Dalibor Dvorsky is the third ranked European skater, representing Slovakia, per NHL Central Scouting. Producing quality young players over the last few years, Dvorsky is one of the main headliners out of Slovakia.
Dvorsky had a decent 2022-2023 in Sweden with AIK. He tallied 14 points (6G, 8A) in 38 games, the most by a U18 skater in HockeyAllsvenskan. In the J20 Nationell with AIK J20, Dvorsky posted 21 points (10G, 11A) in 10 games. His standout performance came during the U18 World Junior Championships on Team Slovakia, where he scored 13 points (8G, 5A) in seven games.
His draft stock fell during his season with AIK. However, with his production during the U18 World Junior Championships, Dvorsky crept back into the top 10 conversation.
Strengths
Dvorsky is a versatile player with the ability to play C or RW. Combine his versatility with his shooting ability, and Dvorsky is a reliable target. His shot has a quick release, exhibiting deception with pinpoint accuracy from range. Goaltenders will fear Dvorsky when he finds a shooting lane.
His vision with the puck is excellent. In the offensive zone, Dvorsky cycles the puck and works below the hashmarks. With his frame, he can battle at the crease and along the boards, keeping the puck deep. Patient, he waits for the passing lane, anticipating, not forcing plays.
In addition to his offensive awareness, Dvorsky is capable on defense. He uses his reach and active stick to break up passing lanes. On the backcheck, Dvorsky is aggressive. He is quick in transition, though not the smoothest skater when changing directions. A lot of traits correlate between what Dvorsky does and what John Tortorella preached in a lot of postgame press conferences during 2022-2023.
At the NHL level, Dvorsky has the potential to be on the top line, but a definite top six. His style is comparable to Anze Kopitar and Mikael Backlund.
Weaknesses
Noted earlier in discussing the transition from offense to defense, the main weakness for Dvorsky is his skating. Additionally, he doesn’t achieve top-end speed quicky, nor is he incredibly fast. He is hard to knock off the puck, has smooth edges, and is agile, but should focus on becoming more explosive before debuting in the NHL.
Does he fit Philadelphia?
Standing at 6’1″ and 201lbs, Dvorsky is a solid option to strengthen the forward core at C. He fits the bill of what Tortorella could want out of a forward. His skill and aggressive game is exactly what the Philadelphia Flyers should be after.
Dvorsky will take a couple of years to develop, but the Flyers are rebuilding. At seventh overall, he is a likely option when Daniel Briere makes the selection unless an earlier team reaches.
(Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP)
