LD Owen Pickering - Swift Current Broncos, WHL (2022, 21th, PIT)

[landy92mack29]

Not a perfect one but I see Ryan Graves, at least when he was on the Avs. Pickering has the potential to be more though but needs a longer path imo

 

[JohnJim]

So who is Pickering's best comparable prospect? he's massive for his size and does look like he has a decent shot also.

According to Craig Button it's Jaccob Slavin. Button thinks Pickering's ceiling is a first pairing d-man.

 

[Peasy]

According to Craig Button it's Jaccob Slavin. Button thinks Pickering's ceiling is a first pairing d-man.

I hate comparables so much. People always throw out names of the top 1% without ever trying to be realistic. I went through a bunch of Craig's comparisons for this draft and just scoffed at all of them. He had Pasta as a comparable for 2 people in the top 10. Has Wright as a comparable to Bergeron who is the best defensive center of his generation... Like why not use someone like Suzuki for a comparable to Wright instead of Bergeron (who plays a similar type of game as Bergeron just nowhere near that consistent elite level though)... It is way more likely Wright has a similar career to Suzuki then he will Bergeron's.

By just looking at straight comparables you would think every draft is going to have 20+ all star NHLers.

Pickering has the chance to become a solid 2nd pairing D man that can skate well and has size and reach. Something like a better skating Ryan Graves, maybe with the potential of more offensive upside if his game continues to develop.

Edit: Just saw the person above also compared to him Graves haha.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Sanheim is still his best comparable

Big two-way D that is still incredibly raw, particularly physically. Tools are there to be a top 4 D and he's got a good head on his shoulders.

I think Pickering doesn't project to have quite as much offensive potential and might end up a little more defensive-oriented.

 

[JohnJim]

I hate comparables so much. People always throw out names of the top 1% without ever trying to be realistic. I went through a bunch of Craig's comparisons for this draft and just scoffed at all of them. He had Pasta as a comparable for 2 people in the top 10. Has Wright as a comparable to Bergeron who is the best defensive center of his generation... Like why not use someone like Suzuki for a comparable to Wright instead of Bergeron (who plays a similar type of game as Bergeron just nowhere near that consistent elite level though)... It is way more likely Wright has a similar career to Suzuki then he will Bergeron's.

By just looking at straight comparables you would think every draft is going to have 20+ all star NHLers.

Pickering has the chance to become a solid 2nd pairing D man that can skate well and has size and reach. Something like a better skating Ryan Graves, maybe with the potential of more offensive upside if his game continues to develop.

Edit: Just saw the person above also compared to him Graves haha.

Yeah, I agree. But my understanding is that they compare the style of the player, not the upside.

 

[MMC]

Welcome to Pittsburgh

 

[PittsburghHustlers]

Would have been nice with Yurov or Lambert but this is a good pick.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Raw defender that has shown a ton of improvement so far, still has a lot of growing physically. Could be dominate in the future.

 

[Gstank]

HOw is PIckering developing in his draft +1 year?

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

HOw is PIckering developing in his draft +1 year?

He’s a long term project whose success is contingent on physically maturing. His skating and awkwardness look about the same which is mildly disappointing. Nothing else really matters, stats or otherwise.

 

[Wattsburgh]

He’s physically matured his way up to Wilkes-Barre Scranton this year.

 

[yessir29292]

He’s physically matured his way up to Wilkes-Barre Scranton this year.

Not really how that works. He wouldn't be up there if his team was in the playoffs, as he wouldn't be aloud. He will not play in Wilkes-Barre next year he will be in the WHL with a good chance to make Canada at the WJC, nice for him to get a test in the AHL though.

 

[Wattsburgh]

I say the Penguins got themselves a Seider-Hedman. Something they’ve been missing since Gonchar.

 

[wetcoast]

I say the Penguins got themselves a Seider-Hedman. Something they’ve been missing since Gonchar.

Watts?

 

[docbenton]

delete

 

[Wattsburgh]

Watts?

Yes.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Sanheim is still his best comparable

Big two-way D that is still incredibly raw, particularly physically. Tools are there to be a top 4 D and he's got a good head on his shoulders.

I think Pickering doesn't project to have quite as much offensive potential and might end up a little more defensive-oriented.

This, I think Pryor who was the head scout at the time compared him to Dumoulin. So somewhere between Sanheim and Dumoulin.

 

[Wattsburgh]

I still say Seider as I’m not afraid to go beyond the “2nd pair/Top 4 Defenseman” uhhh who isn’t one stance.

He will learn from Letang and take over his minutes.

 

[shotvalley]

I still say Seider as I’m not afraid to go beyond the “2nd pair/Top 4 Defenseman” uhhh who isn’t one stance.

He will learn from Letang and take over his minutes.

This is based on what? Why not to say he will become better than Lidström lol.

This is hfboards at its best.

 

[Wattsburgh]

This is based on what? Why not to say he will become better than Lidström lol.

This is hfboards at its best.

Thank you. And I said BASED on him LEARNING from Letang.

 

[shotvalley]

Thank you. And I said BASED on him LEARNING from Letang.

He can learn even from himself Bobby Orr but it doesnt make him another Seider if he doesnt have skillset. Hope is poor strategy.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Interested to see how he does in the A with Wilkes Barre. Was never that high on him in the Dub (doesn't produce enough offense for my liking). Guessing he'll get NHL games in 2025-26, but we'll see.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Interested to see how he does in the A with Wilkes Barre. Was never that high on him in the Dub (doesn't produce enough offense for my liking). Guessing he'll get NHL games in 2025-26, but we'll see.

He was always a bit of a gamble. Penguins wanted to him to progress like Travis Sanheim and he really hasn’t. He was eligible for the last WJC and he wasn’t selected in place of guys with pretty low upside. It was pretty disappointing.

He’s always been a project, but I’m just not sure there has been much progression in his game so far.

 

[MS]

He was always a bit of a gamble. Penguins wanted to him to progress like Travis Sanheim and he really hasn’t. He was eligible for the last WJC and he wasn’t selected in place of guys with pretty low upside. It was pretty disappointing.

He’s always been a project, but I’m just not sure there has been much progression in his game so far.

Yeah. He's one of those 'what is he?' kind of guys. He's big ... but he's not really a heavy player to play against or a great defensive guy who projects to high leverage moving up levels, and he's 'skilled for a big D' but not really that skilled in the bigger picture and doesn't really project as a big point producer either. He's kind of a 3rd-4th round talent if he was 6'1 but went high because he was 6'3/6'4 and there was hope that the pieces would come together.

Guys with this skillset often end up in the Cody Franson/Patrick Wiercioch range even at the better end of the spectrum. Sanheim is kind of the Cadillac version of it ... but he was a hell of a lot better player at the same age.

Helge Grans is another player I'd describe similarly. Nice size and tools, but what is he?

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Never hated the pick on draft day. Did I prefer Yurov or Lambert at the time? Yes. But I got it. If Pickering hit, he’s an immensely valuable piece and you’re gambling on him developing with just a later first.

Doesn’t seem like it’s come together quite like we’d hoped so far but I’m not really resigned to him being a complete bust until I see him play a year in pro. He was always a longer term project.

even if he never really progresses physically from where he is now— he’s 6’5 and can skate at a pro level. If he’s got decent sense he can be a poor mans Marcus Pettersson or Scandella and stick around the league as a bottom pair/depth D.