C Brett Leason - Prince Albert Raiders, WHL (2019, 56th, WSH)

[izzy]

I wouldnt touch him in the first two rounds.

why? hes a better player right now than a lot of the highly touted players from his draft year who went in the first 2 rounds

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

why? hes a better player right now than a lot of the highly touted players from his draft year who went in the first 2 rounds

Why would you want to draft a guy scoring a goal and assist per game at 19 when you could draft a 17 year old and hope they will do the same in a couple of years?

 

[Jacob]

Why would you want to draft a guy scoring a goal and assist per game at 19 when you could draft a 17 year old and hope they will do the same in a couple of years?

Basically. There's probably a lot of teams that wish their late 1st and 2nd round picks from 2017 were doing half as well as Leason is now.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Someone has to draft this kid in the first round. He's more of a sure thing than any first rounder drafted outside of the top-10.

 

[GetFocht]

I'm hoping he slips to the Canucks as mid first round pick

 

[SI90]

Lou Lamoriello please draft this kid!! He can play hockey!! He’s like a 6’4 Casey Cizikas. All heart and hustle. Love it.


I wouldn’t be shocked to see someone spend a 2nd rounder on him. Definitely 3rd.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Lou Lamoriello please draft this kid!! He can play hockey!! He’s like a 6’4 Casey Cizikas. All heart and hustle. Love it.


I wouldn’t be shocked to see someone spend a 2nd rounder on him. Definitely 3rd.

He is going to be a late 1st to early 2nd. I would be shocked to see him slip past middle of the 2nd round especially with the showing at the WJC.

 

[Kshahdoo]

I see, why he scores so much in the WHL, but WJC is a different thing. He still probably was the best Canadian forward vs Russia.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Could end up in Vegas, looks so much like a Knight's player, doesn't he?.

 

[Gravity]

Hope the habs draft him in the 2nd

 

[MS]

I wouldn’t be even remotely surprised if he goes top-10 in this weak-ish draft.

People still talking like he’ll be an option in the 25-40 range are asleep at the switch.

 

[BigRangy]

I wouldn’t be even remotely surprised if he goes top-10 in this weak-ish draft.

People still talking like he’ll be an option in the 25-40 range are asleep at the switch.

I don't think so. When the u18s happen in April and the hype switches back to the usually eligible players I think Leason will get forgotten a bit.

If/when PA makes the Mem Cup, then maybe he'll have another big stage to perform on and keep himself in the mind of the draft day decision makers.

 

[wetcoast]

I don't think so. When the u18s happen in April and the hype switches back to the usually eligible players I think Leason will get forgotten a bit.

If/when PA makes the Mem Cup, then maybe he'll have another big stage to perform on and keep himself in the mind of the draft day decision makers.

I agree he isn't going top 10 this year, maybe a team with multiple 2nd rounders takes a flier on him, still a bit of a longshot IMO.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I agree he isn't going top 10 this year, maybe a team with multiple 2nd rounders takes a flier on him, still a bit of a longshot IMO.

I don't see a long shot when I watch him play....Ask yourself how you would be feeling if you drafted a player with a 1st round pick in 2017 and they were having a year like this in the WHL....Over the moon. Anybody would. His floor is a solid 3rd line player in my opinion and for that I can't possibly see him slip past early 2nd.

 

[wetcoast]

I don't see a long shot when I watch him play....Ask yourself how you would be feeling if you drafted a player with a 1st round pick in 2017 and they were having a year like this in the WHL....Over the moon. Anybody would. His floor is a solid 3rd line player in my opinion and for that I can't possibly see him slip past early 2nd.

Like I said I can see a team with multiple 2nds taking him but zero chance in the top 10.

I'm always a bit wary of a big physically mature guy breaking out in his final junior season.

There just isn't a very good track record for those guys.

 

[Kshahdoo]

On one hand people say, the draft age should be increased to 19 years, because 18 is too early to say, what a player this or that prospect will become. On the other hand, when they see 19 year old (ok, he'll be 20 at the draft) tearing up CHL, they say, he's too old to be picked high...

