It's a Swiss C, maybe even D team playing that tournament as well so it would be strange if plays wouldn't run through De Luca. He's by far the best Swiss prospect playing that tournament. All other better prospects are not there. About a third of that team you can tell already probably won't make the WJC20 roster. De Luca is the only Swiss player on the roster who is likely to get drafted this year. No player is drafted. This is mostly a chance to impress for some kids still playing juniors in Switzerland. There's also not a single underager on that roster because of other tournaments going on.
It’s a u20 tournament in Slovakia with reserve teams for each nation essentially.
Makes sense, I’m just saying what I saw in the player in that 1 game.
. I’d feel bad if any scouts made the journey here first before the U18 WC.Is De Luca really even close to being a sure thing for the draft at this point? Hasn’t been getting much attention at all, except from people who already liked him going into the year based on the fact he’s Italian.It’s a u20 tournament in Slovakia with reserve teams for each nation essentially.
Makes sense, I’m just saying what I saw in the player in that 1 game.
All the teams here have weaker squads, Samuel urban was playing in net for Slovakia and he’s a 2005. De Luca was the only player in the game who is going to get drafted and probably one of the few in the entire tournament who will be. Ciernik isn’t even playing and guys who were cut from the U18 team are here too, the hockey is overall not that good to watch
Doesn't matter what hfboards or other hobby scouts think. He must be on the radar of the NHL teams. He's playing well for late 04 birthday in his first CHL season.
Sure, but his name hasn't popped up anywhere. There are enough draft writers with connections into the business (whether it's the guys at EP, Hockeyprospect or The Athletic) and most relevant names pop up there at some point. Of course, this doesn't mean that players who never come up don't get drafted. But I'd say it's rather unlikely.
Most of them probably have no relevant connections whatsoever or they wouldn't be so wrong year after year. Also, we're talking about potential late rounder, not a potential 1st rounder.
I guess one thing that matters a ton with players like him that we have zero knowledge of is the player’s character, work ethic, etc. It’s not always the most skilled players or whatever that get drafted in the later rounds. It’s often the ones who work the hardest and are the most coachable. So if these things apply to De Luca, it’d definitely increase his chances.
Didn’t get Jiricek, lost Proske and now De Luca. Tough couple of years for Spokane.
I must say I strongly disagree. De Luca’s 0.75 points per game or whatever are nothing to scoff at but it’s not like he tore up the league. We debate so much about Swiss kids coming over too early who don’t succeed and the one time a guy is properly developing, he heads home immediately. There’s nothing wrong with having a breakout WHL season with a PPG+ and then going back to take on a big role in Switzerland. Why rush it?
He gets a chance to play pro hockey at the level that fits him and the team that has space for him. That comes with money, living at home, being in the locker room with pro players as opposed to a bunch of goofballs... Not many downsides.
