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

[dougd]

Reminds me of Mark Stone with better wheels. I would take him with the Senators 32nd overall pick.

A very goood comp.
Branch, sure you’re not a Leaf fan?

 

[branch]

A very goood comp.
Branch, sure you’re not a Leaf fan?

It’s been trying at times but I can’t bring myself to do it.

 

[wetcoast]

I’m not saying I’d take him top-10.

I’m saying I completely understand if he does.

If Vancouver takes him at 12-15 I’m completely ok with it depending on who is available and I probably have him in that range.

Man I hope this isn't true but when I think about it, he is the type of guy Benning would draft.
I wish the kid well and I hope he proves me wrong but it's a pretty good draft and the track record on big physically mature guys breaking out in their final junior season isn't a huge list.

Frankly I couldn't think of many that were drafted high, maybe a free agent signing?

 

[MS]

Man I hope this isn't true but when I think about it, he is the type of guy Benning would draft.
I wish the kid well and I hope he proves me wrong but it's a pretty good draft and the track record on big physically mature guys breaking out in their final junior season isn't a huge list.

Frankly I couldn't think of many that were drafted high, maybe a free agent signing?

There has never been a player with his size and skating ability with a career arc like this before. Or even close. Trying to find a comparable is pointless.

 

[wetcoast]

There has never been a player with his size and skating ability with a career arc like this before. Or even close. Trying to find a comparable is pointless.

Like I said upthread, I can see a team with multiple 2nds taking him but a mid 1st or close to top 10?

Man that would be a real reach IMO as there are too many good players in the top 15 of this draft.

 

[MS]

Like I said upthread, I can see a team with multiple 2nds taking him but a mid 1st or close to top 10?

Man that would be a real reach IMO as there are too many good players in the top 15 of this draft.

He’s scoring over 2 points/game, is huge and an excellent skater, and was just one of Canada’s top players at the WJC.

His level of play this season is consistent with a top-10/15 pick from the 2017 or 2018 draft. On what planet would this player go in the 2nd round?

It isn’t like he’s going go score 80 points in the CHL on a stacked team and has obvious holes. He’s the most dominant forward in the CHL with an obvious pro skillset.

 

[wetcoast]

He’s scoring over 2 points/game, is huge and an excellent skater, and was just one of Canada’s top players at the WJC.

His level of play this season is consistent with a top-10/15 pick from the 2017 or 2018 draft. On what planet would this player go in the 2nd round?

It isn’t like he’s going go score 80 points in the CHL on a stacked team and has obvious holes. He’s the most dominant forward in the CHL with an obvious pro skillset.

I think we are going to agree to disagree on this one.

I think most NHL GM's are going to look at his birth date and before this season and question why.

That's a problem for any prospect as for a top pick, GM's will be thinking how good can this player become in the future.

I hope I'm wrong as it would be a great story

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

There has never been a player with his size and skating ability with a career arc like this before. Or even close. Trying to find a comparable is pointless.

Sure there have..im sure some drafted players have in their d+2 season

 

[MS]

I think we are going to agree t disagree on this one.

I think most NHL GM's are going to look at his birth date and before this season and question why.

That's a problem for any prospect as for a top pick, GM's will be thinking how good can this player become in the future.

I hope I'm wrong as it would be a great story

Having a sharper development curve is a positive, not a negative.

Again, it isn’t a case like he’s playing at the level of 2019 first-rounders while being older. He’s outperforming pretty much every 2017-18 first-rounder. And stepped up levels at the WJC and excelled.

 

[sasha barkov]

Some team is gonna reach on him early and everyone is going to drop their jaws... calling it now

 

[sting101]

He's certainly currently better than Suzuki and would argue more complete than Tippett from the 2017 class. Was Canada's best RW and the best in the WHL against Russia and statistically backs it up. I like the Mark Stone comp...maybe not quite the IQ but has very similar tools and is incredibly projectable with his frame.

I think he easily falls 9-16 in a 2017 re Draft and looking at this years crop teams would be idiotic to let him slip beyond 20 and thats being generous due to probably more of a RW2 upside vs a 1st liner and teams will take a longer projection to get a higher ceiling as they should if its there.

If my Canucks are at 12-15 i would have no problem with that pick unless some red flags arise outside of age as things progress

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

I wouldn't pick him in the 10-15 range (where we'll pick most likely). But if we can somehow go on a big playoff run and end up with a late first then I'd take him. Or if we tanked into the Earth and got a really early 2nd.

