Top 10 Offensive Defensemen in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft
By Isaiah Bouchard
The 2023 NHL entry draft is getting ever closer to hockey fans, and the excitement fans have for who their teams are going to draft this year is ever higher as the regular seasons across the globe are coming to an end, and playoff season is just around the corner. And there is a lot for fans to be excited for this year, as the draft is looking like one of the strongest in years.
Connor Bedard is looking increasingly like a franchise-level player, rivaling the likes of Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Nathan Mackinnon, Austin Matthews, and Connor McDavid. Adam Fantilli would have been a first-overall pick in arguably the last six drafts, Leo Carlsson is the next big center to come out of Sweden, and he is a must-grab in the top 5. And, of course, there is the Russian sniper: Matvei Michkov, who, despite being signed to the KHL until 2026, is so good that any team picking in the top 5 will be more than willing to wait for the Russian star.
But after the big 4 in this year’s draft, who fills out the remaining slots is always an exciting mystery come draft day. Teams must allocate their scouting resources to best support the organization’s roster on draft day. Who needs the top defensemen? Say, over-the-top sniper or goaltender? That is why we at DraftPro are excited to present an in-depth look at every position and who best thrives in that position. Who is the best sniper? The best power forward? offensive defensemen? Hopefully, after this 8-part series, all these questions will be answered.
Seven DraftPro scouts were asked their top 5-7 players for the following positions: sniper, playmaker, two-way forward, power forward, offensive defenseman, defensive defenseman, two-way defenseman, and goaltender. Their lists were recorded separately, and then once all seven scouts handed in their lists, their results were compared to one another. The final lists you read here determined the average each player placed. This is not a ranking of the best players overall, simply a ranking of who is the best for each given position. Players may be placed on multiple lists, as many players are not one-dimensional, and can not be forced into one category.
Thank you to the following scouts for providing their lists: Jared Brown, Matt Hnatiuk, Tyler Karoway, Andrew LeBlanc, Murray Caldwell, Andy Miller, and Jody Horak.
One of the most common archetypes for defensemen you will see in the NHL and every other league is the offensive defenseman. As the title suggests, offensive defensemen are the blue-liners who focus more on contributing to the offensive output of the game. These defensemen tend to put up much more points than their defensive counterparts and often seem more like a forward at times than a traditional view of a defenseman. Height and weight are not necessary for an offensive defenseman, and even a defensive tool set isn’t necessary. Of course, both these things are nice to have in every player, but what the offensive defensemen provide is a secondary scoring threat that can add much-needed depth to a team’s offensive repertoire.
With that being said, here are DraftPro’s Top 10 Offensive Defensemen in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft:
First, our honorable mentions, players who were listed by at least one of our scouts but otherwise did not receive enough consensus to be placed on the list:
Theo Lindstein, Maszden Leslie, Andrew Strathman, Beau Akey, and Quentin Burns.
Tom Willander, Rögle BK J20, J20 Nationell, #32-42 overall (1st-2nd Round).
“Willander is a bit more well-rounded than Brzustewicz or Bonk. He is a smooth skater and has a decent shot. His offensive skill set is just behind the other two defensemen.” – Andy Miller.
As Andy put it, Willander is a good defenseman, but someone had to come first. Willander is putting up good numbers in the J20 Nationell league, especially for a defenseman. He has decent height and plays a very sturdy and reliable game. He’s a safe pick with not too many downsides.
Tanner Molendyk, Saskatoon Blades, WHL, #24-34 overall (1st-2nd Round).
“Molendyk’s ability to read the ice and make those jaw-dropping stick-to-stick passes, along with a heavy, accurate shot, make him a nightmare to defend against. His quick lateral movement and ability to create space make him even more of a threat as he uses these things to give him time to create even more offense.” – Tyler Karoway.
Another solid defenseman who doesn’t come with many downsides to his game. He’s a reliable player who has shown steady growth with the Saskatoon Blades this season, where he finished with 37 points in 68 games. He stands out as one of the younger defensemen on his team to still put up numbers close to or equal to the older guys in Saskatoon. In summary, he’s a solid offensive defenseman and a viable option to bet on in the second round. Maybe even the first?
Étienne Morin, Moncton Wildcats, OMJHL, #60-70 overall (2nd-3rd Round).
“A skilled defender who has the ability to quickly process plays and jump into rushes when needed. He has excellent distribution ability and the vision to move pucks quickly around the ice to create offense. Pair his offensive ability with his skating and defensive zone skill, and he has a high value to anyone looking to add offense from the blue line.” – Matt Hnatiuk.
For what has been a slow year for the QMJHL, it’s nice to see one of their players crack the TOP 10. He’s suspected of going somewhere in the late 2nd or early 3rd, making him a relatively unknown prospect compared to the others on this list. But that doesn’t mean he will not be a well-celebrated player in Quebec when his name is called. And as far as offensive defensemen go, he has more to offer than Willander or Molendyk.
Oliver Bonk, London Knights, OHL, #23-33 overall (1st-2nd Round).
“Bonk is a good puck-moving defenseman who does things a little slower than Brzustewicz but doesn’t take as many risks as Brzustewicz either. He is a bit more physical and has a slightly better shot than Brzustewicz.” – Andy Miller.
