C Sam Steel - Regina Pats, WHL (2016, 30th, ANA)
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Personally I don't think he will play more than 9 games next year. The Ducks are usually very conservative. I also think he has to get ready physically. Jones imho is closer seeing action next year.
- Apr 27, 2005
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Can anyone who has watched him a lot this year comment on what's changed in his game to lead to such an improvement in production?
eternalbedhead
Let's not rebuild and say we did
I think it's more him returning to the form he had in his draft-1 year. He was a projected top prospect at the beginning of the year but didn't break out like he was expected to.
WhatTheDuck
9 - 20 - 8
We are currently seeing the value of having a third dependable veteran top 9 center behind those two as opposed to a young player. However, if Vermette ends up being lost to expansion (which is fairly likely if the Ducks play their cards right), I wouldn't be surprised if they give some young players (Steel, Kossila - maybe Terry if signed), the opportunity to battle for a 3C job in camp and early season.
I think the biggest difference is that he is not injured/recovering from injury. He suffered a high ankle sprain near the end of the 2014/15 season and he did not look like he was fully recovered until well into the 2015/16 season. By the end of that season and into the playoffs he was playing at a high level (...not this high but high enough that I wasn't surprised to see him taken in the first round).
I try to watch every Regina game, but I didn't watch a single game last season since Steel hadn't yet been drafted by Anaheim...
Almost all the scouting reports on Steel voiced concern about his inconsistency, play away from the puck, and perceived offensive slump. He began last season with a high ankle sprain that presumably took much longer than expected to heal completely. His success in the playoffs is indicative of what he could probably have accomplished during the regular season had he not been injured.
That being said, he has completely passed the eye test this season. He's arguably the most consistent player in the entire WHL, playing alongside Nick Henry (2017 draft eligible) and Dawson Leedahl (undrafted). He's entertaining to watch both with and without the puck. Steel constantly is on the move and finding open spaces in the offensive zone. Most notably however, he's really taken ownership of his defensive responsibilities. He's strong on the backcheck and along the boards (surprisingly because he doesn't have a large frame).
Steel is Regina's swiss army knife. He does everything: takes all the important faceoffs, plays on the top PK and PP.
Oh, he also has a pair of goals and an assist through the first period of tonight's game
https://www.nhl.com/ducks/video/ducks-draft-bob-murray/t-277437084/c-44291603
He was always responsible in the own end. Bob talks about him at 2:00
Kamiccolo
Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.
Adam Brooks is a great player as well. He may not be a NHLer, but he's picked it up and when you watch the games both have been great. I think having an elite line mate has inflated his production, but that's not to say Steel won't be good. He has all the tools.
covfefe
Zoltan Poszar's Burner
- Feb 5, 2014
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It's interesting that you say that, given the fact that Steel and Brooks are not linemates. This was actually mentioned by a poster right above us...and can easily be verified on the Pats twitter:
Brewsky
King Of The Ice Mugs
Kamiccolo
Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.
It's interesting that you say that, given the fact that Steel and Brooks are not linemates. This was actually mentioned by a poster right above us...and can easily be verified on the Pats twitter:
They were earlier in the year. My bad.
Igor Shestyorkin
#26, the sickest of 'em all.
denominator
Registered User
I got to see Steel twice in the past week or due to the weird WHL schedule - once from my usual seats down low behind the opposition net and once from higher up.
In both games, it's clear that Steel is the engine driving the offense for Regina. He put up four points last night (2G, 2A), and missed the empty net for the hat-trick on a very unselfish play (more on that below).
Highlights are HERE, for those interested. Beware that the editing tries to make it look like the Hitmen were actually in the game so there are a bunch of clips of useless plays.
Steel's first goal is a beauty that showed great awareness. On a 2-on-1, the defenseman took away the pass and I'm still not sure what the goalie was doing, but Steel carried the puck in and made a slick move to score. His second goal showed puck-hunger and a drive to the net as the Hitmen defense stood around watching.
His first assist was just great puck movement by the Pats on the PP. He didn't do anything special beyond making the right play, moving well, and being in the right position. His second assist, again on the powerplay, was very similar - good puck movement, good player movement, and a great pass for the one-timer to Hobbs.
Late in the third, with the game 4-0 Regina and the Hitmen on the powerplay, Calgary decided to pull their goalie for some strange reason. Steel made a great play to win a puck battle, skated the puck out of the zone, and then instead of forcing a play against the defender to go for the hat-trick, threw the puck towards the open net but clear of the defenseman, then turned and went for a line change. This play really impressed me, because it showed that even with the game well in hand, and an opportunity to pad his stats, he still made a simple, smart, team-first type of play.
Maybe it's just because he wears #23, but Steel really reminded me of Sam Reinhart. He's a very smart player that has great vision, which gives the illusion of his skill being a bit lower. I've noticed that cerebral-type players like Steel and Reinhart tend to take knocks on their skating, or passing, or shooting, or stick-handling; but I think this is largely due to the fact that he paces the game so well that it appears he's going slower than he actually is.
In both games, it's clear that Steel is the engine driving the offense for Regina. He put up four points last night (2G, 2A), and missed the empty net for the hat-trick on a very unselfish play (more on that below).
Highlights are HERE, for those interested. Beware that the editing tries to make it look like the Hitmen were actually in the game so there are a bunch of clips of useless plays.
Steel's first goal is a beauty that showed great awareness. On a 2-on-1, the defenseman took away the pass and I'm still not sure what the goalie was doing, but Steel carried the puck in and made a slick move to score. His second goal showed puck-hunger and a drive to the net as the Hitmen defense stood around watching.
His first assist was just great puck movement by the Pats on the PP. He didn't do anything special beyond making the right play, moving well, and being in the right position. His second assist, again on the powerplay, was very similar - good puck movement, good player movement, and a great pass for the one-timer to Hobbs.
Late in the third, with the game 4-0 Regina and the Hitmen on the powerplay, Calgary decided to pull their goalie for some strange reason. Steel made a great play to win a puck battle, skated the puck out of the zone, and then instead of forcing a play against the defender to go for the hat-trick, threw the puck towards the open net but clear of the defenseman, then turned and went for a line change. This play really impressed me, because it showed that even with the game well in hand, and an opportunity to pad his stats, he still made a simple, smart, team-first type of play.
Maybe it's just because he wears #23, but Steel really reminded me of Sam Reinhart. He's a very smart player that has great vision, which gives the illusion of his skill being a bit lower. I've noticed that cerebral-type players like Steel and Reinhart tend to take knocks on their skating, or passing, or shooting, or stick-handling; but I think this is largely due to the fact that he paces the game so well that it appears he's going slower than he actually is.
Sojourn
Registered User
- Nov 1, 2006
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One of that things that has impressed me in the few times I've seen him, is he always seems to have his head up, and you can almost see him weighing his options. He comes across as a very deliberate player. It's entirely possible I'm just seeing him on good nights, but I always come away impressed at how well he reads the play, and how good his decision making is.
Not true. Steel and Brooks have centered their own lines all season. Leedahl/Steel/Henry have been together the entirety of this season. Only time they play together is on the top PP unit. The last time they were put on the same line together was the beginning of last season and maybe a select few times throughout, but I don't even recall that happening as last season it was always Wagner/Brooks/Zablocki.
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Vipers31
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