Top 10 Power Forwards 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.
The power forward is a term and title often hard to recognize for casual fans. But here are qualities that most can agree qualifies a player as a power forward: Physicality, Intensity, Strength, and Speed, or ‘P.I.S.S’ for short. In all seriousness, the Power Forward is a fast-growing player archetype in hockey. In the earlier years, what used to be more of a side position now has names such as Gabriel Landeskog, Blake Wheeler, Mark Stone, Brady Tkachuck, and much more. Their rise in popularity is not surprising when you consider their unique abilities to crash through the defense and offer the qualities of a defenseman in a forward position. As the defensemen around the league got better, the need for bigger and stronger forwards grew.
So who are the best Power Forwards in the draft class of 2023? Here are DraftPro’s Top 10 Power Forwards, as voted on by our scouts.
First, our honorable mentions: Eduard Sale, Koehn Ziemmer, Matt Wood, Charlie Stramel, Danny Nelson, and Kalan Lind.
Ryan Leonard, Boston College, NCAA, #7-11 overall (1st Round).
“A Hard-nosed, strong hockey player who goes to the net hard and is good in tight battles in the offensive zone.” – Jody Horak.
While Leonard is only 5’11”, that doesn’t stop him from playing like a power forward in his mind. Leonard is more than willing to get into the thick of it and is a valuable player in the offensive zone. With his excellent combination of hard-nosed playing and just maybe the best shot in the USDP, it’s not a surprise that Leonard is one of the top players in the USDP this year. Because of his height, he will likely not rank highly on many others’ top power forward lists, but his physicality is undeniably effective for him, so he deserves the nod here.
Nate Danielson, Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL, #11-15 overall (1st Round).
“Overwhelming intelligence, does it all & does it right, controls the ice, has hockey sense, vision, anticipation, extremely quick hands, one of top 3 power forwards in the CHL.” – Murray Caldwell.
Anyone who knows even a little about Nate Danielson knows he is one of the best-defensively-minded forwards in this draft class. Nate Danielson will be fun to watch develop because of his high ceiling. He can skate, has excellent senses, and can score goals, as he broke just over 30 goals this season in Brandon. Danielson stands at 6’1″ and weighs just a bit more than Leonard. If Danielson adds more weight to him, he will develop into a fine power forward. Of course, he is also one of, if not the best two-way guy in this draft (see our TOP 10 two-way forwards to find out), so it will be interesting to see which role Danielson will embrace as he develops.
Kasper Halttunen, HIFK, Liiga, #54-64 overall (2nd Round).
“A large Finn who plays a grinding, power-forward role. He uses his speed and physical play to hunt pucks down and then uses his skill with the puck to get it to the net or to find his linemates for high-quality chances.” – Matt Hnatiuk.
Now we’re getting into the big boys. Haltunnen is 6’3″ and over 200lbs, making him undoubtedly a power-forward type in shape. He also plays a clear-cut power-forward style of play. He is crushing the U20 leagues in Europe and even has a few games in Liiga. Only time will tell just how effectively he can apply his weight in the bigger leagues, but for now, there is a lot of buzz and excitement for Halttunen, and justifiably so.
Dalibor Dvorský, AIK, HockeyAllsvenskan, #13-19 overall (1st Round).
“Dvorský is a quick player for a big young man. He works hard and moves his feet well. He combines his size and speed on the forecheck effectively. He has a high skill set too that will certainly have him selected in the mid to last third of round one.” – Andy Miller.
Dvorský is a player who seems to come up a lot on these lists. And that is no surprise as he seems to do it all. He can make big offensive plays, play very physically, and have a solid defensive mindset. What catches a lot of Scout’s eyes is how well he performs in HockeyAllsvenskan. This is a league for adults, and Dvorský competes just fine at this level. While Dvorský is mentioned a lot, I have certainly heard his name plenty as I wrote this series, his ‘jack of all trades’ persona can only carry him so far when we live in such an ‘X-factor’ era of the NHL. But don’t sleep on Dalibor. His high skill ceiling is an excellent quality to have for a power forward, especially when the height advantage is never a given when moving to the big leagues.
Quentin Musty, Sudbury Wolves, OHL, #33-43 overall (2nd Round).
“Musty is a pain for anyone to deal with. He can get under the opponent’s skin and is a pain in the side for any defender.” – Andrew LeBlanc.
What’s interesting about Quentin Musty as a Power Forward is his preference to set up plays compared to shooting at the net. Power Forwards are much more synonymous with goal-scoring, so seeing such a change with Musty is refreshing. That’s not to say he can’t score, as he is more than capable of pushing past defensemen and setting up his own goals as well. Musty is a great player to have in deep by the net. He can anchor himself down well and has top-notch stick handling. Definitely a dangerous player. And plays well physically.
Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack, OHL, #6-10 overall (1st Round).
“Barlow plays a style that hockey fans love, coaches love, and his teammates probably love as well! He’s physically abrasive and brings a heavy forechecking game that forces many turnovers. He plays inside the guts of the ice and is always willing to get his hands dirty.” – Jared Brown.
If you like the Alex Ovechkin style of player, that is, a strong sniper who is more than capable of forcing his will around, then Colby Barlow is your guy. Like Ryan Leonard, Barlow has a strong sniping game and has fast feet, giving him plenty of options to push pass defenders or score goals. It was a close call between Barlow and Musty for the #5 spot, but overall Barlow’s style of play complements the Power Forward in him slightly better.
Samuel Honzek, Vancouver Giants, WHL, #21-31 overall (1st Round).
“Honzek possesses the build to become a quality power forward at the pro level. He’s tough to knock off the puck, has great puck skills, and has the offensive instincts to drive the net hard if he’s got a step on the defender.” – Jared Brown.
Standing 6’4″, Samuel Honzek has much potential as a power forward in the NHL level. He needs to beef out a bit more, but once he does, he is going to be fun to see develop. As Jared said, he’s hard to knock off the puck, don’t be surprised to see Honzek dish out some checks, as he barely falters his positioning. Besides being slightly slower than the other power forwards you will see on this list, Honzek has great senses and shooting. He’s a point-per-game player with the Giants, who he only joined in 2022. Honzek, like Musty, plays a more well-balanced game between passing and shooting. This makes him harder to predict as his size quickly becomes an issue for defenders trying to piece together how to stop such a big player.
Calum Ritchie, Oshawa Generals, OHL, #13-17 overall (1st Round).
“A player with a rare blend of size, mobility, speed, and skill. He has all of the makings of an excellent power forward who can put up very good numbers offensively. His ability to get into hard areas and be very difficult to move out of those areas makes him a formidable opponent.” – Matt Hnatiuk.
Calum Ritchie is another player who fits the mold well for a Power Forward but needs some more bulking up. But aside from that, he has great playmaking abilities, utilizing excellent shooting and positioning to give him chances. He’s obviously hard to knock off the puck and has some of the best skating so far on this list. Ritchie is another player who will be hard to predict where he will land in the draft come July. But with his combination of speed, size, skill, and shooting, he will be a safe pick no matter where he lands in the draft.
Leo Carlsson, Örebro HK, SHL, #3-4 overall (1st Round).
“Carlsson is a beast on the ice and can impose his will at the U20 level. He not only does that, but he has a high skill set and great vision on the ice that helps him to be a responsible player too.” – Andy Miller.
Many seem to forget that Leo Carlsson is 6’3″ and nearing 200 lbs. He’s, of course, an excellent playmaker and two-way guy and has great senses to assist his game. But his ability to crash through the neutral zone and put defensemen on their heels is already damn-near elite. This awesome power forward in him makes him possibly the #3 guy come draft day. Michkov fans may be triggered to hear that, but Carlsson’s weight and size bring so much more potential to his game and future in the NHL. Carlsson’s utility has led to him being named many times on these lists, but he is always the bride’s maid, never the bride for that #1 spot. The same cannot be said for…
Adam Fantilli, University of Michigan, NCAA, #2 overall (1st Round).
“A power forward if there ever was one. He has the size, mobility, and the ability to put up points. His ability to quickly adjust to a higher level of play is something to take note of. He has been able to use his body and skill to accomplish a lot this season.” – Matt Hnatiuk.
The points leader in the NCAA with 30 goals, 35 assists, and 65 points, Matt Hnatiuk, put it perfectly: Adam Fantilli is a power forward if we have ever seen one. Everything about his game screams the title of P.I.S.S! Or perhaps it should be P.I.S.S.S as Adam Fantilli has plenty of strength, speed, and skill. Arguably the best skater on this list, Fantilli’s skating was even noticeable at the World Juniors this year, which was a much more elite crowd to stand out in. With the NCAA’s growing reputation as a difficult and highly competitive league to play in, Fantilli’s dominance should be greatly admired. As easy as it is to praise a guy like Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli might be one of the greatest consolation prizes since Patrick Laine. And as Fantilli’s reputation grows, it’s more likely that he will join that list of greatest #2’s in NHL draft history. And Adam Fantilli from the University of Michigan, is the best power forward 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.