F Kristan Epperson - Saginaw Spirit, OHL (2024 undrafted)

[WarriorofTime]

A lot of people are going to say of course he’s playing well he’s on Micheal Misas wing. When in reality he’s driving the play as much as misa some nights and he’s a menace without the puck

Not really keeping pace though, so I'm sure there will be at least some chattering that he's leaching.

Will still get drafted this time though. Good to see a player take advantage of opportunity. Not the first NTDP kid that looks like he was a bit lost in the shuffle.

 

[bcspragu]

Not really keeping pace though, so I'm sure there will be at least some chattering that he's leaching.

Will still get drafted this time though. Good to see a player take advantage of opportunity. Not the first NTDP kid that looks like he was a bit lost in the shuffle.

If you watch the games its apparent he's not leaching anything. His playmaking is the reason Misa is leading the league in goals. Stud playmaker, going to be ever bigger numbers when Chernyshov gets added to thier line.

It really leads to the whole problem with the USDTP. Only 6 kids can be in the "top 6" and only so much PP time to go around. When the team is filled with all the top end skilled Americans, those that land outside of those 6 in PT all would be better off in the CHL on teams playing top minutes

 

[WarriorofTime]

If you watch the games its apparent he's not leaching anything. His playmaking is the reason Misa is leading the league in goals. Stud playmaker, going to be ever bigger numbers when Chernyshov gets added to thier line.

It really leads to the whole problem with the USDTP. Only 6 kids can be in the "top 6" and only so much PP time to go around. When the team is filled with all the top end skilled Americans, those that land outside of those 6 in PT all would be better off in the CHL on teams playing top minutes

They tend to rotate a bit and give everyone some opportunity until the cream rises to the crop, kind of year to year dependent too, last year was a bit of a weird one where you had a lot of guys of similar profile that were all sort of around the same level. There's some unpredictability to it, people thought Lucas Van Vliet may break out when he wasn't getting buried, but he's only 0.5 PPG in the USHL so far ths year.

It's also hard to get premiere ice time as a 16 year old in Junior Hockey which tends to skew older with overage players as old as 20 in the lineup. At the USNTDP, everyone is the same birth year so a lot of talented kids are able to get the premiere ice time right away. Tough to say, Epperson may have been in a similar spot last year as a 17 year old playing third line in the OHL and still not on the draft radar followed by the Age 18 breakout. Happens quite a bit.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I’m a little surprised at his point totals, so credit to him, but Epperson just wasn’t as good as hyped coming into the NTDP. He was like a fourth line level player without a fourth line game. If he was top 9 level, he might’ve been okay. Wasn’t so.

I think he would’ve been fine if he initially went USHL over NTDP also. The issue is not the NTDP. It’s that these kids don’t know their place and all come into the NTDP and expect to be the best player, and some of them have to be one of the worst players.

 

[Finster8]

GP-22 G-9 A-23 P-32 +23
He isn’t slowing down

 

[Hockeyville USA]

He's going to get drafted as a D+1 most certainly.

 

[Kingpin794]

Another nice week for Epperson. Killer vision if you ever need a set up man for a goal scorer but he also can be slippery. Good example of that against Ottawa. Had a nice juke tonight against the Soo.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Another nice week for Epperson. Killer vision if you ever need a set up man for a goal scorer but he also can be slippery. Good example of that against Ottawa. Had a nice juke tonight against the Soo.

He's gonna go pretty high as an overager

 

[BKarchitect]

He's gonna go pretty high as an overager

His Central Scouting Mid-Term rank is 45 among North Americans. If we assume the usual dearth of high pick goalies and a top couple rounds that will lean fairly significantly towards NA-based players…I’d say 2nd round is reasonably in play here. I think 3rd round is his floor at this point. I can’t think of another OA that is poised to go this high?