 

[MS]

I don't think so. When the u18s happen in April and the hype switches back to the usually eligible players I think Leason will get forgotten a bit.

If/when PA makes the Mem Cup, then maybe he'll have another big stage to perform on and keep himself in the mind of the draft day decision makers.

Wait and see.

This is a 6’4 guy who can skate, is destroying the CHL at a level comparable with top-10 picks from the last two drafts, and will turn pro and potentially step straight into an NHL lineup.

If you think this player is going 35th overall or something, you’re in a dreamland.

Just because other re-entries have gone in that area doesn’t mean anything. There has never been a re-entry player with anywhere close to his skillset doing anything close to what he’s doing. This player is a unicorn and his situation is unprecedented.

Plus, again, this draft kinda sucks. It’s the sort of draft where making a bold move will work out a lot better than taking a meh 17 y/o with 60 points in the CHL.

 

[greasysnapper]

Wait and see.

This is a 6’4 guy who can skate, is destroying the CHL at a level comparable with top-10 picks from the last two drafts, and will turn pro and potentially step straight into an NHL lineup.

If you think this player is going 35th overall or something, you’re in a dreamland.

Just because other re-entries have gone in that area doesn’t mean anything. There has never been a re-entry player with anywhere close to his skillset doing anything close to what he’s doing. This player is a unicorn and his situation is unprecedented.

Plus, again, this draft kinda sucks. It’s the sort of draft where making a bold move will work out a lot better than taking a meh 17 y/o with 60 points in the CHL.

What?

This might be the best draft class in the the last 5+ years. It's without a doubt better than last year's crop. This draft literally has everything teams are looking for up front, and it's incredibly deep later on.

 

[Killerjas]

I wouldn’t be even remotely surprised if he goes top-10 in this weak-ish draft.

People still talking like he’ll be an option in the 25-40 range are asleep at the switch.

Weakish draft? What makes you say that?

 

[MS]

What?

This might be the best draft class in the the last 5+ years. It's without a doubt better than last year's crop. This draft literally has everything teams are looking for up front, and it's incredibly deep later on.

Nope, nope, and nope.

Weak top end. Horrible year for the OHL, weak year for Europe. Not even close to a draft like 2015.

Ryan Suzuki is popping up in top-10s and there’s no way in hell I’d take him ahead of Leason.

 

[Peeps]

He was traded from Tri City and then he started producing. The problem was probably Tri City and not him.

A fortunate option for 2019.

 

[Quinning]

What?

This might be the best draft class in the the last 5+ years. It's without a doubt better than last year's crop. This draft literally has everything teams are looking for up front, and it's incredibly deep later on.

Lol look at 2015, I seriously doubt that this draft class comes anywhere close to that.

 

[greasysnapper]

Nope, nope, and nope.

Weak top end. Horrible year for the OHL, weak year for Europe. Not even close to a draft like 2015.

Ryan Suzuki is popping up in top-10s and there’s no way in hell I’d take him ahead of Leason.

While I don't have Suzuki that high (~18) Suzuki has better tools and not only looks better than last years 13th pick and 18th pick he's outscoring them.

 

[greasysnapper]

Lol look at 2015, I seriously doubt that this draft class comes anywhere close to that.

"this might be" - that's the only draft class I wouldn't bank on 2019 overtaking, but it could, there are some very good players in this draft.

 

[VikingAv]

What?

This might be the best draft class in the the last 5+ years. It's without a doubt better than last year's crop. This draft literally has everything teams are looking for up front, and it's incredibly deep later on.

Weakish draft? What makes you say that?

As for this draft, wow. I've never heard team scouts rip a draft class more than this class...not even close. I even heard guys starting to get negative on the USNTDP players last week. For me, it's the weakness of the OHL that really stands out. I keep hoping for some players to impress but so far it's been a struggle. It's forced me to travel a bit more and even that has led to some disappointment in the QMJHL and WHL.

That's from @Mark Edwards , the Director of Hockeyprospect.com. Personally, I'll take his words for it.