Vinny Boombatz
formerly ctwin22
I'd pick either Sale or Dvorsky because I think they have higher ceilings than the rest of the group
Prospect Info: 2023 Draft Thread (Yotes picking #6 & #12)
- Thread starter rt
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rt
Clean Hits on Substack
I like players that attack the middle. I like guys that hound pucks. Those that have a direct and forceful element to their games.
Nifty east-west stuff out on the flanks interests me less. Cerebral, soccer-style skills that smartly optimize large ice just never gets me hyped up.
That’s my own bias. I’m not a scout. I can’t pick out which players will be the best players. I can only pick out which prospects I like the most as prospects.
Vinny Boombatz
formerly ctwin22
I look for "elite" factors in prospects...just like when I was talking about Maccelli being a wizard, elite quickness, elite passing.
things I look for
Elite Quickness
Elite IQ
Elite Passing
Elite Skating
Elite Shooting
I want prospects to have at least 2 of these...if they don't then secondary characteristics fall into play, like hounding pucks, being tough, one-on-one battles...but to me, these secondary skills don't mean much if they do not have 2 elite skills.
Maccelli - elite quickness (shiftiness), elite passing, great hockey IQ
Hayton - vanilla at everything, I'd give him elite IQ, but other than that, nothing else.
Gotta have 2 elite skills
rt
Clean Hits on Substack
Vinny Boombatz
formerly ctwin22
I know...but I just can't gauge those types of players...I love em, just can't judge them. I'm better at recognizing "elite" skills and projecting production.
Only thing Doan had was elite shooting, so at least he had 1 elite skill. I'd add elite leadership, but that doesn't count on the ice.
Dvorsky
Sale/Yager
Ritchie
For me right now. I need more time with Ritchie and Sale. Dvorsky is that high because I don't lean as much on recency bias and I love his game. I feel like I love Ritchie but am worried about the upside, aka not what I would like to come out of in this draft with our pick
rt
Clean Hits on Substack
rt
Clean Hits on Substack
I’m really high on Ritchie. Really love this kid’s game. Big, strong, smart two way center who flashes really surprising puck skills and creativity (especially with quick short passes in the offensive zone) and also will show the occasional very nasty mean streak.
He’s got a really wide, bow legged skating stance and he’s not particularly quick. But he really gobbles of open ice with big strides, and closes gaps quicker than you’d expect. He’s not a pretty skater but I think his skating is underrated in that it’s really effective. He gets the job done. Really good on face offs and defensively. Hounds pucks and generates turnovers.
I like him a heckuva lot more than Musty. I’ve watched them head to head a couple of times. They’ve got a good rivalry. Even had a heckuva fight. Musty missed 12 games as a result of an injury from a fight with Ritchie.
Musty has improved in a lot of ways from last season that I like. He’s much better about going to the hard areas offensively more consistently (actually goes inside now). He’s more engaged offensively, in that he floats less in the zone. He’s more consistent in keeping his feet moving. And he’s a lot better at staying in his feet. Last season he spent half of every game on his ass. He’s stronger. And he’s got a bit of an attitude and some cheap shot, after the whistle, in the scrums kind of nastiness to go with it.
Of course, he's still extremely skilled and has a great shot and is a good playmaker. Still a good skater. Still just LOOKS like an offensive star out there. But he’s comically bad defensively. Like the total cliche of a lazy, cherry picking junior star who doesn’t help at all defensively.
It’s not close for me. I’ve got Ritchie way ahead. Musty would still be an interesting late first or early second. He’d have gone higher than that in the last draft probably. But I’m gonna have a hard time keeping Ritchie out of my top ten.
To me, it’s Ritchie vs Barlow and then Musty vs Rehkopf, in terms of OHL tiers.
He’s got a really wide, bow legged skating stance and he’s not particularly quick. But he really gobbles of open ice with big strides, and closes gaps quicker than you’d expect. He’s not a pretty skater but I think his skating is underrated in that it’s really effective. He gets the job done. Really good on face offs and defensively. Hounds pucks and generates turnovers.