 

[Hockeyville USA]

His Central Scouting Mid-Term rank is 45 among North Americans. If we assume the usual dearth of high pick goalies and a top couple rounds that will lean fairly significantly towards NA-based players…I’d say 2nd round is reasonably in play here. I think 3rd round is his floor at this point. I can’t think of another OA that is poised to go this high?

I'm interested to see if he still goes NCAA now with the rule change. He signed his Standard Player Agreement with Saginaw before the CHL-NCAA eligibility rule change came into effect, so most thought his commitment to Michigan was voided; maybe Naurato honors it, maybe Epperson ends up elsewhere or of course he goes straight to pro after junior.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

His Central Scouting Mid-Term rank is 45 among North Americans. If we assume the usual dearth of high pick goalies and a top couple rounds that will lean fairly significantly towards NA-based players…I’d say 2nd round is reasonably in play here. I think 3rd round is his floor at this point. I can’t think of another OA that is poised to go this high?

I was thinking 2nd-3rd round as well.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Can I pose a question that hasn’t been discussed?

Is Epperson better? I mean, NHL teams didn’t even think he was worth a pick last year.

Now he’s a second or third rounder?

Other than his usage is better, what is materially better?

 

[TheCrease]

Can I pose a question that hasn’t been discussed?

Is Epperson better? I mean, NHL teams didn’t even think he was worth a pick last year.

Now he’s a second or third rounder?

Other than his usage is better, what is materially better?

You said the magic word, its usage. The NHL needs to see good players play in big roles.

Massive problem for the USHL, as the list of good young players who left the USHL, and are thriving with more playing time elsewhere, is getting longer.

The NTDP is no different, they hand pick their top 6 and top 4, and everyone else just watches their draft status go down.

 

[Bonin21]

Epperson plus the two Misas could be a ridiculous get for a top NCAA team.

 

[Kingpin794]

I'm interested to see if he still goes NCAA now with the rule change. He signed his Standard Player Agreement with Saginaw before the CHL-NCAA eligibility rule change came into effect, so most thought his commitment to Michigan was voided; maybe Naurato honors it, maybe Epperson ends up elsewhere or of course he goes straight to pro after junior.

I don't think he'd be interested in NCAA next year. He's been thriving under Lazary in a system that rewards his kind of creativity. I can't imagine he wants to leave that to go back to being a 3rd liner at Michigan.

 

[Bonin21]

I don't think he'd be interested in NCAA next year. He's been thriving under Lazary in a system that rewards his kind of creativity. I can't imagine he wants to leave that to go back to being a 3rd liner at Michigan.

He can be a top two liner at a top ten school.

 

[wetcoast]

He can be a top two liner at a top ten school.

Sure maybe but is it worth the risk?

Hard to say really and it depends on the programs and the age of their top 6 next season and if they have other highly touted recruits.

Lots of moving pieces here.

 

[Kingpin794]

He can be a top two liner at a top ten school.

I think that's pushing it. He could be put in that position by a coach but would he grow his game there? Would he just be trying to keep his head above that top 6 line? Another year of junior would probably be the right play and then head for the NCAA if he doesn't sign by 2026/27.

 

[neelynugs]

epperson ranked in the 1st round in EP's latest rankings

can't say i agree, but he's had a great year and nice to see him thriving.

 

[jtechkid]

He’s also looking to be drafted 2-4 th round in my view . Do you want go ushl grind league and not play or go NTDP and be told your bottom 6 - nope hello CHL . At first as an American I hated the ruling because more Canada kids will come to USA college over American kids . However , the reality is USA kids are gaining and closing the gap with Canada kids in talent and this gives them more options than just ushl - ntdp !

 

[Corso]

He’s also looking to be drafted 2-4 th round in my view . Do you want go ushl grind league and not play or go NTDP and be told your bottom 6 - nope hello CHL . At first as an American I hated the ruling because more Canada kids will come to USA college over American kids . However , the reality is USA kids are gaining and closing the gap with Canada kids in talent and this gives them more options than just ushl - ntdp !

