Prospect Info: C Kieron Walton #187 2024 NHL Draft

[DeepFrickinValue]

Important to note that Walton didn't really come out of nowhere. He was a second round pick in the OHL draft (3 picks after Kevin He, as an interesting tidbit).

Apparently he would have gone even higher but his family was demanding that whoever draft him also had to draft his twin brother Conor. Sudbury complied with this request, drafting Conor in the 4th round. Then they traded him to Windsor a year later. Lol.

Anyways, the point is, he's always been a top prospect. He just fell off due to some perceived weakness in his compete level and defensive game. I'm not sure he's shown much improvement there but watching him play, he's developed some great chemistry with Alex Pharand, a fourth round pick for Chicago. Pharand is 6'3" so they both tower over a lot of the competition. They play some really beautiful offensive hockey together.

What will Waltons weight be in a few years? If he’s 218 currently are we looking at +230 lbs

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

PWHL Power Rankings: Frost and Victoire duke it out for first

The Frost jumped into first place in the league when the beat the Victoire in Denver.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

 

[Gm0ney]

What will Waltons weight be in a few years? If he’s 218 currently are we looking at +230 lbs

Wheeler was 6'5" 222lbs.

Rempe's the current heaviest NHLer at 255.

Edstrom is the 2nd heaviest forward at 241.

Then Ovi at 238 (tied with Austin Watson).

Ian Cole wins the Brick Shithouse Award at 6'1", 237.

 

[Gm0ney]

PWHL Power Rankings: Frost and Victoire duke it out for first

The Frost jumped into first place in the league when the beat the Victoire in Denver.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

I think this is the article you were trying to post...

Jets’ Kieron Walton is one of the most improved NHL prospects in 2024-25

Today on Daily Faceoff Live, prospect analyst Steven Ellis weighs in on why Walton is one of the most improved...

www.dailyfaceoff.com

 

[Buffdog]

Wheeler was 6'5" 222lbs.

Rempe's the current heaviest NHLer at 255.

Edstrom is the 2nd heaviest forward at 241.

Then Ovi at 238 (tied with Austin Watson).

Ian Cole wins the Brick Shithouse Award at 6'1", 237.

Ovi's a f***ing tank lol

 

[Howard Chuck]

Important to note that Walton didn't really come out of nowhere. He was a second round pick in the OHL draft (3 picks after Kevin He, as an interesting tidbit).

Apparently he would have gone even higher but his family was demanding that whoever draft him also had to draft his twin brother Conor. Sudbury complied with this request, drafting Conor in the 4th round. Then they traded him to Windsor a year later. Lol.

Anyways, the point is, he's always been a top prospect. He just fell off due to some perceived weakness in his compete level and defensive game. I'm not sure he's shown much improvement there but watching him play, he's developed some great chemistry with Alex Pharand, a fourth round pick for Chicago. Pharand is 6'3" so they both tower over a lot of the competition. They play some really beautiful offensive hockey together.

Ruh Roh…. We don’t want helicopter parents.

Wheeler was 6'5" 222lbs.

Rempe's the current heaviest NHLer at 255.

Edstrom is the 2nd heaviest forward at 241.

Then Ovi at 238 (tied with Austin Watson).

Ian Cole wins the Brick Shithouse Award at 6'1", 237.

It always amazes me how lean some of these players are. I see wheeler and Lowry specifically on instagram hiking or something and they look really thin. I guess just all muscle.

 

[Gm0ney]

Ruh Roh…. We don’t want helicopter parents.


It always amazes me how lean some of these players are. I see wheeler and Lowry specifically on instagram hiking or something and they look really thin. I guess just all muscle.

I ran into Krzysztof Oliwa (former Devils tough guy) once and he was a monster. This was after he retired so he was probably bigger than his playing days.

But most of the skill guys are ridiculously lean. I've seen Morrissey around and when he's in street clothes he looks skinny.

 

[TheGovernment]

Ruh Roh…. We don’t want helicopter parents.


It always amazes me how lean some of these players are. I see wheeler and Lowry specifically on instagram hiking or something and they look really thin. I guess just all muscle.

2 years ago, Stone and Eakins were at my golf club with the cup. Stone is tall and skinny and Eakins looked like a 13 year old kid. He was a very small dude. There were a few more NHL guys there but we were at the Tee and that is more important lol.

 

[ps241]

I've learned over the years not to become too attached to prospects. Development between ages 16-21 or so is just so uneven and unpredictable, and what pans out at the NHL level is unknowable. Always nice to see the kids do well, you cheer them on and hope for the best, but expect that most will never meet the expectations set by their biggest cheerleaders.

This is probably the second biggest adjustment I have made as a Jets fan on HFBoards. I use to carry more optimism on prospects but reality of the historical 2.0 results made me realize I needed a heavy recalibration especially on my ceiling projections. Outside the 1st round we have yet to select a high impact “Skater” that has played on our 1st line or our top pairing. I love Lowry but he is what he is.

Now at some point this might change but until it does I am taking more of an “I will believe it when it happens once” approach. Still enjoy following the prospects but I am not getting ahead of myself on them. I like the D +1 season Walton is having but I am not expecting him to break our streak.

Still fun to have prospects to follow.

