C Jansen Harkins - Prince George Cougars, WHL (2015, 47th, WPG)

[covfefe]

I'm sure RS has seen Harkins and Barzal more often than myself as of late, but I can't say I'm too surprised to see Nick getting jumped by Harkins (always thought Barzal would go ahead of Nick).

Harkins projects to be a little bigger down the road, a bit better defensively, definitely projects better as a centre than Merkley, and most importantly, he has been putting up very impressive numbers as of late. I'm no quant whiz, but I suspect if you adjusted Merkley's point totals for the quality of his linemates and compared it to Harkins, you'd see that Harkins is getting way less run support. I'm also just generally impressed by anyone who is capable to play to the full extent of their abilities in PG. That's no slight against the city, I just imagine it would be tough dealing with their travel schedule.

 

[R S]

So Harkins is ahead of Merkley now? Interesting. Is there a specific reason?

A few.

But at the end of the day I just think Harkins' second half speaks for itself. He's put the Cougars on his back and carried them back into a playoff spot. He faces tough matchups, without much support, and still produces.

I also think when looking at his body and skating, there is a lot more potential there yet to come when compared to both Merkley or even Barzal. I think he could grow another inch or two yet and will still add another 20 pounds quite easily over the next 3-4 years.

I think when combining all factors I just see Harkins as a more projectable prospect for the NHL. Safer, if you will, but not necessarily a lower ceiling...if that makes sense.

 

[arsmaster*]

I can't speak for R S, but I echo having Harkins above Merkley.

Merkley has a lot of high end skill, can pass well and can score. He also skates well.

Harkins does all the same but his high end skill isn't at the same level and his skating needs some work.

The diff for me comes in the defensive end. Harkins is always in the right place in both ends of the rink. He works as hard in the d-zone as the o-zone, and he iss till on pace for over 80 points with much less help than Merkley has been getting.

A few.

But at the end of the day I just think Harkins' second half speaks for itself. He's put the Cougars on his back and carried them back into a playoff spot. He faces tough matchups, without much support, and still produces.

I also think when looking at his body and skating, there is a lot more potential there yet to come when compared to both Merkley or even Barzal. I think he could grow another inch or two yet and will still add another 20 pounds quite easily over the next 3-4 years.

I think when combining all factors I just see Harkins as a more projectable prospect for the NHL. Safer, if you will, but not necessarily a lower ceiling...if that makes sense.

Thanks for the responses guys.

One thing I always find interesting, is sort of a chicken vs egg debate, and I don't believe we'll ever find the answers, but......

We can use Merkley's quality of linemate against him, which looks like a plus for Harkins, but can't it go the other way as well.

Deeper team often means a spread of the prime icetime and key situations, whereas Harkins gets all the plum assignments.

I mean it's probably 6 of 1 and half dozen of the other, but I think it's worth adding.

-----

The team I support is probably going to have a chance at Merkley and Harkins, and we've already got a stable full of quality two-way center prospects, for me I think the higher end offensive talent belongs to Merkley and I'd be leaning towards him for the Canucks, but as a whole it's a tough comp.

Building BPA lists is tough, especially when outside factors like prospect pool depth plays into it.

I mean it could be a tie between these two guys, then it comes down to what you'd rather have.

 

[S E P H]

I have to say I was incredibly disappointed in the game I saw him recently. I have always been a huge supporter of Harkins and think he could become a captain of an NHL team and become a steal of this draft, but he was horrible in the game I saw and it's killing me to say it!!. Had no offensive touch at all, got overpowered many times and just looked very weak. It was a bad time to play bad because there were a ton of NHL scouts watching. I know players are allowed to have bad games, but unfortunately he has dropped a bit in my rankings. He needs to get stronger and add some weight. Atleast his dad is a big guy though so I assume he will fill out a lot still.

I am with Skinnyjimmy on this one. I am not "disappointed" in him per say, but every time I've watched him, he has impressed me less.

He looks 12 in his face. Listed at what? 170lbs.

His dad players at 210+ says hockeydb, give Jansen time to grow.

I think scouts often like the guys who produce while being physically immature. Gives them room to project.

You absolutely correct in this, which I is why i think he should be in the high and mid 20s for the draft, but he has the size though doesn't really use it.

Eh, I wouldn't but too much stock into one game. Everyone has an off night.

