. He's going to need to improve the consistency of his defensive game and become more consistently physically intense. He needs to continue to work on his shot and improve his confidence in using it to make him more of a dual threat in transition. However, I do believe that he can improve all of those things. When his development is complete, I do expect Ritchie to turn into a Ryan O'Reilly kind of player. They both are so good at protecting the puck down low and creating coming off the wall. They are both so intelligent with the puck in transition and invite contact/pressure to help open up passing lanes. There's such a quiet effectiveness to Ritchie's game that masks how skilled he is too. Make no mistake, if Ritchie had played this year on a strong team and not a rebuilding Oshawa team, I think we'd still be talking about him as a potential lottery selection as we were in preseason. 

3. Nick Lardis - Wing - Hamilton Bulldogs

There's no question that I'm higher on Lardis than others. At McKeen's, we ranked him 32nd, but I'm pretty doubtful that he's an actual first round selection. Do I think he deserves to be? Yes, but that's another story. I mean, how could you not be impressed with what he accomplished following the trade to Hamilton? He instantly became one of the league's most consistently dangerous offensive players. The big difference in that was an increase in physical intensity. In Peterborough, he was too perimeter oriented. But the shift to become a player who attacked inside the dots made all the difference in Hamilton. Lardis' combination of elite level speed and goal scoring ability makes him such an interesting NHL prospect. The scary thing is, I actually think he's only scratching the surface of being able to utilize his speed as a weapon. He's still pretty slight and can get knocked off stride too easily and he can also struggle to cleanly catch/carry when trying to build speed. With added strength, I believe both of those aspects of his game will improve and he becomes a near unstoppable force at the junior level. The shot is such a massive weapon for him too. The release on both his wrist shot and his one timer are terrific; lightning quick. He can score from anywhere on the ice. He can score from a standstill or in motion. Personally, I don't think he was terrific at the U18's, but I also think that he was utilized improperly by the coaching staff. It looked like they wanted him to be more of an F1, high energy guy and he's just not at that level off the puck yet. If you want a better indication of Lardis' ability and progression, watch the first round of the OHL playoffs where he nearly dragged a rebuilding Bulldogs team past Brandt Clarke and the Barrie Colts. Look, there's no question that Lardis is going to take some time. He's going to need to finish his final OHL seasons and then probably play in the AHL too, but someone's patience could be rewarded as, IMO, Lardis has among the highest scoring upside of any player from the OHL this draft.

4. Quentin Musty - Wing - Sudbury Wolves

At this point, it seems like you either love Musty or you don't. Weirdly, I seem to be one of the few who finds themselves right, smack dab in the middle. There are many components of Musty's game that I really like. Early on in the year, he was incredibly frustrating to watch because his decision making with the puck left a lot to be desired, but once the switch to Derek MacKenzie was made (as coach of Sudbury), that became way less of an issue. Musty is going to commit turnovers. He's a highly confident puckhandler who loves to challenge defenders one on one. But, picking those spots to attack are critical and he did a much better job of that as the year went on. Musty's passing ability is top notch. He can saucer pucks right on sticks through multiple defenders; his precision is tremendous. Obviously, the physical tools are intriguing too. He's a big kid who flashes a power game to go with his high end skill. He can be effective on the forecheck and he will throw his body around when he's motivated. The offensive upside is legitimate and there is absolutely no denying that Musty's ceiling is the highest of any player available from the OHL this year. So what are my concerns? For one, the skating will need to improve. Musty is fine once he gets going. But his feet are heavy. His start ups need major work. On top of that, his off puck intensity level and success are inconsistent at best. That combination of weaker skating and wavering intensity level is a dangerous one. Ask those who championed Michael Dal Colle. For a big kid who can play that power game, Musty doesn't play between the hashmarks nearly enough for me at this current moment. He has such a good shot, but he doesn't get himself enough looks to use it because he's not consistently outworking defenders to get positioning. So where does that leave us? For me, Musty is a 30-40 guy and not a locked in first rounder. Once you get outside the top 30, the upside is too much to pass up. But inside? I just have too many questions, even if I do like him.

