Quote:
Originally Posted by 1qqaaz
How does Yamamoto compared to Nic Petan?
Petan had a ton of points during his draft year, and he was also known for his diminutive size. Petan's production dropped after his draft year. He fell all the way to the second round, even though he was the point leader for draft eligible prospects.
Petan played in his rookie NHL season this year, and he was okay. Probably a good pick for the second round.
Yamamoto seems to be more of a driver for his team. Unlike his Petan, he Yamamoto doesn't seem to have great linemates.
I wonder if they have the same deficiencies in their play?
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Decent comparable in a lot of senses. This might be a bit of an over-simplifcation, but...
Petan's biggest question-mark was how he'd adjust to an increased physical presence when everyone was bigger, stronger and faster at the next levels. He was 5'9, 165 at 17, and was coming off an incredible year. The other question was if he'd be able to do the same with more limited time and space.
You touched on it, but Petan did have plenty of support to work with on a stacked Portland team that went 57-12-3. In all fairness, Petan did finish second in scoring that season, and first the following season at a higher PPG (he played fewer games).
Yamamoto has a lot of the same attributes, and the biggest question surrounding him is his size. He's checking in at roughly 5'8, 160 and the concern is when he moves up he'll have to learn to cope with bigger, stronger and faster opposition, and if he'll be able to control and protect the puck the same way if he isn't able to add more mass to his frame.
For those curious, Spokane was 27-33-12 this season. Yamamoto led the team in scoring by 23 points.