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

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Incredible pick. He's not an overager by two years, it was a couple of months. It's one thing when a player puts up 80 in 60 as an overager...he had 111 points.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

This feels a little bit like that time Gillis tried to outsmart everyone by drafting overagers...except...this guy actually has about a million points. Plenty of concerns obviously, about how he'll translate. But ehhh...drafting guys who are super productive and lead their teams offensively, even as overagers isn't the worst idea in the world.

IIRC, that strategy kind of worked with Kevin Connauton? He was a bit older when he was drafted and has to be considered a relative success from an NHL games player vs draft position perspective.

But that was kind of it.

 

[tyhee]

Some of the comments I'm seeing here are reminiscent of the reaction when the Canucks signed Dane Fox as a true over ager who led the OHL in goals in his age 20 season. (Yes, he was older than Romani is.)

I didn't know anything about Romani so went looking for scouting reports and his boxcars. My assumption is that when a kid scores that well, progresses that well from year to year and doesn't get drafted until the 6th round of his second eligible draft, scouts are seeing something they really don't like. Most often it is skating, sometimes it is a severe lack of physicality and sometimes it is brains or character, but we can be certain it is something.

I went looking for online scouting reports. Based on a report in thehockeywriters.com, it appears his weaknesses are defensive positioning and a lack of size and physicality. Those are things that it is easy to understand the Canucks hoping they can, at least to some extent, improve with coaching.and maturity.

He'll be back in junior this season, which may not be the best place for him. The other thing about staying in junior is that it will take some looking under the surface to see how well his game is improving in the areas he'll need to improve as a pro. It is almost certain that he'll have another big scoring year whether his defence and physical play improve or not.

 

[Lindgren]

IIRC, that strategy kind of worked with Kevin Connauton? He was a bit older when he was drafted and has to be considered a relative success from an NHL games player vs draft position perspective.

But that was kind of it.

The term "overager" is kind of misleading in this case (not that you used it). Romani was passed over in the draft in his first year of eligibility, sure, but he's not an "overager" who went back to junior for an extra season after completing his normal stretch. His stats can reasonably be compared to prospects drafted one year ago, and by that standard his numbers are just fine.

I know I'm repeating what others have said—if he'd been drafted last year we'd be very pleased with his D+1 results, etc. It's just that "overager" bit that gets on my nerves.

 

[ziploc]

Wow! 58 goals and 111 points, and he basically played the entire season as an 18-year old. He was only two months away from ineligible for the 2023 draft altogether.

I know there's a tendency to downgrade kids from the CHL who go undrafted in their first year of draft eligibility.....but two months, is about 60 sleeps. Do kids change that month in two months?

I sure did.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Some of the comments I'm seeing here are reminiscent of the reaction when the Canucks signed Dane Fox as a true over ager who led the OHL in goals in his age 20 season. (Yes, he was older than Romani is.)

I didn't know anything about Romani so went looking for scouting reports and his boxcars. My assumption is that when a kid scores that well, progresses that well from year to year and doesn't get drafted until the 6th round of his second eligible draft, scouts are seeing something they really don't like. Most often it is skating, sometimes it is a severe lack of physicality and sometimes it is brains or character, but we can be certain it is something.

I went looking for online scouting reports. Based on a report in thehockeywriters.com, it appears his weaknesses are defensive positioning and a lack of size and physicality. Those are things that it is easy to understand the Canucks hoping they can, at least to some extent, improve with coaching.and maturity.

He'll be back in junior this season, which may not be the best place for him. The other thing about staying in junior is that it will take some looking under the surface to see how well his game is improving in the areas he'll need to improve as a pro. It is almost certain that he'll have another big scoring year whether his defence and physical play improve or not.

Dane Fox played with McDavid and Connor Brown.

 

[Brock]

More info on Romani for you.

Sunday Top 10 - 2024 NHL Draft Re-Entries

It's that time of the year for my annual ( 2023 , 2022 , 2020 , 2019 , 2018 , 2017 , 2016 , 2015 , 2014 , 2013 , 2012 , 2011 , ...

ohlprospects.blogspot.com

 

[HairyKneel]

Some of the comments I'm seeing here are reminiscent of the reaction when the Canucks signed Dane Fox as a true over ager who led the OHL in goals in his age 20 season. (Yes, he was older than Romani is.)

I didn't know anything about Romani so went looking for scouting reports and his boxcars. My assumption is that when a kid scores that well, progresses that well from year to year and doesn't get drafted until the 6th round of his second eligible draft, scouts are seeing something they really don't like. Most often it is skating, sometimes it is a severe lack of physicality and sometimes it is brains or character, but we can be certain it is something.

I went looking for online scouting reports. Based on a report in thehockeywriters.com, it appears his weaknesses are defensive positioning and a lack of size and physicality. Those are things that it is easy to understand the Canucks hoping they can, at least to some extent, improve with coaching.and maturity.

He'll be back in junior this season, which may not be the best place for him. The other thing about staying in junior is that it will take some looking under the surface to see how well his game is improving in the areas he'll need to improve as a pro. It is almost certain that he'll have another big scoring year whether his defence and physical play improve or not.

He'll be back in junior again because he's born in 05. What a novel concept for a kid that turns 19 in two weeks. Dane Fox was 21 when he was signed. Weird comparison to say the least.

 

[HairyKneel]

Incredible pick. He's not an overager by two years, it was a couple of months. It's one thing when a player puts up 80 in 60 as an overager...he had 111 points.

Originally an over ager was considered to be a guy who was 20 turning 21. Like a Dane Fox or a Geoff Cortnall. Now it's guys that are 18 and change. A slap shot is now called a clapper, a good contract is getting the bag and players have camps now instead of agents. And clowns like Rick Dhaliwal and Matt Sekeres are somehow relevant talking about hockey or even being on the airwaves.