For me, that's how Harkins is. He doesn't do a lot to stand out. He's not going to be a 1st round pick due to flashy offensive plays. He's smart, methodical. And frankly, his offensive numbers speaks for themselves.

His offensive production, relative to the rest of the WHL players from this class, is really something special. He's produced more at even strength than any other WHL player in this class. Considering his lack of overall support, that's pretty special.

Coming in I thought he would be around Paul Stastny or Derek Stepan, definitely not as good as those two, but still around that category level. As I said in a previous thread, I think he's looking more like a Derick Brassard now. I am definitely not trying to knock his play because as you said he has been great on a very average team, but I think he has been over hyped IMO.

Thanks for the responses guys.

One thing I always find interesting, is sort of a chicken vs egg debate, and I don't believe we'll ever find the answers, but......

We can use Merkley's quality of linemate against him, which looks like a plus for Harkins, but can't it go the other way as well.

Deeper team often means a spread of the prime icetime and key situations, whereas Harkins gets all the plum assignments.

I don't think that is a fair assessment of Merkley, he is the best player on his line of Braid and Chartier. You can also say he was one of the best players on the Rockets before the trade deadline. Granted powerplay is a different story where he gets Draisaitl, Kirkland (though I believe he is injured), Goulbourne (who is also injured), Baillie, and Bowey. Though Merkley was leading the WHL in PP points before Draisaitl even got here and has posted a better 5v5 point percentage over the likes of Barzal as well (even if it is by 0.1, 0.2, or 0.5+). I appreciate Harkins 5v5 points since I value them much more than power play *******, but I think Merkley is just the better all around player and has that dynamic talent that can help him in the higher leagues, even if size is against him.

 

[Whileee]

As a Jets fan I could see them really liking a player like Harkins. He seems like a blend of Scheifele and Lowry in terms of hockey sense, character and defensive ability. Scheifele was a bit like Harkins in that he had room to grow and improve his strength and skating, but had a very good foundation of basic skills, IQ and character. I don't mind the idea of having Scheifele, Harkins and Lowry down the middle in the future.

 

[arsmaster*]

S E P H:

6'1" 180lbs isn't exactly big, and to me he just seems physically immature.

I think you'll see him using his size more moving forward, but I don't really see it as a lack of willingness to use his size, I see it as a lack of aggression.

Harkins isn't an aggressive player by nature, so even when he's 6'2" 205lbs, I don't forsee him running guys through the boards.

I think he uses his frame and body positioning well as is.

 

[TT1]

he'll end up being this years Larkin. A team is gonna steal him at around 15-20.

 

[S E P H]

S E P H:

6'1" 180lbs isn't exactly big, and to me he just seems physically immature.

I think you'll see him using his size more moving forward, but I don't really see it as a lack of willingness to use his size, I see it as a lack of aggression.

Harkins isn't an aggressive player by nature, so even when he's 6'2" 205lbs, I don't forsee him running guys through the boards.

I think he uses his frame and body positioning well as is.

That is a fair enough assessment I could agree on. My whole basis of my argument though is I don't think he should be a prospect drafted in the teens (which some scout rankings currently have him in). I believe his value and a good number would be between 20th to 26th. I'll be generous and say maybe up to 18th/19th since he has been sole offensive leader for the Cougars

 

[LastWordArmy]

Our look at Jansen Harkins, who we rank #30 on the draft board.

 

[weems]

Quite honestly not very impressed.
His skillset and skating is underwhelming.
I'm actually not sure I'd put him in my top 30.

 

[R S]

Quite honestly not very impressed.
His skillset and skating is underwhelming.
I'm actually not sure I'd put him in my top 30.

It's about projection.

He's definitely not rather flashy or refined at this point. But he's likely got another inch or two of growth in him yet and another bunch of muscle to come. He will be tough to handle once he gets bigger, stronger and faster. He's also the kind of guy that won't wow you offensively but he does have great vision. He tends to grow on you the more you watch him because you start to see the layers and subtleties of his game.

Plus, I think his showing at the U18's was good considering some people continue to have questions about his overall skating and mobility. If it was really that big of an issue it would have stuck out far more playing on bigger ice.

 

[weems]

It's about projection.

He's definitely not rather flashy or refined at this point. But he's likely got another inch or two of growth in him yet and another bunch of muscle to come. He will be tough to handle once he gets bigger, stronger and faster. He's also the kind of guy that won't wow you offensively but he does have great vision. He tends to grow on you the more you watch him because you start to see the layers and subtleties of his game.

