Prospect Info: Anthony Romani (RW, OHL - North Bay) | 162nd Overall 2024 Draft

[F A N]

Not to defend the pick, but FWIW, he was a couple points away from top-10 in QMJHL scoring while also top-10 in PIM. You can kind of see what they were going for, in that it was hopefully an indicator that he had hands enough to be a useful bottom six guy with toughness. You wonder if things somehow turn out differently if they send him back for an OA season, or do the Grenier thing and send him to Europe instead of letting him end up in the coast.

Yeah, there was a skill/grit/toughness toolset there where you can see where they were going for an Andrew Shaw-type projection (Shaw coincidentally was also a double-overage pick in the 2011 draft) but they just totally whiffed on his skating ability which was immediately exposed in pro hockey. Plus they probably overrated the importance of his fighting skills.

Probably also didn’t help that he was dropped into the Chicago Wolves era of AHL development.

Oddly, the scouting reports at the time said he was a powerful skater. That was definitely a WTF reach pick at the moment of selection.

 

[wetcoast]

Exactly the kind of 'home run swing' you should be taking in the sixth round.

And Romani is one of only two guys drafted after round #5 to be invited to the Summer Showcase Development Tournament. Hopefully he sticks and and can get off to a hot OHL start--making him eligible for consideration on Canada's World Jr. Hockey Championship team.

There is a lot to like in this pick, we just have to hope that he keeps progressing and at this point I would be shocked if he wasn't at least a 25 goal guy in the AHL when it's all said and done.

 

[MS]

Oddly, the scouting reports at the time said he was a powerful skater. That was definitely a WTF reach pick at the moment of selection.

I mean, it's theoretically no bigger of a reach than Jordan Martinook with the next selection. They just didn't project the skating correctly.

 

[VanJack]

The later rounds in the entry draft are usually littered with smaller forwards, who use their quickness and pile up points in junior. But in the pros, those goals and assists tend to disappear.

So for a kid coming out of junior at 5'8" or 5'9" and 170 pounds it can be a humbling transition to pro hockey, where space is often only earned through one-on-one puck battles.

The thing about Romani is, he's not 'small'. Hockey DB lists him at 6' and 183....which probably means that by the time he gets into pro hockey he'll probably be closer to 200. So it won't be a lack of size that hampers him at the next level.

So if he can translate even a portion of that junior scoring into pro hockey, he becomes an intriguing prospect.

 

[LordBacon]

Patrick Kane 2.0.

Ordering the jersey with C in front rn.

 

[lawrence]

the only 19 year olds in OHL history with more goals
Patrick Kane
Stamkos
Tavares

 

[canuckslover10]

his NHLe is like in the 40s which is quite high, I don't seem being Stamkos or level lol, although hopefully he can turn out to be a Toffoli type player or just a top 6 guy which is high hopes for a 6th round pick.

 

[Jerry the great]

Patrick Kane 2.0.

Ordering the jersey with C in front rn.

while i love the pick, there is a non trivial chance you're going to end up a heart broke desperado. I'll put together a playlist - that would make Brandon Sutter proud - to help you heal.

 

[PavelBure10]

Very intrigued by this pick. Romani could be one of the steals of the draft. Impressive numbers in juniors.

 

[VanJack]

Very intrigued by this pick. Romani could be one of the steals of the draft. Impressive numbers in juniors.

Agreed. 58 goals and 111 points for a kid who spent his entire OHL season playing as an 18-year old, certainly gets my attention.

I see on the HF Draft Picks board, they have a thread on Romani. From fans who follow the OHL a lot more closely than I do or actually attend the games in person, the general consensus is bafflement about why he fell so far in the draft.

You look for holes in his game, but clearly there aren't many. I mean he needs to pick up a step and get a lot stronger--but you could say the same thing about every 18-year old hockey player, even those drafted in the first round.

I suppose as a 6th round draft pick (162nd overall), the odds are seriously stacked against him having a long pro career. But every so often, a late round pick defies all the odds and becomes an impact player. So I suppose you just never know.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Could be a Garland/Mangiapane type draft steal for y'all. Very good value in the 6th.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Outscored Musty, Cowan, Dvorsky etc from last years draft and had he been born 2-3 months earlier wouldve easily
been a 1st rounder without that stupid “overager” label over his head. Outscored Sennecke, Greentree, Basha, Howe, others who are all no more than 5 months younger than him. Catton, also 5 months younger, had 5 more points and 6 less goals went 8th OA. It’s not all about points, but lowkey kinda is.

 

[LordBacon]

while i love the pick, there is a non trivial chance you're going to end up a heart broke desperado. I'll put together a playlist - that would make Brandon Sutter proud - to help you heal.

I still remember his god awful goal song

 

[Jerry the great]

I still remember his god awful goal song

what was it?

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

what was it?

The Nashville Predators goal song. The Tim McGraw one.

 

[Bgav]

what are his chances looking to make team canada for the WJCs?

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

what are his chances looking to make team canada for the WJCs?

Being at their summer camp is good - but Canada is routinely stacked with high draft picks. He’ll be in tough - but if he has a great start to the season, he certainly has a chance.

 

[strattonius]

Outscored Musty, Cowan, Dvorsky etc from last years draft and had he been born 2-3 months earlier wouldve easily
been a 1st rounder without that stupid “overager” label over his head. Outscored Sennecke, Greentree, Basha, Howe, others who are all no more than 5 months younger than him. Catton, also 5 months younger, had 5 more points and 6 less goals went 8th OA. It’s not all about points, but lowkey kinda is.

How is it possible he dropped to the 6th round? There must be some set back on his play that scouts are not convinced is translatable.

Like the 6th rd gamble is fantastic I just find it hard to believe everyone forgot about him, or passed him up based on a 3month age gap.

