You can get away with maybe 3 maybe 4 smallish guys but that’s it if you want to win. Every Stanley cup winning team has big guys big D. 2 or 3 small guys maybe. Lots of guys that push small guys are small themselves or their kid is small. It’s just not reality.
2022 QMJHL Draft
- Thread starter Wintersun
- Start date
The "smaller guy" has the harder path....most are knocked down so to speak at a young age, they end up getting drafted later and for many of them...they just give up on the game so to speak. The Q is one place where the smaller guy can develop...there is almost no hitting in the league and a small speedy guy who has come skill can do well....if he has the heart and work ethic to go along with it. The pro level is another story...I don't care how big you are...the best player will get the call regardless of the size...if you can help a team win..you're in.
It also depends of where each team sits in their 3-5 years cycle. Often, teams that plan to go all-in in the next couple of years will prefer players that will be physically ready at 17 years old, specially in the early rounds. Teams on the rebuilding mode will tend to be more patient and will take their chance with smaller skilled players. In conclusion, smaller players are not really considered by almost 35% of the teams each year in the early rounds. That's the reason why you see most of them picked in the late rounds. They need to step up big time to make their way in a lineup at 18 years old. Many players less talented but physically mature will take many spots in most of the rosters in a depth role.
Agreed. If I’m looking after a team I’m going biggest body’s I can find that can also skate and have hockey sense.
Looking at the 04s... which are 17 right now...
Who are the best forwards in that draft?
Verreault, Côté, Dumais, Oliver, Vidicek, Woodworth, Savoie, Swan, Mathieu, Fontaine... I guess you see where I'm going with this. All between 5'5 and 5'10.
Even defenders like Menard, P-O Roy, Schmitt, Lessard have a great impact at 17.
Most of these ''small'' players were impact players even at 16 in the Q at the end of the day.
One team decided to pick the physical mature package in Carruthers and it hasn't paid off so far.
Now, if you give me the choice between equally talented and hard working players and one is 5'6 and the other is 6'1, I will obviously pick the 6'1 guy, but when you're looking at the top prospects, size doesn't really matter for the junior level, the highly talented players will make it.
It's when you get to the depth... teams will want big bodies on the back-end who can play PK to be their #6-7 defenseman, they won't want a risky small offensive D in that role. Same can be said in a bottom 6 for forwards. That's where the size advantage really comes in my opinion, as smaller players that can't really be used in a top 6 role likely won't get the same chances as less skilled players that bring more size and physicality.
Just my opinion.
Who are the best forwards in that draft?
Verreault, Côté, Dumais, Oliver, Vidicek, Woodworth, Savoie, Swan, Mathieu, Fontaine... I guess you see where I'm going with this. All between 5'5 and 5'10.
Even defenders like Menard, P-O Roy, Schmitt, Lessard have a great impact at 17.
Most of these ''small'' players were impact players even at 16 in the Q at the end of the day.
One team decided to pick the physical mature package in Carruthers and it hasn't paid off so far.
Now, if you give me the choice between equally talented and hard working players and one is 5'6 and the other is 6'1, I will obviously pick the 6'1 guy, but when you're looking at the top prospects, size doesn't really matter for the junior level, the highly talented players will make it.
It's when you get to the depth... teams will want big bodies on the back-end who can play PK to be their #6-7 defenseman, they won't want a risky small offensive D in that role. Same can be said in a bottom 6 for forwards. That's where the size advantage really comes in my opinion, as smaller players that can't really be used in a top 6 role likely won't get the same chances as less skilled players that bring more size and physicality.
Just my opinion.
I agree but which of the guys listed above were picked by a team that was all-in last year or this year? Only Roy and Menard. 2 out of 14. Oliver was 5'10" and 180 pounds when drafted so I don't considerer him as a non physically mature.
Which team picked Carruthers?
It comes back to my original point but I agree with you that very talented small players (kingpins) make their way early. Good small players, not necessarly top 2 rounds pick, need to step up big time.
