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2025 NHL Entry Draft

SOLR

SOLR

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Jun 4, 2006
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waitin425 said:
Are positional instincts determined by your handedness or are they nurtured through years of playing that position? Ovechkin has played his entire career on the off wing. Are you suggesting, that his positional instincts would have kicked in to even higher production on the right side?

There are examples both ways.

As a right shot guy myself, I would have never played the left side, for the sole reason, I can't catch a pass on my backhand to save my life. Beer league kind of stuff. I don't think any of these guys have that problem. The positioning and responsibility on the ice is the same though, so I fail to see how one would insinctively be a right wing vs. instinctively be a left wing. That confusion would only come into play for someone who has played their entire career on one side.
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They are determined by how many hours you have in each spot. Ovechkin instincts are a big part of his scoring abilities. That's even more true for generationsl players who have an apparent advantage processing the game.

There is no "example both ways" since you can't run the experiment twice. You can't know what Slaf would be doing on the LW right now.

" That confusion would only come into play for someone who has played their entire career on one side."

What do you think 15 years of hockey to reach the NHL is exactly?
My point is our 6 wingers have very well-tuned instincts and we are the ones throwing that information away. In some cases, we have the time to rebuild them (Slaf). In some cases they have been built in a bit in the past (Roy, Newhook). But don't change Caufield and Demidov, the very pure breeds LW. Laine, he's here for 2 years so he's not going to be protected, but he's shown more success on the left side if my memory serves me well.
 
waitin425

waitin425

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Jan 10, 2009
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SOLR said:
They are determined by how many hours you have in each spot. Ovechkin instincts are a big part of his scoring abilities. That's even more true for generationsl players who have an apparent advantage processing the game.

There is no "example both ways" since you can't run the experiment twice. You can't know what Slaf would be doing on the LW right now.

" That confusion would only come into play for someone who has played their entire career on one side."

What do you think 15 years of hockey to reach the NHL is exactly?
My point is our 6 wingers have very well-tuned instincts and we are the ones throwing that information away. In some cases, we have the time to rebuild them (Slaf). In some cases they have been built in a bit in the past (Roy, Newhook). But don't change Caufield and Demidov, the very pure breeds LW. Laine, he's here for 2 years so he's not going to be protected, but he's shown more success on the left side if my memory serves me well.
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Have Caufield and Demidov played non off wing most of their career, even as a youth? I didn't know that. why are they now playing on their off wing?
 
Pompeius Magnus

Pompeius Magnus

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May 18, 2014
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Benstheman said:
What's the scouting report on Logan Hensler??

And is he top 10 pick?
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He's #11 in the consolidated ranking ATM, so he's right around that top 10 spot, although it's with zero games played yet. He certainly checks all of the modern Dman boxes on paper, i.e. size, skating ability, and two-way potential. There's a lot to like there. He'll be a true 17 year old freshman at Wisconsin, so a quick adaptation will be key, it's a big step up at that age.
 
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HuGort

HuGort

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Jun 15, 2012
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Pompeius Magnus said:
He's #11 in the consolidated ranking ATM, so he's right around that top 10 spot, although it's with zero games played yet. He certainly checks all of the modern Dman boxes on paper, i.e. size, skating ability, and two-way potential. There's a lot to like there. He'll be a true 17 year old freshman at Wisconsin, so a quick adaptation will be key, it's a big step up at that age.
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Is he right shot?
 
HuGort

HuGort

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McCagg saying on Sick Podcast this draft is shaping up. Top ten are front line players. Only two of which are D-men he said. He expects it to jump to 15 or so. During the season a few will move up
 

phillytennis

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Mar 4, 2012
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I really like the highlights of Justin Charboneau...great instincts, terrific skater...a nose for the game.
 
Pompeius Magnus

Pompeius Magnus

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It's definitely a good year to be looking at the Q a lot more closely. I don't know how good of a salesman Donald Audette is, but now would be his time to shine, with the boatload of picks we have to play with again (four picks in the top 64). If he can't get Bobrov and Lapointe to go with any of his guys this time, he's not much more than a potted plant in the room.
 
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SOLR

SOLR

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waitin425 said:
Have Caufield and Demidov played non off wing most of their career, even as a youth? I didn't know that. why are they now playing on their off wing?
Click to expand...

