C Shane Wright (2022, 4th, SEA) Part 4

[FlameChampion]

I don't remember a case quite like Wright's before where there is insistence that he is something that he really doesn't seem to be. Wright is the sure number 1 pick... until the whispers that he isn't build up as he doesn't look that impressive and he goes fourth. Wright is too good for the OHL... even though he did not dominate the league. Wright needs to skip the WJC because he is going to the NHL... even though he stunk in his WJC action in the winter camp and tournament and he does not seem to be an NHL calibre player. Wright makes the NHL and Francis says he will be there all year... but again, nothing indicates that he is an NHL calibre player.

I've got nothing against the guy but he seems to fall, or at least stumble, upward to a weird degree. He should be given a normal development path - play in junior, see how he does, and then see if he deserves an NHL look next September. I don't see why they would assume that he is an NHL calibre player even next year.

I agree with the post.

I do agree that he should be taking a normal development path at this point if the Kraken dont think he is NHL ready (theres no shame in that). I actually think that guys like Hughes, Hischier, Lafrienere, Kaako, etc would of been better off not playing in the NHL to start. I think McDavid and Matthews set unrealistic examples for most high end prospects. But I do wonder whos actually preventing Wright from taking that normal development path? If I had to guess, I imagine its the player and the agent and not the team. I imagine theres some entitlement from the player and he probably wants to pick up an NHL paycheque. Speculation on my part though.

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

I agree with the post.

I do agree that he should be taking a normal development path at this point if the Kraken dont think he is NHL ready (theres no shame in that). I actually think that guys like Hughes, Hischier, Lafrienere, Kaako, etc would of been better off not playing in the NHL to start. I think McDavid and Matthews set unrealistic examples for most high end prospects. But I do wonder whos actually preventing Wright from taking that normal development path? If I had to guess, I imagine its the player and the agent and not the team. I imagine theres some entitlement from the player and he probably wants to pick up an NHL paycheque. Speculation on my part though.

I agree he should be taking a normal development path. I thought he should have played for Team Canada at the world juniors in August because he didn't produce at the tournament last Christmas. I think Wright is guilty of setting high expectations after getting exceptional status and then playing very well as a 15-year-old.

Where I differ is on the who's preventing Wright from taking that normal development path. While Wright might have made the decision to not go to the WJC in August (it might have also been the team steering him away) but one thing I have no doubt about is who is making the decision -- or made the decision -- for him to stay in the NHL for the early part of the season. It's the Seattle Kraken -- full stop.

NHL teams are in complete control of player movement. They don't keep 18-year-old prospects on the big squad because a kid says "Hey, I want to stay so I can earn a big paycheque." I can just imagine the laughter that would ensue if a player or his agent made that request.

Since we're speculating, a more likely reason for the odd way that Seattle has handled this so far, is that they don't think Kingston is a good team for Wright to play on and they don't want him to go back there. They wanted to give him some big-league coaching and practice, a taste of the NHL, maybe a little serving of humble pie to light a fire under him, then send him to the AHL where he can get some reps before going to world junior camp. He'll be back in junior by January and it won't be with Kingston.

 

[wetcoast]

I agree he should be taking a normal development path. I thought he should have played for Team Canada at the world juniors in August because he didn't produce at the tournament last Christmas. I think Wright is guilty of high expectations after getting exceptional status and then playing very well as a 15-year-old.

Where I differ is on the who's preventing Wright from taking that normal development path. While Wright might have made the decision to not go to the WJC in August (it might have also been the team steering him away) but one thing I have no doubt about is who is making the decision -- or made the decision -- for him to stay in the NHL for the early part of the season. It's the Seattle Kraken -- full stop.

NHL teams are in complete control of player movement. They don't keep 18-year-old prospects on the big squad because a kid says "Hey, I want to stay so I can earn a big paycheque." I can just imagine the laughter that would ensue if a player or his agent made that request.

Since we're speculating, a more likely reason for the odd way that Seattle has handled this so far, is that they don't think Kingston is a good team for Wright to play on and they don't want him to go back there. They wanted to give him some big-league coaching and practice, a taste of the NHL, maybe a little serving of humble pie to light a fire under him, then send him to the AHL where he can get some reps before going to world junior camp. He'll be back in junior by January and it won't be with Kingston.

Good post and I think everyone can agree that we just want to see the kid play some meaningful developmental MPG this season.

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

Coachella Valley coach Troy Bodie on Shane Wright's usage in AHL.


Full interview here.

 

[Lavar Ball]

I'm hoping Wright has a great stint in the AHL and silences a lot of people in this thread

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

This is exactly what he needs. 18+ minutes a game playing against good competition getting his legs underneath him right in time for WJC. I bet he gets 5 AHL games, 2 more NHL games, and should get about 6-7 games of WJC action.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Just scored his first pro goal. Nice shot

 

[Sweetpotato]

I agree with the post.

I do agree that he should be taking a normal development path at this point if the Kraken dont think he is NHL ready (theres no shame in that). I actually think that guys like Hughes, Hischier, Lafrienere, Kaako, etc would of been better off not playing in the NHL to start. I think McDavid and Matthews set unrealistic examples for most high end prospects. But I do wonder whos actually preventing Wright from taking that normal development path? If I had to guess, I imagine its the player and the agent and not the team. I imagine theres some entitlement from the player and he probably wants to pick up an NHL paycheque. Speculation on my part though.

To the bolded, hell, even Draisaitl needed way more time to develop. Maybe they're trying some galaxy brain move to simultaneously hold him in the NHL for half the season while also sliding his contract....

He needs to be in the CHL and this is super disheartening.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Congrats!

