Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Corey Locke had 43 points in 55 games in the O in his DY, then exploded in his D+1 for 151 points in 66 games, and fell back to merely normal awesome 118 points in 65 games in his D+2.His draft assessments that I have read of him are almost exactly aligned with Corey Locke. Locke had terrific playmaking skills; his size, skating, and perimeter play are what hindered him from making that next step. Locke was elite offensively in every professional league he played in, except for the NHL.
I don't mind taking a chance on Swanson. His limitations sound as if they're too steep for him to be a NHL regular, but you always root for a kid like this to succeed. If he could have a career similar to David Desharnais (although David was a quicker and better skater), you would take it.
Swanson put up 55 points in 57 games in the USHL in his D-1 (16 year old season), which is damn good since very few (non NTDP) players make a USHL roster as 16 year olds, and even fewer play big minutes. Swanson then put up 77 points in 55 games in his DY, and again, extremely impressive for a 17 year old in the USHL. Scouts have said he will get Hobey Baker votes while at North Dakota.
Sure, production isn't the end all be all, but Swanson is on track to becoming a valuable asset for the Penguins, and with a little improvement in his skating, could become an NHLer, at least for a few years. Worth following for sure.