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

[Our Lady Peace]

This kid might fall out of the top 10, on which teams in the 15 to 25 range would he be the most coveted? I think a trade up for him as a potential top 5 talent might be interesting/warranted.

I think picks 15-18 are the best for for Catton. That's Detroit, St. Louis, Washington, and NY Islanders

Detroit is looking for a smart + highly skilled and projectable C or LW (if Catton is not a C at the next level that works great too).

St. Louis is in limbo a bit since they are trying to compete but missed the mark this year. Catton would be rising up on that team quickly and Snuggerud would be a great compliment to him in the future on that team.

Washington has space for Catton (cerebral, all-around puck skills) and he could be quite the centering piece to play with Leonard (high motor, physical, fast).

Islanders needs highly skilled players like Barzal and Catton gives them one who arguably shares the same ceiling.

 

[macbowes]

I will be very surprised if Catton doesn't go in the top 10, let alone any later. He's significantly more skilled than any forward not named Celebrini or Demidov. Sure he's slight, but he's one of three forwards in this draft that have the talent to be a teams best offensive player.

 

[WarriorofTime]

He's clearly going to be the Benson of this years draft, NHL teams will wonder why they took the players they did ahead of him almost immediately, and then go into 2025 undervaluing a similar player only for the process to repeat itself.

Teams watch the Playoffs and then remember you need big forwards to win, then get to Draft and draft accordingly, then a season goes on and the little guy scores more than the big guys and people go "oh no, why draft big guy when little guy was there", and then watch next Playoffs and go "oh right" and cycle repeats.

Does that mean you're fist-bumping your Daniil But selection, not necessarily (maybe they are, idk) because the big guys are likely more "projects" but you give up some skill for that size if the size factor does end up hitting. Those have a lot of value in your Top 9 than necessarily just chasing skill, skill, skill.

 

[majormajor]

Teams watch the Playoffs and then remember you need big forwards to win, then get to Draft and draft accordingly, then a season goes on and the little guy scores more than the big guys and people go "oh no, why draft big guy when little guy was there", and then watch next Playoffs and go "oh right" and cycle repeats.

Does that mean you're fist-bumping your Daniil But selection, not necessarily (maybe they are, idk) because the big guys are likely more "projects" but you give up some skill for that size if the size factor does end up hitting. Those have a lot of value in your Top 9 than necessarily just chasing skill, skill, skill.

There is a cycle.

But I don't think teams forget about what kind of players they want in their future contending stage. They set out their priorities in advance and largely stick to them.

And contra @WeThreeKings I don't think teams are surprised by how good Zach Benson is. I bet many of those clubs that passed on him thought he was a brilliant two-way player. But they looked at the size and thought it wasn't a priority for how they want to build their teams.

 

[Antiillafire]

I think picks 15-18 are the best for for Catton. That's Detroit, St. Louis, Washington, and NY Islanders

Detroit is looking for a smart + highly skilled and projectable C or LW (if Catton is not a C at the next level that works great too).

St. Louis is in limbo a bit since they are trying to compete but missed the mark this year. Catton would be rising up on that team quickly and Snuggerud would be a great compliment to him in the future on that team.

Washington has space for Catton (cerebral, all-around puck skills) and he could be quite the centering piece to play with Leonard (high motor, physical, fast).

Islanders needs highly skilled players like Barzal and Catton gives them one who arguably shares the same ceiling.

Dvorsky is the best prospect on the blues and adding Catton wouldn’t change that

 

[WarriorofTime]

And contra @WeThreeKings I don't think teams are surprised by how good Zach Benson is. I bet many of those clubs that passed on him thought he was a brilliant two-way player. But they looked at the size and thought it wasn't a priority for how they want to build their teams.

I find draft discourse kind of funny. You'll see the free, independent scouting websites give evaluations that read like "everyone has this guy at third, but personally, I think this guy is not very good, he's inconsistent, bad compete level, skating is average not great, one-way player, ok but not amazing hands... anyways I have him rated 7th". Like huh, from all you said, I'm shocked anyone would draft that player before the 5th round, but there you go still thinking it's a very high end prospect to add to anyone's pool of young talent.

Ultimately we are hyper zoomed in on the universe of potential high draft picks. When someone is a 1st round pick it means they are a great prospect, when they are a top 15, potential top 10 pick, it means they are a GREAT prospect.

Of course we focus in on that hyper-zoomed picture, that makes for a more interesting discussion, but it leads to a false perception that the hyper zoomed 20 prospects everyone is talking about are the only ones in the universe so it becomes a whole lot hyperbole talking about differences in that group (what I call "guess the bust") and exaggerated claims that someone is being massively disrespected if they go a couple spots lower than maybe someone's personal list has them.

 

[TLEH]

Trocheck has had a great playoffs. Patrick Kane was a notorious playoff guy. Garland was good last night. I think some guys can bring it and some guys can't.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Trocheck has had a great playoffs. Patrick Kane was a notorious playoff guy. Garland was good last night. I think some guys can bring it and some guys can't.

