C Kieron Walton #187 2024 NHL Draft

[Buffdog]

A lot of how big a player looks will depend on when you meet them

It's common for a player to lose up to 15% of their bodyweight (up to 30lbs) throught he grind of a season.... so if you meet someone coming into camp, they'll be a lot different than if you meet them in april/may

Some guys are just tiny, though. I met Toby and he was maybe 5'6 or 5'7.... certainly not the 5'10 that he was listed at (my driver's license says 6'0 and I towered over him)

 

[Jets 31]

Good name for a BBQ Restaurant!

Good one.

 

[Flair Hay]

Needs to learn to play a "pro style" game... meaning that if the Jets brass can work with his coach to get him to start doing that, he may take a step back in points production next year in junior.

That said, huge upside if he's developed properly

Yeah Walton is the type of guy we need to take our time with. The tools and production are there, he really needs to work on developing a two way game. If he can do that, the rest will fall into place.

 

[Jets 31]

A lot of how big a player looks will depend on when you meet them

It's common for a player to lose up to 15% of their bodyweight (up to 30lbs) throught he grind of a season.... so if you meet someone coming into camp, they'll be a lot different than if you meet them in april/may

Some guys are just tiny, though. I met Toby and he was maybe 5'6 or 5'7.... certainly not the 5'10 that he was listed at (my driver's license says 6'0 and I towered over him)

I'm 5'11 and Ehlers is not.

 

[Huffer]

Good news.

 

[jungles]

I saw Kyle Connor ordering oatmeal at Starbucks. He looked...exactly like someone you would expect ordering oatmeal at Starbucks.

 

[Gm0ney]

I saw Kyle Connor ordering oatmeal at Starbucks. He looked...exactly like someone you would expect ordering oatmeal at Starbucks.

That's probably the healthiest choice on their menu.

 

[Guardian17]

Great news!

 

[Jet]

For sure…there are some beasts….but the ones that are not are all ribs and c*ck

That's been my experience

 

[Daximus]

Yeah Walton is the type of guy we need to take our time with. The tools and production are there, he really needs to work on developing a two way game. If he can do that, the rest will fall into place.

I know a lot of people will compare him to Lowry because of the size but he plays a very different style for how big he is. More of an offensive juggernaut then a defensive one. Lowry made his bread in junior as a two-way garbage man and net front guy on the PP. Walton makes his bread off the rush and right hashmarks with one-timers on the PP.

Walton has more offensive creativity, better shot and better hands. I think his use is honestly more as an offensive weapon than a two-way one. Obviously you want him to be decent enough defensively but I think trying to turn him into Lowry may stifle his offensive tools.

 

[lanky]

Really like that we managed to get him before he went NCAA route. Absolute monster of a center at 6'6, 215. Actually has some solid hands and a big shot and a bit of creativity to his game. Likes to fire them from the right side hashmarks on the PP. Solid skater as well not even for just a big man.

He definitely already has the size to play in the NHL, turning 19 this month, so I think he might get a decent look to make the Jets out of camp next year. But good chance he plays one more season in the O.

If this kid turns out he might be exactly what we need at C. Based on interviews I've seen he seems like a good kid, well spoken, hard worker, looks like a future leader. Really hope he turns out.

Walton is a LW, not a C.

 

[Buffdog]

I know a lot of people will compare him to Lowry because of the size but he plays a very different style for how big he is. More of an offensive juggernaut then a defensive one. Lowry made his bread in junior as a two-way garbage man and net front guy on the PP. Walton makes his bread off the rush and right hashmarks with one-timers on the PP.

Walton has more offensive creativity, better shot and better hands. I think his use is honestly more as an offensive weapon than a two-way one. Obviously you want him to be decent enough defensively but I think trying to turn him into Lowry may stifle his offensive tools.

I've said it before, but with his size, he reminds me a bit of Eric Daze

 

[Flair Hay]

I know a lot of people will compare him to Lowry because of the size but he plays a very different style for how big he is. More of an offensive juggernaut then a defensive one. Lowry made his bread in junior as a two-way garbage man and net front guy on the PP. Walton makes his bread off the rush and right hashmarks with one-timers on the PP.

Walton has more offensive creativity, better shot and better hands. I think his use is honestly more as an offensive weapon than a two-way one. Obviously you want him to be decent enough defensively but I think trying to turn him into Lowry may stifle his offensive tools.

For sure. I ignorantly comped him to Lowry when I first checked out his profile and good start to the year scoring. He is absolutely an offensive player, not a grinder.

As the year progressed and he kept scoring like crazy, and I read up on him more... it opened the door to comparing him to a guy Tage Thompson.

If he can work on his skating so it's average at the NHL level (and not just average for a big guy) that could be within reach. Thompson leveled up over the years and that unlocked the rest of his game.

That's a bit pie in the sky but we can say the same for guys like Yager and Salomonsson also. There are ceiling comps, mid range comps, and bust comps for each.

The only things holding back his perceived value on here are his draft position and time needed to reach the NHL, imo. Lots of work to do still though.

 

[Aggie204]

Walton is a LW, not a C.

Wasn’t Lowry a winger before he got moved to pivot? Mind you I really haven’t seen Walton play, but it would be a boon for the team if he can.

 

[Flair Hay]

I've said it before, but with his size, he reminds me a bit of Eric Daze

Great example. Got some much criticism for winning a lady byng at his size if I remember right?

That's a good mid range outcome for Walton. Even Daze had 70 points on year.

 

[Buffdog]

Great example. Got some much criticism for winning a lady byng at his size if I remember right?

That's a good mid range outcome for Walton. Even Daze had 70 points on year.

Yeah, I think that if people want Walton to replace Lowry, they'll have to settle for a different type of impact on the game rather than physicality

In Lowry's D+1 season in the WHL, he put up 90 pims in just 36 games (which was an outlier - his draft year and his D+2 he was around 1.3 pims per game) .

Walton had 43 in 66 games this season D+1 and for comparison, Daze had 31 pims in 66 games in junior in his D+1

 

[lanky]

Wasn’t Lowry a winger before he got moved to pivot? Mind you I really haven’t seen Walton play, but it would be a boon for the team if he can.

I believe you're right about Lowry.
I have no opinion on whether Walton can convert or not, but I do know that it's extremely rare.

 

[Daximus]

Walton is a LW, not a C.

Hes got the size and skating to play C at the top level so the Jets will probably try developing him as one if he keeps on progressing. Lowry played wing mostly in junior too from what I can remember. Either way though whether hes a winger or C if he continues to develop then he should be a solid player.

 

[Whileee]

I think Barron might be a more likely replacement for Lowry. Big and fast and can play a two-way game. He looks really good at C. He's 26 and has his prime years ahead.

Walton strikes me more as an offensive winger at the NHL level.

 

[Guardian17]