Prospect Info: Jets Prospects

[Flair Hay]

Damn Walton is a big surprise for me, barely even paid attention to him as I've been so fixated on K.HE and Yager these past couple months.

You love to see it, the cupboards aint bare, thats for sure

Dude is 6'5 and scoring more than Yager

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

Walton has scored or assisted 48% of the Wolves' goals. That's crazy good.

Only potential issue with his breakout is that he has 21 PPP, #1 in the OHL. You generally want the ratio of PPP/EVP to be a bit lower. Still, not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He's doing remarkably well.

Just watching some highlights off the Wolves website.

Most of the assists I have seen are primary assists leading to open net goals. His PP points that I have watched are mostly primary assists or goals.

I feel less that he is benefitting from a strong PP, rather he is making the PP strong with his vision and scoring.

Its noticeable he looks off who he is passing to till the last second, fooling defenders on where the passes are going, leading to some very easy goals

 

[Romang67]

Just watching some highlights off the Wolves website.

Most of the assists I have seen are primary assists leading to open net goals. His PP points that I have watched are mostly primary assists or goals.

I feel less that he is benefitting from a strong PP, rather he is making the PP strong with his vision and scoring.

Yeah, that's what it looked like on the highlights posted above too. Those were some wicked passes.

 

[Whileee]

Just watching some highlights off the Wolves website.

Most of the assists I have seen are primary assists leading to open net goals. His PP points that I have watched are mostly primary assists or goals.

I feel less that he is benefitting from a strong PP, rather he is making the PP strong with his vision and scoring.

Its noticeable he looks off who he is passing to till the last second, fooling defenders on where the passes are going, leading to some very easy goals

Yup. He has high-end offensive instincts and skills.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

Yup. He has high-end offensive instincts and skills.

Crazy how he slipped to the 6th round.

Article I just read:
Wolf Tracks: Kieron Walton exceeding expectations

What seems predictable at this point is that Walton will find a way to contribute consistently, regardless of who’s around him.
For junior hockey die-hards, a big part of the appeal is watching a young kid advance from being a wide-eyed rookie into a sophomore who can contribute and then trying to gauge how good they can be in years three and four of their junior career.

Walton was obviously stuck behind some really talented offensive stars last season, so top-six minutes and power-play time were at a premium. He showed flashes of brilliance, though, stickhandling through traffic to score some sweet goals and making some pretty passes here and there. Opportunity knocked when many of those stars graduated and Walton has answered in a big way.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

I am on the Walton train lol, this article from April pegged him as a potential draft steal:

Kieron Walton has potential to be one of the 2024 draft's top steals

t’s much easier said than done, but every year there are players who fall down draft boards due to various circumstances only to become a perceived steal years later.

Kieron Walton might be one of those players in 2024.

Walton has all the makings of an NHL player, but he’s struggled to earn ice time on a stacked Sudbury Wolves roster which has him potentially flying under the radar in draft circles.

This season, however, he has seen his role grow a bit and his production has followed. Through 65 games, Walton has 43 points (18 goals, 25 assists).

While his production may not jump off the page compared to more highly touted prospects, part of that is out of his control as he’s once again found himself buried on the depth chart.

“I think he’s flying under the radar a bit because he’s not scoring like a top prospect,” Goudy said. “He’s ninth on Sudbury. But he’s only playing 13 minutes a night because that team is so stacked.”

Another aspect of Walton’s game that stands out is his overall hockey IQ and creativity with the puck. It can be a dangerous combination when a player of his size possesses the finesse and creativity that he does, and it makes him a real threat at times.

“I like the way his mind works,” Goudy said. “He’s smart, uses his body well, seems to have pretty good vision, and he’s incredibly creative at times.”

Walton also possesses some acute on-ice vision and playmaking skills which add another layer to his game. He combines his reach with strong anticipation to pick off passes or find open ice to receive the puck from his teammates.

When he has the puck, he uses his reach and strong stick handling to control possession and evade opponents. When he’s on his game, Walton’s an incredibly hard player to get the puck off of, because of just how big he is and how well he can handle and protect the puck in traffic.

 

[SUX2BU]

 

[Aggie204]

I wonder what team he signed in Europe.