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

This is probably the second biggest adjustment I have made as a Jets fan on HFBoards. I use to carry more optimism on prospects but reality of the historical 2.0 results made me realize I needed a heavy recalibration especially on my ceiling projections. Outside the 1st round we have yet to select a high impact “Skater” that has played on our 1st line or our top pairing. I love Lowry but he is what he is.

Now at some point this might change but until it does I am taking more of an “I will believe it when it happens once” approach. Still enjoy following the prospects but I am not getting ahead of myself on them. I like the D +1 season Walton is having but I am not expecting him to break our streak.

Still fun to have prospects to follow.

odds say we get a blue chip late rounder at some point. Goalies don’t count.

 

[Jets4Life]

This is probably the second biggest adjustment I have made as a Jets fan on HFBoards. I use to carry more optimism on prospects but reality of the historical 2.0 results made me realize I needed a heavy recalibration especially on my ceiling projections. Outside the 1st round we have yet to select a high impact “Skater” that has played on our 1st line or our top pairing. I love Lowry but he is what he is.

Now at some point this might change but until it does I am taking more of an “I will believe it when it happens once” approach. Still enjoy following the prospects but I am not getting ahead of myself on them. I like the D +1 season Walton is having but I am not expecting him to break our streak.

Still fun to have prospects to follow.

If we really look at the Jets drafting history, there have not been many players chosen after the 2nd round, that have went on the have lengthy careers. The only ones who come to mind, are Hellebuyck, Copp, and Appleton. Hopefully Walton will join that group.

 

[ps241]

If we really look at the Jets drafting history, there have not been many players chosen after the 2nd round, that have went on the have lengthy careers. The only ones who come to mind, are Hellebuyck, Copp, and Appleton. Hopefully Walton will join that group.

It’s a pretty tough area to draft in. Thankfully we have Helly up there since he has been far and away our best asset but yea it’s really tough sledding later on. I believe organizations probably do still need to keep throwing darts in those rounds but I am less married to the picks than ever. I don’t think and org like Winnipeg can afford to give away 1st’s without getting them back in other trades. That is still the life blood that built this current team.

odds say we get a blue chip late rounder at some point. Goalies don’t count.

At some point we should hit again.

 

[Adam da bomb]

If we really look at the Jets drafting history, there have not been many players chosen after the 2nd round, that have went on the have lengthy careers. The only ones who come to mind, are Hellebuyck, Copp, and Appleton. Hopefully Walton will join that group.

Looking at Jets drafting, although Demelo was drafted 179th Iafallo and Pionk were undrafted. How many guys in the 2nd rd have went on to a lengthy career. Samberg too early to tell, but, likely.

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

If we really look at the Jets drafting history, there have not been many players chosen after the 2nd round, that have went on the have lengthy careers. The only ones who come to mind, are Hellebuyck, Copp, and Appleton. Hopefully Walton will join that group.

Add Lowry and maybe Poolman

 

[Gm0ney]

Walton with no points, 2 SOG and -2 in last night's 6-2 loss to the Windsor Spitfires.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I ran into Krzysztof Oliwa (former Devils tough guy) once and he was a monster. This was after he retired so he was probably bigger than his playing days.

But most of the skill guys are ridiculously lean. I've seen Morrissey around and when he's in street clothes he looks skinny.

With hockey players a lot of the weight and muscle is in the lower body. They obviously have upper body strength, but not bulk.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

odds say we get a blue chip late rounder at some point. Goalies don’t count.

Well, eventually is a long time.
It is rare to get a late rounder who makes the NHL, much less becomes a top 6/top 4 player.

 

[Whileee]

With hockey players a lot of the weight and muscle is in the lower body. They obviously have upper body strength, but not bulk.

Would love to see Walton train with Lowry. They seem to have a similar build; tall and a bit lanky. Lowry was bulkier and slower in his younger years, but transformed into a slimmer and much quicker player, while retaining strength and balance.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Would love to see Walton train with Lowry. They seem to have a similar build; tall and a bit lanky. Lowry was bulkier and slower in his younger years, but transformed into a slimmer and much quicker player, while retaining strength and balance.

I was noticing Lowry's speed last night. VG for a man his size. Even pretty good for a smaller man.

At 6'6 Walton could carry 230 and still be slim(ish) if he was fit.

 

[Whileee]

I was noticing Lowry's speed last night. VG for a man his size. Even pretty good for a smaller man.

At 6'6 Walton could carry 230 and still be slim(ish) if he was fit.

Lowry is actually very fast, which one reason why I think he could be an option at 2C. Below is his summary in the NHL Edge stats. He's in the upper percentiles of to speed and speed bursts among NHL forwards.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Lowry is actually very fast, which one reason why I think he could be an option at 2C. Below is his summary in the NHL Edge stats. He's in the upper percentiles of to speed and speed bursts among NHL forwards.

View attachment 962784

That fits what I saw. I had wanted to watch his first stride but didn't really get a chance. That is hard to assess by eye but I'm going to try to get a better feel for his acceleration/quickness.

All in all, based on eye test and some factors that have been pointed out here, I think we may have found some of that elusive chemistry. We need to see if it lasts now. And worth mentioning that Iafallo has been contributing to that as well. He also has pretty good speed and is a smart player.