Oliver Bonk provides a good combination of size, speed, and hockey senses to his team’s blue line. While not outshining his draft competition in any of these categories individually, it’s still an excellent selection of abilities to have. Bonk could be a viable 2nd round pick with a chance for steady growth if given the proper time to develop. But chances are he will be grabbed in the first round, as his offensive abilities are just a little too good to pass up.
Hunter Brzustewics, Kitchener Rangers, OHL, #22-32 overall (1st Round).
“Brzustewicz is a defenseman that uses his speed and confidence with the puck on his stick to push the offensive play. He works with the puck at a very high pace, making it challenging to read what he will do and check him. His passing skills are very high, and he can make accurate passes under pressure.” – Andy Miller.
One of the OHL’s top prospects, Brzustewics, has a lot of upsides to get excited about. He has a great combination of senses and shooting that makes him dominant in the OHL. He has 57 points in 68 games, an excellent stat for a rookie defenseman. A prime example of how stacked this draft is, Brzustewics is so good with tons of great qualities, but he still missed out on the top 5.
Luca Cagnoni, Portland Winterhawks, WHL, #38-48 overall (2nd Round).
“Cagnoni possesses the mobility to walk the line, find passing or shooting lanes with ease, and the offensive senses to help create offense off the rush and inside the Ozone. He’s an undersized defender, but he can slip by checks to open up space to make him for some of his size concerns.” – Jared Brown.
Starting off our top 5, we have the 5’11” Luca Cagnoni. Cagnoni is leading all defensemen in Portland, which includes the drafted players as well. He’s put up 64 points in 67 games, which places him among the top players on his team and the top draft-eligible defensemen in the WHL. Cagnoni clearly offers a lot offensively to his team, and while his size limits his physical effectiveness, this isn’t a total death sentence for offensive defensemen. If Cagnoni continues to produce these numbers, many coaches and organizations will forgive his size.
Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Skellefteå AIK, SHL, #9-13 overall (1st Round).
“Sandin-Pellikka is an offensive threat that plays with a ton of energy. Huge improvement to his two-way game throughout this season as well.” – Andrew LeBlanc.
Another D-man under six feet, Sandin-Pellikka, has impressed a lot of scouts throughout this season. He has impressive numbers, plays well in the SHL, and has a high skill ceiling. An offensive defenseman who is heavy on the offense, it’s common to see Sandin-Pellikka rush with the forwards to make big plays. Utilizing excellent skating and passing to catch defenders off guard. Speaking of skating, Sandin-Pellikka is arguably the best skating defenseman in the entire draft. And as Andrew mentioned, he has also been improving in the 2-way department. Now Sandin-Pellikka offers minimal downsides to any team wanting to grab him, most likely in the early first round.
Caden Price, Kelowna Rockets, WHL, #31-41 overall (1st-2nd Round).
“Outstanding puck rusher…gets a head of steam & crashes & bangs his way down the ice maintaining puck control, and plays great PP.”– Murray Caldwell.
With excellent skating and passing abilities and a plethora of other good qualities, Price is an exciting player who is already so accomplished at a young age. While his point totals are lower than someone like Cagnoni, or his pure skill is not at the level of someone like Sandin-Pellikka, Price can offer much more in size and physicality departments. Also, Price is one of the best defensemen in the power play. Once this guy has space to take time on his passing and shooting, it’s not fun to witness when you’re rooting for the other team. Speaking from personal experience.
Mikhail Gulyayev, Omskie Yastreby, MHL, #16-22 overall (1st Round).
“Gulyayev’s speed is what sets him apart from the other defencemen in his class. One of the best skating defensemen in his class, Mikhail’s ability to get the puck up the ice is otherworldly. His elite speed draws defenders towards him, making it easier for Mikhail to rifle a pass to his teammates. Everything Gulyayev does has elite speed to it. His shot, his passes, his skating all come with that elite speed to make him a threat every time he touches the ice.” – Tyler Karoway.
For a list that is very much determined by the player’s speed, Gulyayev, as Tyler put so well, has a different speed. This makes him one of the hardest players to predict, as he can utilize that speed in many different ways. This also means his potential is harder to predict, as the fast speedy defensemen is not always a smooth transition to NHL hockey. But for now, suspect him to be one of the first defensemen picked, as his pure talent becomes too great to pass over.
Lukas Dragicevic, Tri-City Americans, WHL, #19-25 overall (1st Round).
“Excellent skater with great awareness and ability to rush up the ice. An excellent puck mover with precision in his passing.” – Jody Horak.
75 points in 68 games is all you need to hear to understand why Lukas Dragicevic is the best offensive defenseman in the draft. He’s also one of the bigger boys on this list and uses this speed and size combo to play much like a power forward. He’s confident at shooting, putting up high shot counts, and seeing as 60 of his 75 points were assists, he loves to set up for his team. While there are many ways to make plays in hockey, Dragicevic is all about feeding the slot. And no one in this draft does it better, as Dragicevic blows everyone else’s numbers out of the water. And, in a draft class with such talented offensive defensemen, Lukas Dragicevic of the Tri-City Americans is DraftPro’s #1 offensive defensemen in the 2023 NHL draft class.
For more information on the 2023 NHL Draft class be sure to pick up your copy of the comprehensive DraftPro 2023 NHL Draft Guide.