C/F Aidan Park - Shattuck St.Mary's 14 U AAA (2024 Draft)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think he was the best American prospect on the U17 5-Nations team. He's very good defensively. Always on the right side of the puck, but he also has real high level offensive skills. Skates well, powerful, good acceleration, pivots well. He has good puck skills. Can go around players with his skill. More of a shooter than passer, but not a bad passer either. He also is already listed at 6'0. Similar style to a Patrice Bergeron.

I don't understand why he wasn't picked for the NTDP roster, but I also haven't watched those players yet. He's good though. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a first round pick in 2024.

 

[Breakers]

Michigan keeps racking up these commitments.

 

[FireBird71]

They’re not done either…..

 

[Artorius Horus T]

USHS Prep - 2024 draft eligible top 5

1. Aidan Park - 26+34=60 (1.50 ppg)
2. Tanner Wisniewski - 15+18=33 (0.70 ppg)
3. Jacob Brunton - 15+12=27 (0.63 ppg)
4. WIll Zellers - 10+16=26 (1.10 ppg)
5. Alex Fulfaro - 11+9=20 (0.44 ppg)

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Ended with 4 points in 5 games at the Hlinka. He also wasn’t PP1 and didn’t get much top 6 time either. He was one of the USA’s best players once again this summer.

This was after he led US Prep hockey in scoring among 2024 draft eligibles (by 10 points).

The best part of his game isn’t the scoring either. It’s the details he plays with.

Looks like he’ll play this season with Green Bay in the USHL. I think he’s very underrated. If you can look past that this guy was talked about in the same realm as Celebrini and Eiserman, and instead look at that he’s a player with potential to be a very good defensive middle six NHL center, I think he’s an intriguing draft prospect headed into next season. But we’ll see how his season goes.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

He clearly does not have the profile of a player selected in the 1st round. Events after events confirm this.

American players who will have a real NHL career (more than 5 full seasons), there are on average only 12 per year for only 6 forwards. I can hardly see him being among the 6.

I won't even go back to the exchange with Scoutman 2 years ago.

The elapsed time proved me right.

He had lost his place in Shattuck to Ziemer, he is far from the level of Eiserman and Celebrini and his two-way talent is not obvious to USDP selectors.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

If he was that good as a defensive forward, USDP would have picked him.

He clearly does not have the profile of a player selected in the 1st round. Events after events confirm this.

American players who will have a real NHL career (more than 5 full seasons), there are on average only 12 per year for only 6 forwards. I can hardly see him being among the 6.

I won't even go back to the exchange with Scoutman 2 years ago.

The elapsed time proved me right.

He had lost his place in Shattuck to Ziemer, he is far from the level of Eiserman and Celebrini and his two-way talent is not obvious to USDP selectors.

You refuse to take the L that he’s better than you think. No one’s saying he’s one of the best players in the 2024 draft, but his hockey career isn’t over because a few players stat watchers observed him being comparable to at 12 years old are better than him now.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

You refuse to take the L that he’s better than you think. No one’s saying he’s one of the best players in the 2024 draft, but his hockey career isn’t over because a few players stat watchers observed him being comparable to at 12 years old are better than him now.

Guys much more knowledgeable than you failed him when there were 13 places to take among the forwards in the USDP's roster. I believe them more than you.

 

[Postulates]

he likely did not have a role on this ntdp squad it appears

He probably didnt want to play a bottom 6 minutes

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

he likely did not have a role on this ntdp squad it appears

He probably didnt want to play a bottom 6 minutes

Should know. Is he a defensive attacker or not?

The guy would show up at USDP and say, no I don't want to play bottom 6.

It's a very bad sign but I don't believe in this theory.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Should know. Is he a defensive attacker or not?

The guy would show up at USDP and say, no I don't want to play bottom 6.

It's a very bad sign but I don't believe in this theory.

So does every American player that doesn’t make the USNTDP suck and the only American players from that team make the NHL?

Your logic is so flawed.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

So does every American player that doesn’t make the USNTDP suck and the only American players from that team make the NHL?

Your logic is so flawed.

American extra-USDP players in the NHL after being rejected from the USDP, there are not many.

I only rely on facts. I'm not going to invent potentials from things that have not been seen by scouts in the field.

If he had the profile of a future Bergeron, he would have been selected.

That's my logic.

Relegated to Shattuck on the 2nd line, flunked from the USDP, not retained by Green Bay in the USHL last year, in the average of the USA 2 team, not a big guy. It seems complicated to me.

