C Jack Hughes - USNTDP (2019 Draft) Part II

[93LEAFS]

Hughes is a smaller version of Mcdavid. Literally could pass for the smaller brother who got all Connor's gifts. They both had only 1 weakness at the same age, while being off the charts in every other aspect. The 1 weakness is shot velocity.

Hughes doesnt need to gain weight either as some suggestted. Maybe 5 pounds of good muscle. Hughes is so deceptive and his edges are so good , he is extremely hard to hit clean. His hockey sense is insane. With all that skill in his hands and feet, his most dangerous qualities are in his head 1)deception 2)intuition to see things before they happen.

It is size required to win board battles down low as a center consistently which is questioned. Simply, because that is a significant demand in most current coaching systems for the position. Not, how well he can take hits.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Hughes is a very good player, but the argument posted on the last page completely ignores all common sense.

If you put a 5'2 guy with Lebron James skill into the NBA, he's not going to be Lebron James 2.0. Sports involves more than just technique and smarts. Physicality does matter, even though most would agree that it doesn't matter as much as technique and smarts.

Thats not to say Hughes is the weakest guy ever or anything like that, but of course he needs to put on weight, shore up his defensive game, take shorter shifts, play a little differently in the NHL than he does in junior, maybe move to the wing. Otherwise, he won't be as effective.

 

[HOPE]

Hughes is a very good player, but the argument posted on the last page completely ignores all common sense.

If you put a 5'2 guy with Lebron James skill into the NBA, he's not going to be Lebron James 2.0. Sports involves more than just technique and smarts. Physicality does matter, even though most would agree that it doesn't matter as much as technique and smarts.

Thats not to say Hughes is the weakest guy ever or anything like that, but of course he needs to put on weight, shore up his defensive game, take shorter shifts, play a little differently in the NHL than he does in junior, maybe move to the wing. Otherwise, he won't be as effective.

bla bla bla bla, we've heard that speech plently of time.

Hughes will be a Center in the NHL.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

bla bla bla bla, we've heard that speech plently of time.

Hughes will be a Center in the NHL.

What are the numbers for the next lottery drawing?

 

[HOPE]

What are the numbers for the next lottery drawing?

i know where you're going let me guess, he would only be a Center in Montreal?

 

[BAM]

i know where you're going let me guess, he would only be a Center in Montreal?

Let me guess, you're a Habs fan that desperately wants Hughes to fill your #1C void, so you'll adamantly argue that he's going to be a C no matter what.

 

[HOPE]

Let me guess, you're a Habs fan that desperately wants Hughes to fill your #1C void, so you'll adamantly argue that he's going to be a C no matter what.

lol im a hockey fan WAY before being a habs fan. im just a huge fan of hughes.

 

[North Country]

Heard he measured in at 5'11". Any odds of failure are starting to go down.

 

[93LEAFS]

Heard he measured in at 5'11". Any odds of failure are starting to go down.

I don't think anyone expects him to fail due to size, they just wonder if he can fill out enough to deal with the current demands of a top-line NHL center. I can't think of many bonafide franchise centers who are under 190. I think even people who are unsure about his ability to remain at the dot, expect a Patrick Kane type player. Using NHL.com top 20 centers list as a proxy for the elite centers in the league (its not a perfect list, but its something neutral to use in this example), the only guys under 190 are Barzal and Karlsson, who are both above 185. He's good enough to break the trend, but it also makes it not as easy to project his ability to stay there as a sure thing. Now, there are guys like Point and Trocheck playing at a high-level as centers who are under 185 (in Point's case under 170), so maybe the game is shifting in his direction at the center position. Giroux is the only guy recently with a smaller build who did it, and he played with a rare level of intensity, and Briere was also quite effective at center with that build.

If anyone's projecting him as anything less than a likely franchise talent, its most likely a hot-take. Barring a significant injury or the failure to develop anymore from what he is, its hard to see how he isn't at least what Clayton Keller and Marner entered the league as.

 

[Konk]

What are the numbers for the next lottery drawing?

Considering you're the guy who is saying a franchise level talent who has always played center and looks to play the position better than the majority of prospects to come around in the last decade will have to switch to wing in the NHL because of his size, despite the fact that he's still growing... shouldn't you be the one telling us the winning lottery numbers?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Considering you're the guy who is saying a franchise level talent who has always played center and looks to play the position better than the majority of prospects to come around in the last decade will have to switch to wing in the NHL because of his size, despite the fact that he's still growing... shouldn't you be the one telling us the winning lottery numbers?

The NHL is a different game from junior hockey, if you were unaware.