I still think we make the playoffs and end up with a 1st in the 18-25 range. I'd pick him there.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

32nd overall. Don't know which team yet. Dorion likely throws this pick in on his next trade where he has already getting fleeced

 

[Prodigy MayD]

As much as I like this draft class. It really falls off "talent-wise" around the 13 marker. If I am drafting 14th, and it is between a Leason or a 18yr old who projects as a top 4 or top 9 player. I am taking Leason.

A. At 14th overall I am looking to get an NHL player (probably sooner than later, as we nearly missed the playoffs)
B. Leason statistically should be a top 5 pick, only reason preventing this is his age.

Those who are sleeping on Leason to be around by picks 25 or later, don't understand how high he could go.

Personally, he could go as high as 4th. After Hughes, Kakko, Podk...

 

[shotvalley]

As much as I like this draft class. It really falls off "talent-wise" around the 13 marker. If I am drafting 14th, and it is between a Leason or a 18yr old who projects as a top 4 or top 9 player. I am taking Leason.

A. At 14th overall I am looking to get an NHL player (probably sooner than later, as we nearly missed the playoffs)
B. Leason statistically should be a top 5 pick, only reason preventing this is his age.

Those who are sleeping on Leason to be around by picks 25 or later, don't understand how high he could go.

Personally, he could go as high as 4th. After Hughes, Kakko, Podk...

Omg

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

I’ll have to tell my brother about this guy, when he first got into hockey his favorite player was Brett McClean just because he had the same name as him.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

As much as I like this draft class. It really falls off "talent-wise" around the 13 marker. If I am drafting 14th, and it is between a Leason or a 18yr old who projects as a top 4 or top 9 player. I am taking Leason.

A. At 14th overall I am looking to get an NHL player (probably sooner than later, as we nearly missed the playoffs)
B. Leason statistically should be a top 5 pick, only reason preventing this is his age.

Those who are sleeping on Leason to be around by picks 25 or later, don't understand how high he could go.

Personally, he could go as high as 4th. After Hughes, Kakko, Podk...

As a D+2 .. he won't go anywhere close to that high. Late first at the earliest .

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

I’ll have to tell my brother about this guy, when he first got into hockey his favorite player was Brett McClean just because he had the same name as him.

likes players named Brett?

 

[Lisa Needs Braces]

This feels like a Dubas pick. He's been notorious the past couple of years taking D+1 and D+2 guys.

That said, as mentioned above I think he's gone by the time the leafs pick. Should go top 20 if he keeps it up.

 

[Prodigy MayD]

As a D+2 .. he won't go anywhere close to that high. Late first at the earliest .

As I said, he may slip back due to his age. But he is out producing Cody Glass (6th overall in 2017). Also, Leason is younger.

Plus people are going to be interested in that development curve of his.

 

[boredmale]

For the Islanders who look like they may pick in the 15-20 range and sorely lack centers, him being 20 years old might hold value to them

 

[KILLger]

He really is a winger

 

[BruinsBtn]

He's certainly currently better than Suzuki and would argue more complete than Tippett from the 2017 class. Was Canada's best RW and the best in the WHL against Russia and statistically backs it up. I like the Mark Stone comp...maybe not quite the IQ but has very similar tools and is incredibly projectable with his frame.

I think he easily falls 9-16 in a 2017 re Draft and looking at this years crop teams would be idiotic to let him slip beyond 20 and thats being generous due to probably more of a RW2 upside vs a 1st liner and teams will take a longer projection to get a higher ceiling as they should if its there.

If my Canucks are at 12-15 i would have no problem with that pick unless some red flags arise outside of age as things progress

I'd totally agree with that and I don't think it's particularly close but I'd take Tippett way ahead of him. His shot is unreal and he's got all kinds of skill. That said, I agree that he could go as high as 9. At the same time, I could see GMs being pretty nervous about picking a guy that high that they've passed on twice. All told he probably ends up in the late teens but I'd applaud any GM who took him high.

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

likes players named Brett?

Well when we were kids yeah. I liked Owen Nolan for that same reason lol.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Well when we were kids yeah. I liked Owen Nolan for that same reason lol.

Did Brett Lindros get much love??! haha