 

[RickyLafleur]

I don't remember a case quite like Wright's before where there is insistence that he is something that he really doesn't seem to be. Wright is the sure number 1 pick... until the whispers that he isn't build up as he doesn't look that impressive and he goes fourth. Wright is too good for the OHL... even though he did not dominate the league. Wright needs to skip the WJC because he is going to the NHL... even though he stunk in his WJC action in the winter camp and tournament and he does not seem to be an NHL calibre player. Wright makes the NHL and Francis says he will be there all year... but again, nothing indicates that he is an NHL calibre player.

I've got nothing against the guy but he seems to fall, or at least stumble, upward to a weird degree. He should be given a normal development path - play in junior, see how he does, and then see if he deserves an NHL look next September. I don't see why they would assume that he is an NHL calibre player even next year.

Hard to look like an NHL caliber player when you get 6 minutes a night, getting scratched multiple times as well.

 

[Michoulicious]

Glad for him he can finally play.

He's really talented, I expect he has a great career.

 

[kingpest19]

Hard to look like an NHL caliber player when you get 6 minutes a night, getting scratched multiple times as well.

So the coaches should play him more despite him not producing anything offensively? He has one assist and one shot on goal in 7 games and his FO% is 30%. He just doesn't appear to be ready for the NHL at 18

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Hard to look like an NHL caliber player when you get 6 minutes a night, getting scratched multiple times as well.

There's a reason he wasn't playing.

 

[RickyLafleur]

There's a reason he wasn't playing.

What's the reason? Not good enough?

 

[BenchBrawl]

Happy for him he scored his fist goal.

 

[RickyLafleur]

So the coaches should play him more despite him not producing anything offensively? He has one assist and one shot on goal in 7 games and his FO% is 30%. He just doesn't appear to be ready for the NHL at 18

How much production are you realistically expecting from a 4th line? If he wasn't ready from the get go, perhaps management should have identified that and sent him back to the OHL rather than scratching him every other game.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

What's the reason? Not good enough?

Not even close, honestly.

 

[kingpest19]

How much production are you realistically expecting from a 4th line? If he wasn't ready from the get go, perhaps management should have identified that and sent him back to the OHL rather than scratching him every other game.

Something more than one shot and one assist. If he was at least getting shots on goal I could see an argument for him getting ice time but he's not doing that. Management should have done that but it wouldn't surprise me that they feel Kingston isn't the right place for him to be.

He needs to be playing every night and developing his skills plain and simple. It's not a slight against him that he's not ready for the NHL at 18 as a huge majority of players aren't.

 

[Legionnaire11]

Not even close, honestly.

You keep saying stuff like this. You're either a master of hyperbole or haven't watched him play. It's easy to see that he can hang in the NHL in his limited time on ice. Of course he needs more development, and isn't good enough right now to slot into a position where he will make an impact, but your analysis of him being completely lost, totally overmatched and not close to good enough are pretty poor takes.

 

[majormajor]

I've watched most of the Kraken games this year and I didn't get the sense that Wright is either badly overmatched or that he is on the cusp of winning a top 12F job in the NHL. He's close enough where you could imagine him winning a job with a year or two of development. But I don't see him being one of the Kraken's best 12 forwards at any point this year.

 

[93LEAFS]

I've watched most of the Kraken games this year and I didn't get the sense that Wright is either badly overmatched or that he is on the cusp of winning a top 12F job in the NHL. He's close enough where you could imagine him winning a job with a year or two of development. But I don't see him being one of the Kraken's best 12 forwards at any point this year.

With young players who still have junior eligibility, they need to be in competiton for the top 9, and hopefully a scoring role on a line which will get easier match-ups/zone starts. If they are just battling to be the 12th man they should be in junior. 4th line is for vets who bring energy, can fill in on a checking role and PK. I don't get this they can't learn anything in junior mantra. Practicing against NHLers is the best for him from some people. Do people not realize most players make their biggest gains in off-season. The NHL and to a lesser extent the AHL is way too big a grind to actually refine your game at. You will learn things, but actual skill development in a league where you play primarily friday to Sunday, and you don't go to school, you have significant time after practices to work with private skill coaches. And, if you don't trust a kid to put in that time that you need to look over their shoulders while paying them an NHL salary with NHL level accommodations those issues will just emerge in different ways.

 

[majormajor]

With young players who still have junior eligibility, they need to be in competiton for the top 9, and hopefully a scoring role on a line which will get easier match-ups/zone starts. If they are just battling to be the 12th man they should be in junior. 4th line is for vets who bring energy, can fill in on a checking role and PK. I don't get this they can't learn anything in junior mantra. Practicing against NHLers is the best for him from some people. Do people not realize most players make their biggest gains in off-season. The NHL and to a lesser extent the AHL is way too big a grind to actually refine your game at. You will learn things, but actual skill development in a league where you play primarily friday to Sunday, and you don't go to school, you have significant time after practices to work with private skill coaches. And, if you don't trust a kid to put in that time that you need to look over their shoulders while paying them an NHL salary with NHL level accommodations those issues will just emerge in different ways.

I'm in 100% agreement. I was just using the top12F benchmark to describe his quality.

OHL is much better than the NHL for his development.

 

[BKarchitect]

Congrats to Wright!

Btw totally off topic but those CV jerseys and the entire Firebirds identity is gorgeous. Love that they took little cues from the parent club while creating a great and unique identity.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Followed up a goal in his 1st AHL game with two in his 2nd AHL game. Boy can shoot.




Guess we can only logically expect a hatty in his third

 

[Albatros]

Great goaltending.