Was he the clear choice? That's debatable. Most, if not all, pre-draft rankings bad him quite a bit lower than Freij. I think Hutson is a hell of a player and would have been a fine pick, but at the time that's not really how things were looking. Now, I think just based on Lane's early success, he probably would have gone earlier. They're very similar players and had all the same concerns - lack of size and physicality, defensive play. But offensively he will probably be very successful.I wounder if Jets ever thought about Cole Hutson, he was the clear choice when Jets picked, but he is an american Collage-player Jets just did not wanna risk it? Hopefully Freij develops to a decent 2 way d-man with some offensive quality =)
Everyone does it different. For me, I go through the list and ask myself, if you could only keep 1 prospect who would it be? And then at 2 the same thing, you can only keep 1 more prospect, who will it be?I don't really understand the rankings. Is it by ceiling or likelihood to make the NHL or what? How can I compare Kevin He to Elias Salomonsson to Dom DiVincentiis?
1 - Chibrikov--NHL ready, high floor, lower ceiling
2 - Salomonsson--high ceiling (top pair) and floor (bottom4), but either way will play in the NHL
3 -Yager-Bryan Little potential, a year or two away
4 -Walton--trajectory is impressive, good size, needs to keep it up next season
5- Lambert--lots of sizzle, but not yet convinced he is the real thing
6 - Frej-haven't seen much but looks like a very solid top-4D prospect
7-He -He has to make it, for so many reasons other than hockey
8- Lucius--tall hill to climb, despite his talent
9-DiVincentiis-Voodoo, why not?
10-Barlow-Almost didn't make the list. A long shot, as opposed to a hard shot, IMO
Seems like a good review to quote. I won't quibble with how they rank from 1-10 because its pretty hard to predict how they will grow.
Overall its not a bad group and not a great group of prospects. We are missing one really high end piece. My guess is this group finishes around 18-20 in the Athletic prospect poll (not that they have a crystal ball). Captain obvious but its really going to come down to how they grow and it always does. Do we hit on one or two long shots??
That being said:
Chibby: I agree with your assessment. If we are lucky we get a Perreault/Tanev highbred. like his compete.
Salomonsson: I agree with the ceiling but I am not ready to call his floor as high as top 4.
Yager: I don't really know how its going to turn out? Like the kid, like that he is a centre. He has put up respectable numbers. We would be lucky if we get a Little type out of him (Loved Little's game).
Walton has had an outstanding start to his draft +1 season and right up there with one of the best since 2016 or 2017. He is on a short list just behind Laine, Connor, and Ehlers (maybe Morrissey) of best D+ 1 seasons by Jets draft picks. This is the type of draft pick that can salvage a pool if he hits (top 6 centre) but I will need to see him stay at this level for longer. (Edit Yager had a very good D+1 season but he was also on a stacked team).
Lambert. Love his skating but like you I am not convinced he has what it takes to play in the top 6.
Frej: haven't watched enough of him
He: love the kid but if we get lucky he plays bottom six
Lucius: has the talent but he just can't stay healthy. IMO Chaz Could have been an NHL'er if he didn't have health issues.
DiVinci: I give up predicting goalies
Barlow: easily the biggest disappointment for me so far on this list. I didn't mind the draft pick but he has been following the Lukas Sutter trajectory. Never too late but I doubt he makes the NHL.
I seem to have miscalculated Lambert's D+1. He's a 0.168 NHLe not 0.451. So Chibrikov's #1 and Lambert is 8th.The season's not over but ranking Jets prospects' D+1 seasons over the recent past by NHLe points/game:
1. Lambert 0.451
2. Chibrikov 0.306
3. Perfetti 0.301
4. Walton 0.255*
5. Yager 0.235
6. Heinola 0.218
7. He 0.199*
8. Rashevsky 0.173
9. Barlow 0.167
10. Lucius 0.154
* D+1 season not yet complete
IIRC the organization placed more resources in scouting the CHL last year, I don't remember the source or where I heard that. My sneaking suspicion is yes to your question.I wonder if walton and he both get drafted if we hadn't had some Americans jumping ship,how much does that effect them in there decision making,the Jets have drafted a truck load out of usa hockey.
Yeah they're not remotely similar players, on the ice or statistically, and their path is not close to being similar either. Very strange comment.Not for nothing but Lukas Sutter never had 2 40 goal seasons and probably a 3rd one this year
Not for nothing but Lukas Sutter never had 2 40 goal seasons and probably a 3rd one this year
There talent level is vastly different. I am talking about did they grow from their draft year or not. I was being a bit cheeky with Sutter since he turned into a party hound after his draft and Colby seems like a good kid. The problem is Colby's trajectory.
Draft GP 59 G 49 Pts 79 (great draft season)
Draft +1 GP 50 G 40 Pts 58
Draft +3 GP 38 G 21 Pts 34
He should be dominating the OHL this season based on his draft year and if anything he might be regressing. Great that he can score goals but at this point he is the definition of a one trick pony.