LD Derrick Pouliot (2012, 8th overall, Pittsburgh)

[Jacob]

yeah of course this is really early to be discussing this

Pouliot might become a fine pro and thats fine - I'll eat my words if that happens

But it just makes you think especially when Forsberg has now signed an entry level deal with Washington of all teams

What difference does that make?

 

[wej20]

I'm fully aware of that but would you rather have

Maatta, Pouliot, and Dumoulin

or

Maatta, Dumoulin, and Forsberg



With Joe Morrow and Simon Despres already in their system and Letang on their roster - they didn't need 3 additional d-prospects (whether they are all solid or not).

Forsberg or even Grigorenko for that matter would have gone a long way to make the Pens forward prospect depth a lot more respectable

if they think Pouliot's the BPA then that's who they should pick. Having some more forward depth would be great but you shouldn't draft for need. PMD are the most valuable commodity in the league so you can never have too many.

 

[gsharpe]

Is Pouliot more like Karlsson, Rundblad or neither?

 

[lakai17]

can't believe how high he was picked, imagine if the Penguins drafted Trouba instead.

 

[ottawah]

Is Pouliot more like Karlsson, Rundblad or neither?

Will never score as many goals as Karlsson, although close to the same size. Not really Runblad, although from his time in Ottawa I never could figure out exactly how parts of his game would translate to the NHL. He just did not seem to have the confidence to do what I think he is capable of.

I'd think more like a small version of Thomas Kaberle. A bit more chippy though.

 

[ottawah]

can't believe how high he was picked, imagine if the Penguins drafted Trouba instead.

Well, no one is sure how Trouba will pan out either. He's still a project, has the tools, but he's probably three years off at least.

I think after Murray most hockey people have a wide range of how the current crop of D men will work out. It seems to be consensus that 2 D men in this crop will be better than Murray, but there is not close to consensus on which one it may be. Trouba certainly can be that guy. Not sure if Poulliot can due to a weakness on the D end of the ice, but if his offense really takes off, he may be in the equation.

 

[eXile59]

Watched him play today in the Pens prospect scrimmage. You can see why they see talent in him but he was out shown by the other Pens prospects. He's got some good hands & a great skater but needs some development for sure.

 

[Bennett Brauer]

Is Pouliot more like Karlsson, Rundblad or neither?

During the Draft, TSN compared his style to Del Zotto and Pierre McGuire and one other announcer said that he is like Kris Letang.

Watching his draft profile video, he is going to work on his defensive play and try to get as good defensively as he is offensively.

 

[spfan]

Pouliot is a good offensive d-man that will probably get around 50 points per year. 2nd pairing d-man.

I believe it was a mistake of passing over Forsberg for Pouliot though. Forsberg in my opinion was by far the BPA and would fill a much bigger need.

 

[ottawah]

Pouliot is a good offensive d-man that will probably get around 50 points per year. 2nd pairing d-man.

I believe it was a mistake of passing over Forsberg for Pouliot though. Forsberg in my opinion was by far the BPA and would fill a much bigger need.

No offense, but 50 points in a season in not a 2nd pairing D man nor just good offensively, thats pretty close to elite. That would place him 6th is scoring for D man this past year. Definitely not even a 2 dman, thats a one on just about every team in the league. He'd be the number 2 overall if anyone thought he was going to be that good. Not saying he does not have the potential, but if he hits 50, it would blow away pretty much every scouts prediction.

I wish him luck, like to see kids do well, but it will be a huge coup if he gets 50 points, arguably even if he gets to 40.

 

[ottawah]

During the Draft, TSN compared his style to Del Zotto and Pierre McGuire and one other announcer said that he is like Kris Letang.

Watching his draft profile video, he is going to work on his defensive play and try to get as good defensively as he is offensively.

I know several scouts compared Ceci to Del Zotto, never heard the Poutiott reference. Letang I heard, though.

 

[R S]

Here's what I've said about Pouliot, he was my 6th ranked WHLer for the draft:

#6 - Derrick Pouliot - Portland Winterhawks - LD -

Pouliot is a very good skating offensive defenceman. He is an elite passer with great hands and the ability to finish on the rush. Had a good postseason for the Winterhawks, but his ability to defend is still a concern going forward. I think that he has arguably the highest offensive potential of any WHL blueliner in the draft, but is also a bigger risk to make it as a full-time NHL player because of his size, strength and play away from the puck. With that being said, he's not afraid to play physical in the corners and in front of the net, so that's a good sign in regards to his defensive growth. He could be considered a boom or bust player by some people.

NHL Style Comparable: Brian Campbell

Top End Potential: #3 Defenceman, PP Quarterback

Pick Prediction: 18-25th Overall

More here:

http://whl-from-above.blogspot.ca/search/label/Derrick Pouliot

 

[boredmale]

No offense, but 50 points in a season in not a 2nd pairing D man nor just good offensively, thats pretty close to elite.

I can name you a few defensemen who hit 50 points I am wouldn't exactly call them "elite". Now if you can combine a 50 point season with solid defensive play that would be elite in my books

 

[Bennett Brauer]

I know several scouts compared Ceci to Del Zotto, never heard the Poutiott reference. Letang I heard, though.

