A bit pondering upon draft prospects and future plans
1. Lawson Crouse has proven to be an early wildcard for the 2015 draft. The skill set he brings is quite different from anyone else in the top 15. The gritty, 6'3 left winger has put up 8 points in 11 games so far this season. Many compare him to James Neal, and the comparison is fitting. With 5 goals and 27 penalty minutes to start the year, scouts will be keeping a close eye on the potential top 5 pick.
2. Completely random thought here, but I believe if another player is to have a big breakout year like that of Severson, it could be Michael Matheson. Though it's not likely to see Matheson until next year, or even the 2016/17 season, he has been given time to mature and ripen. The 6'2, 2012 first rounder hasn't been overwhelming offensively in the past, however he should have a big year at BC.
3. Another wildcard in this years draft is Dylan Strome. He has recorded 31 points in 13 game this year - only 7 off McDavids league leading 38 - and currently sits in 2nd in OHL scoring. Though the 6'3, 187 pound center has shown a dramatic improvement in his overall game, there are still a few question marks around him. He does have a lot of the tools which make him look like he will be a good top 6 NHL'er. His hands and passing ability are very strong, and his size makes him desirable to many teams. The question I have is if Strome really is as good as his stats say he is? There's obviously some inflation playing with McDavid, but how much inflation? We've seen in the past players who have rose significantly due to linemates who increase their stock (Schenn and Glennie), however in cases like this one, specifically with Strome and the assets he possesses, it's worth the risk.
4. The WHL draft is still about 6 months away, but the futility of drafting 14 year olds bother me year long. Yes, the top 2 or 3 picks usually pan out, but year after year I watch players drop off during their post draft season. There really is nothing gained by drafting a player a year before they can even play in the league. Move the draft to 1st year midget, allow scouts to get a better grasp on players, and for gods sake think about the kids. I'm not far removed from my 'draft year' and speaking from experience, if you're not taken in the bantam draft it is easy for players to grasp a new look at hockey. Bottom line, moving the draft year up one year does not hurt anyone.
5. I have to apologize for the lack of tweets an posts in the last month as I've been busy with a lot of non hockey related things. I do plan on getting back on track quickly here, once I overcome the setbacks. The plan for NHLDraftTalk is to eventually grow into it's own brand, involving scouting, online rankings/mock drafts, an hopefully in the next 6 months a Draft Talk podcast. Thanks for the patience.
2. Completely random thought here, but I believe if another player is to have a big breakout year like that of Severson, it could be Michael Matheson. Though it's not likely to see Matheson until next year, or even the 2016/17 season, he has been given time to mature and ripen. The 6'2, 2012 first rounder hasn't been overwhelming offensively in the past, however he should have a big year at BC.
3. Another wildcard in this years draft is Dylan Strome. He has recorded 31 points in 13 game this year - only 7 off McDavids league leading 38 - and currently sits in 2nd in OHL scoring. Though the 6'3, 187 pound center has shown a dramatic improvement in his overall game, there are still a few question marks around him. He does have a lot of the tools which make him look like he will be a good top 6 NHL'er. His hands and passing ability are very strong, and his size makes him desirable to many teams. The question I have is if Strome really is as good as his stats say he is? There's obviously some inflation playing with McDavid, but how much inflation? We've seen in the past players who have rose significantly due to linemates who increase their stock (Schenn and Glennie), however in cases like this one, specifically with Strome and the assets he possesses, it's worth the risk.
4. The WHL draft is still about 6 months away, but the futility of drafting 14 year olds bother me year long. Yes, the top 2 or 3 picks usually pan out, but year after year I watch players drop off during their post draft season. There really is nothing gained by drafting a player a year before they can even play in the league. Move the draft to 1st year midget, allow scouts to get a better grasp on players, and for gods sake think about the kids. I'm not far removed from my 'draft year' and speaking from experience, if you're not taken in the bantam draft it is easy for players to grasp a new look at hockey. Bottom line, moving the draft year up one year does not hurt anyone.
5. I have to apologize for the lack of tweets an posts in the last month as I've been busy with a lot of non hockey related things. I do plan on getting back on track quickly here, once I overcome the setbacks. The plan for NHLDraftTalk is to eventually grow into it's own brand, involving scouting, online rankings/mock drafts, an hopefully in the next 6 months a Draft Talk podcast. Thanks for the patience.
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