Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff will be feeling the pressure at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft to snag an impactful future NHLer with his 18th-overall pick.
Beginning to restock after yet another disappointing early playoff exit is paramount. With key players Pierre-Luc Dubois, Connor Hellebuyck, and Mark Scheifele all set to depart as soon as this offseason, a rebuild — or at least a re-tool — is inevitable, regardless of what Cheveldayoff says.
Luckily, there will be no shortage of talented players available. Last week, we explored five possible players Cheveldayoff could target: Riley Heidt, Oliver Moore, Gabe Perreault, Tom Willander, and Brayden Yager.
Related: 5 Targets for Jets with 18th-Overall 2023 NHL Entry Draft Pick
Here, we’ll take a look at five more players who should be on his radar.
Calum Ritchie — Centre, Oshawa Generals
With Dubois requesting a trade (and unwilling to sign even a one-year bridge deal to take him to UFA status) and Scheifele likely to be dealt as well, the Jets’ biggest need is at forward, specifically at centre.
In our last piece, we looked at Heidt, Moore, and Yager as three who could look great in Jets’ colours. Calum Ritchie is a fourth.
Related: 5 Ways the Jets & Pierre-Luc Dubois Situation Can Play Out
The 18-year-old right hander served as an alternate captain with the Oshawa Generals and finished the campaign a point-per-game player, scoring 24 goals and 35 assists for 59 points in 59 games. He also had two goals and four assists for six points in five playoff games.
Additionally, he represented Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, putting up 10 points in five games, and at the 2023 U18 World Junior Championship as well, recording nine points in seven games.
Ritchie is known as a playmaker who makes something happen almost every time he’s on the ice thanks to his top-tier hockey IQ. He is noted for his “silky-smooth stick work” that allows him to maneuver through crowds and for his strong decision-making skills. However, he has been noted to be unselfish to his own detriment, deferring to teammates rather than taking the onus upon himself to be a game-breaker.
He is also noted for playing a fundamentally-sound defensive game, his adeptness at taking faceoffs (he was often trusted to take important late-game draws) and his ability to kill penalties.
The Hockey Writers’ Logan Horn, in his May Top 100 Draft Rankings, writes:
“Calum Ritchie has great puck skills and sometimes it looks like he has glued the puck to his stick while carving through defenders or when he’s on a breakaway. His skills make him very well suited as a center at the next level with good size, a coveted right-handed shot, good defensive habits (kills penalties quite well), and solid faceoff results.”
Ritchie is ranked 13th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and 25th in The Hockey Writers‘ May rankings.
Colby Barlow — Left Wing/Right Wing, Owen Sound Attack
Colby Barlow is considered one of the more mature and NHL-ready products available at the 2023 Draft. At just 17 years old, he was named the captain of the Owen Sound Attack and has been noted to have professional size and an NHL-calibre shot already.
The now-18-year-old left-handed winger fired home 46 goals in his first season with the “C” and added 33 assists for 79 points in 59 games, and also put up three goals in four playoff games. He represented Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, putting up five points in five games, and at the 2023 U18 World Junior Championship as well, recording four points in six games.
Barlow is noted for his ability to find open space for himself and his teammates and his ability to finish from all over the ice. He also stands out for his willingness to play defence and block shots, and for his committment to forcing turnovers.
Barlow’s size, strength, and leadership skills give him the potential to make NHL team out of training camp, THW’s Mark Scheig writes, saying that whatever team snags him is getting the “ultimate competitor.” The Jets need players with that type of character, considering they are losing Dubois and their main problems stem from having too many core players who lack the strength of character to consistently work hard.
“There’s a reason why he is so respected at this point in his career,” Scheig writes in a prospect profile. “He takes killing penalties as seriously as he does finishing goals. He leads by example with his actions. That’s why some believe he’s a top-10 prospect in this loaded draft. There aren’t many who play like him at both ends of the ice. Should he fall too far, he could become one of the steals of this draft.”
Barlow is ranked 12th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and 17th in The Hockey Writers‘ May rankings.
Matthew Wood — Right Wing, University of Connecticut Huskies
After playing in the BCHL in 2021-22 and leading the league in goals (45) and points (85), Matthew Wood successfully transitioned to U.S. college hockey in 2022-23.