5. Oliver Bonk - Defense - London Knights

I would have had a tough time ranking Bonk this highly if I didn't believe that he was one of the smartest defenders available in the entire draft. The physical tools aren't elite. He doesn't really have a standout skill. Yet, he's so effective because of how well he anticipates the play and how well he thinks the game. I mean, would you expect anything else from a player who grew up around the game like Oliver (with father Radek)? But it's truly the foundation of his game. Defensively, he's rarely caught out of position. His stick placement is great. He's always one step ahead of the opposition by closing down lanes. He is great at gaining leverage when trying to win battles for the puck or for position. Bonk has great scanning habits with the puck in the defensive end and is a breakout machine because of it. He does a great job running the point in the offensive end because he gets shots through and makes quick decisions with the puck. He is also effective offensively because of his off puck play and anticipation. He's so sneaky and consistently finds gaps in coverage by going back door or jumping up in the play. The question ultimately becomes, what is Bonk's upside without those elite physical tools? He's not the best skater or most agile four way mover. He's not an overtly physical player. He's not an extremely creative puckhandler or the type of defender who can make players miss cutting through the neutral zone. Bonk's game is highly simplified but also highly effective. Because of that, the range of outcomes is pretty vast. Is he Devon Toews or Josh Morrissey? Is he more of a solid second pairing guy like a John Marino or Calvin de Haan? Is he more of a solid depth guy like Jon Merrill? The answer to that is tied to how much Bonk can improve his skating and skill to go with his great processing ability. 

6. Carson Rehkopf - Center/Wing - Kitchener Rangers

Speaking with scouts, Rehkopf has to be one of the draft's most polarizing players. It really depends on what night you saw him play. The consistency issues are real. I was firmly on team Rehkopf until I wrote a really lengthy piece for McKeen's on him (found here). Writing that piece and combing through hours of video really helped me understand where the concerns about him come from. His physical intensity level really does waver. His two-way commitment level does too. He can be too perimeter oriented and he can float in the offensive zone looking to use his heavy one timer. There are some bad habits built into his game. Yet, I'm magnetically drawn to Rehkopf like a moth to a flame because of his immense physical tools and how he flashes the ability to utilize them to be a dominant force all over the ice. There's a chance that the switch never turns on and he's a Brendan Perlini type. But there's also a really good chance that with more consistent ice time and better conditioning, he fulfills his upside. It's a dice roll, but that's why he's more of a 40-60 guy and not a true first round option. What Rehkopf does well is rare. He's a potential power forward with great quickness, a big time shot, and the ability to be a versatile two-way player. Rehkopf consistently creates chances for himself by being a quick strike player thanks to how quickly he builds speed. Then he can protect the puck with his length and get inside of defenders. His one timer and wrist shot are in contention to be the hardest shots of this year's draft class. Accuracy and release are a work in progress, but his shot is a real bullet. His off puck play is just really inconsistent. One game, he's dialed in on the forecheck, is working hard on the backcheck, and is driving the net to get position. Another game, he plays passively. If everything works out well, you've got a really good middle six forward. And if it doesn't, Rehkopf is probably more of a depth guy like Perlini was. It's a risk, but it's a risk worth taking IMO.

7. Carey Terrance - Center/Wing - Erie Otters

I just really like Terrance. I've made that pretty clear with my coverage this season. This guy can impact the game in so many different ways, but we haven't seen it consistently because Erie just wasn't great this year. I think his versatility makes him such an intriguing option. Look at the difference between how he was used in Erie vs. with the U.S. U18 team, yet he found success both ways. In Erie, he's a primary play driver at pivot who is counted upon to use his speed to lead the Otters in transition and who controls play in the offensive zone with his quick feet and strength on the puck. With the U.S. U18 team, he was asked to play the wing with Oliver Moore in a support role. He was asked to use his speed to forecheck, to drive the net and to play more consistently off the puck. This versatility, in combination with his speed is going to make him an attractive target to NHL teams who probably see him as fairly moldable in the future based on their needs. Terrance is a strong two-way player already. He has a very underrated shot. His 30 goals this year (third most among U18 players) were no fluke. He led the Otters in goal scoring by a significant margin (next closest was Sam Alfano with 18). Terrance is also a terrific forechecker, IMO one of the better ones in the OHL. His quickness is so difficult for opposing defenders to handle. Now...is the ceiling high? No, I don't believe so. I think Terrance profiles best as a quality third line option in the future. But, his well rounded skill set is going to give future coaches a lot of options on how they utilize him. 

