C Berkly Catton - Spokane Chiefs, WHL (2024, 8th, SEA)

[Wallet Inspector]

Got a feeling the Habs will nab him, so I'm kinda hoping my Sens finish below them, lol.

 

[Bubbles]

PG has done a really good job of smothering Catton during the playoffs. He's only had 2 assists and they're down 3-0. I don't think Spokane will win tomorrow.

It's what happens when you're a 1 line team (a 1 player team, really.)

 

[SlafySZN]

PG has done a really good job of smothering Catton during the playoffs. He's only had 2 assists and they're down 3-0. I don't think Spokane will win tomorrow.

It's what happens when you're a 1 line team (a 1 player team, really.)

The U18 will be more important for him, i think.

 

[landy92mack29]

Ravensbergen has been a wall also

 

[pgfan66]

(a 1 player team, really.)

Here we go again

 

[WeThreeKings]

Got a feeling the Habs will nab him, so I'm kinda hoping my Sens finish below them, lol.

Last thing the Sens need to do is add Catton, you should focus on trying to draft a defenseman who can defend to help Sanderson out.

 

[TLEH]

Here we go again

Remember when you said that Bertholet and Roulette and Catton were "as stacked as it gets" in junior hockey?

 

[57special]

Ravensbergen has been a wall also

He's going to be an interesting one to watch in his draft year...forgotten if it's 25 or 26.

 

[57special]

Last thing the Sens need to do is add Catton, you should focus on trying to draft a defenseman who can defend to help Sanderson out.

But they need a solid, RHD, as opposed to a balls out offensive D like Parekh. Levshunov and Yakemchuk have their defensive warts, too.

The best defensive guys of the top bunch are Silayev and Dickinson, both LHD.

Sens need to take BPA, then one of the unexciting but solid RHD likely to be available in the late 1st, early 2nd, i.e. Elick.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's going to be an interesting one to watch in his draft year...forgotten if it's 25 or 26.

2025

 

[Bubbles]

Spokane eliminated tonight, Catton got 2A while pretty much playing the entire 3rd period. That line was noticeably gassed at the end of the game.

On to the U18s!

 

[WeThreeKings]

Spokane eliminated tonight, Catton got 2A while pretty much playing the entire 3rd period. That line was noticeably gassed at the end of the game.

On to the U18s!

They had no choice but to ride Catton into the ground all year long.

Get some rest and torch the U18s.

 

[pgfan66]

Remember when you said that Bertholet and Roulette and Catton were "as stacked as it gets" in junior hockey?

And I stand by it. Like the first time, I still don’t call them the best line in the league or anything like that. But there are only a handful better lines than Roulette and Catton plus one of Bertholet and Van Olm.

 

[jfhabs]

But they need a solid, RHD, as opposed to a balls out offensive D like Parekh. Levshunov and Yakemchuk have their defensive warts, too.

The best defensive guys of the top bunch are Silayev and Dickinson, both LHD.

Sens need to take BPA, then one of the unexciting but solid RHD likely to be available in the late 1st, early 2nd, i.e. Elick.

They have good 2way/transition D, but they don't have a guy as dynamic as Parekh or Buium.
However, from their draft history, I could see them picking one of Levshunov or Yakemchuk.

 

[Goldenhands]

 

[Goldenhands]

I’d like to say that’s true, but people said the same thing about Cristall last year, and they have the same issue.

He has top end skills. No doubt. If you’re never going to be able to use those skills though, because you can’t put on muscle, due to your body type, what does it matter?? Biology still matters. A lot..

Like I said earlier. The good news is, he’s 18, and you pray he’s somehow able to put on that strength. Late growth spurts happen. It’s not just a height/weight thing though. That’s where fans get confused. It’s his bone structure, etc. Ever seen an NHL player’s calves? Your body has to be able to grow like that.

Compare him to two others in that general range?? Ryder Ritchie and the Connelly kid in the USHL. Those guys have a similar height/weight, but their core strength is developing. They have that 3rd and 4th gear, you get with core strength. More than likely, they’ll be able to add that 20 pounds of muscle.

We see a few guys every year like this, and it sucks for them, because they are so skilled. The Russian Dman Colorado took in the 2nd Round last year fell because of this issue. Dennis Cholowski didn’t fall, but suffers from it. We’re seeing it right now, with Lukas Cormier. He looked like a 15 year old in those Vegas games, and he’s actually been able to add some muscle and core strength. Still, he dropped well out of the 1st Round.

Because of the lack of pure skill in the Top 50 from forwards, still think he’s a 1st no matter what, but wouldn’t be shocked. If he could mesh together his skill set with the physical ability of Calum Ritchie in the OHL, who has the complete opposite issue, we’d have a star. Calum Ritchie’s production almost solely comes from his physical strength and size. Same thing though. That by itself won’t work in the NHL. You take a player like that, hoping he develops a couple of high end skills. At least with him, he will still have a shot in the bottom 6, even if he doesn’t score in the NHL.

There’s a reason guys like Stefan and Klassen (with Portland) are never drafted, but just produce like crazy in junior. Remember Tyler Maxwell from Everett, then the Oil Kings? He was one of the best 1991 players, his entire time growing up, through Juniors, yet was never drafted or signed. Pretty sure he ever played a regular season NHL game.

There’s 3-4 major physical attributes you need to play in the NHL. Even if you’re extremely skilled.. If you’re missing those, you can generally score in every other league. Just not the one that counts.

