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C Conner Bleackley - Maine Mariners, ECHL (2016, 144th, STL)

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DekeLikeYouMeanIt said:
Yea I don't think his skating is a weakness at all. I'd say it's about right where it should be for his game and age. It's not pro skating yet but no rush.

Kid's a beast. Underrated hands and all around game and size just make him a pretty good early selection. As mentioned, he'll do more damage with a better cast.

To Mauro, it's tough because I think Virtanen's ceiling is a wrecking ball 1st line scorer but I don't think he reaches that. Bleacks is more of a sure thing and you gotta like the improvement he's shown.
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It's not a weakness to me, because he wins his battles and some. I swear some people want to watch figure skaters so badly!

I've seen plays where he's manhandled guys, deked the pants off of D, and evaded a check just to rip a disgusting wrist/snap shot goal. It just doesn't happen all the time, which is why I brought up stats and consistent production.

I've been screwed over too many times by players with great - tantalizing - tools, yet didn't have the hockey ability and instinct/smarts to make it. I want guys who are comfortable with the puck all the time, and Virtanen is not. Funny thing is, he'll try to make a play 100 miles an hour, lose the puck, the play will head back towards his own zone, and commentators and fans will still be oozing about his skating and size as the other team gained a scoring chance from his flub.

CB is a throwback.
 
Anthony Mauro said:
Can't agree with you on hockey sense. Puck ability and raw talent to make things happen, yes. Though, I think he and Reinhart would are close in terms of skill set - Reinhart is a better playmaker, Bleackley a better shooter.

Not sure what Prince has to do with this. Essentially, your explosiveness comment ties into his production. He's just not an offensive force currently, he doesn't have that level in him.
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Really? Because Reinhart and Draisaitl are not considered explosive players. And in seeing all of them multiple times I can say Leon and Sam have a superior level of hockey sense. Not a knock on Bleackley as he is a good thinker, but those two are up there with the best.

Sure your production argument may seem to make sense as tools and hockey sense can lead to differing point totals, but then what is the difference between a guy like Tyson Baillie and Bleackley? What makes Conner better then if you want to use that argument? Or Ben Thomas and Travis Sanheim? Same point totals, does that mean they are equal talents? No. Sorry.
 
Good conversation. I have a huge issue with people moving prospects up and down their lists in large jumps based on a point streak one way or the other.

That's the annoying part about it all. Watch what they do, how they get their stats, and try and judge how that translates.

I just find the oh, look at his 12 game point streak he's going top 5 now, or look he's not PPG drop him to the 2nd.

Just a tiring old debate I guess, and it won't be going away any time soon.

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zenon, how big is the gap between Baillie and Bleackley for you. I know from past discussions you're not all that high on Baillie. Where does Chartier fit in to this equation?

Are they all wingers moving forward? Which one has the best chance to stay in the middle moving on to pro?
 
arsmaster said:
Good conversation. I have a huge issue with people moving prospects up and down their lists in large jumps based on a point streak one way or the other.

That's the annoying part about it all. Watch what they do, how they get their stats, and try and judge how that translates.

I just find the oh, look at his 12 game point streak he's going top 5 now, or look he's not PPG drop him to the 2nd.

Just a tiring old debate I guess, and it won't be going away any time soon.

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zenon, how big is the gap between Baillie and Bleackley for you. I know from past discussions you're not all that high on Baillie. Where does Chartier fit in to this equation?

Are they all wingers moving forward? Which one has the best chance to stay in the middle moving on to pro?
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The gap between Conner and Baillie is pretty big in my eyes. To put it simply, Conner is a personal favorite, and Baillie, is likely a guy , if I was working for a team, wouldn't be taking. I just for whatever reason don't like his stride and how he creates offense. But I love Baillie's character and hard working attitude.

Chartier is an interesting one. Inversely has a textbook stride, great along the walls and extremely smart and mature at both ends. But he isn't the most creative player and I wonder if he will ever the the IT factor to be an impact player.

I think Chartier is a natural at the centre position. Really, really responsible and good in the draws. Bleackley and Baillie could kind of go either way IMO. Both are versatile enough to succeed at either the wing or down the middle.
 
zjh said:
Really? Because Reinhart and Draisaitl are not considered explosive players. And in seeing all of them multiple times I can say Leon and Sam have a superior level of hockey sense. Not a knock on Bleackley as he is a good thinker, but those two are up there with the best.

Sure your production argument may seem to make sense as tools and hockey sense can lead to differing point totals, but then what is the difference between a guy like Tyson Baillie and Bleackley? What makes Conner better then if you want to use that argument? Or Ben Thomas and Travis Sanheim? Same point totals, does that mean they are equal talents? No. Sorry.
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I don't quite get what you've been contending. It is obvious Bleackley is tier or even two below those guys. As a FC scout, you should know that while he may not reach their level, there is a big possibility that a guy with his makeup will improve drastically post draft. One of them may even bust.

