Player Discussion Brett Howden

[haveandare]

He looked good last night but also looked pretty useless for a handful of preseason games. Good start, hoping he can keep it up semi consistently.

 

[Edge]

sorry if this is a dumb question, but i do not follow minors and prospects all that much. does he have Stepan upside? or is that too optimistic? who does he compare to?

IMO, Stepan was more offensively inclined.

This is a bit of a broad generalization, but I feel like Stepan was a playmaker whose game grew and evolved into a more complete two-way style.

With Howden, he was more of a two-way player whose offensive game kept improving and expanding. When he was drafted he was seen as a somewhat safe, if unspectacular player who could likely fill at least a fourth line role, possibly a third. As time went on, that kept going to the point where the downside was seen as more of a third line type with the potential for second line-level production.

Whereas Stepan was 1 or 1A center, I don't think Howden will hit that level. I think he's a level lower than that. I could see him evolving to the point where Kevin Hayes is now --- maybe hit that 50+ point mark with the right deployment.

He has a shot to play an important, but probably not a staring one --- with the hope being he can take the tougher assignments, seem work on the PK, not look out of place if used on the Power Play and be trusted in a variety of situations. He also has the potential to wear a letter at this level, if he keeps developing.

From a personal standpoint Howden's game, at least at the junior level, reminded me a lot of Jarret Stoll and I can see his career having a somewhat similar arch to it.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Now on a line with McLeod. Terrible for his development.

 

[bobbop]

My AHL guy mentioned Howden to me today. He saw Howden play a few games in Syracuse two years ago after his junior season ended. He said that Howden was really impressive in his short stay and he thinks he has more than third line upside. Small snapshot from a very good source.

 

[bl02]

Now on a line with McLeod. Terrible for his development.

What??? No way ugh! Just got in from work is this real?

 

[nyr2k2]

Now on a line with McLeod. Terrible for his development.

I mean he's the 4C, and McLeod is only going to play on the 4th line. So it sucks but shouldn't be at all surprising.

 

[Edge]

What??? No way ugh! Just got in from work is this real?

He’ll be fine.

 

[Edge]

He looked good last night but also looked pretty useless for a handful of preseason games. Good start, hoping he can keep it up semi consistently.

There’s going to be a lot of that over this year and next, such is the way with very young talent.

What’s interesting with some of our direction is that Our rookies are on the younger side, even by the standards of first year players.

I think we sometimes forget we aren’t talking about 22 or 23 year olds. We’re talking about teenagers or kids who are barely 20. That’s a huge difference.

Even in the best of times we’d see maybe one player every few years breaking in at that young age for the Rangers. Now we’re talking about two, maybe 3 kids in a single season. We could be looking at the same thing next season as well.

I think a lot of this harkens back to what Gorton said about trying to spread out the age range of prospects a little and not wanting all of them to come in at the same time.

 

[RangerBoy]

Howden is Sean Monahan who is a very good player. Excellent player.

 

[Ori]

Yes he has improved in each game as well so that is positive.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Goals in 2018-19:

Howden 1
McDonagh and Miller 0

 

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

Howden is Sean Monahan who is a very good player. Excellent player.

Hes got a similar, though not as impressive hockey IQ to Monahan. I think that's about where the similarities end.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Hes got a similar, though not as impressive hockey IQ to Monahan. I think that's about where the similarities end.

Wait to see what he says about him when we have to actually give him a contract. He’ll be calling him Sam Bennett.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

I was expecting him to be Stoll type, who was a very physical player, but Howden does not play physical. I am very disappointed.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I was expecting him to be Stoll type, who was a very physical player, but Howden does not play physical. I am very disappointed.

You don't have to be a physical player to be a good player.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

You don't have to be a physical player to be a good player.

Yeah, if you score over 60 points a season maybe. Howden is projected to be 3rd line center. I don't want 3rd line center that isn't physical.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

I was expecting him to be Stoll type, who was a very physical player, but Howden does not play physical. I am very disappointed.

I don’t know where you get your info from, but it’s rarely ever correct

 

[CTRanger]

Rarely ever? When? I need evidence.

 

[DanielBrassard]

He's been pretty damn good so far, his vision really stands out to me.

 

[bobbop]

Howden is Sean Monahan who is a very good player. Excellent player.

This.

 

[LORDE]

There’s going to be a lot of that over this year and next, such is the way with very young talent.

What’s interesting with some of our direction is that Our rookies are on the younger side, even by the standards of first year players.

I think we sometimes forget we aren’t talking about 22 or 23 year olds. We’re talking about teenagers or kids who are barely 20. That’s a huge difference.

Even in the best of times we’d see maybe one player every few years breaking in at that young age for the Rangers. Now we’re talking about two, maybe 3 kids in a single season. We could be looking at the same thing next season as well.

I think a lot of this harkens back to what Gorton said about trying to spread out the age range of prospects a little and not wanting all of them to come in at the same time.

You’re easily my fav poster Edge... thanks for the insight.

My biggest issue w you is that I can’t pick a post of the year from this board with you here... there’s just no way of narrowing down. This one though is top 5 probably

 

[Trxjw]

He's just going to keep clawing his way up the lineup. Love this kid.

Saving my "I told you so" post for a few months though.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I was expecting him to be Stoll type, who was a very physical player, but Howden does not play physical. I am very disappointed.

This won't age well

 

[SnowblindNYR]

You’re easily my fav poster Edge... thanks for the insight.

My biggest issue w you is that I can’t pick a post of the year from this board with you here... there’s just no way of narrowing down. This one though is top 5 probably

You know how you know Edge has substance? He never trots out his opinion like it's beyond a doubt fact like we do here with far less knowledgeable posters.

 

[LORDE]

You know how you know Edge has substance? He never trots out his opinion like it's beyond a doubt fact like we do here with far less knowledgeable posters.

And yet he’s much more fact than anything else.

Humans. Go figure