C Shane Wright - Kingston Frontenacs, OHL (2022, 4th, SEA) Part 3

[Waterbuf]

This thread is so toxic.
I can't wait for the season or even the pre-season to start.

 

[josra33]

Nonsense. Montreal has a huge need for a C. NJ was the only one that didn't really.

Also, I genuinely think if Nemec and Wright both fell to 4th, Seattle would have picked Nemec.

I would argue the exact opposite but agree to disagree.

 

[josra33]

Nonsense. Montreal has a huge need for a C. NJ was the only one that didn't really.

Also, I genuinely think if Nemec and Wright both fell to 4th, Seattle would have picked Nemec.

This you?

 

[Nico Hischier]

I would argue the exact opposite but agree to disagree.

Didn’t news come out that Wright wasn’t 1 on Seattle’s draft board. Idk if nemec was ahead of him but I don’t think it would have been surprising if he was

 

[gstommylee]

Didn’t news come out that Wright wasn’t 1 on Seattle’s draft board. Idk if nemec was ahead of him but I don’t think it would have been surprising if he was

And what "news" would that be? That wright wouldn't be #1 on our board yet alone nemec being higher than him... If both were avaiable we still would have taken wright...

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

And what "news" would that be? That wright wouldn't be #1 on our board yet alone nemec being higher than him... If both were avaiable we still would have taken wright...

Again, you have no way of knowing that.

 

[Nico Hischier]

And what "news" would that be? That wright wouldn't be #1 on our board yet alone nemec being higher than him... If both were avaiable we still would have taken wright...

Ok sorry not news a rumor. The rumor was Wright wasn’t 1 on Seattle’s draft board. Idk who was or where Wright was ranked or where nemec was ranked. I was just responding because the other person said if nemec and Wright were both available at 4, they would pick nemec.

 

[gstommylee]

Ok sorry not news a rumor. The rumor was Wright wasn’t 1 on Seattle’s draft board. Idk who was or where Wright was ranked or where nemec was ranked. I was just responding because the other person said if nemec and Wright were both available at 4, they would pick nemec.

All i know that Seattle was seriously scouting Nemec but that was under the idea that Montreal would have take Wright.

 

[Kennerback]

Maybe the Devils don't really need another center but if they really valued Wright or Cooley as that much better than Nemec but looked for need then it can backfire.

Personally I would have drafted Wright and figured out the forward lines later on.

Despite being stacked at Center, if clearly the best pick is a Center, you take the Center. If there’s not much of a difference you go by need. Unless I have evidence to the contrary, I’ve got to believe it was the Devil’s reasoning.

Didn’t news come out that Wright wasn’t 1 on Seattle’s draft board. Idk if nemec was ahead of him but I don’t think it would have been surprising if he was

Those anyone have a source on this?

 

[Kennerback]

This you?

That’s a minority opinion. On the Habs board, a crushing majority of posters wanted Wright until draft day. There were polls taken the week before and it was about 90% to pick Wright and outside of HFBoards it was about 95%+. Drafting a Center was a no brainer. Management was hopeless if they didn’t.

 

[wetcoast]

Wright really isn't a 2 way center though. His defensive numbers were pretty mediocre even in the OHL, and he's got a very poor motor. He's also really soft on the puck.

He's closer to a Sean Monahan type.

Well if Johnny hockey was the best checker on the flames last year then Wright projects as a 2 way center one would think eh?

But then again maybe most scouts have it wrong as they have him projected for the most part as a good to very good 2 way center in the NHL.

My guess is that his floor is a slightly better Bo Horvat.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Well if Johnny hockey was the best checker on the flames last year then Wright projects as a 2 way center one would think eh?

But then again maybe most scouts have it wrong as they have him projected for the most part as a good to very good 2 way center in the NHL.

My guess is that his floor is a slightly better Bo Horvat.

Take it up with Darryl Sutter.

Most scouts overrated Wright from the beginning, so I'm not too convinced they're right now.

 

[wetcoast]

Take it up with Darryl Sutter.

Most scouts overrated Wright from the beginning, so I'm not too convinced they're right now.

I think the second part is the problem here that most scouts, and some onlookers here on these boards expected more production and even when they got it in the second half they had made their minds up to downgrade him slightly.

Seattle will reap the benefits of him dropping.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I think the second part is the problem here that most scouts, and some onlookers here on these boards expected more production and even when they got it in the second half they had made their minds up to downgrade him slightly.

Seattle will reap the benefits of him dropping.

We'll see. His numbers were better in the second half, but he didn't really play any better. I thought he played some of his worst hockey in the playoffs honestly.

But once his lack of offense became apparent, scouts started with the ridiculous Bergeron comparisons.

 

[93LEAFS]

Well if Johnny hockey was the best checker on the flames last year then Wright projects as a 2 way center one would think eh?

But then again maybe most scouts have it wrong as they have him projected for the most part as a good to very good 2 way center in the NHL.