The Blues don’t with the Cup without Jaden Schwartz. Led the 2019 team in goals that playoffs. Brayden Point was clutch for the Bolts. Plenty of smaller guys can make big contributions in the playoffs.

That said, there’s plenty that don’t too. Talent is great. Talent + size is better. I have Catton ranked quite high. But the size is a legit concern.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Dvorsky is the best prospect on the blues and adding Catton wouldn’t change that

Agree to disagree, I think Catton is the superior prospect

 

[WeThreeKings]

The Blues don’t with the Cup without Jaden Schwartz. Led the 2019 team in goals that playoffs. Brayden Point was clutch for the Bolts. Plenty of smaller guys can make big contributions in the playoffs.

That said, there’s plenty that don’t too. Talent is great. Talent + size is better. I have Catton ranked quite high. But the size is a legit concern.

Personally I don't think 5'11 175 lbs at 18ish years old is a concern.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Personally I don't think 5'11 175 lbs at 18ish years old is a concern.

I don’t either. But I also doubt that’s what he measures in at for the Combine. Brayden Yager measured in at 5’11” 170 lbs at the Combine last year. ASP was 5’11” 180 lbs. Catton just visually looks smaller than those two did a year ago to me.

Again, I absolutely believe in this prospect. In fact, I have him 3rd on my list. I know he’s not going to go remotely that high but his skill and hockey sense place him that high for me. But his size is the one concern for me. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if he measures in at 5’11” 170 lbs at the Combine next month.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I think picks 15-18 are the best for for Catton. That's Detroit, St. Louis, Washington, and NY Islanders

Detroit is looking for a smart + highly skilled and projectable C or LW (if Catton is not a C at the next level that works great too).

St. Louis is in limbo a bit since they are trying to compete but missed the mark this year. Catton would be rising up on that team quickly and Snuggerud would be a great compliment to him in the future on that team.

Washington has space for Catton (cerebral, all-around puck skills) and he could be quite the centering piece to play with Leonard (high motor, physical, fast).

Islanders needs highly skilled players like Barzal and Catton gives them one who arguably shares the same ceiling.

I would hope that he wouldn't make it past #13.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

I would hope that he wouldn't make it past #13.

He would be a great pick for Minnesota and they should really target a player like him

 

[IronMarshal]

Is his name pronounced Cat-ton or is it Kay-ton?

 

[WarriorofTime]

Is his name pronounced Cat-ton or is it Kay-ton?

Cat-ton

 

[IronMarshal]

Cat-ton

Thanks. That is what I thought. I was listening to these 4 illiterate Flyers podcasters who kept calling him Kayton. I thought they were wrong after one guy admitted to pronouncing Eiserman wrong. Thanks again.

 

[wetcoast]

Dvorsky is the best prospect on the blues and adding Catton wouldn’t change that

I think it would but there is little need for this type of speculation.

Catton should easily go in the top 10 and he should pass by San Jose who has their second top 15 pick at 14.

 

[Bubbles]

Is his name pronounced Cat-ton or is it Kay-ton?

Cat-in. Sounds like Cotton, except with an a.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

The Blues don’t with the Cup without Jaden Schwartz. Led the 2019 team in goals that playoffs. Brayden Point was clutch for the Bolts. Plenty of smaller guys can make big contributions in the playoffs.

That said, there’s plenty that don’t too. Talent is great. Talent + size is better. I have Catton ranked quite high. But the size is a legit concern.

Wasn't Schwartz also the 2nd best defensive forward in the league in 2019. Actually if anything you can argue he was better that season than Stone.

 

[jfhabs]

Teams watch the Playoffs and then remember you need big forwards to win, then get to Draft and draft accordingly, then a season goes on and the little guy scores more than the big guys and people go "oh no, why draft big guy when little guy was there", and then watch next Playoffs and go "oh right" and cycle repeats.

Does that mean you're fist-bumping your Daniil But selection, not necessarily (maybe they are, idk) because the big guys are likely more "projects" but you give up some skill for that size if the size factor does end up hitting. Those have a lot of value in your Top 9 than necessarily just chasing skill, skill, skill.

Who won the Conn Smythe last year again...?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Who won the Conn Smythe last year again...?

Should've been Eichel, but Marchessault.

 

[Eegs]

If Demidov is gone, I wouldn't mind Montreal trading down to the 8-10 range and draft this kid.

 

[coooldude]

Measured 5'10.25". Only did upper body workouts but did pretty well in the bench press.

I thought his interview here was pretty impressive, definitely comes across as sharp. Much sharper (and longer) than most prospect interviews I watched.

Says he had dinner with Utah. Enjoyed his MTL interview. Guess I could see him going to either of those teams, although UTA still seems like they'd lean towards a D.

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[Sombastate]

Saw some beat writer who was at the combine say that he's expecting him to go 14-17 range. Twitter did the thing where it randomly refreshes for no explicable reason, so I couldn't gage how "legit" the source was.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Saw some beat writer who was at the combine say that he's expecting him to go 14-17 range. Twitter did the thing where it randomly refreshes for no explicable reason, so I couldn't gage how "legit" the source was.

He’ll go somewhere in a range of like 5-15. Will depend on how the draft plays out.