Because cutting to the inside is easier on your off-wing and for players with dangling talent, that gives them more options (Demidov).

Also more one-timer/shooting angles (Caufield).
 
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blueberry

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SOLR said:
Because cutting to the inside is easier on your off-wing and for players with dangling talent, that gives them more options (Demidov).

Also more one-timer/shooting angles (Caufield).
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You must have played off wing as I did my whole life, you're exactly right.
 
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Slew Foots

Slew Foots

Everything is OK
Sep 6, 2006
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SOLR said:
Everyone pointing out Demidov "actually play RW" didn't watch him much before his draft and are just looking at his shooting side. Most scouts consider him a natural LW, he can play both wings obviously. But you are not getting the transversal pass/cutting on the inside advantage if he plays RW. And he's not fast enough to play RW and go around the D, he needs to dangle his way to the net. LW is much better for him (like RW was better for Kovalev)

All wingers play all wings. My point is: having someone who is more specialized on the RW would be good. Our most natural RW is Kirby Dach (by 5 miles).


Caufield
Slaf
Laine
Demidov
Roy
NewHook

All natural LW.
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Demidov shoots left, so RW is indeed his off wing. You sound like you may be mistaken about which side he shoots from.
 
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bopeep

bopeep

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Jan 22, 2004
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  • Top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Anton Frondell is set to undergo knee surgery, shares Djugardens IF insider Robin Fredriksson. No timeline for a return has been revealed. It’s Frondell’s second major lower-body injury in as many years, after a separate injury limited his 2023-24 campaign to just 42 league games. Frondell impressed when he did play, notably scoring 39 points in 29 U20 games, and adding seven points in seven games at the World U17 Hockey Challenge. His name has appeared near the very top of early 2025 Draft rankings, though another significant injury could make him an early faller. (Pro Hockey Rumors)
 
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Habs7631

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Feb 28, 2017
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bopeep said:
  • Top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Anton Frondell is set to undergo knee surgery, shares Djugardens IF insider Robin Fredriksson. No timeline for a return has been revealed. It’s Frondell’s second major lower-body injury in as many years, after a separate injury limited his 2023-24 campaign to just 42 league games. Frondell impressed when he did play, notably scoring 39 points in 29 U20 games, and adding seven points in seven games at the World U17 Hockey Challenge. His name has appeared near the very top of early 2025 Draft rankings, though another significant injury could make him an early faller. (Pro Hockey Rumors)
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Swedish picks never work for us and he’s made of glass? Looks like I already have my first player on my Do Not Draft list.

DND list so far :
  1. Anton Frondell
:sarcasm:
 
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Estimated_Prophet

Estimated_Prophet

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Mar 28, 2003
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waitin425 said:
Have Caufield and Demidov played non off wing most of their career, even as a youth? I didn't know that. why are they now playing on their off wing?
Click to expand...

"Non off wing"

Sorry, gave me a chuckle....like a smoker being a reformed non smoker lol.

Usually this is referred to as playing on your strong hand side/wing or natural side/wing.

Just jokes though, don't crucify me .
 
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Estimated_Prophet

Estimated_Prophet

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Mar 28, 2003
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SOLR said:
Because cutting to the inside is easier on your off-wing and for players with dangling talent, that gives them more options (Demidov).

Also more one-timer/shooting angles (Caufield).
Click to expand...

It is actually more difficult to play in the middle when you are off handed as your stick is much more vulnerable as well as being forced to pass through traffic on your backhand too often. The only benefit to playing off handed is shooting as you can one time shots and you have better access to the far side of the net.

You are correct in stating that "dangling talent" is important as you will be exposed to poke checks from multiple directions.
 
SOLR

SOLR

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Jun 4, 2006
13,249
6,807
Toronto / North York
Estimated_Prophet said:
It is actually more difficult to play in the middle when you are off handed as your stick is much more vulnerable as well as being forced to pass through traffic on your backhand too often. The only benefit to playing off handed is shooting as you can one time shots and you have better access to the far side of the net.

You are correct in stating that "dangling talent" is important as you will be exposed to poke checks from multiple directions.
Click to expand...

Yep. Completely agreed. For a scorer, that far side of the net is pretty valuable, as we saw with Kovalev many times.
 
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