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Fair enough, but most of the other guys will be go-to guys for their team going all-in at 18 in Halifax, Gatineau, and at 19 for Drummondville. It's also normal that those guys were picked by teams not going all-in immediately since they were high picks and most teams going all-in don't draft much.
What round do you see these players go?
Defencemen
Vincent Murray
Anthony Paré
Guillaume Filion
Félix Plamondon
Justin Smith
Dominic Mackenzie
Lincoln Waugh
Forwards
Alexis Michaud
Jeremy Leroux
Bill Zonnon
Samuel Leonard
Alexis Doucet
Justin Dumais
Maxime Lafond
Ross Campbell
Tyler Wood
Cade Moser
Laden Smith
Evan Nicholson
Don't know where they'll go but will put where I have them personally, approximately. Still subject to change.
What round do you see these players go ?
defencemen
jack mackinnon
Spencer gill
forwards
Carson griffin
Dawson sharkey
Evan Nicholson
Ethan Dickson
Connor arseneault
defencemen
jack mackinnon
Spencer gill
forwards
Carson griffin
Dawson sharkey
Evan Nicholson
Ethan Dickson
Connor arseneault
Everyone has different opinions and lists , you even get these pay websites that suck parents into paying to see an opinion that doesn’t really matter . These boards seem to be pretty good with some real great opinions , with real people who scout all these players . For Those like myself who have an unbiased opinion and just look at the players , who do we think will be sure fire 1st round picks from Atlantic Canada , including the players playing Prep Can/US ????
Was curious about where you guys think prep school and states guys will go. Will states and prep school affect there stock?
Owen Bresson
Will Shields
Ryan Fletcher
Callum Aucoin
Michael Arsenault
Blake Manders
Aiden Diamond
Kyle Greene
Landon Fraser
Kaden Smith
Brady Croft
Tyler Wood
Owen Bresson
Will Shields
Ryan Fletcher
Callum Aucoin
Michael Arsenault
Blake Manders
Aiden Diamond
Kyle Greene
Landon Fraser
Kaden Smith
Brady Croft
Tyler Wood
I think from Atlantic Canada let me know if anyone disagrees
Will Shields
Connor Arsenault
Quinn Kennedy
Owen Phillips
Coen Miller
I might be missing a couple guys but these are the ones that come to mind.
I agree with those ,Miller and arsenault are borderline for me. I believe your missing Reese Peitzche , Kearsey and Spenser Gill in my opinion those 3 along with Phillips shields and Kennedy will be 1st round.
Only my opinion once again... of those, Bresson looks like a round 4 to 6 goalie to me. Shields and Wood are first round talents if they show up. Aucoin should go somewhere from round 4 to 6 as well.
I think the other names are not guaranteed to be drafted necessarily. I would personally pick some of them but they'll be cases of preferences of one player over the other probably, as most players are after the first 6 rounds. Like, I would probably have Greene in my middle rounds, but he could go undrafted and I would not blink an eye.
You could add these guys to your list
Jaxon Pierce Stanstead
Marcus Kearsey Rothesay
Gabe Smith Rothesay
Brayden Campbell Boston Jr Bruins
Owen Phillips Pens Elite
Just recognized that an 05 player from the Sydney rush last year was dropped this year and is now playing at the u16 level.
Just recognized? Is it the same Blake Snow you’ve been hinting about for about 16-18 months? No one has taken the bait yet, time to move on Jake.
Just a note on Arsenault, I think he is flying a bit under the radar so to speak. I compare him to Peitzche from this Atlantic draft class and I have Arsenault above Peitzche in my rankings. Arsenault's skating is elite , maybe one the best skaters of the group, add his size and shot and you are starting to get the full package, IQ is solid as well. The Vito's play a heavy brand of hockey, I think there is more creativity in Arsenault then what we see from their style of play.
Nothing wrong with liking Arsenault more than Peitzsche. I like Peitzsche more, but they're both between 15 and 25 to me.
To reach the Q, a 16 years old needs to move up, not down. Sad but it's just how it works.
He’s good. Not as much separation from the other top 06s in the league though. He’s got the most points but he’s played the most games and has played PP all year. There are others that aren’t far off comparison wise at all.