Why was Romani not selected earlier?

 

[arttk]

How is it possible he dropped to the 6th round? There must be some set back on his play that scouts are not convinced is translatable.

Like the 6th rd gamble is fantastic I just find it hard to believe everyone forgot about him, or passed him up based on a 3month age gap.

Why was Romani not selected earlier?

Scouts don’t value overagers it seems.

 

[LemonSauceD]

How is it possible he dropped to the 6th round? There must be some set back on his play that scouts are not convinced is translatable.

Like the 6th rd gamble is fantastic I just find it hard to believe everyone forgot about him, or passed him up based on a 3month age gap.

Why was Romani not selected earlier?

overager label cuz 2 month gap

Voted most smartest player, most dangerous in goal area, and 2nd best shot in the OHL by coaches. 4th highest goal scorer of all 18 year olds in OHL history behind Stamkos, Kane and Tavares. All situations player (PP, PK, etc). Lead the OHL in even strength with 83 points.

No attitude issues or size issues for a forward (6’0 184lbs). No glaring defensive flaws. Not a PP merchant.

Outscored pretty much all 2023 draftees (Musty, Cowan, Barkey, Rehkopf, Dvorsky, Pinelli, Ritchie, Cristall, Yager, Danielsson, Sidorov, Sawchyn etc) except Heidt who had 6 more points. This is while being one youngest of that draft class.

Like you have Sennecke going 3rd OA (joke of a pick btw) in 2024 and is literally only 5 months younger and Romani doubled his goals and points. Catton pretty much lead all U19’s in the CHL (1 point behind Heidt though) and had 5 more points than Romani and he went 8th OA, for reference, position aside.

Don’t get it twisted. Romani is a 1st round talent. Not even really comparable to Garland/Mangiapane who were both very flawed 18/19 year olds with size issues and massive defensive flaws the year they were drafted, in Garland’s case playing in a very weak QMJHL league.

The main reason why Romani went undrafted in 2023 was because he put up lower numbers playing on the 3rd and 4th line behind a deeper and more experienced NB team which had several 3rd and 4th year players. And even despite this, he put up some decent numbers relative to his ice time. He should’ve been at least a 5-7 rounder that year, and a 1st rounder this year, maybe 2nd round. Legit had to do a double take thinking he was already gone when I heard his name called with our 6th rounder.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Since i was skeptical, i checked other U19 goal scoring records in the OHL, there’s actually quite a handful of others who’ve scored more though turned 19 mid to late season. And some who did it younger like Tavares, Kane, Tanti, Lindros, Dan Quinn, some in their 1st seasons. So I’m not sure why it was made as if Romani was 4th of all time but he’s definitely in the top 10 all time in terms of youngest high goal scorers.

 

[VanJack]

Call me an unapologetic optimism, but I'm kind of getting 'Ray Ferraro vibes from a kind like Romani. Ferraro was drafted in the fifth round of the 1982 entry draft by the Hartford Whalers. In his 15-year NHL career he finished with 408 goals and 490 assists, despite being 5'10" and 190. In his last junior season with Brandon, Ferraro had an astonishing 108 goals and 84 assists or 192 points.

So late round picks do occasionally go on to NHL stardom, although it probably doesn't happen as often as it used to, with so many more teams in the league and NHL scouting departments becoming so sophisticated. But the fact is, Romani should never have gone 'undrafted' during his first year of eligibility; and and should never have plummeted all the way to the sixth round in this second year of eligibility.

So once in a long while, NHL teams do catch 'lightning in a bottle' with a kid who's just a victim of stereotyping and a bad birth-date.

 

[Kryten]

Call me an unapologetic optimism, but I'm kind of getting 'Ray Ferraro vibes from a kind like Romani. Ferraro was drafted in the fifth round of the 1982 entry draft by the Hartford Whalers. In his 15-year NHL career he finished with 408 goals and 490 assists, despite being 5'10" and 190. In his last junior season with Brandon, Ferraro had an astonishing 108 goals and 84 assists or 192 points.

So late round picks do occasionally go on to NHL stardom, although it probably doesn't happen as often as it used to, with so many more teams in the league and NHL scouting departments becoming so sophisticated. But the fact is, Romani should never have gone 'undrafted' during his first year of eligibility; and and should never have plummeted all the way to the sixth round in this second year of eligibility.

So once in a long while, NHL teams do catch 'lightning in a bottle' with a kid who's just a victim of stereotyping and a bad birth-date.

That 5th round comment needs a massive f***in asterisk next it. Ferraro was picked 88th overall.

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[VanJack]

That 5th round comment needs a massive f***in asterisk next it. Ferraro was picked 88th overall.

Like this post to prove youre not a bot

The only reason the fifth round in 1982 equated to the 88th overall pick, is simply a matter of there being far fewer NHL teams back then. But even in 1982 if NHL teams didn't draft you until the fifth round, it was because they simply weren't convinced you'd ever be much of a player. And not unlike Romani, the year after Ferraro was drafted in 1982, he exploded for 108 goals and 192 total points playing for Brandon.

So a massive f*** asterik' is really in your own mind. Because in 1982, NHL scouting staffs were small; they didn't rely on any technology to scout players; and far fewer guys were drafted from Europe. So the 88th overall pick in 1982; really isn't that far off the 162nd pick in 2024.

 

[BluesyShoes]

I am not seeing a first round talent in this shift-by-shift, although I'd never settle my mind over one game. Does not look like a player ready for an increase in pace; he looks downright lethargic and unathletic in this game. Good shot, but for a playoff game, he and his linemates really lack urgency. One game isn't much but he looks like a player that will need a long road and significant transformation to make the NHL, which is expected for a sixth rounder, but some of the hype in here is wild. Maybe I am missing something.