I find it hilarious how much is made of the 8 - 15 seconds after a prospect is picked.
Like every player should jump up and yell “WAHOO!” like a cartoon character or 6 year old at a birthday party.
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My son played against Cole in a tournament in Kindersley about 10 years ago. I remember Cole, not just because he was clearly skilled, but for how he played the game at such a young age.
There were two kids at that tournament, both from Sasky but on different teams, that were head and shoulders above the other kids, Cole and Player B. They both had the skill and speed to almost score at will against our Div 1 team from Calgary. The difference was in the use of their teammates.
When Player B touched the puck, the rest of his team became deflated: they knew he was going end to end solo. Cole was the exact opposite. When Cole got the puck, all his teammates elevated because they knew he'd give them the puck, even though most of them were destined for Div 8 beer league. Cole could read when his teammates were going to get checked or give it away. He'd swoop in a grab the puck, dish to someone else, repeat, until they finally put a play together to get a shot on net. He was in total control of the game the entire time he was on the ice, and dishing to everyone.
Cole and Player B finished with about the same points in the tourney, but it was sooo obvious which of the two you would want on your team. And now he is!
I have no idea what he'll turn into at the NHL level, but it makes sense that the guys at Upside rank him so highly on playmaking and hockey sense ability. If you like smart, unselfish, humble players who work hard, this is a good pick.
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My son played against Cole in a tournament in Kindersley about 10 years ago. I remember Cole, not just because he was clearly skilled, but for how he played the game at such a young age.
There were two kids at that tournament, both from Sasky but on different teams, that were head and shoulders above the other kids, Cole and Player B. They both had the skill and speed to almost score at will against our Div 1 team from Calgary. The difference was in the use of their teammates.
When Player B touched the puck, the rest of his team became deflated: they knew he was going end to end solo. Cole was the exact opposite. When Cole got the puck, all his teammates elevated because they knew he'd give them the puck, even though most of them were destined for Div 8 beer league. Cole could read when his teammates were going to get checked or give it away. He'd swoop in a grab the puck, dish to someone else, repeat, until they finally put a play together to get a shot on net. He was in total control of the game the entire time he was on the ice, and dishing to everyone.
Cole and Player B finished with about the same points in the tourney, but it was sooo obvious which of the two you would want on your team. And now he is!
I have no idea what he'll turn into at the NHL level, but it makes sense that the guys at Upside rank him so highly on playmaking and hockey sense ability. If you like smart, unselfish, humble players who work hard, this is a good pick.
Thanks for sharing that story. Does say a lot about mindset and i think the last couple of years, in our drafting, that: I would rather reign in a stallion than drag a mule type of mindset has been a big part of our drafting process.
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I think Barzal is a good comparable. Dropped in his draft year because he was considered undersized as well. But lit it up in the playoffs for the Thunderbirds. Also a pass first playmaker.
My son played against Cole in a tournament in Kindersley about 10 years ago. I remember Cole, not just because he was clearly skilled, but for how he played the game at such a young age.
There were two kids at that tournament, both from Sasky but on different teams, that were head and shoulders above the other kids, Cole and Player B. They both had the skill and speed to almost score at will against our Div 1 team from Calgary. The difference was in the use of their teammates.
When Player B touched the puck, the rest of his team became deflated: they knew he was going end to end solo. Cole was the exact opposite. When Cole got the puck, all his teammates elevated because they knew he'd give them the puck, even though most of them were destined for Div 8 beer league. Cole could read when his teammates were going to get checked or give it away. He'd swoop in a grab the puck, dish to someone else, repeat, until they finally put a play together to get a shot on net. He was in total control of the game the entire time he was on the ice, and dishing to everyone.
Cole and Player B finished with about the same points in the tourney, but it was sooo obvious which of the two you would want on your team. And now he is!
I have no idea what he'll turn into at the NHL level, but it makes sense that the guys at Upside rank him so highly on playmaking and hockey sense ability. If you like smart, unselfish, humble players who work hard, this is a good pick.
Thank you for this.
Makes me think Reschny and Coronato would be a good duo together down the road. And maybe Zary on the LW.
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Love this pick! Love both picks in fact. What a smart selection by Conroy and his scouting staff. What this is to me is the equivalent of Dallas selecting Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven. I wanted the flames to draft both those players in 2021 simply based on taking the highest ceiling players available. I think that’s what Conroy did with both his picks in the first round.
If either or both of these players become impact players in the NHL and there becomes a concern that the team is too small, the flames could use these kinds of assets to trade for different types of players - just like Dallas did trading Stankoven to get Rantanen. Not saying I want to trade these players - I think they could both be fantastic core pieces to the flames one day - but I think picking high ceiling players is like buying stock that has a good chance of appreciating in value. When you draft “safe” picks that likely won’t develop into more than a 3rd line player, the value of that player is not as likely to go up at any point. Stankoven is a great example - drafted in the 2nd round. Puts up great numbers even in the AHL and became a highly-touted prospect before even playing NHL games.
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There is top 10 pick skill level here. With his 200ft game, and playoff performance, it never really made sense he wasn't ranked higher.
Misa and Frondell were the top 2. But Reschny should have been in that next group with Martin, O'Brien, Desnoyers and the only reason he's not is because hes 5'11" instead of 6'0"+
It's interesting though since Catton who was smaller was still ranked higher last year, even though age adjusted production is about the same.
Last edited by SuperMatt18; 06-28-2025 at 09:08 AM.
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I commend that analysis from him but doing that in junior vs the nhl is two different worlds.
When the going gets tough and a strong defensive team like Vegas is boxing us out he can raise his game to get high danger chances when we are being out muscled and boxed out.
Here are some guys from 2020 draft who are about the same size as him and seem to be doing well. Rossi, Perfetti, Lundell and Jarvis. I think most of them are still centers and have survived very well.
Let's try to be positive and support kids reaching their dream. It hasn't even been 24 hours and people on here are trying to push the kid down.
People are always going to find a way to be a Debbie downer about a pick, but I really don’t get why.
People do realize on hockey db they’ve got Zary at 6’0, 178 lbs, and Reschny is 5’11, 183. So why aren’t we making fun of Zary for being a pencil? Oh, is it because he’s 6’0? What are we, girls on tinder only swiping right for guys that make it 72” or more?
Center? Check
Decent size and speed? Check
Play driver? Check
What more do you want from this guy? I’m telling you right now, if he was 6’2/3 then he’d be drafted in the top 10. People should be happy he went to 18. I was afraid the Isles would’ve picked him at 16/17 with their back- to-back picks.
I'm happy with the pick, good chance he's a solid 2-way 3C, I doubt he's a 2C but might cover that position on a weaker roster, decent chance he's a 2 line winger for sure if he keeps progressing. Spending 3-4 years in college will be so good for his development. Some saying he's ahead of Honzek on the depth chart but I think that's shiny new toy, until he proves himself in his freshmen or sophomore year in NCAA Honzek has the size and NHL games already.
I think we can all calm down with the doom & gloom reactions based on the fact he was an Oilers fan as a child and his body language in the 12 seconds following the pick on live tv.
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