My guess is that his floor is a slightly better Bo Horvat.

Horvat plays a way grindier game and always has dating back to his time with the Knights. Wright's floor isn't a slightly better Horvat, almost no draft picks floor is that. That might have been someone like Matthews floor and even then that's likely overselling. Like, look at what Daigle, Yakupov and Griffin Reinharts floors were. Floors are constantly overvalued to a massive extent.

A ton of scouts hated Wright's shift to shift compete, which usually goes hand in hand with being an effective defensive player at the NHL level. As a center at the NHL level you need to win battles down-low somewhat consistently to be high-end defensively. And he was far from a Bergeron or ROR or even Horvat in that regard this year.

We'll see. His numbers were better in the second half, but he didn't really play any better. I thought he played some of his worst hockey in the playoffs honestly.

But once his lack of offense became apparent, scouts started with the ridiculous Bergeron comparisons.

Was that scouts or just Craig Button and Cosentino?

 

[ottawa]

The Media doesn't know more than what we know when it comes to these projections. So they talked to 10 scouts. Just 10. Talk about small sample. Over how many armature scouts there are in the NHL.

Sometimes it comes down to the player player great at the right time. That still doesn't mean that slaf and cooley, nemec are way better players than Wright.

If i can't prove that Seattle didn't have wright as number 1 on their big boards and none of you on here can prove that slaf cooley are nemec are going to have way way better careers than Wright will.

Stop trashing the player for heaven sakes.

Your comment makes no sense.

I never commented on who will have the better career, you need to go back and read what I wrote.

All I said was show me the receipts of Seattle having Wright as #1 on their draft list.

 

[wetcoast]

Horvat plays a way grindier game and always has dating back to his time with the Knights. Wright's floor isn't a slightly better Horvat, almost no draft picks floor is that. That might have been someone like Matthews floor and even then that's likely overselling. Like, look at what Daigle, Yakupov and Griffin Reinharts floors were. Floors are constantly overvalued to a massive extent.

A ton of scouts hated Wright's shift to shift compete, which usually goes hand in hand with being an effective defensive player at the NHL level. As a center at the NHL level you need to win battles down-low somewhat consistently to be high-end defensively. And he was far from a Bergeron or ROR or even Horvat in that regard this year.


Was that scouts or just Craig Button and Cosentino?

Fair enough, floor might have been an exaggeration and I think he has a higher probability with his floor than some other top picks that really more so on offense instead of 2 way play.

I remembering watching Wright at the U18s were yes he was outscored by Bedard and missed some playing time but he was elite in that tournament and had a slow start to this season.

No one is a can't miss but he hardly has issues that Daigle, Yakupov and Griffin Reinhart (who was a real reach at #4 that year).

I mean it could happen that he joins them in the historical bust heap but even you probably think it's more likely that he has at least a Bo Horvat type of career worth if not more when it's all said and done.

 

[93LEAFS]

Fair enough, floor might have been an exaggeration and I think he has a higher probability with his floor than some other top picks that really more so on offense instead of 2 way play.

I remembering watching Wright at the U18s were yes he was outscored by Bedard and missed some playing time but he was elite in that tournament and had a slow start to this season.

No one is a can't miss but he hardly has issues that Daigle, Yakupov and Griffin Reinhart (who was a real reach at #4 that year).

I mean it could happen that he joins them in the historical bust heap but even you probably think it's mo that he has at least a Bo Horvat type of career worth if not more when it's all said and done.

Daigle had fewer issues at his draft date, and anyone who says otherwise is pushing revisionist history. Daigle was viewed as Matthews, Tavares, Stamkos, Eichel, Thorton, Malkin, Lecavalier level prospect who busted. If Wright was viewed like that, in this draft teams would have traded up a ransom to get him. Yak is up for debate. Their flaws were only really apparent once they were in the NHL. I don't think Wright's two way play is anything special, and if scouting defence has taught anyone anything, it is much less transferable to the NHL than elite offence. Look at the guys who every year get Toews or Kopitar comparables such as Monahan.

If you give me say a Marner or Hughes who have elite offence, vs Wright this year, I'll gamble on the pure offence every time. Like, if his floor is he can play adequately on the 4th line that isn't really of much higher value than an all offence guy who flames out as an AHL legend when you are talking return on a top 5 pick. Not saying its likely, but floor really should never be a consideration this high in the draft. Very few players absolute floors are NHLers with value. Its more about realistic outcomes and probabilities of that. Like, Wright is probably more likely to be Kyle Turris or a Matt Duchene than a Patrice Bergeron or ROR. There might be 3 Centers since 2015 who were absolute can't miss as centers at the NHL level, and they were McDavid, Eichel and Matthews. Hughes was can't miss but there was a chance he might have to be moved to the wing.

 

[Kennerback]

I think the second part is the problem here that most scouts, and some onlookers here on these boards expected more production and even when they got it in the second half they had made their minds up to downgrade him slightly.