Plus, I think his showing at the U18's was good considering some people continue to have questions about his overall skating and mobility. If it was really that big of an issue it would have stuck out far more playing on bigger ice.

I dont really like how he projects offensively, especially not for a prospect thats been talked about possibly going top 15 in a stacked draft. His footspeed, skating, hands and shot all seem below average to average at best. He looks very similar to Mike Richards when I look at his skillset (And im talking current version). He would make a solid late round first to early 2nd round pick imo. I would easily take Erikson Ek before him.

For me I didnt think he was all that great at the U-18's.

 

[NikF]

In the game against USA at the u18, Harkins came to play in the 1st period. The golden boy Barzal for example was nowhere to be found. Point being Harkins might not be more than a #3 but he is a Cup calibre player, there's a difference there between a bland player and someone who brings unique value to the table. Same reason why Crouse is ranked so high. That said Harkins for me is a late teens-25 pick as reasonable value, don't think I could justify taking him in top 15.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

I felt like I was reading a Louis Leblanc thread back in his draft year in here. Not a flashy player, decent size but needs to put on weight, lacks intensity, skating as one of his flaws...

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Hes got a little brother Jonas that is actually a dman and it's his WHL draft coming up in a few days. Should be a top 2 round player. Complete opposite of Jansen, he is a already bigger than Jansen, solid, stay at home, safe dman. Even shoots other way

 

[LastWordArmy]

Our look at Jansen Harkins, who we rank #30 on the draft board.

Oops forgot something.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/04/30/2015-nhl-draft-profile-30-jansen-harkins/

 

[R S]

Harkins slides in at #4 on my list of WHL players for the 2015 NHL Draft...

#4 Jansen Harkins

Team: Prince George Cougars
Position: C
Shoots: L
Height: 6’1.25
Weight: 182
GP: 70
Goals: 20
Assists: 59
Points: 79
Pts/Gm: 1.13
PIM: 45

Player Analysis: Jansen Harkins is a smart playmaking centre for the Prince George Cougars…biggest strength is the way he thinks the game and subsequently sees the ice…displays an extremely mature understanding of how to make a difference in all zones…very strong positionally…his hockey smarts and length really show well in the defensive game giving him value as a potential top-end two-way centre at the next level…his hockey sense is matched by his willingness to work hard in all three zones…a blue collar type of forward although he could develop a bit more grit to his game regarding being tough to play against…could also stand to be stronger on his stick during 1 on 1 battles…excels when it comes to offensive timing, arriving at the right spots at the right times…ends up around the net very often, showing versatility in how he arrives there…is long and lean with his extensive reach helping aid him in playmaking…protects the puck well during the playmaking game and takes advantage of his long arms when it comes to putting pucks around or through defenders or under their sticks…is comfortable playing on his backhand…picks his spots when it comes to shooting but could probably stand to put more pucks on net…shot would be classified as only ok for me at this point…doesn’t seem to have the release or the power in his shot to beat goalies from overly deep distances as things stand right now…is definitely a pass-first player in the big scheme of things…skating is only slightly above average right now, despite decent fundamentals…has a long stride and a look like he has big feet and skinny legs, leading to a lack of immediate speed out of the gate…top speed is passable once he gets the engine running at full steam and it is surely good in open ice…footwork is a little clumsy and needs to be refined in tighter spaces…skating fundamentals aren’t a huge negative but he needs to improve his lower body co-ordination and edgework especially as he gets taller and heavier…currently lacks that separation gear that you like to see…with that being said, I think his skating would have stuck out far more at the World Under-18’s than it did, had it been a bigger concern…his father Todd played in the NHL and was listed at 6’3 so more growth should be expected…is the kind of player that really grows on you the more you watch him as you start to see the smart little subtleties he brings to the table…was used as the Cougars top centre this season while also being a key player on both the powerplay and penalty kill…spent 14 of their final 15 regular season games on a line with Chase Witala and Zach Pochiro…also had Brad Morrison on his wing fairly frequently this season…set a franchise record for assists this season with 59…would classify him as a bit more of a project than some of the other guys in the draft just due to the amount of height and weight that could still be on the way for him, mixed with his rather unrefined look at times…put up 6 points in 5 games at the Ivan Hlinka tournament in 2014 while also captaining Team Pacific at the World Under 17’s…can be seen as fairly raw but definitely had a strong year considering an apparent lack of pure offensive depth with the Cougars this year…showed a nice uptick in production as the year wore on with 1.05 PPG up until December 31st and a 1.17 PPG rate after that point…finished 2nd in primary assists among first-year draft-eligible forwards with 35, trailing only Nick Merkley who had 45…finished 2nd in points among all first-year draft-eligible WHL forwards, once again trailing only Merkley…had the 3rd best PPG rate among that same group of forwards, trailing Merkley and Mathew Barzal…registered 0.74 even-strength points-per-game this year, the 2nd highest mark of any first-year draft-eligible WHL forward…either scored or assisted on 36.24% of all Cougars goals during the regular season, the 3rd best mark among first-year draft-eligible WHL forwards this year…was T-8th in goals among all first-year draft-eligible WHL forwards with 20, with 16 of those coming at even-strength….was recognized as the Prince George Cougars MVP for the 2014-15 season…was the 2nd overall pick behind Mathew Barzal in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft by the Prince George Cougars…his style of play regarding his skating, sense, defensive responsibility, playmaking lean and mature attitude remind me a lot of Paul Stastny…while I don’t think he has as high of offensive potential as the 3rd-ranked Nick Merkley does, I think he has more 200-foot tools, projects to play centre 100% (unlike Merkley) and has a more appealing frame…the 3-4 position on this list was one I went back and forth on frequently down the stretch this year, ending up as one of my toughest decisions overall…I think Harkins projects to be a complete second line centre who can play in any situation without hurting you, even though he might take 3-4 years to reach an NHL team’s bottom 6…I expect him to come off the board some time between the 15th and 25th selections in June and will offer a bucket full of value if for some wild reason he falls out of the 1st round…