8. Coulson Pitre - Wing - Flint Firebirds

Here's the main reason why Coulson Pitre is going to go in the top two rounds this year and has a great chance to develop into a quality NHL player; he's a unicorn. By that I mean, his combination of physicality, strong skating ability, and high end vision makes him unique. Usually players who play the way Pitre does don't have the kind of passing touch and offensive zone awareness that he possesses. He's not the power forward who drives the net with his head down and is strictly a North/South player that we see a lot. He is calculated in his approach. He varies speed and pace. He is equally effective on the puck as he is off of it. He is competitive and hates to lose a 50/50 battle. He is extremely physical and brings a consistent element of truculence (oh yes, that word again). In essence, Pitre is the perfect complement to high end skilled players because of the high work rate and strong awareness he has. The only thing is that I wish Pitre had a better shot and better finishing ability overall. Maybe that's something that grows, but he's definitely more of a pass first kind of player. Like some of the other guys I have ranked in this range, Pitre could be a swiss army knife at the NHL level. Maybe he gets utilized in a top six role as a Michael Bunting/Lawson Crouse type. Maybe he is counted upon to be more of a third line, high energy guy like Sam Bennett. Either way, he's going to have value and I believe that he's going to be an NHL player in some capacity.

9. Beau Akey - Defense - Barrie Colts

Early on in the season, I would have never envisioned having Akey ranked 9th. I thought, this is a guy who I'm going to end up touting as a possible first round selection. But I felt like his development over the course of the season was a bit disappointing. After Brandt Clarke joined the Barrie lineup and his role diminished, his game kind of flatlined for me. I wanted to see more positive development in his skill/confidence with the puck and in his defensive zone decision making. Instead, he reverted into a bit of a shell with the puck and some sloppy habits crept into his game. All that said, I still like Akey and I do believe that he can possibly turn things around, I'm just not quite as confident as I was early on. That's why I see him more as a solid second round option and not earlier. Let's start with some positives. The skating is high end. His four way mobility is effortless. He generates power quickly with explosive strides. Akey flashes high end transporting ability, in addition to high end skill to hold the offensive blueline and create chances in the OZ. Defensively, his mobility gives him an advantage as he can be quick to retrievals and difficult to beat off the rush. His physical intensity did increase over the course of the year, which obviously improves his future projection as a two-way defender. However, for a player with such strong mobility, he seems hesitant to use it to his advantage. He can be tentative in using it to push deep into the offensive zone. His routes to retrievals aren't great and it causes him to get pinned in the defensive end. If he were to take better routes, he would be a breakout machine because his feet would help him easily get clearance to make a pass or clear the zone. His scanning habits are inconsistent and he can turn the puck over because of poor passing or clearing decisions. He can get caught flat footed when defending because he lacks assertiveness and allows the opposition to dictate pace and direction. All of these things are extremely fixable. In a lot of ways, Akey's raw two-way approach and lack of refinement in utilizing his mobility reminds me of TJ Brodie in his draft year. I think he represents sort of a best case scenario for Akey at the NHL level. The worst case is that he falls into that Roland McKeown category that I've mentioned for other guys this year; good at lots, but a master of none.  

10. Tristan Bertucci - Defense - Flint Firebirds

Heading into the U18's, it seemed like a lot of people were finally catching on to Bertucci and his three zone effectiveness. But then he didn't have a great performance for Canada and his "hype" has flatlined a bit. I think that's unfair. You simply can't base your entire assessment of a player based on a single tournament. I mean, how could you not be impressed by the massive growth shown by Bertucci over the course of this past OHL season? He had 37 points in his final 38 games with Flint, emerging as a dominant two-way leader for the Firebirds. One of Bertucci's most admirable qualities is a high panic threshold with the puck in the defensive end. He scans well and trusts his mobility. He keeps things simple with his exits. In the offensive end, his ability to get point shots through is excellent. He walks the line well and can beat that first layer of pressure with his feet. Defensively, he loves to play aggressively. You will routinely see him blowing up plays in the neutral zone or near the blueline. He has a very active stick. Now, herein lies the issue with Bertucci. His decision making at both ends can leave some to be desired. His over aggressiveness can cause him to get burned and he can get caught out of position defensively. He can make risky passes and plays in the offensive zone too, that can lead to turnovers and odd man rushes the other way. For Bertucci, it's all about learning to pick his spots better. I've heard some suggest that these errors are a representation of a lack of high end hockey sense. I would disagree. I see it as a player who wants to play a certain way, but who simply needs coaching and experience to learn how to best utilize his skill set. I think adding strength would go a long way too, because it could allow him to be more successful defensively down low. I mentioned John Marino earlier and I think he is the type of player that Bertucci could become if his development goes according to plan.