The Del Zotto comparison was shown during the draft when they showed his stats.

Projected:
No. 2 Puck Moving D

Comparable Style:
Michael Del Zotto

 

[spfan]

No offense, but 50 points in a season in not a 2nd pairing D man nor just good offensively, thats pretty close to elite. That would place him 6th is scoring for D man this past year. Definitely not even a 2 dman, thats a one on just about every team in the league. He'd be the number 2 overall if anyone thought he was going to be that good. Not saying he does not have the potential, but if he hits 50, it would blow away pretty much every scouts prediction.

I wish him luck, like to see kids do well, but it will be a huge coup if he gets 50 points, arguably even if he gets to 40.

Well Letang will be #1 for a long time and with Orpik and Martin there now and Morrow and Despres coming I think that does place Pouliot in the 2nd pair.
Pouliot is below average defensively also. So just cause he's good-very good offensively, that doesn't make him a top d-man. Look at Marc-Andre Bergeron for example.

 

[ottawah]

Well Letang will be #1 for a long time and with Orpik and Martin there now and Morrow and Despres coming I think that does place Pouliot in the 2nd pair.
Pouliot is below average defensively also. So just cause he's good-very good offensively, that doesn't make him a top d-man. Look at Marc-Andre Bergeron for example.

Yes, but Bergeron has never hit 40 points much less 50.

 

[ottawah]

I can name you a few defensemen who hit 50 points I am wouldn't exactly call them "elite". Now if you can combine a 50 point season with solid defensive play that would be elite in my books

Thats why I said near elite. 50 points is a major achievement for a D man, a,d I do not see how you get that as a second pairing D man, not even close. That implies you are not one of the top 60 d men in the league, and generally speaking thats a 25 point player.

To me, Poulliot has to be a top pairing d man, and likely a 40 point guy to make the NHL. He's not exactly suited to a shutdown role or defensive pairing, he needs to be your top PP quarterback, or at worst pair with him.

 

[sina220*]

Here's what I've said about Pouliot, he was my 6th ranked WHLer for the draft:



More here:

http://whl-from-above.blogspot.ca/search/label/Derrick Pouliot

The negatives in that report stood out more in the scrimmage yesterday than the positives. He looks very timid and weak on the puck in his end, and it seemed every single forward could outmuscle him eventually. It honestly looks like he could be a player that will need a lot of sheltering on the ice and is much closer to nothing more than a pp QB than a 2-way player.

What I saw certainLy made me question the pick even more.

 

[BHD]

yeah of course this is really early to be discussing this

Pouliot might become a fine pro and thats fine - I'll eat my words if that happens

But it just makes you think especially when Forsberg has now signed an entry level deal with Washington of all teams

Weak argument is weak.

 

[ottawah]

The negatives in that report stood out more in the scrimmage yesterday than the positives. He looks very timid and weak on the puck in his end, and it seemed every single forward could outmuscle him eventually. It honestly looks like he could be a player that will need a lot of sheltering on the ice and is much closer to nothing more than a pp QB than a 2-way player.

What I saw certainLy made me question the pick even more.

In his defense (but not the defense of the pick) he is considered a longer term project. He needs another two years junior and a couple in the AHL probably. I'd not expect him to look great at this juncture.

 

[Bennett Brauer]

In his defense (but not the defense of the pick) he is considered a longer term project. He needs another two years junior and a couple in the AHL probably. I'd not expect him to look great at this juncture.

This.

He still has to develop.

The Pens are a team that do not rush their prospects to the NHL, they will give him a chance to get bigger and stronger. In Portland and WBS (like I said earlier in the thread) he is going to work on his defensive game. He's motivated to be as good defensively as he is offensively, that's not going to come at age 18, he has to work on it.

 

[wej20]

It's easier to work on the defensive game than it is the offensive, He's on a good junior team and will get well coached when he makes it to the AHL so he'll have excellent opportunities to work on his weaknesses.

 

[sina220*]

It's easier to work on the defensive game than it is the offensive, He's on a good junior team and will get well coached when he makes it to the AHL so he'll have excellent opportunities to work on his weaknesses.

Sure, but that doesn't erase the starkness of his problems, or the fact his biggest weakness is something that cant be taught...size. His struggles were blatent out there.

Certainly looks to be a bigger project than was necessary for an 8th pick, esp considering the impact it has on the outcome of the staal deal.

 

[wej20]

Sure, but that doesn't erase the starkness of his problems, or the fact his biggest weakness is something that cant be taught...size. His struggles were blatent out there.

Certainly looks to be a bigger project than was necessary for an 8th pick, esp considering the impact it has on the outcome of the staal deal.

I think you're putting too much stock in one scrimmage.

 

[Bennett Brauer]

Sure, but that doesn't erase the starkness of his problems, or the fact his biggest weakness is something that cant be taught...size. His struggles were blatent out there.

Certainly looks to be a bigger project than was necessary for an 8th pick, esp considering the impact it has on the outcome of the staal deal.

About his size, he's 1 inch shorter and 6 pounds lighter than Kris Letang according to their height and weight on their roster profiles.

Pouliot's close to 6'0" and he's 195 lbs. He can easily be 200+ lbs. by the time he's ready for the NHL.