 

[OkimLom]

I don't think anyone expects him to fail due to size, they just wonder if he can fill out enough to deal with the current demands of a top-line NHL center. I can't think of many bonafide franchise centers who are under 190. I think even people who are unsure about his ability to remain at the dot, expect a Patrick Kane type player. Using NHL.com top 20 centers list as a proxy for the elite centers in the league (its not a perfect list, but its something neutral to use in this example), the only guys under 190 are Barzal and Karlsson, who are both above 185. He's good enough to break the trend, but it also makes it not as easy to project his ability to stay there as a sure thing. Now, there are guys like Point and Trocheck playing at a high-level as centers who are under 185 (in Point's case under 170), so maybe the game is shifting in his direction at the center position. Giroux is the only guy recently with a smaller build who did it, and he played with a rare level of intensity, and Briere was also quite effective at center with that build.

If anyone's projecting him as anything less than a likely franchise talent, its most likely a hot-take. Barring a significant injury or the failure to develop anymore from what he is, its hard to see how he isn't at least what Clayton Keller and Marner entered the league as.

I think if he stays at center he probably will have career numbers similar to RNH. Maybe not fitting for a #1 overall pick a but dependinng On the team, could provide decent secondary scoring.

If he is moved to wing I could see a similar path as Marner or Giroux.

 

[Breakers]

It should be interesting to see who gets to play left wing on Hughes line

I'm guessing they put Beecher on his line cause of his size
But they could put Boldy or Zegras on left wing if you wanted to stack the line

Boldy - Hughes - Caufield

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It should be interesting to see who gets to play left wing on Hughes line

I'm guessing they put Beecher on his line cause of his size
But they could put Boldy or Zegras on left wing if you wanted to stack the line

Boldy - Hughes - Caufield

Last year to start it was Boldy-Hughes-Caufield. I'd keep it like that.

Second line should be Zegras-Turcotte-Rolston.

Beecher can center a third line with some combination of Gildon, Weight, Farrell, Caulfield.

 

[TheWhiskeyThief]

I don't think anyone expects him to fail due to size, they just wonder if he can fill out enough to deal with the current demands of a top-line NHL center. I can't think of many bonafide franchise centers who are under 190. I think even people who are unsure about his ability to remain at the dot, expect a Patrick Kane type player. Using NHL.com top 20 centers list as a proxy for the elite centers in the league (its not a perfect list, but its something neutral to use in this example), the only guys under 190 are Barzal and Karlsson, who are both above 185. He's good enough to break the trend, but it also makes it not as easy to project his ability to stay there as a sure thing. Now, there are guys like Point and Trocheck playing at a high-level as centers who are under 185 (in Point's case under 170), so maybe the game is shifting in his direction at the center position. Giroux is the only guy recently with a smaller build who did it, and he played with a rare level of intensity, and Briere was also quite effective at center with that build.

If anyone's projecting him as anything less than a likely franchise talent, its most likely a hot-take. Barring a significant injury or the failure to develop anymore from what he is, its hard to see how he isn't at least what Clayton Keller and Marner entered the league as.

It’s not weight per se, it’s weight for your height. If you’re 6’5”, 190lbs you’ll get muscled off the puck easily, but 5’7” 190 is a tank(and almost too bulky to be effective in the league.)

Over the years, if you look at height in cm minus weight in kg, the threshold number is around 102, the average NHLer is 95 but 100 is a good rule of thumb to where players are strong enough to express their skill without being physically outmatched.

 

[North Country]

I don't think anyone expects him to fail due to size, they just wonder if he can fill out enough to deal with the current demands of a top-line NHL center. I can't think of many bonafide franchise centers who are under 190. I think even people who are unsure about his ability to remain at the dot, expect a Patrick Kane type player. Using NHL.com top 20 centers list as a proxy for the elite centers in the league (its not a perfect list, but its something neutral to use in this example), the only guys under 190 are Barzal and Karlsson, who are both above 185. He's good enough to break the trend, but it also makes it not as easy to project his ability to stay there as a sure thing. Now, there are guys like Point and Trocheck playing at a high-level as centers who are under 185 (in Point's case under 170), so maybe the game is shifting in his direction at the center position. Giroux is the only guy recently with a smaller build who did it, and he played with a rare level of intensity, and Briere was also quite effective at center with that build.

If anyone's projecting him as anything less than a likely franchise talent, its most likely a hot-take. Barring a significant injury or the failure to develop anymore from what he is, its hard to see how he isn't at least what Clayton Keller and Marner entered the league as.

I just think it's a great thing he's getting taller. Marchand is built like a stump at 5'9" and is still getting rag dolled all the time. Much less worry about being a victim all the time at 5'11" in a 6'2" average game.