Remaining reports on other players can be found here: http://whl-from-above.blogspot.ca/2...2015-nhl-draft.html?showComment=1432829415126

 

[puckfan13]

If anyone had some views on this guy that weren't great a reason behind that could lend to the grueling travel schedule the Cougars endure. It is downright insane, so if you happened to see Jansen on a back-to-back or a third game in four nights it is understandable that you might not have had the best view on him. I know a couple of mine weren't great and I went back and looked at the schedule and noticed a difference in the "fatigue" games and well-rested games.

I think RS' writeup is very detailed but I still believe his separation speed in the neutral zone is going to be an issue going forward, if he is carrying the puck through the NZ he is going to have to be a chip and chase guy at the next level, his stride has difficulty gaining that extra traction to get a good push to explode and hold a threat of wide speed that you need to be able to pull up on other plays, otherwise defenders are going to gap up on you every time and you will have to chip it by them, he seems to stay in the same gear. I know he is skinny as well, but his dad is a thick and bulky husky dude, I'm sure he will be putting a lot of time in in the gym but that means he is going to be carrying extra weight on his skating too. Big fan of a lot of the little things he does though, think Jansen compares very favourably to a player like Brandon Sutter.

 

[Woodhouse]

[nhl]828005[/nhl]

[nhl]827951[/nhl]

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

a recent Q and A....

http://www.whl.ca/article/nhl-draft-prospect-profile-jansen-harkins

 

[phillipsj89]

Really excited to see this guy comeback to PG after an exciting summer and NHL training camp. (at least some form of one.)

He wasn't overly flashy this year, but he just always made the right play. He was always in the right spot on both ends of the ice. Excited that Benning picked him out as someone they have targeted for their draft spot, but for his career path, I wouldn't want to see it. Too many centres.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I prefer Eriksson Ek at 24, but I am getting the feeling he will be gone by the time 24 comes up. Harkins would be my #2 choice at pick 24.

 

[D0ctorCool]

Really excited to see this guy comeback to PG after an exciting summer and NHL training camp. (at least some form of one.)

He wasn't overly flashy this year, but he just always made the right play. He was always in the right spot on both ends of the ice. Excited that Benning picked him out as someone they have targeted for their draft spot, but for his career path, I wouldn't want to see it. Too many centres.

You can never have too many centres. As a Canucks fan, he's the guy I want at #23.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Sportsnet feature

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/prospect-of-interest-the-411-on-jansen-harkins/

 

[Jetabre]

Welcome to the Jets Jansen! Love this pick.