Quote:
Originally Posted by shutout
Have to wonder if he wasn't injured and was part of the WJC and had played a full season on the pace he was if he would not have been higher on the lists a lot earlier and not be considered a riser
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I think almost certainly. His injury was a skate cut, and he already came back as productive as he was before. It wasn’t a knee injury, nothing tore - it was a cut. Nothing to be done about that but wait it out.
He looks a like he needs to grow into his body a bit, but not much.
Give him a year in Junior and two full off seasons of training, and I’d guess we see him push for a roster spot next year, and almost certainly be a full time NHLer by year 3.
Full disclosure - I’d never heard of this kid before we picked him. When conroy said his name, it was brand new.
But looking at some highlights, looking at the physical tools, the production, how his coach uses him, I don’t know… pretty tough to look at him as anything other than a contributor at the NHL level.
First guy I’ve been curious to see at development camp since Tkachuk.