Seattle will reap the benefits of him dropping.

I wanted Wright. I was totally fine with his OHL numbers. All Habs fans would be behind him if we had picked him. Management picked Slafkovsky instead. We’ve dealt with it and most of us are now behind the Slafkovsky pick.

Wright might be the best player of the draft, who knows for sure. The fact he ended up in Seattle and not Toronto, Ottawa or Boston lessens the pressure on everyone involved.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Was that scouts or just Craig Button and Cosentino?

Yeah probably more talking heads than actual scouts, but there were definitely scouting reports / quotes from legit scouts from around the mid point of the season that make it sound like he projects to be 95th percentile defensive center.

 

[HabbyGuy]

Well time will tell and I think Seattle really lucked out with Wright falling to 4th...

Yes they did, I'm still a bit surprised MTL didn't draft Wright but he does seem to have some personality issues in retrospect. Nothing a little maturing can't solve however. I am intrigued by the Slafkovksy pick he has tantalizing tools and upside and a great personality for the Montreal market, it will be very interesting to see it unfold.

But I really think Shane Wright will cause Montreal fans and the Habs organisation many doubts in the near future as to if they made the proper decision. Wright is imo basically bust proof and will undoubtedly have a very solid NHL career. Seattle indeed got a great piece to build around.

 

[Leviathan899]

Wright really isn't a 2 way center though. His defensive numbers were pretty mediocre even in the OHL, and he's got a very poor motor. He's also really soft on the puck.

He's closer to a Sean Monahan type.

I’ve always thought that when a highly regarded prospect gets labeled as a “2way” prospect, it’s to mask his deficiencies. Wright is a still a good prospect but he’s stalled in his development. I truly believe the year off actually benefitted his draft stock instead of hurting him, I think we’d have seen how much stagnation his game has gone through. He was a man amongst boys at 14-16 and never dominated based off skill. He’s not some elite defensive forward like many claim I don’t think, I’ve watched him over 150 times in the last 4 years and I’ve never been wowed by his compete level or defensive IQ. He put up points this year in kingston but a lot of nights was a bit of a passenger, rather than a play driver. i think he’ll likely max out as a 3C at the next level.

 

[Leviathan899]

Horvat plays a way grindier game and always has dating back to his time with the Knights. Wright's floor isn't a slightly better Horvat, almost no draft picks floor is that. That might have been someone like Matthews floor and even then that's likely overselling. Like, look at what Daigle, Yakupov and Griffin Reinharts floors were. Floors are constantly overvalued to a massive extent.

A ton of scouts hated Wright's shift to shift compete, which usually goes hand in hand with being an effective defensive player at the NHL level. As a center at the NHL level you need to win battles down-low somewhat consistently to be high-end defensively. And he was far from a Bergeron or ROR or even Horvat in that regard this year.


Was that scouts or just Craig Button and Cosentino?

Agreed, a few games in the playoffs vs Oshawa I was talking to Fitzgerald and another Devils scout and they often remarked how Wright’s compete level shift in shift out was a real turn off. That was my takeaway almost each and every viewing throughout the season as well. Many other teams I had spoken to felt the same way. The potential to become a strong 200 foot C is there but winning battles down low, staying on the right side of the puck, keeping your feet moving and giving your D good outlets is a big part of it, and I didn’t see him excelling in these areas consistently enough

 

[majormajor]

Well if Johnny hockey was the best checker on the flames last year then Wright projects as a 2 way center one would think eh?

But then again maybe most scouts have it wrong as they have him projected for the most part as a good to very good 2 way center in the NHL.

My guess is that his floor is a slightly better Bo Horvat.

Bo Horvat is not a good comparison. Wright is a much better skater while Horvat is highly regarded for his battle level, the very thing that Wright is most deficient in. I think someone like Kyle Turris is more likely. Wright looks strong superficially but doesn't have it on the ice.

I think the second part is the problem here that most scouts, and some onlookers here on these boards expected more production and even when they got it in the second half they had made their minds up to downgrade him slightly.

Seattle will reap the benefits of him dropping.

His production wasn't the problem, it's how he played. He looked like a kid that would lose every battle in the NHL.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I’ve always thought that when a highly regarded prospect gets labeled as a “2way” prospect, it’s to mask his deficiencies. Wright is a still a good prospect but he’s stalled in his development. I truly believe the year off actually benefitted his draft stock instead of hurting him, I think we’d have seen how much stagnation his game has gone through. He was a man amongst boys at 14-16 and never dominated based off skill. He’s not some elite defensive forward like many claim I don’t think, I’ve watched him over 150 times in the last 4 years and I’ve never been wowed by his compete level or defensive IQ. He put up points this year in kingston but a lot of nights was a bit of a passenger, rather than a play driver. i think he’ll likely max out as a 3C at the next level.

This is an excellent, if not blasphemous take.