Craig's List: Sale a surprise second behind Bedard

Regina Pats star Connor Bedard is the overwhelming favourite to go first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, but a new face has rocketed into the No. 2 spot for TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button.

Czechia winger Eduard Sale lands at No. 2 in the preseason edition of Craig's List, beating out Russia’s Matvei Michkov and Canada’s Adam Fantilli. Sale came in at No. 13 on Bob McKenzie's preseason draft ranking. 

After a strong showing at the IIHF U18 world championship (nine points in six games) and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August (six points in five games), Sale has carried that momentum into this season so far in the Czech league, with one goal and three points in four games with HC Kometa Brno. 

“Eduard possesses every single skill attribute that allows a player to impact a game in a significant way,” said Button. “He’s fast, quick, and agile when he needs to be. He’s got a brain that is advanced. He is two or three steps ahead. He’s so good at carving out space for himself and knowing how to take advantage of space, and making opponents think they have him under wraps.

“He’s as equally good a shooter as he is a passer.”

Rounding out the top three is SKA St. Petersburg forward Michkov, who could be the biggest wild card in the draft.

The fact that Michkov is locked into his KHL contract until the end of the 2025-26 season, plus the uncertainty created by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, means NHL teams looking at Michkov could be waiting at least three years for him to come to North America.

Michkov returned to game action this week after recovering from a lower-body injury suffered in early August, but the enthusiasm for what he can do on the ice has not dampened.

With MHL's SKA St. Petersburg last season, he