The right-handed 18 year old was the youngest player in all of men’s NCAA hockey, but recorded 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points in 35 games as a member of the University of Connecticut Huskies nonetheless. He chose to go to the Huskies to push himself instead of to the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede or WHL’s Regina Pats, who both drafted him.
Wood, at 6-foot-4, 193-pounds, has size you can’t teach but room to grow, and has been noted for having a lethal wrist shot he isn’t afraid to unleash. He is also a model of consistency despite being a freshman — he recorded at least a point in 24 of his 34 games and never had a scoring slump of more than two games — and has a strong work ethic. THW’s Horn writes:
“HIs ability to make plays in tight to his skates at speed while maintaining control is very impressive for his size. However, his real calling card is his shot which ranks near the top of the draft class in terms of deception and power. He could use a bit more speed (who couldn’t), but he has shown that his timing and puck protection skills are strong enough for him to succeed in college. Only time will tell if they can do the same for him as a pro, though I think he’ll be a great pro.”
Wood is ranked 4th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and 14th in The Hockey Writers‘ May rankings.
Oliver Bonk — Defenseman, London Knights
A defenseman is not the Jets’ top need at this draft. They currently have a back-end logjam as veterans with term (Brenden Dillion, Neal Pionk, and Nate Schmidt) are preventing younger d-men with upside (Declan Chisholm and Ville Heinola) from making the jump.
Related: 5 Moves the Jets Should Make During the 2023 Offseason
That being said, defenders are always worth at least considering. In the last edition, we highlighted Tom Willander, and in this edition, we’ll highlight two more, firstly Oliver Bonk.
Bonk, the son of longtime NHL defenseman Radek Bonk, is a two-way defender with a highly-desirable tool kit who is a safe bet to be a future top-four talent. The right-handed 18 year old is also noted as a strong competitor who possesses a physical edge that will improve as he grows into his 6-foot-2 frame.
In his second season for the London Knights, Bonk scored 10 goals and added 30 assists for 40 points in 67 games while posting a plus-17 rating. He also tallied 11 assists in 21 playoff games as the Knights advanced to the OHL Final but lost to the Peterborough Petes.
THW’s Jacob Billington, in a prospect profile, notes Bonk’s 40 points “just begins to scratch the surface of his true offensive potential” and that his smart passes and strong shot from the blue line set up a lot of scoring chances.
“His play in all areas of the ice show confidence in his own skills. His best plays begin in the defensive zone, starting with puck retrieval in board battles. While he isn’t a behemoth, he uses his 6-foot-1 frame well and plays a physical game. Once the puck is on his stick, it doesn’t take long for him to make a crisp transition pass or skate the puck out on his own,” Billington writes.
Bonk is ranked 20th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and 33rd in The Hockey Writers‘ May rankings.
Dmitri Simashev — Defenseman, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)
Dmitri Simashev is one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft, but could also be a risky pick. Opinions on him and his ceiling are divided.
The 6-foot-4 Russian defender, unlike any of the prospects we’ve analyzed so far, spent part of 2022-23 playing professional hockey, suiting up for the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in addition to two lower-level Yaroslavl affiliate clubs.
On the plus side, his defensive game is pro-ready and he has extensive physical tools, including good speed, strength, and reach. On the down side, his offensive production was non-existent with the KHL Lokomotiv squad, as he had zero points in 18 games. In 61 games between three teams, he had just 12 points, and the jury’s out as to whether he’ll provide much offence in the NHL.
Regardless, THW’s Horn writes, “it is always impressive to see a draft-year player earning serious minutes in the KHL, especially a defenseman,” and opines Simashev “might just have the highest defensive potential in the whole draft.”
Cheveldayoff must get this first-rounder right. The Jets’ fan base has become increasingly jaded and many do not feel he’s still the right man for the job due to the underwhelming results his teams have produced in his 12-year tenure. He needs a strong selection to restore some faith.
There are also risks to drafting Russian players due to travel restrictions to and from Russia due to the Russian war with Ukraine and because the NHL suspended its agreement with the KHL after Russia’s invasion. Even without those factors, a simple fact remains that many Russian draft picks decide against ever coming to North America. Choosing Simashev would be high-risk, but could be high-reward. Cheveldayoff should still consider it, but tread carefully.
Simashev is ranked 19th among International skaters by NHL Central Scouting and 22nd in The Hockey Writers‘ May rankings.
Want to read more about the 2023 Draft? Check out THW’s detailed 2023 NHL Draft Guide.