Quite a time

 

[MS]

IIRC, that strategy kind of worked with Kevin Connauton? He was a bit older when he was drafted and has to be considered a relative success from an NHL games player vs draft position perspective.

But that was kind of it.

Ben Hutton was an overager.

As I’ve said a few times over the years, the Vancouver-specific fan hate for overage players because of one pick 12 years ago is hilarious. Statistically overage picks are more likely to hit and this is the only market in the NHL that loses their shit if you take an older player.

Anyways, this is a good pick at the point in the draft where it’s worth it to swing for the fences on winger talent. If Romani was born 2 months later he’d have gone in the 2nd or 3rd round.

 

[MS]

Would also add that it’s amazing how closely Romani’s career arc mirrors Andrew Mangiapane’s - smallish scoring OHL winger passed over after scoring 20 goals in his draft year, explodes in his draft+1, drafted 162 overall vs. 166, Italian surname - and hopefully our scouts get redemption here for 2015 when they wanted to draft Mangiapane and our dumb stupid GM watched him play once and decided he sucked.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Excited to (hopefully) see him play at the upcoming tourney. I think it'll be clear fairly early on that this was a steal in the 6th round.

 

[F A N]

Seems like a reasonable pick here. Don't know much about him but I like it.

 

[VanJack]

Going back through the Canuck draft picks over the years, I'm having trouble finding another kid who put up 58 goals and 111 points the year Vancouver drafted him.

Those are serious scoring numbers--particularly in a league as tough as the OHL. Obviously he's a scoring wizard at the junior level. I guess the issue is whether or not he has the tools defensively to carve out a career in pro hockey.

But you can't teach skill and offense. And he's also played center in his career so he has some flexibility. And let's face it.....by the sixth round you're operating on a wing and a prayer.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Would also add that it’s amazing how closely Romani’s career arc mirrors Andrew Mangiapane’s - smallish scoring OHL winger passed over after scoring 20 goals in his draft year, explodes in his draft+1, drafted 162 overall vs. 166, Italian surname - and hopefully our scouts get redemption here for 2015 when they wanted to draft Mangiapane and our dumb stupid GM watched him play once and decided he sucked.

Romani is actually a little bigger than Mangiapane is now.

 

[joelCAMEL]

Going back through the Canuck draft picks over the years, I'm having trouble finding another kid who put up 58 goals and 111 points the year Vancouver drafted him....

Petr Nedved, Rick Girard and Cam Neely scored more than Romani as an 18 year old in their draft year. You did not search back far enough.

 

[thefeebster]

Romani is actually a little bigger than Mangiapane is now.

I think MS was making more of a broad comparison. There are a few differences between these two players; pedigree, playing style/pacing and a bit of height. Mang always had a hunger like Burrows; Mang was not drafted to the OHL, won a spot on a tryout. Romani has been on good teams, drafted to the OHL, and has kept up/developed at a similar pace to Rehkopf (who I consider as a comparable for the level of prospect Romani is).

Romani measured in at 6.00.25” 184lbs at the combine; Mang is 5'10". Watching him on the ice and looking at photos out of equipment, his body looks like young Mason Raymond at this point. There is very little leg definition. There is definitely room to add more muscle and also a need to add muscle, which will hopefully add more power to his game.

Back to the Rehkopf comparison, these are two players seemed to score at will in many of the games I saw. Rehkopf’s goal scoring ability seems to rely on the power and accuracy of his shot. Romani has a bit more of a lurker goal scoring mentality, getting into soft spots, being the trailer on the rush. But he also has good power on his shot. I also find their cons very similar, can be inconsistent at the other end of the ice, not overly physical, but Rehkopf does have a good 2 inch+ on him. Given that Rehkopf went 50th last year and maintains that spot, i'd say its fair Romani would slot in behind him somewhere in the 3rd.

 

[Burnaby Schmo]

IIRC, that strategy kind of worked with Kevin Connauton? He was a bit older when he was drafted and has to be considered a relative success from an NHL games player vs draft position perspective.

But that was kind of it.

Yo, 300+ NHL for a 3rd rounder would be great.

 

[Promethean]

Connor Lockhart produced well in D+1 and then shrunk in D+2. CHL production is not what it used to be. It's a crapshoot. John Tavares used to be the metric in the OHL, now there's tons of kids putting up video game numbers.

 

[IComeInPeace]

Connor Lockhart produced well in D+1 and then shrunk in D+2. CHL production is not what it used to be. It's a crapshoot. John Tavares used to be the metric in the OHL, now there's tons of kids putting up video game numbers.

Didn’t Lockhart suck in his D+1 season?

Given his age and that he was supposed to be a small guy that would put up numbers, his numbers really underwhelmed (relative to his age and pedigree) in each season in the OHL.

 

[Izzy Goodenough]

I mourn for the bygone days when the Canucks Amateur Scouts were selecting D+2 players.

Wait, that was last year...

 

[M2Beezy]

Reminds me of Patrick Kane but with Stamkos vibes

 

[ihaveyuidonttouchme]

What do you all think about his goal-scoring abilities? Could they translate well into the professional level?
I don't know what to think, but I've noticed that he can consistently roof the puck into the top corners like ...a lot

 

[IComeInPeace]

He seems to get into position to receive the puck and then get the puck off of his stick and into the back of the net in a real hurry…

Half the goals he scored I was still trying to figure out where he was and/or how he scored it but by the time I figured it out he’s already celebrating.

 

[nergish]

Reminds me of Patrick Kane but with Stamkos vibes

Yeah, the North American scouts all came to that same conclusion.