2023 NHL Draft top prospects 90-81: Felix Unger Sorum, Martin Misak, Connor Levis, Aydar Suniev, Jordan Tourigny, Ignat Lutfullin, Rasmus Kumpulainen, Cole Knuble, Tanner Ludtke, and Albert Wikman

A right-shot forward, Unger Sorum spent last year in the J20 Swedish league. Standing at 5’11, 172 lbs., he scored 10 goals and 46 points in 42 games.

Scouting Report: “Unger Sörum was able to demonstrate his versatile game at the pro level, showing his smarts, his ability to find the slot, and his tenacity. Against J20 competition, his playmaking shone very brightly and could unlock a higher offensive ceiling in his game.” – Luke Sweeney, Dobber Prospects

Misiak came to North America from Slovakia ahead of this past season. He spent the year playing for the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL he scored six goals and 17 points in 27 games. In the playoffs, he hit another level scoring 10 points in nine games.

Scouting Report: “Misiak’s skating is very strong, very quick out of a stopped position combined with strong crossovers and polished edgework. These qualities allow Misiak to adjust quickly while constantly moving in all zones (no wasted strides), showing off his ability to anticipate defensive schemes. Misiak is usually F1 on forecheck, isn’t overly physical but doesn’t shy away from contact in the corners or in front of the net. For these reasons, he is being used as the bumper on PP2 and fully understands when he’s under pressure…” – Sasha Lagarde, Dobber Prospects.

Standing at 6’2, 194 lbs., Levis scored 27 goals and 67 points in 68 games last year for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.

Scouting Report: “Levis is a two-way forward with exceptional skating. He has fantastic explosiveness in his stride – it’s just powerful. He’s not a huge play driver and will never razzle-dazzle you, but he’s a solid set-up man that can be a good complementary option in a depth role. His defensive responsibility, as well as pure strength, could take him far.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

Suniev had a tremendous season with the dominant BCHL Penticton Vees scoring 45 goals and 90 points in 50 games. The 6’2, 192 lb. left-shot winger is committed to the University of Massachusettes for the 2023-24 campaign.

Scouting Report: “Suniev has developed an array of adaptive skills to compensate for his poor skating. He is tenacious all over the ice, which makes him a powerful puck carrier, pestering forechecker, and a defensively engaged winger. His off-puck habits are very strong. He’s a strong back checker, is consistently well-positioned, finds space offensively very well, and consistently attacks the slot and the middle lane offensively. He is an intelligent player who leverages his brain to create advantages.” – Sebastian High, Dobber Prospects

Tourigny spent last season with the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes scoring six goals and 41 points in 67 games. He stands at 5’11, 168 lbs and is a right-shot defenceman.

Scouting Report: “Tourigny’s strongest asset is his problem-solving ability in all situations, but especially with the puck; he often blends head fakes with shoulder checks and pivots to make him extremely difficult to read along the boards. He will often double or even triple-fake his way out of a forechecker’s reach, making them believe he’s headed one way, then momentarily presenting his body in the opposite direction before pivoting back the other way. Tourigny’s problem-solving at high speeds is also very evident on offensive rushes, especially as a power-play puck carrier. He rids himself of wave after wave of pressure effortlessly before making a smart lateral pass on the zone entry for an easy set-up.” – Hadi Kalakeche, Dobber Prospects

Lutfullin, a 6’0, 163 lb. right-shot forward, scored 12 goals and 30 points in the MHL last season. He split time between Varygai St. Petersburg and 1946 St. Petersburg in that league.

Scouting Report: “Ignat Lutfullin is another one who was unaware of before the season but it was quickly made clear that of all the players on SKA’s second MHL team, he was about the only player that could drive offence. He’s had points on over half his team’s goals on average, and does so with high pace, great quickness generating speed, and lightning-quick cuts to create rushing and passing lanes. There’s a great work rate there, and if he continues to fly under the radar, he could be a great late-round option.” – Scouching

A 6’2, 196 lb. left-shot forward, Kumpulainen scored 11 goals and 34 points in 41 games last year. He played for the Pelicans U20 team in Finland.

Scouting Report: “Kumpulainen is a reliable center at both ends of the ice, and definitely has a scoring upside, too. He uses both his decently-sized frame and his long stick well on the forecheck, and once he steals the puck he has the vision to distribute the puck to his linemates to create scoring chances. He also utilizes his body well along the boards, where he is very hard to knock off the puck.” – Rasmus Tornqvist, FC Hockey

Knuble scored 30 goals and 66 points in 57 games with the USHL’s Fargo Force last year. Standing at 5’11, 183 lbs., he’s committed to playing for the University of Notre Dame next season.

Scouting Report: “I can see a world where Cole Knuble is seen as a late-2nd to 3rd round pick, and I also can see a world where he’s a 6th or 7th-round pick. His skating is going to be the biggest talking point when NHL General Managers and their scouting departments get together to assess his draft position…I’d label him more as a right wing as of now, and ideally, I’d like him to be the fourth player coming off my board if I were an NHL team, but could see myself swinging on him in the late third depending on the quality of my team and/or prospect pool.” – Austin Garrett, Smaht Scouting

Ludtke scored 32 goals and 66 points last year with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL last year. He stands at 6’0, 185 lbs and is a left-shot forward.

Scouting Report: “Tanner Ludtke is a player that rarely gets mentioned in the public sphere. The 6’0 forward can look a bit awkward in his skating mechanics and his pace of play is a question mark. However, he plays the game so well. He’s very involved as a one-touch puck transporter, is one of the top shot generators in the USHL in my data set, and has enough skill that his pace doesn’t hinder him from making plays. The University of Nebraska-Omaha commit hasn’t produced much in terms of NHL talent recently, but I have a hard time not advocating for him to be on this list given his productivity both in counting and micro stats.” –Austin Garret, Smaht Scouting

Wikman, a 6’1, 194 lb. left-shot defenceman, spent most of last year in the Swedish J20 league within Farjestad BK’s organization. He scored two goals and 12 points there last season and got called up for 11 regular season games, and another five in the playoffs in the SHL.

Scouting Report: “With the end of Alexander Edler’s career comes the beginning of Albert Wikman’s. Wikman is a similarly lanky, smooth-moving defenseman who’s made his size a main fixture of his play. He feels like he could translate very well, even if his ceiling may be a bit lower.” – Gabriel Foley, Recruit Scouting

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.