I like him a heckuva lot more than Musty. I’ve watched them head to head a couple of times. They’ve got a good rivalry. Even had a heckuva fight. Musty missed 12 games as a result of an injury from a fight with Ritchie.
Musty has improved in a lot of ways from last season that I like. He’s much better about going to the hard areas offensively more consistently (actually goes inside now). He’s more engaged offensively, in that he floats less in the zone. He’s more consistent in keeping his feet moving. And he’s a lot better at staying in his feet. Last season he spent half of every game on his ass. He’s stronger. And he’s got a bit of an attitude and some cheap shot, after the whistle, in the scrums kind of nastiness to go with it.
Of course, he's still extremely skilled and has a great shot and is a good playmaker. Still a good skater. Still just LOOKS like an offensive star out there. But he’s comically bad defensively. Like the total cliche of a lazy, cherry picking junior star who doesn’t help at all defensively.
It’s not close for me. I’ve got Ritchie way ahead. Musty would still be an interesting late first or early second. He’d have gone higher than that in the last draft probably. But I’m gonna have a hard time keeping Ritchie out of my top ten.
To me, it’s Ritchie vs Barlow and then Musty vs Rehkopf, in terms of OHL tiers.
rt
Clean Hits on Substack
A couple of ‘24 notes; that Nathan Villeneuve for Sudbury is really impressive. He skates so well, and works so hard. Really impressive grit and motor and speed combo. Reminds me of Canadian version of Ryan Leonard, a bit.
Beckett Sennecke from Oshawa is an eye popping playmaker from the wing. Like a Huberdeau type.
Both are looking like 1st rounders to me right now. Though a lot can change.
Beckett Sennecke from Oshawa is an eye popping playmaker from the wing. Like a Huberdeau type.
Both are looking like 1st rounders to me right now. Though a lot can change.
rt
Clean Hits on Substack
Quick question for the group, how much do you guys care about in-class birthdays? Like Nate Danielson is 9.5 months older than Quintin Musty. How much does that matter?
moosemeister
5,000 strong
For the first rounder, maybe even second rounder, not a whole lot.
Third rounder on, I’d prefer to get as many late birthdays as possible. Sometimes that several month difference can play a huge impact on the physical development of a prospect. Obviously, best player available at all times, but if they’re choosing between a few kids they have tiered the same, I’m going with the youngest one every time.
Vinny Boombatz
formerly ctwin22
Bonsai Tree
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I think he could go top 15-20. He's 6'0" and the other forwards around that slot all seem to be under that mark.
Prestigeworldwide
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I was wondering the same thing. We have so much draft capital for the next few seasons. Would another team want to part with an elite prospect like Fantilli, Carlsson etc for the number 6-9 pick and multiple second round picks? probably not.
Jagged Ice
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FinnishCoyote
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We have the quantity already in pool and huge amount of picks in the next 3 years, we need more quality
rt
Clean Hits on Substack
I’m with Jake. We should be trading up not down, if anything. Quality over quantity. We need to consolidate. Look at LA with their huge pile of B-talent that they can’t fit into the lineup anywhere. They’re clogged with decent to mediocre prospects.
rt
Clean Hits on Substack
I didn’t mean with our first pick necessarily. More just conceptually. We’ve acquired an absolutely ridiculous quantity of picks and prospects. More are coming. Which is great. And I’m still onboard with BPA. But I’d like to look for ways to consolidate also.
I wonder what it would take to trade Fantilli for Bedard? In this scenario I was thinking about if we win the Bedard sweepstakes and the #2 is so obsessed with Bedard, that they are willing to overpay for him. There is only a couple of teams I would consider and it involves teams with recent top 5 draft picks being included. It is unrealistic and we should keep Bedard, just wondering what kinda haul it would take. I would also like a 3rd piece to be included.
Arizonatah Coyetis
Formerly Kai Yo T
I wouldn't. We need more quality, less quantity at this point IMO.
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