I am stepping in for a player who was sold to me better than Eiserman and Celebrini and still as a potential first rounder despite that.

Guys who have his level, there are plenty.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

American extra-USDP players in the NHL after being rejected from the USDP, there are not many.

I only rely on facts. I'm not going to invent potentials from things that have not been seen by scouts in the field.

If he had the profile of a future Bergeron, he would have been selected.

That's my logic.

Relegated to Shattuck on the 2nd line, flunked from the USDP, not retained by Green Bay in the USHL last year, in the average of the USA 2 team, not a big guy. It seems complicated to me.

I am stepping in for a player who was sold to me better than Eiserman and Celebrini and still as a potential first rounder despite that.

Guys who have his level, there are plenty.

To be clear since it isn’t obvious to you, I don’t think he’s going to be Patrice Bergeron. That was a stylistic comparison only.

And your comments are completely illogical and based on the principle of thinking you can predict success by looking at accolades or stats. You are simply very wrong about almost all of this. If you took the time to sit down and watch Park play hockey, you’d see he’s a decent player. Instead, you’re too caught up in this idea that he’s some bust at age 17 because he’s not turned out like Eiserman and Celebrini.

How about this, give me your assessment about the NTDP players that you think are better than Park and why they are better. I want to hear why you think players like Baker, Stiga, Epperson, Vansaghi, Ziemer, Pardue, McMorrow, Humphreys are better hockey players than Park. Be specific. Don't recycle circumstantial observations. If you don't have an actual opinion on how he plays hockey compared to these players, I'm not sure why this discussion should even continue.

 

[Postulates]

American extra-USDP players in the NHL after being rejected from the USDP, there are not many.

I only rely on facts. I'm not going to invent potentials from things that have not been seen by scouts in the field.

If he had the profile of a future Bergeron, he would have been selected.

That's my logic.

Relegated to Shattuck on the 2nd line, flunked from the USDP, not retained by Green Bay in the USHL last year, in the average of the USA 2 team, not a big guy. It seems complicated to me.

I am stepping in for a player who was sold to me better than Eiserman and Celebrini and still as a potential first rounder despite that.

Guys who have his level, there are plenty.

There's a thread that lists many of them

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

To be clear since it isn’t obvious to you, I don’t think he’s going to be Patrice Bergeron. That was a stylistic comparison only.

And your comments are completely illogical and based on the principle of thinking you can predict success by looking at accolades or stats. You are simply very wrong about almost all of this. If you took the time to sit down and watch Park play hockey, you’d see he’s a decent player. Instead, you’re too caught up in this idea that he’s some bust at age 17 because he’s not turned out like Eiserman and Celebrini.

How about this, give me your assessment about the NTDP players that you think are better than Park and why they are better. I want to hear why you think players like Baker, Stiga, Epperson, Vansaghi, Ziemer, Pardue, McMorrow, Humphreys are better hockey players than Park. Be specific. Don't recycle circumstantial observations. If you don't have an actual opinion on how he plays hockey compared to these players, I'm not sure why this discussion should even continue.

You talk about him as a potential 1st rounder with a style similar to Bergeron.

Guys who get paid to watch hockey and make drafts have disavowed your opinion.

That's my logic.

There's a thread that lists many of them

Remove from the list those who are not forwards, those wore are lates, those who are big and those who were unknown to the elite.

 

[bigdog16]

Ended with 4 points in 5 games at the Hlinka. He also wasn’t PP1 and didn’t get much top 6 time either. He was one of the USA’s best players once again this summer.

This was after he led US Prep hockey in scoring among 2024 draft eligibles (by 10 points).

The best part of his game isn’t the scoring either. It’s the details he plays with.

Looks like he’ll play this season with Green Bay in the USHL. I think he’s very underrated. If you can look past that this guy was talked about in the same realm as Celebrini and Eiserman, and instead look at that he’s a player with potential to be a very good defensive middle six NHL center, I think he’s an intriguing draft prospect headed into next season. But we’ll see how his season goes.

He peaked early and his peers caught up to him. He’s barely grown the past 3 years. “Leading US Prep Hockey” doesn’t really mean anything considering that umbrella on eliteprospects isnt actually a league. Shattuck plays significantly more games than any other prep team other than a team like Northwood or something. Minnesota high schools play half the amount of games and so do the NE preps.

