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

[GermanSpitfire]

Kristian Epperson - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Kristian Epperson, 2006-05-16 Mequon, WI, USA USA. Most recently in the undefined with Saginaw Spirit. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

U17 national team forward enjoyed a great season for the famous Shattucks St. Mary’s. He is a good skater with good puck skills - he has seen a great amount of improvement over the past year and should be an interesting player to follow going forward.

OHL Rights: Saginaw Spirit

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[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's a good complementary scoring winger. Doesn't drive a line, but he can provide some secondary offense. He has some very nice shifts where he can make some very skillful plays. He's a solid all-around offensive guy who skates decently also.

 

[Lavar Ball]

Committed to Michigan

 

[SK94]

Things are going to the wrong direction for him. Has been difficult season.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Things are going to the wrong direction for him. Has been difficult season.

The exact type of player who doesn't benefit from the NTDP. He becomes like the 8th most skilled forward. Doesn't play with the sandpaper to be a bottom lines player.

I'm sure the idea was that he could become more than the 8th most skilled forward, both himself and the NTDP. Otherwise, he wouldn't have accepted the spot or been picked.

However, that's what it's become. He might not get drafted now.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Always interesting to see a Wisconsin native with the capability to play for the Badgers leave the state. I guess he committed before Hastings got there to turn around the program, and the allure of Michigan is strong.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The NTDP has been trying to turn him into a grinder. He has speed and has started playing some PK. I don't think he's suited for it. Doesn't fit with how he plays hockey. Potentially they feel it's the only way he'll reach the NHL and they are trying to prepare him for what he'll have to be to be a pro hockey player, but I think it's too early for that.

He's in a bad spot. Should've never went to the NTDP. Being the 6th or 7th most skilled winger at the NTDP is the perfect way to ruin your hockey career, especially if you don't have sandpaper in your game.

I don't think he'll be drafted, but there's a chance someone sees potential and ignores how the last two years has went. Probably a good chance he'll be demoted for U18 Worlds, but he's still fast, not that small, has playmaking ability, and isn't that perimeter for a winger. Has improved a little defensively too because thats the role he's been placed in.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Has 2+2=4 points in 4 games since being demoted. This demotion might get him drafted if he can keep this up. He needs offensive situations, and is now getting that.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Signed with Saginaw in the O. Surprising he didn't just decommit and sign with his home state Badgers. Interested to see how this plays out

 

[Kingpin794]

Signed with Saginaw in the O. Surprising he didn't just decommit and sign with his home state Badgers. Interested to see how this plays out

Everything I've read about him seems to indicate he's going to love playing in Saginaw. They aren't going to ask him to be a grinder (we have those guys already), he seems to have good vision and is good on the forecheck. I wonder if they put him on Misa's wing eventually?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Is he for sure going to be a pro hockey player? It’s probably better than 50% he won’t be drafted. Should’ve went and got that education.

 

[Kingpin794]

Is he for sure going to be a pro hockey player? It’s probably better than 50% he won’t be drafted. Should’ve went and got that education.

There’s nothing stopping him from getting an education after his junior career is done if he doesn’t get a pro deal of some kind.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There’s nothing stopping him from getting an education after his junior career is done if he doesn’t get a pro deal of some kind.

Sure, but it won’t be funded for him by the school.

 

[Kingpin794]

Sure, but it won’t be funded for him by the school.

I mean at worst he’ll have 2 years covered by Saginaw. That’s not nothing.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Had a ton of hype going into the NTDP, committed to Michigan then really took a step back and fell off the draft radar entirely. He has to be damn good off the bat for Saginaw or his chances of making it big time in the pro ranks are slim. Everyone quickly forgot about Colby Saganiuk, Epperson doesn't want to be the next to burn out

 

[Finster8]

Kristan playing with Misa and Chernyshov when he is healthy through Parekh on D and l can see a PP and top line that will give him a good chance to put up some decent numbers. Epperson has looked good in training camp JMO can see him going in the Draft.

 

[Kingpin794]

Epperson and Misa continue to play off each other well this preseason. Will be interesting to see if they carry this chemistry into the regular season. Could be mutually beneficial for both players that have questions that center around their offensive upside.

 

[Finster8]

Epperson is of to a good start 5GP G2 A5 and his 2 goals are SH.

 

[Kingpin794]

Having himself a nice weekend so far on the team’s toughest road trip of the year.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1847652457595224355

https://x.com/i/web/status/1847767785264599197

 

[bcspragu]

Having himself a nice weekend so far on the team’s toughest road trip of the year.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1847652457595224355

https://x.com/i/web/status/1847767785264599197

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

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Good to see Epperson killing it!

 

[Finster8]

Epperson having 17 points 6 goals and 11 assists +13 in 10 games. 6th overall in points in the OHL. Very impressed with how solid his play has been.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

He's really back on the draft radar. And with the new CHL-NCAA rule, he'll be back on the radar of most high profile universities in the NCAA

 

[Finster8]

17GP 7G 19-A 26Pts +17 and 9th in scoring. He looks better than advertised sometimes a change can do you good.
Misa certainly will keep him developing and getting his confidence back will see him drafted 4-5 rd maybe sooner.

 

[bcspragu]

17GP 7G 19-A 26Pts +17 and 9th in scoring. He looks better than advertised sometimes a change can do you good.
Misa certainly will keep him developing and getting his confidence back will see him drafted 4-5 rd maybe sooner.

Epperson should be used as proof that this whole CHL/NCAA thing is going to be great for players. He's clearly a skill player. USDTP tried to force him into a role that didnt suit his game. Now in the CHL his skill is showing to scouts. Coupled with the new ruling he can still go NCAA when hes done with the CHL anyway. Best of all worlds for the kid