Quote:
Originally Posted by Wedge
If we happen to fall outside of the top 7 or 8 picks, and Misa, Hagens, McQueen, and Frondell are gone, how would a "secondary" group of centers compare to one another, and would they be quality top-6 players? The players I'm thinking of would include guys like Caleb Desnoyers, Jake O'Brien, Carter Bear, and Brady Martin. Thanks ahead of time for any style of play or concerns type comments.
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I feel more and more like Desnoyers would be just as good or better than Frondell or McQueen. As stated above, he's leading the Q in pts/gp (I think he would have less points if he played in the WHL or OHL), but what's great about him is that he touches every little part of the game, and can play any style, he's simply amazing. If we come away from the draft with this kid, we're LAUGHING.
Carter Bear has moved all the way up to the top-10 IMO. He's on pace for 108 points in 61 games, and like Desnoyers, he goes above and beyond in playing a killer 200-ft game. Simply put, Bear is the hardest-working player in this draft, he takes a hard-nosed approach to everything he does, and will drag his teammates into battle. His hands and smarts are high-end, and his skating is underrated. This is a kid you win with, period. Love him.
Jake O'Brien is a gifted playmaker with high-end vision, and with the year he had last season, I would have expected him to be much higher in the scoring race this year- I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing, there's always plenty of turnover in Junior. He's 6'2", but I think he plays a bit soft and isn't yet a high-end skater. Mid-teens?
Brady Martin may only measure 6'0"and 172lbs, but he plays like he's 6'4",230 with the way he wins battles and imposes his will physically every chance he gets- he's dominant in this area. He's uncommonly strong and competitive, and he'll just as soon go through you as around you. He's been hovering around a ppg all year, but I would put him pretty close to O'Brien, if not ahead, as the team he plays for is not very good. He has plenty of skill, and is a dual threat offensively. His skating is good, not a weakness, but has room to be cleaned up. This kid, like Carter Bear, is a warrior. Mid-teens perhaps, but I currently have him at 20.
Will Moore is a big, strapping power-forward who so far hasn't lived up to the hype he had coming in to the season (although the NTDP this season is quite weak). He's 6'2" power forward who plays a physical two-way game, and skates well- although there's still room for improvement. Late teens, early 20's.
Jack Murtagh is another six-footer, and plays in the NTDP. He's ultra competitive, and plays with a chip on his shoulder. In the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, he may have been the best player on the American side. He's an excellent skater, which helps him to be a factor in pushing pace through transition, and he owns a superb shot, but his defensive game needs a little tweak. Mid-20's.
Braeden Cootes might just be taken ahead of any of O'Brien, Martin. Moore, or Murtagh. He's the Captain of a very poor Seattle Thunderbirds squad that sits third from the bottom of the WHL standings, which hurts his stats- but make no mistake, this kid has a top-6 skill set with great playmaking ability and vision. Like Martin, he has a lights-out two-way game, and leads by example with his physicality and unwavering work-ethic. Anywhere in the 20's, but could move up.
Cole Reschny is a diminutive player (5'10",187lbs) at a time when drafting smaller players has become more passe'. There's plenty of hope for him though, as he's apparently an advanced-stats darling with numbers that paint him as one of the better play-drivers 5 on 5 in the draft, and an extremely effective two-way performer. Look for him in the 20's.
Milton Gastrin has everything you want in a top-6, two-way C with his size (6'2"), skating, playmaking prowess, and responsible two-way game. He was one of the best players at the Hlinka-Gretzky, but his numbers in league play so far in the J20 has been a bit lacklustre, with 19 points in 20 games- although he has enjoyed a 5-game call-up to the SHL. Late first, early second.
Cole McKinney is very similar to Cootes, Martin, and Murtagh, but so far his projection is lower ceiling- perhaps more of a middle-6 C, and there's nothing wrong with that. Look for him at the top of the second round.
IMO- out of the above centers, the only ones who are sure-fire first-liners are Desnoyers, and Bear (who could make it as a LW).