And were at the point in hockey now where if you are still playing prep as a 16-18 year old its not the greatest look

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

You talk about him as a potential 1st rounder with a style similar to Bergeron.

Guys who get paid to watch hockey and make drafts have disavowed your opinion.

That's my logic.

Just so we are clear, the post you are referring to was made a year ago and I said he has a playing style similar to Patrice Bergeron. Nowhere did I say he will end up as good as Patrice Bergeron, yet Patrice Bergeron was picked 45th. Centers that are good with the details tend to be underrated and can become better than people think. Maybe you could learn from that. I was actually going to compare him to Cirelli today, but decided to leave that out.

Could he be a first rounder? It's possible. It'll depend on his season, but I see him as being in the late first, second round, or early third round range. And the people that are paid have not disavowed Park. That is your assumption based on your inaccurate stat-watching.

But since you decided not to answer my question I posed to you, I see that you are not seriously interested in debating this topic. We can end the discussion there.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Just so we are clear, the post you are referring to was made a year ago and I said he has a playing style similar to Patrice Bergeron. Nowhere did I say he will end up as good as Patrice Bergeron, yet Patrice Bergeron was picked 45th. Centers that are good with the details tend to be underrated and can become better than people think. Maybe you could learn from that. I was actually going to compare him to Cirelli today, but decided to leave that out.

Could he be a first rounder? It's possible. It'll depend on his season, but I see him as being in the late first, second round, or early third round range. And the people that are paid have not disavowed Park. That is your assumption based on your inaccurate stat-watching.

But since you decided not to answer my question I posed to you, I see that you are not seriously interested in debating this topic. We can end the discussion there.

Two weeks ago you were talking about him as a potential 1st rounder for a player who has no tournament or major league data.

As already said, he was not selected among the 13 forwards while he was a candidate. He was not selected to play in the USHL last year. It is a disavowal on the part of those who make the selections.

You talk about statistics while the excitement around this player is only based on the number of points obtained 3 seasons ago.

I was the only one to explain the context to Shattuck after detecting that he had been relegated to the detriment of Ziemer at the end of the season.

That's 3 frames that disavow your opinion. If they saw what you see now, he would have kept his place at the expense of Brodie Ziemer, he would have been selected in the USDP and since he would have had the level to play in the USHL, he would have played.

I don't think he chose to stay in Prep.

Nothing significant from him on this tournament (HG 2023) for me. No chance of being in the 1st round currently. It would take an exceptional event but I haven't seen anything yet. Then it's risky. At this stage, he can just as easily be selected in the 2nd round as undrafted.

I look for facts, not omens.

 

[William H Bonney]

He's a decent prospect but he'll have to show a lot more offensive upside to be anything to be excited about. I'd peg him as a rounds 3-5 kind of guy unless he breaks out offensively in the USHL or the draft ends up weak depth wise.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Most amazing thing I've seen today is someone tagging another poster multiple times, seeing that poster take the bait, and then reporting it.

Smarten up, both of you. This ends now.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Early January AAA darling, see it all the time. All the advantages that come with being the oldest in their birth year and the extra physical development that matters a lot more in the early years and then snowball effect throughout Minor Hockey. Then other kids catch up and suddenly they aren't special anymore. He'll likely be a decent USHL player, but I don't think he will make the NHL.

 

[bigdog16]

Early January AAA darling, see it all the time. All the advantages that come with being the oldest in their birth year and the extra physical development that matters a lot more in the early years and then snowball effect throughout Minor Hockey. Then other kids catch up and suddenly they aren't special anymore. He'll likely be a decent USHL player, but I don't think he will make the NHL.

Yup, nailed it. Its so common in a sport like hockey

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Still not playing in USHL. Don't dominate his team. He clearly benefited from the presence of Eiserman and Celebrini 3 seasons ago and was probably never in the picture.

Brodie Ziemer had taken his place on the 1st line. Failed at USDP...the coaches knew what they were doing.

 

[Bonin21]

Okay... What's the point of ripping on him? Doing well for Shattuck Prep and committed to Michigan, meaning he's a better hockey player that 99.99% of the people on here and like 98% of his peers.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Okay... What's the point of ripping on him? Doing well for Shattuck Prep and committed to Michigan, meaning he's a better hockey player that 99.99% of the people on here and like 98% of his peers.

It’s not true either.

He’s a good hockey player. He’s not as good as Celebrini and Eiserman. Did anyone ever think he was? As far as I remember, he was always talked about as the third guy.

He will probably go second or third round from prep hockey.