William H Bonney
Registered User
It's far too early to worry about his height. 5'9 is fine at 16. Folks should be more interested in seeing how good he is first rather than worrying about his height.
F Cullen Potter - Green Bay Jr. Gamblers, U16 AAA (2025 Draft)
- Thread starter LeProspector
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It's far too early to worry about his height. 5'9 is fine at 16. Folks should be more interested in seeing how good he is first rather than worrying about his height.
95snipes
Registered User
- Dec 11, 2019
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It's real early, but Potter is the '07 I've been most impressed with so far. Good hands and speed.
sigx15
Registered User
- Jan 31, 2010
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Ive been most impressed with him and Fondrk. Both have really stepped up and adjusted well to the level. Others are taking more time
95snipes
Registered User
- Dec 11, 2019
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I agree. I thought about mentioning Fondrk too. Those two have been the early standouts.
William H Bonney
Registered User
Same. It's very early into a steep adjustment curve, the lines are in a constant blender, and I've only seen 2 games so far, but Fondrk and Potter looked to be in a separate tier from the rest of the forwards. They look to have a lot of the tools you'd expect to see in high end 1st round prospects.
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sigx15
Registered User
- Jan 31, 2010
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Ya going from the U15/U16 level to the USHL is such a big jump, it's why I've just come to disregard birthyear/draft/player rankings for the most part until I watch them at the NTDP level. I'd still give it a few more months to see who else gets up to speed and adjusts, some players will take longer and turn out to be great players but those 2 are who I've seen adjust the easiest and standout amongst the rest. Both really good skaters, really smart, good stick skills, they'll be fun to watch over the next couple years
William H Bonney
Registered User
Pun intended?
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
He's the best player on the 17's. AINEC. He's similar to Cooley. I think he's better at the beginning of his first NTDP season. Cooley was very good, but I don't remember this.
You just have to get over that Potter is 5'9. If he grows to 5'10 or 5'11 it's game over and I truly believe he could challenge Hagens or at least go 2nd or 3rd.
He's a center, unless the height scares you off. He does all the same amazing acrobatic plays in traffic that Cooley does, his skating is probably better than Cooley, his defensive game is better than Cooley (and Cooley is good defensively). I have no idea how he isn't first on the team in points (he's 3rd). He's creating the most scoring chances by a large margin from what I'm seeing.
I was thinking about that he may be more Hagens than Cooley. Two years for him to prove which. I'm excited to see how he does.
You just have to get over that Potter is 5'9. If he grows to 5'10 or 5'11 it's game over and I truly believe he could challenge Hagens or at least go 2nd or 3rd.
He's a center, unless the height scares you off. He does all the same amazing acrobatic plays in traffic that Cooley does, his skating is probably better than Cooley, his defensive game is better than Cooley (and Cooley is good defensively). I have no idea how he isn't first on the team in points (he's 3rd). He's creating the most scoring chances by a large margin from what I'm seeing.
I was thinking about that he may be more Hagens than Cooley. Two years for him to prove which. I'm excited to see how he does.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
LeProspector
AINEC
- Feb 14, 2017
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Isn’t what Moore is doing with the NTDP more impressive, plus he has a massive size advantage over Potter as well? Seems weird to have him the top ‘07 American with Moore there.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
It says one of the top Americans.
Potter is the better hockey player from what I’ve watched.
Potter is 5’9 and you would wonder why his point totals aren’t better than they are, but he’s a beast. He has every chance to be a top 10 pick next year if he starts converting scoring chances a little better.
Moore is an opportunistic scorer and you’re right he’s taller and can skate, but he disappears from games and doesn’t have near the two way impact of Potter. He’s intriguing and will probably be a first round pick due to his potential, but he needs to show improvement in a number of areas to be better than a late first.
LeProspector
AINEC
- Feb 14, 2017
- 5,387
- 6,248
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
His skating is absolutely crazy. One of the best skaters the NTDP has ever had. His ability to pivot is like a figure-skater. And he has a lot of speed also.
He has some very nice "wow" offensive shifts, but he doesn't dominate consistently like you would hope a player with his potential can. It might be lack of size, strength, lack of hockey sense (doubt it, but potentially), or that he's facing older competition. I think he's been a little unlucky to not score more than he has this season.
I like his compete level also, but he does make some careless plays in his own zone, which isn't atypical of a player his age. Sometimes he tries to do too much. He hasn't been getting much time at center recently and at 5'9 there's a real chance he doesn't have the size for center, but I would personally keep him at center because I think the motor, skating, playmaking should work for now.
I'm starting to budge off my hope that he could be a top 5 pick next year. Not that I think it's impossible. If any forward absolutely pops off next year for this team I think it'll be him because the potential is so obvious, but 5'9 without elite scoring totals, potentially not going to be able to stick at center, and he doesn't dominate games like you'd think he should. I think he's probably my top rated of the 17's forwards and a likely top 10-15 pick, but I'm still not convinced exactly what I think about him.
He has some very nice "wow" offensive shifts, but he doesn't dominate consistently like you would hope a player with his potential can. It might be lack of size, strength, lack of hockey sense (doubt it, but potentially), or that he's facing older competition. I think he's been a little unlucky to not score more than he has this season.
I like his compete level also, but he does make some careless plays in his own zone, which isn't atypical of a player his age. Sometimes he tries to do too much. He hasn't been getting much time at center recently and at 5'9 there's a real chance he doesn't have the size for center, but I would personally keep him at center because I think the motor, skating, playmaking should work for now.
I'm starting to budge off my hope that he could be a top 5 pick next year. Not that I think it's impossible. If any forward absolutely pops off next year for this team I think it'll be him because the potential is so obvious, but 5'9 without elite scoring totals, potentially not going to be able to stick at center, and he doesn't dominate games like you'd think he should. I think he's probably my top rated of the 17's forwards and a likely top 10-15 pick, but I'm still not convinced exactly what I think about him.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
3+4=7 points in his last 4 games. 8+7=15 points in his last 13 games. Really starting to heat up. Has .84 points per game on the season.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Primary assisted his team’s only two goals today.
He’s on fire. If he plays like this all of next season, he’ll be a top 10 pick.
He’s on fire. If he plays like this all of next season, he’ll be a top 10 pick.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
He's decommitted from Michigan State according to Brad Schlossman on Twitter/X. Mentions in his tweet Arizona State as a landing spot.
Big if ASU lands him and the crown jewel for a program that seems to be taking recruiting to the next level since their move to the NCHC. The area may be temporarily without an NHL team, but the Sun Devils have really been a model D1 expansion program.
This fall will be 10 years since they announced they were going D1 and they play in an awesome brand-new collegiate arena, have pumped out legit NHL prospects, are now in the best conference in the country and if they land Potter, clearly going toe-to-toe for some of the best kids in the country on the recruiting trail.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Getting a kid with strong Minnesota ties, lived in Wisconsin for a bit, and had previously committed to Michigan State (meaning presumably Michigan, North Dakota, Denver and all the Hockey East schools were in on him) is HUGE for Arizona State.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Potter accelerated his education to graduate HS a year early, he presumably wanted to play NCAA in his DY, Michigan State wouldn't bring him in this fall, Arizona State would.
