LD Will Felicio, Madison Capitols, USHL (2024 Draft)

[Michael Farkas]

I believe Denver wanted to defer him to 2025-26 after they made some portal additions and he wanted to come in this year for 2024-25. He didn't want to play another year of junior in the USHL

I don't know about that. I heard that he was going back to Waterloo for another season. I'll admit, I didn't hear that yesterday, so things can change...but he doesn't play a ton of minutes in the USHL. He's also going through a serious game remodeling. Another year in the USHL isn't a bad idea...

 

[jtechkid]

Yes I heard he's going back to ushl for
Another year and Michigan is loaded
On defense 2005-2007 class so strange decision ?

 

[Frk It]

11 pts in 20 games in his +1 year for Michigan. I think that is pretty good for a defenseman.

Think he gets drafted this year?

 

[Hockeyville USA]

11 pts in 20 games in his +1 year for Michigan. I think that is pretty good for a defenseman.

Think he gets drafted this year?

He's played better lately, if he keeps it up to end the year, then there's a chance

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There’s always a chance, but the fundamental reason he doesn’t get drafted is despite draftable stats teams don’t think he projects to play in the NHL.

I don’t see it happening for him either. Not everyone has NHL talent.

 

[Frk It]

There’s always a chance, but the fundamental reason he doesn’t get drafted is despite draftable stats teams don’t think he projects to play in the NHL.

I don’t see it happening for him either. Not everyone has NHL talent.

He basically posted the same stat line in his draft year as he did his -1 season. I’m sure that stagnation didn’t help his draft stock.

I think this season he’s having can put him back on team’s radars, my guess though is the biggest determine factor on if he gets drafted or not is if teams feel his skating has improved or not.

I see Michigan has him listed as 5’10 and 172 lbs now, not sure if that’s accurate.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He basically posted the same stat line in his draft year as he did his -1 season. I’m sure that stagnation didn’t help his draft stock.

I think this season he’s having can put him back on team’s radars, my guess though is the biggest determine factor on if he gets drafted or not is if teams feel his skating has improved or not.

I see Michigan has him listed as 5’10 and 172 lbs now, not sure if that’s accurate.

I thought that he wasn't that bad last season, despite the worse stats. He was working on his defense and it improved a little (it was atrocious his U17 year and it became merely bad his U18 year). And while I agree his stats taking a step back doesn't help, I would've hoped that teams would've recognized that he didn't necessarily get worse or stagnate as a hockey player, and he had a different (not necessarily worse) season.

But overall I think the picture is the same all three years. He's going to put up good stats. He has ability with the puck. He makes quick decisions with the puck. But he's small, he's not a good skater, and he's probably not going to be a capable defensive player in the NHL. There are some players like that who play NHL games, but I don't think Felicio has ever had elite abilities with the puck (despite varying levels of good stats over the years) to overcome the weaknesses.

I think the skills aren't even intriguing enough to think it maybe could work out for him. I don't think he's even like a Zac Jones or Erik Brannstrom or Nils Lundkvist type. If the tier up from them is the Hughes and Makar and Hutson, who despite size and potentially some other concerns were so good with the puck that they could clearly succeed in the NHL, I think he's the tier down from the guys who are in and out of an NHL lineup, and he's probably a player that doesn't even look like he'll reach a good enough level where NHL teams are thinking it's possible he could be a 6/7D. He might be more like a 9/10 eventually.