NHL Draft Notebook: Sale, Dvorsky, Wood & More
Every season, FCHockey’s scouts are scouring the globe to get eyes on prospects eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft and beyond.
They spend countless hours watching both live games and game tape to get the best possible analysis on the prospects entering the NHL Draft.
Here’s a glimpse at their analysis.
MATHEW WOOD | RW | Victoria (BCHL) | July 22, 2022
Spring Ranking: NR
Scouting report by Donesh Mazloum
Matthew Wood was the player I was most looking forward to seeing at this camp after dominating the BCHL ranks and leading the league in scoring as a 16-year-old. There is always an extra level of difficulty in evaluating players in leagues that are a step below the highest level of competition, so this camp and Hlinka tournament are a fantastic way to compare them directly to the best of their peer group. In that respect, Wood has passed with flying colours thus far. His size and strength stand out immediately amongst this group and as imposing he made his presence felt in these scrimmages, I imagine he will only be more effective in the actual tournament. Wood is not afraid to use his strength to his advantage and bully his way to dangerous areas however his offensive exploits are built around more than just his size. He plays with an impressive amount of nuance in his positioning and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. His smarts extend to his play with possession as he is a very balanced threat in the offensive zone. He has the finesse to stickhandle through tight spaces, the power to bull past weaker opposition, and the awareness to use his teammates when defenders overextend. He also possesses a world class release and if given an extra second to square up he will beat the goalie clean more often than not. Skating is often looked at as Wood’s main weakness, however I actually think his skating will track just fine to the NHL level. I find his stride is very reminiscent to Aleksander Barkov where there is a slight sitting posture and fairly laboured foot-speed but pace is still generated efficiently with the power and length of the stride. Wood has had a size and strength advantage at every level he’s played at and the fact that he hasn’t used it as a crutch and instead found a way to build a depth of quality around it, is a testament to the maturity in his game. A pro-style, 6-foot-4, center with a well-balanced offensive toolbox is on every scout’s wish list and Wood checks all those boxes. I could easily see him being selected in the top-10.
EDUARD SALE | LW | Kometa Brno (Czechia) | July 24, 2022
Spring Ranking: NR
Scouting report by Miroslav Simurka
Eduard Sale is a big man and has all the skills you wish for in a NHL prospect. He is a very smart forward with great hands and his problem-solving skills in tights areas are exceptional. With his puck skills he can stickhandle out of every trouble. In this game he was at his best playing with the puck in offensive zone, he can change speeds with the puck on his stick very quickly either speed up and get past defender or slow down, draw defenders and find his teammates in open space. He is very confident on the puck and it is almost impossible to take the puck away from him when he is in full control of it. His stickhandling technique is very good and he is also very effective skater under pressure with quick turns, cuts and deceptions. Sale is also very smart and has great vision and passing skills as well. He is a dual-threat as he creates chances for his teammates all game long but you can not underestimate his scoring abilities. Sale is a very good skater, he is fast and very effective even though I did not feel like he is very explosive player. Sale is very smart, has great vision and great hands. Before the start of the season he looks like a first rounder to me.
JORDAN TOURIGNY | D | Shawinigan (QMJHL) | May 15, 2022
Spring Ranking: NR
Scouting report by Zacharie Labrie
Jordan Tourigny is a mobile, smart two-way defenseman. His skating looks good, taking speed with long strides and showing off some great overall mobility. He’s very good on the offensive blue line, distributing the puck nicely and moving along the blue line with confidence. He likes to join the rush or to drive the net after a give and go from the blue line. I liked his play in the other end as well. He was more than willing to battle it out in the corner and showed a decent stick while defending. He engaged physically and looked strong for a young 17-year-old defenseman. His positioning in his own end needs to be worked on but that will come with maturity in his game. I really like Tourigny’s game and I think we could be looking at a first round prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft, mostly if he can improves his explosion on skate and his confidence in making plays. I see a great potential in him.
KASPER HALTTUNEN | LW | Jokerit (U20) | March 19, 2022
Spring Ranking: NR
Scouting report by Wige Karle
Kasper Halttunen is a skilled power forward and a big value asset for any power play. He is great in transition, pushes into dangerous areas by using his smooth hands, and takes on opponents fearlessly. The best part about Halttunen’s game is when he possesses the puck, but his off-puck play offensively is good as well. He actively goes to the net, and moves looking for open lanes to receive the puck on his stick. Halttunen’s shot has improved immensely during the last year, especially his one-timer. He can rip it on the power play with good accuracy and power. Being 6-foot-3, he takes advantage of his size in corner battles and at the net front while playing a physical game involving big time hitting. Unlike a lot of taller players, Halttunen’s skating isn’t bad by any means; his top speed is good but acceleration and his first few steps need improving. Additionally I’d like to see him improve his wrist shot as well, it’s a bit inconsistent for my liking. All in all he’s a very interesting prospect for the upcoming draft, a real high potential player who I could see going in the 10-15 range as of now.
DALIBOR DVORSKY | C | AIK (ALLSVENSKAN) | March 4, 2022
Spring Ranking: NR
Scouting report by Miroslav Simurka
Even though Dalibor Dvorsky did not get as much ice time and as many puck touches as in my first viewing at the U20 level he was just as impressive anyway. I thought his compete level raised a little bit playing at the higher level. He was able to show his playmaking and passing skills. Even against professionals his confidence and vision of his surroundings still stand out to me. Dvorsky sees every lane to his teammate that opens in no time. He has very strong passing game on his backhand. In the neutral zone, Dvorsky skates the puck up ice using lateral crossovers and great hands to protect the puck or he leads his teammate with great pass. He is very smart and thinks one step ahead. Dvorsky does not telegraph his next play as he is a very deceptive puckhandler and playmaker. He was able to find space in front of the net and fire a quick wrister around defenders. I thought that Dvorsky went too confident on one or two plays. He is a potential top-five pick in my opinion.
WILLIAM SMITH | C | USNTDP (USHL) | April 9, 2022
Spring Ranking: NR
Scouting report by Douglas Larson
William Smith is a quick player who has a solid all-around skillset that compliments his linemates well. There wasn’t anything elite I saw within his game, however I thought he had a lot of solid tools that allowed him to show flashes of a promising player. He scans the ice well, looking for options with the puck. He has some soft hands that let him be an efficient passer. Smith isn’t the fastest player on the ice, but his quick feet and acceleration make up for that, making him a good skater. He didn’t generate much offensively this game and just overall had an underwhelming performance. Smith has the tools to be a quality player, but he just wasn’t able to utilize them to provide offense this game. There were some holes in his game as well, but not a lot that were of major long-term concern for me. I thought his game lacked effort and pace, something that I’d like to see improve throughout his draft year. His defense, as a center, was not the best. His intention to help out in his own zone and positioning were just simply not there. Regardless if his own zone play improves or not, he looks more like a winger to me. Smith has a lot left to be unlocked, which makes him an intriguing prospect going forward. I think he’ll be a middle-six guy that will eventually be able to do it all on both sides of the ice. Early on I think Smith is a safe bet to go in one of the top two rounds of the 2023 draft.