Ever since I saw Sanheim in November, I've liked him better than Thomas and followed him closely. His skillset hasn't changed. He's gotten more opportunity and is a hell of a lot more confident now. After I saw he was 2nd in MMHL scoring for a D, I started hyping him with 3 points because I knew his rise (what we're seeing now) would happen.
 
Anthony Mauro said:
I don't quite get what you've been contending. It is obvious Bleackley is tier or even two below those guys. As a FC scout, you should know that while he may not reach their level, there is a big possibility that a guy with his makeup will improve drastically post draft. One of them may even bust.

Ever since I saw Sanheim in November, I've liked him better than Thomas and followed him closely. His skillset hasn't changed. He's gotten more opportunity and is a hell of a lot more confident now. After I saw he was 2nd in MMHL scoring for a D, I started hyping him because I knew his rise (what we're seeing now) would happen.
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Next time your in Calgary come say hi
 
Ryan O'Reilly was knocked about his skating in juniors as well and turned out to be a pretty damn good player.

Bleackley won't be as good as him, but should bring the same qualities and teams between 15-32 won't make the same mistake again, I hope.
 
S E P H said:
Ryan O'Reilly was knocked about his skating in juniors as well and turned out to be a pretty damn good player.

Bleackley won't be as good as him, but should bring the same qualities and teams between 15-32 won't make the same mistake again, I hope.
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thanks for the answer Seph. As an Avs fan, would you draft him?
 
MikeC said:
thanks for the answer Seph. As an Avs fan, would you draft him?
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He was in my top 5 players I would love the Avs to draft post in the 2014 draft thread on the Avs section, but I think he's gone by Avs pick which seems will be around 22nd-25th barring any first round playoff exit.
 
MikeC said:
Hi RS!

I never saw that kid play but the more I read about him, the more i can see some Ryan Oreilly in him.

Would you agree with that statement?
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No, I think he compares better to a right-handed version of Landeskog. Physical, rugged, plays heavy, hard shot, leader.
 
Reminds me of a poor man's Bergeron. Very slick with the puck. I don't know if he becomes more than a 60 pt scorer in the NHL, maybe somewhere between 45-60 on a given a year. The high-end offense might not be there, he plays such a complete game, but he can make high-end offensive plays if that makes sense.

Man can he do it all, very advanced defensively for his age and demonstrating leadership qualities beyond his years as a 17-year-old captain. Plays every situation and do everything well. You have to take this kid in the top 15 picks of the draft.
 
He's going to get picked up by a team like Chicago or Los Angeles and keep adding to the machine.
 
Moskau said:
He's going to get picked up by a team like Chicago or Los Angeles and keep adding to the machine.
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I'd be highly surprised if he made it past Boston. Only reason I think they would go any other route would be if they didn't want to deal with the requirement to sign him in 2 years.

I can see Ho Sang going to Chicago and becoming one of the best players in the draft though:(
 
What do you mean the requirement to sign him in two years? You mean the same as any player from the CHL? Or something else? Why would that be a problem?
 
Tigervixxen said:
What do you mean the requirement to sign him in two years? You mean the same as any player from the CHL? Or something else? Why would that be a problem?
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A lot of talk on the Bruins board that the Bruins would prefer to take a player not in the CHL so they don't have to sign them to a contract in 2 years as long as there are not big discrepancies amongst the players available. Bruins went heavy Europe last year so that they can give their picks more years to fill out and develop instead of getting stuck in the current logjam of the Bruins lineup (a la Spooner, Khoklachev). I believe that is what he meant
 
bigbadbruins7 said:
A lot of talk on the Bruins board that the Bruins would prefer to take a player not in the CHL so they don't have to sign them to a contract in 2 years as long as there are not big discrepancies amongst the players available. Bruins went heavy Europe last year so that they can give their picks more years to fill out and develop instead of getting stuck in the current logjam of the Bruins lineup (a la Spooner, Khoklachev). I believe that is what he meant
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Pastrnak
 
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bigbadbruins7 said:
A lot of talk on the Bruins board that the Bruins would prefer to take a player not in the CHL so they don't have to sign them to a contract in 2 years as long as there are not big discrepancies amongst the players available. Bruins went heavy Europe last year so that they can give their picks more years to fill out and develop instead of getting stuck in the current logjam of the Bruins lineup (a la Spooner, Khoklachev). I believe that is what he meant
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Makes sense, thanks.
 
Big, big fan still.. if he falls to you in the late first or 2nd you're laughing...

17-year-old captain in a notoriously traditional league on a team with a notoriously traditional coach. Says a lot about his leadership IMO and how you can always expect an effort from him on the ice.

Whoever drafts him next week will be very surprised with the sneaky offensive arsenal and tools he will show at your development camp. The IQ for the game he shows is something you can't teach IMO.
 
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