F Cameron Schmidt - Vancouver Giants, WHL (2025 Draft)

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
59,621
26,322
New York
If he scores at a goal per game pace he will be drafted in the first round, he is small but no shrinking violet and his speed and goal scoring instincts will be his ticket, anything more is just a bonus.
I'll bet you he's not going first round if he measures below 5'9, regardless of whether he scores a goal per game.

And I doubt he'll score that much, so it'll likely be moot anyway.

There are a few small and very skilled players like this every year. The internet talks about them as a first rounder up until like March, and then they start dropping. On draft day, most wonder how they went in the 4th or 5th round and how a few went undrafted.

Schmidt is putting up a better case right now than players like Benak and Mooney, but he too will not be drafted in the first round without a significant growth spurt.
 

montreal

Go Habs Go
Mar 21, 2002
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I'll bet you he's not going first round if he measures below 5'9, regardless of whether he scores a goal per game.

And I doubt he'll score that much, so it'll likely be moot anyway.

There are a few small and very skilled players like this every year. The internet talks about them as a first rounder up until like March, and then they start dropping. On draft day, most wonder how they went in the 4th or 5th round and how a few went undrafted.

Schmidt is putting up a better case right now than players like Benak and Mooney, but he too will not be drafted in the first round without a significant growth spurt.

I don't know, a goal per game would be insane. In the WHL's history it's only happened 3 times among U-18 skaters, Reggie Leach in '67-'68, Pavel Brendl in '98-'99 and of course Bedard.

I've only seen a bit of him so far as the Habs have a prospect on his team now so I will likely get to see a decent amount of him, he sure is small there's no doubt there but the skating/speed/shot all look legit. That was a huge hit he threw in the vid I posted. If he keeps this up and does things like that, it will be very interesting to see how the draft goes for him.
 
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wetcoast

Registered User
Nov 20, 2018
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I'll bet you he's not going first round if he measures below 5'9, regardless of whether he scores a goal per game.

And I doubt he'll score that much, so it'll likely be moot anyway.

There are a few small and very skilled players like this every year. The internet talks about them as a first rounder up until like March, and then they start dropping. On draft day, most wonder how they went in the 4th or 5th round and how a few went undrafted.

Schmidt is putting up a better case right now than players like Benak and Mooney, but he too will not be drafted in the first round without a significant growth spurt.
I know what you mean about the NHL and size thing but Schidt is the exception that proves the rule as his skating and goalscoring is going to translate to the NHL and he isn't some perimeter guy either so we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

He is going in the first round.

Aaron Obobaifo before the injury was tracking to be a second rounder or steal in the 3rd round type as he's going to play in the NHL even if it's as a bottom 6 guy for a very long time, kid has compete in him.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
59,621
26,322
New York
I don't know, a goal per game would be insane. In the WHL's history it's only happened 3 times among U-18 skaters, Reggie Leach in '67-'68, Pavel Brendl in '98-'99 and of course Bedard.

I've only seen a bit of him so far as the Habs have a prospect on his team now so I will likely get to see a decent amount of him, he sure is small there's no doubt there but the skating/speed/shot all look legit. That was a huge hit he threw in the vid I posted. If he keeps this up and does things like that, it will be very interesting to see how the draft goes for him.
But I mean, do NHL teams care? Like of course it's impressive. At the same time, you see things like the first time draft eligible USHL MVP went 7th round last year. Actual junior hockey accomplishments clearly mean very little to NHL teams. What they think you project as means virtually everything.

I know what you mean about the NHL and size thing but Schidt is the exception that proves the rule as his skating and goalscoring is going to translate to the NHL and he isn't some perimeter guy either so we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

He is going in the first round.

Aaron Obobaifo before the injury was tracking to be a second rounder or steal in the 3rd round type as he's going to play in the NHL even if it's as a bottom 6 guy for a very long time, kid has compete in him.
I'll believe it when I see it. Everyone has a favorite like this. None of them seem to go in the first round. I'm not saying it should be that way, but I've seen enough to conclude it will be that way and I'm pretty confident in stating that.
 

wetcoast

Registered User
Nov 20, 2018
24,654
11,543
But I mean, do NHL teams care? Like of course it's impressive. At the same time, you see things like the first time draft eligible USHL MVP went 7th round last year. Actual junior hockey accomplishments clearly mean very little to NHL teams. What they think you project as means virtually everything.


I'll believe it when I see it. Everyone has a favorite like this. None of them seem to go in the first round. I'm not saying it should be that way, but I've seen enough to conclude it will be that way and I'm pretty confident in stating that.
The thing is that I can see him scoring very close to a goal per game this season he is just a guy with killer instincts.

But you are right he is a favorite of mine for this draft, Mooney and Benak not so much.
 

montreal

Go Habs Go
Mar 21, 2002
58,751
44,280
www.youtube.com
But I mean, do NHL teams care? Like of course it's impressive. At the same time, you see things like the first time draft eligible USHL MVP went 7th round last year. Actual junior hockey accomplishments clearly mean very little to NHL teams. What they think you project as means virtually everything.

Of course they care, if you do something great but you skate like a monkey trying to hump a football then it won't matter but the WHL is one of the most scouted junior leagues in the world, if any U-18 player scores a goal a game, it's going to get scouts attention. The rest of his game will still matter though and GMs have shown through history they make tons of mistakes overrating size, they just can't help themselves. Of course small players have always been discounted and many have made scouts look foolish in time.
 

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