As an American, I was elated at the news of CHL eligibility because it now offers hundreds of elite American born players an opportunity to play for 60 teams that operate, at the very least, on the same level of the USHL-NTDP. Even as the USHL lessens in stature, having the CHL option is a massive plus for U.S. development.

The CHL will further expand into the U.S. allowing for more opportunity and growth. USA Hockey's parochial mindset will be forced to adapt with the changing circumstances. They did not want this to happen, fought against it and are still fighting the ramifications (all for the benefit of one program and 40 players) this change will bring.

In time though, they will become full throated proponents of the CHL in the USA.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

As an American, I was elated at the news of CHL eligibility because it now offers hundreds of elite American born players an opportunity to play for 60 teams that operate, at the very least, on the same level of the USHL-NTDP. Even as the USHL lessens in stature, having the CHL option is a massive plus for U.S. development.

The CHL will further expand into the U.S. allowing for more opportunity and growth. USA Hockey's parochial mindset will be forced to adapt with the changing circumstances. They did not want this to happen, fought against it and are still fighting the ramifications (all for the benefit of one program and 40 players) this change will bring.

In time though, they will become full throated proponents of the CHL in the USA.

What you suggest doesn’t actually benefit USA Hockey.

Unless they get equal ownership in the CHL, why would they want to be taking orders from Hockey Canada?

It’s one thing if the two governing bodies band together to simply make it a bigger and potentially better project.

Absent that, I don’t see how it benefits an independent country with a strong hockey program to just relinquish their autonomy.

 

[Corso]

What you suggest doesn’t actually benefit USA Hockey.

Unless they get equal ownership in the CHL, why would they want to be taking orders from Hockey Canada?

It’s one thing if the two governing bodies band together to simply make it a bigger and potentially better project.

Absent that, I don’t see how it benefits an independent country with a strong hockey program to just relinquish their autonomy.

You may be unaware but the CHL has a partnership with Hockey Canada but is not directly controlled by Hockey Canada as say the USHL is by USA Hockey.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

You may be unaware but the CHL has a partnership with Hockey Canada but is not directly controlled by Hockey Canada as say the USHL is by USA Hockey.

You didn’t really answer me. It doesn’t matter under what technicality which body that is intertwined with another owns what.

If the CHL wants to absorb the USHL and NTDP and be the pinnacle of American hockey, they have to offer some type of equal ownership.

Think about it from the other side. Why would you take less autonomy to fold your own product and join a different product if you believe your own product is going strong and you believe in your ability to cultivate your own successful product over time?

 

[Corso]

You didn’t really answer me. It doesn’t matter under what technicality which body that is intertwined with another owns what.

If the CHL wants to absorb the USHL and NTDP and be the pinnacle of American hockey, they have to offer some type of equal ownership.

Think about it from the other side. Why would you take less autonomy to fold your own product and join a different product if you believe your own product is going strong and you believe in your ability to cultivate your own successful product over time?

The CHL does not want to absorb the USHL and it was USA Hockey that approached the OHL in relation to the NTDP playing in that league.

Furthermore you fundamentally misunderstand the relationship between Hockey Canada and the CHL. The CHL is a self governing body beholden only to its respective board of governors encompassing three separate and autonomous leagues under the umbrella of the "CHL". Some of those board of governors are American representing American franchises. The CHL works in partnership with Hockey Canada in respect to transfer fees and player movement.

USA Hockey's main hang-up is loss of total control over the development process, although the organizational body has no issue with giving up control in respect to the NCAA. There is nothing to say that the CHL would not extend into the same partnership agreement with USA Hockey but USA Hockey has to come to terms with a radically different landscape and that it cannot call the shots with the CHL as it does with the USHL.

Proper player development does not rest solely with USA Hockey and you have given zero reasons as to why further CHL expansion would hurt that player development.