 

[ello]

I don't think anyone expects him to fail due to size, they just wonder if he can fill out enough to deal with the current demands of a top-line NHL center. I can't think of many bonafide franchise centers who are under 190. I think even people who are unsure about his ability to remain at the dot, expect a Patrick Kane type player. Using NHL.com top 20 centers list as a proxy for the elite centers in the league (its not a perfect list, but its something neutral to use in this example), the only guys under 190 are Barzal and Karlsson, who are both above 185. He's good enough to break the trend, but it also makes it not as easy to project his ability to stay there as a sure thing. Now, there are guys like Point and Trocheck playing at a high-level as centers who are under 185 (in Point's case under 170), so maybe the game is shifting in his direction at the center position. Giroux is the only guy recently with a smaller build who did it, and he played with a rare level of intensity, and Briere was also quite effective at center with that build.

If anyone's projecting him as anything less than a likely franchise talent, its most likely a hot-take. Barring a significant injury or the failure to develop anymore from what he is, its hard to see how he isn't at least what Clayton Keller and Marner entered the league as.

Are there any comparables to Jack? As in a player who was as talented and hyped in his draft season and roughly the same size who hasn't managed to pan out as the top line centre?

I think with a kid as gifted as Jack, talent will take over regardless of how much he ends of growing. I know it would be rather unprecedented for a 5'10"-11 player establish himself as a top line centreman these days, but if anyone can do it it's Jack Hughes. Kid reminds me somewhat of Denis Savard in terms of skill and elusiveness, and I think if he becomes anything like Savard (maybe even putting on 15-20 more pounds of organic "man" growth), he'll quickly quash any concerns about size.

 

[93LEAFS]

Are there any comparables to Jack? As in a player who was as talented and hyped in his draft season and roughly the same size who hasn't managed to pan out as the top line centre?

I think with a kid as gifted as Jack, talent will take over regardless of how much he ends of growing. I know it would be rather unprecedented for a 5'10"-11 player establish himself as a top line centreman these days, but if anyone can do it it's Jack Hughes. Kid reminds me somewhat of Denis Savard in terms of skill and elusiveness, and I think if he becomes anything like Savard (maybe even putting on 15-20 more pounds of organic "man" growth), he'll quickly quash any concerns about size.

Kane was tried at center in the NHL and it didn't work, although he didn't have extensive experience in junior. Marner was moved back and forth in London and is clearly a winger in the NHL. Clayton Keller played center when with his age group at the USNTDP (he played wing when bumped up to the 97's), and was moved back and forth in College, and appears to be a winger. Hughes is likely better or at the very least in Kane's case, more hyped. Which, is what makes him a unique case to follow. I have limited doubts about him taking over at the NHL level, even if he isn't a center, he will do so from the wing like Kane has for the past decade.

The point is more about mass than height, as you have pointed out. It is about the ability to constantly win battles down low as current demands of NHL centers in their roles. Although, as the league shifts to smaller defenders (which is a trend in recent drafting) this also may become less of a concern.

 

[Konk]

The NHL is a different game from junior hockey, if you were unaware.

It's ok, time will prove that you don't know what in the hell you're talking about.

 

[dirtydantheflyersman]

Can't wait to see him destroy all the NTDP records this season. He's such a special player to watch. All of his linemates gonna get some massive scoring bumps.

 

[kroypuck]

Can't wait to see him destroy all the NTDP records this season. He's such a special player to watch. All of his linemates gonna get some massive scoring bumps.

Easily the best NTDP team ever. Even without Hughes one could still make the argument. Could be the first team to go undefeated in all international play for their entire NTDP tenure.

 

[93LEAFS]

Easily the best NTDP team ever. Even without Hughes one could still make the argument. Could be the first team to go undefeated in all international play for their entire NTDP tenure.

I'd put the 97's against them. The big thing that hurt the 97's was that they lost their 2 best defenders to college a year early. This team really lacks in defenders compared to a team that had Hanifin, Werenski and McAvoy. 01's have better forwards and a better goalie, but I'm not sure that balances out the gap of the 97's D.

 

[kroypuck]

I'd put the 97's against them. The big thing that hurt the 97's was that they lost their 2 best defenders to college a year early. This team really lacks in defenders compared to a team that had Hanifin, Werenski and McAvoy. 01's have better forwards and a better goalie, but I'm not sure that balances out the gap of the 97's D.

I'd agree that they had a better D core, but in no way does the current core hurt the team. IMO they are often overshadowed by the immense forward talent that this team has. But it will be interesting to see where they all end up in the draft considering this team will be the most heavily scouted team out of any.

 

[Blade Paradigm]

The UDNTDP site states that Jack is now 5'10'', 168 lbs.

 

[EscapedGoat]

I think if he stays at center he probably will have career numbers similar to RNH.

Jesus...