These next two months are crucial for him with scouts. We start seeing him hit another gear when he’s taking a dman wide, teams will feel much more confident, using such a high pick on him. If he doesn’t, it’s gonna be a long development process, and fans will be confused, because he’ll be lighting up the lower levels.

Good post, thats my main concern as well, he has a very weak frame out there, he doesnt engage physically at all against junior aged players and can get pushed off the puck too easily. There is alot of positional cheating in his game that wont translate in the pros, will be asked to spend more energy in the defensive zone, better puck support, more physically involved and be stronger on pucks. To be able to handle that workload at the NHL level, he will need to gain alot of strength given he is undersized by NHL standarts as well. A kid like Senneke will need to add alot strength too, but given he had a late spurt growth, scouts wont find that as alarming as it can be with Catton.

Catton is very skilled as you said, but the weak frame/lack of power will hurt his draft stock. I think he is a nice gamble around 15th OV, there is a path where he could become a winger in the mold of Keller, but everything would need to go right. The risk factor is what makes me push him down my list, I have him around 15th OV.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Good post, thats my main concern as well, he has a very weak frame out there, he doesnt engage physically at all against junior aged players and can get pushed off the puck too easily. There is alot of positional cheating in his game that wont translate in the pros, will be asked to spend more energy in the defensive zone, better puck support, more physically involved and be stronger on pucks. To be able to handle that workload at the NHL level, he will need to gain alot of strength given he is undersized by NHL standarts as well. A kid like Senneke will need to add alot strength too, but given he had a late spurt groth, scouts wont find that as alarming as it can be with Catton.

Catton is very skilled as you said, but the weak frame/lack of power will hurt his draft stock. I think he is a nice gamble around 15th OV, there is a path where he could become a winger in the mold of Keller, but everything would need to go right. The risk factor is what makes me push him down my list, I have him around 15th OV.

is his frame any bigger risk than jack hughes or mitch marner? they both went high and seem to do okay against bigger and stronger guys. not saying catton is gonna be on that level, but hasn't he faced these issues his entire hockey life and has still starred everywhere he has been?

 

[TLEH]

Catton beat the brakes off Tij in a fight and doesn’t play a soft game. His frame is fine. 15th in this class is a joke, to be quite honest with you.

 

[majormajor]

Catton beat the brakes off Tij in a fight and doesn’t play a soft game. His frame is fine. 15th in this class is a joke, to be quite honest with you.

He's almost the same size as Iginla so it does make you wonder why Iginla gets plaudits for toughness (and mistakenly is called a power forward) while Catton is considered too small.

 

[Goldenhands]

Catton beat the brakes off Tij in a fight and doesn’t play a soft game. His frame is fine. 15th in this class is a joke, to be quite honest with you.

Its not a joke if you put all the top defensemen + Celebrini, Demidov, Lindstrom, Iginla and Helenius over him. And yeah, Catton is definitely soft for a small player if you compare him to other undersized fowards like Benson, Brindley, Helenius, Cooley who all have better core strength. and much more grit to their game.

 

[Goldenhands]

He's almost the same size as Iginla so it does make you wonder why Iginla gets plaudits for toughness (and mistakenly is called a power forward) while Catton is considered too small.

he is 5'10 170 pounds, Iginla 6 foot 186 pounds and Iginla definitely is a powerful player, he skating is explosive, he uses his frame to sheild the puck from his opponents, he is very strong on pucks. Iginla plays a pro game already, Catton a junior one.

 

[TLEH]

he is 5'10 170 pounds, Iginla 6 foot 186 pounds and Iginla definitely is a powerful player, he skating is explosive, he uses his frame to sheild the puck from his opponents, he is very strong on pucks. Iginla plays a pro game already, Catton a junior one.

Again, neither player is soft. Catton isn’t soft. Neither is Tij. Catton is pretty gritty for a guy who isn’t huge. He fought Tij and won handily. That’s grit.

 

[Goldenhands]

Again, neither player is soft. Catton isn’t soft. Neither is Tij. Catton is pretty gritty for a guy who isn’t huge. He fought Tij and won handily. That’s grit.

There is no physical commitment with Catton. Benson, Brindley, Helenius are throwing their body around. Anyway if you cant see it thats your prob, but dont ask yourself why he drops to mid 1st round.

 

[TLEH]

There is no physical commitment with Catton. Benson, Brindley, Helenius are throwing their body around. Anyway if you cant see it thats your prob, but they ask yourself why he drops to mid 1st round.

Again you said he’s soft and lacks grit. So why did he fight Tij and win? Because he’s soft? He gave up two inches and 16 pounds to a guy. But he’s soft?

Catton is a solid effort guy and committed defensively. Often Spokane got dominated against the deeper teams and he played a ton in games, chasing the score. Spokane was often a one line team. It’s hard to give max effort in every shift when you’re playing 30 minutes.

 

[Goldenhands]

Again you said he’s soft and lacks grit. So why did he fight Tij and win? Because he’s soft? He gave up two inches and 16 pounds to a guy. But he’s soft?

Man, thats 1 event. Watch the games Ive put there, he got pushed off the puck quite easily, got rocked down twice and was in pain when it was normal bodychecks, kid is f***ing weak.

Have you ever watched Benson, Brindley, Helenius in their draft year??? Those kids plays hard and fearless.