Craig’s May List

[frontsfan67]

1) He's a late birthday and 2) He's going to be coming back from a type of injury that could very well affect the kind of player he will be going forward.

100% if I had a team right around where he would go I would steer clear of him. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him drop into the 20s

 

[LeProspector]

With the 3rd import slot open, think we see more of them coming over to get exposure/get on NA ice sooner?

It all depends on their contract status for players as young as this. I hope so.

 

[cheesymc]

Sure Craig mock shows Ducks go crazy off his board and selects his 25th rated player at 10th.

 

[bobbyb2009]

I see he has Braden Cootes listed at 6'3 201 lbs... does he know something we all don't?

But he is 6'3" though right- just skinny? Is he even 6'

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Nesbitt is outside of 1st round? No chance in this weak class

He'll go in the 20s most likely

 

[AlternateSideParking]

The Hagens disrespect is incredible

I really can’t figure it out from a performance standpoint. He never had a horrible showing all season and I watched nearly every game. Wasn’t lazy, wasn’t disengaged, wasn’t soft. Scored clutch goals, did great at the WJSS and WJC. And the majority of his points were 5v5 primary.

Did he have games where he was a nonfactor? Sure, but nothing concerning when you consider the NCAA schedule. Same with Frondell in the Allsvenskan. For whatever reason, people are being led to believe they’re the only players in the top tier with warts. f*** that. I have pages and pages of evidence that every kid played like shit at one point or another.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I really can’t figure it out from a performance standpoint. He never had a horrible showing all season and I watched nearly every game. Wasn’t lazy, wasn’t disengaged, wasn’t soft. Scored clutch goals, did great at the WJSS and WJC. And the majority of his points were 5v5 primary.

Did he have games where he was a nonfactor? Sure, but nothing concerning when you consider the NCAA schedule. Same with Frondell in the Allsvenskan. For whatever reason, people are being led to believe they’re the only players in the top tier with warts. f*** that. I have pages and pages of evidence that every kid played like shit at one point or another.

I watched a deep dive on Frondell and Eklund from Elite Prospects and I genuinely do not know how you can have Frondell over Hagens, unless you're 100% convinced that Hagens can't play center.

Frondell has a nice shot, good defensive and good size, but he's so raw when it comes to his playmaking that it's a noticeable issue. Eklund was the driver on his line for most of this year, take away Eklund and I think Frondell's performance takes a huge hit.

 

[majormajor]

I really can’t figure it out from a performance standpoint. He never had a horrible showing all season and I watched nearly every game. Wasn’t lazy, wasn’t disengaged, wasn’t soft. Scored clutch goals, did great at the WJSS and WJC. And the majority of his points were 5v5 primary.

Did he have games where he was a nonfactor? Sure, but nothing concerning when you consider the NCAA schedule. Same with Frondell in the Allsvenskan. For whatever reason, people are being led to believe they’re the only players in the top tier with warts. f*** that. I have pages and pages of evidence that every kid played like shit at one point or another.

Kids this age are allowed to play like shit some games. The issue is about NHL projection. Hagens measures up officially at 5'10.5, and doesn't have much room left to fill out. Thinking through the NHL centers around that size, where does he fit? He played more of a perimeter game this year and struggled to get inside versus college defenders.

I would be surprised if Brady Martin scores more in the NHL than James Hagens but I wouldn't be surprised if Martin is more valuable. I think a lot of clubs will look at Hagens and think he's just not the sort of player they need.

 

[Fyodorov]

Kids this age are allowed to play like shit some games. The issue is about NHL projection. Hagens measures up officially at 5'10.5, and doesn't have much room left to fill out. Thinking through the NHL centers around that size, where does he fit? He played more of a perimeter game this year and struggled to get inside versus college defenders.

I would be surprised if Brady Martin scores more in the NHL than James Hagens but I wouldn't be surprised if Martin is more valuable. I think a lot of clubs will look at Hagens and think he's just not the sort of player they need.

This is the weirdest line I've heard a few times here? Says who?

 

[wickedwitch]

This is the weirdest line I've heard a few times here? Says who?

Agreed. I heard someone ona podcast talking about this a few years ago with regards to hockey, and he basically said that the only 18 year old he'd ever seen who couldn't put on more weight was Mike Tyson.

But somehow, now that list has doubled in size to include James Hagens?????

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Kids this age are allowed to play like shit some games. The issue is about NHL projection. Hagens measures up officially at 5'10.5, and doesn't have much room left to fill out. Thinking through the NHL centers around that size, where does he fit? He played more of a perimeter game this year and struggled to get inside versus college defenders.

I would be surprised if Brady Martin scores more in the NHL than James Hagens but I wouldn't be surprised if Martin is more valuable. I think a lot of clubs will look at Hagens and think he's just not the sort of player they need.

Seven of the top 15 NHL scorers are 6-foot or less.

The line of thinking centered on size is archaic and analytic staffs are too involved in the draft process to let some relic scout from a bygone era allow size to trump all without a significant fight. Crosby was 5’11 in his draft year, Marner was a twig. Kane was a twig. Hughes a twig.

Move Hagens to wing, whatever. His upside is that of a perennial 80-90-point scorer. Good luck passing on that.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

I watched a deep dive on Frondell and Eklund from Elite Prospects and I genuinely do not know how you can have Frondell over Hagens, unless you're 100% convinced that Hagens can't play center.

Frondell has a nice shot, good defensive and good size, but he's so raw when it comes to his playmaking that it's a noticeable issue. Eklund was the driver on his line for most of this year, take away Eklund and I think Frondell's performance takes a huge hit.

Yeah I stopped reading right there lol.

 

[NTDP]

Yeah I stopped reading right there lol.

Doesn't Elite Prospects employ that girl that said "Maybe Luke Hughes just isn't that good" during the WJC a few years ago?

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Doesn't Elite Prospects employ that girl that said "Maybe Quinn Hughes just isn't that good" during the WJC a few years ago?

I have no use for them. It’s my understanding that the makeup of their audience seems to be predominantly young boys.

 

[majormajor]

This is the weirdest line I've heard a few times here? Says who?

NHL central scouting measured him themselves and have him at 5'10 177.

He's already in the neighborhood of the proportionate height-weight combination for a 5'10 NHLer. Hagens would be considered a stocky player if he adds 15 lbs. That doesn't mean he can't get stronger but the easy gains of just adding mass are probably already done unless he becomes an unusually stocky player.

Seven of the top 15 NHL scorers are 6-foot or less.

The line of thinking centered on size is archaic and analytic staffs are too involved in the draft process to let some relic scout from a bygone era allow size to trump all without a significant fight.

NHL average height is actually increasing to record highs, 73.6 inches per TheAthletic. Scouts are more obsessed with it now than ever before. Analytics staffs factor in height as a variable.

Crosby was 5’11 in his draft year, Marner was a twig. Kane was a twig. Hughes a twig.

The issue is more that Hagens is not a twig. He's an average build. Just on the short side and currently weak for his size.

 

[Captain Clutch]

i think that the nit picking on Hagens has gone way over board, with a couple of the public lists now having him ranked 5th. He's still a dynamic skater and playmaker and I don't think his growth in those areas is done yet either. Schaefer seems like a heck of a defensive player, and Misa's counting stats are truly impressive. After those two however, I think Hagens is a no-brainer at 3. I don't buy for a minute that either Martone or Frondell end up being more impactful NHL players.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

I have no use for them. It’s my understanding that the makeup of their audience seems to be predominantly young boys.

They're Catholic?