F Cruz Lucius - Arizona State Sun Devils, NCAA (2022, 124th, CAR, traded to PIT)

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
60,483
27,363
New York
I don't think what I've seen so far is any better than a late round pick next year. And I only say late round pick because I know that usually some of these lesser NTDP players can play better on a team with less natural talent where they have a bigger role and look like a more talented player.

I believe a proponent might suggest he's a playmaker with good hands, shifty skating, and average size. I don't think any of his tools are NHL caliber, aside from maybe his hands, but in isolation having quick hands doesn't matter if you can't do anything with it.

On the other hand, his stats are not that bad, although I must say I just went to check the stats expecting he'd be about 2nd worst on the team in PPG, so that tells you what my expectations were going to check them. I also did see someone recently say they thought he's better than I do, so I'm not saying my opinion will be unanimous. There might be some proponents, but right now I would not say he's a particularly good prospect for his draft year.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
60,483
27,363
New York
He missed nearly the whole year. I have no clue where he'll be drafted. I'm actually surprised they didn't shut him down, but props to him for wanting to return for a short period of time.

He's a good playmaker with good hands. He's a perimeter winger with average skating, but probably a little better than Chaz. Chaz is a little stronger and Chaz is less perimeter. He's obviously not the scorer that Chaz is, and Chaz has a chance to play center. He won't be picked anywhere near as high as his brother was.

I think ordinarily Cruz might've been a round 3 or 4 pick with a good year. Now, I think round 5 or 6 seems more likely.
 

Bonin21

Registered User
May 1, 2014
2,580
1,426
Hope he's ready for quite the reception from both players and fans at Mariucci.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
60,483
27,363
New York
How much does it effect draft position when you have parents who are too involved in your hockey? It seems like the type of thing you might tolerate for a first or second round pick. A mid/late round guy and you have to start asking if it’s worth it to draft the player.
 
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Herby

How could Blake have known?
Feb 27, 2002
26,852
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Great Lakes Area
How much does it effect draft position when you have parents who are too involved in your hockey? It seems like the type of thing you might tolerate for a first or second round pick. A mid/late round guy and you have to start asking if it’s worth it to draft the player.

It didn't effect Phil Kessel, Jack Skille and Jack Johnson back in the day, but they were higher draft picks, like Chaz was.

Although none of those decisions resulted in the poor development choice of having their sons leave school after 1 season to play in the AHL, like what is going to happen with Chaz. UW is not going to turn down a potentially good player in Cruz but in some circumstances and for some families it's clearly obvious that the CHL presents a better alternative than the NCAA. But then again, even with Cruz being drafted by Seattle (WHL) that is quite a hit further away from home than Madison is.

I feel like if Cruz has an even respectable season for the Badgers he will bolt for the pros too.
 
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Jersey Fan 12

Positive Vibes
Nov 20, 2006
7,237
3,157
Finished as Badgers' leading scorer. Imagine he is invited to the USA U20 camp this summer?
 

Parliament

Registered User
Jul 15, 2014
405
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I hope Cruz gets consideration for U20,.. but the US selection process usually leaves me scratching my head at times, so who knows? I'd hope he's at the very least on their radar, especially given Chaz's involvement this year.

He's having a pretty solid freshman season though. I'm more impressed that he's doing it as a 2004 (D+1). And that's not to take anything away from the Jackson Blake's of this year, or the Josh Doan's from last year, but it's on another level (in my opinion) whenever you have a kid who's 18 in their D+1 year, plays +30 games, maintain a PPG pace, and leads their team in more ways than one...

I feel as if guys like Cruz / Cutter Gauthier would be getting more attention if it was any other season, but understandably they're being overlooked by other guys in the same draft who are absolutely crushing it (Cooley, Snuggerud, Hutson, etc.) or by the D-1 prospects like Fantilli, Wood and to a lesser degree Gavin Brindley.
 

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