Hagens isxa bad for for Hawks ..Anotger smalk forwardvin top 6 who failed to live upto production expectation in freshman season..only a point a game woth only 11 goals despite having Leonard and Perrault as wingers 3/4 of the season and being on#1Boston Colkege tgrough regukar schedule ,KD ought to becshitvifvhevpicks this shrimp to add to our current overabundance of small skill guys.. Not what we need.
With both Frondell and Desnoyers fizzling to end their seasons (Frondell played horribly atvu18s...Desnoyers Zero goals last 9GP ,1g 6a last 19GP but no points last 6GP = horrible season ending production.. has 1 more game at least to shine..but if Moncton loses to London in
Memorial Cup semi-final that is it for his season.
Unless KD can trade up to get Misa,the only candidates remaining dor co sideribg at #3shoukd be
Martone Martin O'brien and McQueen..
Martone O'brien and McQueen do not fit the usual skatibg box checkmark KD wants..but at least theycalk bring needed size..
McQueen i jury history presents big risk ..Hawjs doctors need to sign off for KD to even cobsider gambling on him.
Martobe makes best case for helping Bedard to 90-100pt level..as 1RW to Bedard as 1C ...but if this duo cannot click or if Martone cannot produce to top line expectation,the rest of his game may not help the Hawks mich on tgec2ndblinevor worse ifvhe cannot make top 2blibes hecwas a wasted pick.
Martin is 6'0 180 but pkays lije a 6'4240 linebacker with sone very gois skills..shot is a oro shot..he can beat goalies 1 on1. HE has a goid 1 tiner too..Hiscpasibg and use of linemated has been gettibg better and was on display at u18s..his work ethic,compete , and physicality are alk off tge charts A+++ lever. Therevus leadership by example tgat inspire othersvo rgeam to pkay upto hos level..He can help so many different ways..plus ax209ft game to.
Even if he ultimately shows he cannot reach top line 90 pts level to be a 'top star",he CERTAINLY will help lineup or line 3 ve very very special whether he pkays C or W on them.
Heis more versatile than Martone whobisvonly a Winger...cannot pkay C...but Marin can pkay either as he did ni the Soo ...or play W as he did u18s...
Martone may have higher celing offensively ..but has a lower floor...Martin has a very very high floor ...can be used allsituations including pk and PP.. Martone not on Pk.
If it were me I take Martin over Martone..Hawks need that physicality in the top six as well as tge ultra compete...relentless hustle. He creates chaos ..takes it to the slot. Hits eve harder than Sam Bennett.
While not a burner,Marin still gets there fast because he hustles ...all the time..motor and pace are there.
So whike he lacks longer stride to get acceleration,he messed up for itcwith hogh stride rate and pure hustle..he still gesthere to close off rushers before they get to o-zobe and he still gets there on back-checkibg ...Sone say he needsxto work on skating less hunched over and to work on lengthening his stride soth more piwrr i the legs..these things can be improved on..just techniques to be taught..But I saw hom skate plenty fast as he is at u18s whike Frobdelk looked very slow.
Martone is not an elite skater eitger..but I thought he was average frln what I saw at u18s..
I thought Martin while not a burner was still above average in speed at u 18s.
Now..IF McQueen,also not a burner is ruled out due to injury history and risk...then that leaves only O'brien as a possibility at #3.
Again skatibg and pace are below average but he is relatively young for the draft with his longer runway to develop (June birthdate)...If he can up his skauibg a bit,tge upside is great because he already is considered the best passer /playmaker i the drFt..has a hoid shot too but a low shot volume. SO want to see the gap close between quantity of goal to assists.. Do nit want just a playmaker with low shot on goal habits...unless hecis so ekite asxa set-up guy that Brdard sors to 50+goals as his wibger and exploits his generationalshot to its extreme highest limit.
If KD wants to gamble on O'brien witb maybe the highest offensive potential of anyone otger than Misa in this draft ,then maybe hectakescthe gamble that O'brien can get faster and uo his
pace and can get better defensively..?
Nobody has Martin or O'brien at #3.
However in terms of fit you can make the case that if Martone or O'brien hit their ceilings you do get Bedard the offensive set up guy he needs either fron the wing or as his Cebter.
However if you want tge best 2 eY option whether he helps libe 1 and Bedard be great or hos line 2 to be special,then take the CertI ty you get with Martin...Maybe not the higher ceki g but the high hogh floor us tge all situations use and tge extreme physicality and compete.
If KD chooses shrimp Hagens or slow Frondell,he is nuts.
The only caveat on trading up for Misa is that horrible -16 in his last 10GP of the season..if caused by injury then he gets a Mulligan...
If not ..then slacking off defensively does raise red flags.
We shall see what transpires at the draft.
