Last pick of the 2012 draft and Nick Ebert is making the Kings look brilliant..

[paul-laus]

Was watching the Guelph/North Bay game tonight and Nick Ebert who was taken 211th overall in 2012 was playing like he was taken 8th overall. His move from Windsor to Guelph was the best thing for him and Scott Walker is bringing out his true potential. The Kings took a chance on him when nobody else would and he looks like he could get a long look in camp in the fall or at least be in the top 4 Monarch d-men. By the way, what's going on with Maxim Kitsyn? Does anyone know?

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[King'sPawn]

Was watching the Guelph/North Bay game tonight and Nick Ebert who was taken 211th overall in 2012 was playing like he was taken 8th overall. His move from Windsor to Guelph was the best thing for him and Scott Walker is bringing out his true potential. The Kings took a chance on him when nobody else would and he looks like he could get a long look in camp in the fall or at least be in the top 4 Monarch d-men. By the way, what's going on with Maxim Kitsyn? Does anyone know?

I agree - Ebert is a very good prospect who excels at carrying the puck, not too different from Drew Doughty as far as a puck carrier (as opposed to other offensive defensemen who I consider puck distributors).

As far as top four, that all depends of course on who stays and who goes, but he could certainly work his way up into the role. He may not get it right away.

As far as Kitsyn, I haven't seen much of him, so I wouldn't be able to say.

 

[KopitarFAN]

It's crazy that he isn't 20 yet. 51 points and a +53 is nothing to scoff at.

 

[KingLB]

Better hope they can get him signed.

If he is improved as much as people say...he may want to re-enter...

 

[CTKingsFan]

Better hope they can get him signed.

If he is improved as much as people say...he may want to re-enter...

The Mayor reported earlier today that they are close and he's expected to sign soon.

Speaking of #LAKings prospect @nebert22 (2012 draft), hearing the 2 sides are working on final contract details. Expect a signing before 6/1

 

[paul-laus]

I remember that he was so highly touted coming out of the USHL that he at one point he was considered a can't miss prospect that could go in the top 10-15. He rightly or wrongly developed a reputation as having a bad attitude, being a selfish teammate, and not having his head in the right place which destroyed his draft year standing as did a sub par on-ice performance that 2011-12 season with Windsor. When he started free falling in the draft it was kinda hard to watch knowing that he had so much untapped potential. Kudos to him for reinventing himself in a way. This year it could be Ho-Sang....

 

[King'sPawn]

I remember thinking if there was another Ebert or if it was a typo when the Kings got him, as I also recall he was so highly touted at the beginning of his draft year.

 

[johnjm22]

I remember that he was so highly touted coming out of the USHL that he at one point he was considered a can't miss prospect that could go in the top 10-15. He rightly or wrongly developed a reputation as having a bad attitude, being a selfish teammate, and not having his head in the right place which destroyed his draft year standing as did a sub par on-ice performance that 2011-12 season with Windsor. When he started free falling in the draft it was kinda hard to watch knowing that he had so much untapped potential. Kudos to him for reinventing himself in a way. This year it could be Ho-Sang....

Are you sure about that? Nick had some off-ice family issues that affected his life, his play, and eventually his draft stock, but I don't recall people accusing him of having attitude issues.

This is Nick Ebert's dad:
N.J. man surrenders to police after barricading himself in Livingston home

 

[paul-laus]

Are you sure about that? Nick had some off-ice family issues that affected his life, his play, and eventually his draft stock, but I don't recall people accusing him of having attitude issues.

This is Nick Ebert's dad:
N.J. man surrenders to police after barricading himself in Livingston home

I'm pretty sure about that. The consensus from scouts of the majority of teams at that time was that he was looking increasingly listless and if something didn't go right for him in a game or if he wasn't getting the ice time he saw fit then his performance suffered and he appeared to look as though he wanted to be anywhere else but in a hockey game. If you're trying to suggest that because of the incident with his father scouts and teams were scared off so much that he dropped from a top 10 prospect in the "Hockey News" one year to the last pick in the draft the following, I think there's more to it. My understanding as I recall from listening to Craig Button, Bob McKenzie and other analysts was that teams increasingly weren't willing to touch him with a ten foot pole because he had been developing bad habits and there had been issues with teammates etc. Although I do remember at that time that Spitfires GM Rychel was adamant at that time that Ebert still was going to play in the NHL....

 

[triplcrown]

So, is he the defenseman-equivalent of Patrick O'Sullivan?

 

[KopitarFAN]

So, is he the defenseman-equivalent of Patrick O'Sullivan?

More the reverse, having entered the organization as a 7th round pick, he's had little expectations in the eyes of most.