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LW Lawson Crouse - Kingston Frontenacs, OHL (2015 Draft)

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He's a banger. Anyone expecting him to put up big points will be disappointed.
 
Still has little offensive skills, but I'm now thinking that he wil be an NHL player, but only in a 3rd/4th line checking role.
 
I definitely think he has some high offensive upside. He's shown in the OHL (and flashes at the WJC) he has some high end hockey IQ. Frequently makes nice plays after wearing out the opposing defense with high cycle game.

I would say he also has one of the best releases of the draft. Crouse is going to score goals with that shot undoubtedly.
 
I don't think it's out of line for him to have a Keith Primeau type career. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes on a tear in the second half of the season.
 
Oy. I didn't mind his world junior but not a chance in the world I think he's a top 3 pick in 2015. Borderline top 10 in my eyes. With that being said, I haven't seen him live...so there is a chance he could be worthy of more like top 8 or so.

I don't know. He seems like a less skilled Nick Ritchie. Is that worth a top 5 pick in a very top-heavy draft? I don't think so.
 
As someone living in Kingston who has seen Crouse plenty of times, I really think he's the real deal.

Last year and the year before, we got to see Sam Bennett rise through the rankings and Crouse is doing it this year.
 
R S said:
Oy. I didn't mind his world junior but not a chance in the world I think he's a top 3 pick in 2015. Borderline top 10 in my eyes. With that being said, I haven't seen him live...so there is a chance he could be worthy of more like top 8 or so.

I don't know. He seems like a less skilled Nick Ritchie. Is that worth a top 5 pick in a very top-heavy draft? I don't think so.
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That a pretty bad comparison IMO, he plays nothing like Ritchie. I have this debate a lot with guys and it ussualy comes down to seeing him live and most change their previous thoughts. He has the offensive upside to be taken 4th, 5th or 6th.
 
Roo Mad Bro said:
If a team picks him 3rd overall, they deserve every bit of criticism, because that pick will be considered a massive disappointment down the line.

I'd be more comfortable picking Crouse mid to late 1st, not top 5 or 10.
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If you have Crouse as a "late first", You haven't watched him live.
 
R S said:
Oy. I didn't mind his world junior but not a chance in the world I think he's a top 3 pick in 2015. Borderline top 10 in my eyes. With that being said, I haven't seen him live...so there is a chance he could be worthy of more like top 8 or so.

I don't know. He seems like a less skilled Nick Ritchie. Is that worth a top 5 pick in a very top-heavy draft? I don't think so.
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I'd agree with this.

He's quite plainly going to be an NHL player, but to me he looks like a guy who'll score 15-20 goals as a big, quality two-way 3rd liner who plays a hard 200 foot game. Reminds me a bit of Ethan Moreau.

Good player to add to an organization at pick #12, but top-5? I don't see it.
 
Starry Knight said:
I definitely think he has some high offensive upside. He's shown in the OHL (and flashes at the WJC) he has some high end hockey IQ. Frequently makes nice plays after wearing out the opposing defense with high cycle game.
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This is what people who are judging him on his WJC stats and role are missing. Crouse *does* have offensive upside. But folks who don't actually watch him in junior don't realize it because he only put up 2 points in 7 WJC games and played a banger's role on the 4th line.

The other thing is, his center was Gauthier. This isn't me piling on Gauthier -- who had a solid tournament for what he was brought over for -- but he's not a playmaker. Put Crouse with a center who can create offensive chances, not kill them, and you'll see his real value.

He's 17 years old playing in a 19 year old's tournament and didn't look out of place amongst the best junior players in the entire world. Put that into perspective.
 
He has more offence than the stats show. He brings a lot to the table. Whoever takes him will be happy with him as a player. But having him over Hanifin and Marner is objectively wrong.
 
Crouse is a great prospect imo. I love his game, he's a great team player and I believe he has a lot of upside because he's a ridiculously smart player with high-end skill. He showed flashes of skill in the WJHC, but he usually just made the easy smart play, which is what you want from your 17 year old players as a coach. I don't remember him making many if any mistakes in the tourney either (I didn't watch all of every game), which is really impressive for a player so young.

I look forward to following his development because he's such a rare breed.
 
sniper81 said:
Really? I'm expecting him to put up big numbers in the OHL next year. Why will he only be a "Banger"?
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Big numbers in the OHL sure. This is my assesment after watching him -- good player but he's more Tom Wilson than Petan, McDavid, Domi, etc. etc. He's just not that highly skilled.
 
buttman said:
Big numbers in the OHL sure. This is my assesment after watching him -- good player but he's more Tom Wilson than Petan, McDavid, Domi, etc. etc. He's just not that highly skilled.
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He's 6 foot 4, skates incredibly well, cycles incredibly well, he is one of the best defensive forwards in the OHL, has an excellent shot and release, has very slick hands and has a solid sense for making nifty passes in tight. Did you watch him on TV over the holidays or have you been following him the past while? Not taking a shot against you but just using strictly this tournament probably isn't the best way to get a read on him. Lawson has had a big body of work over the last 3 years and has shown time and time again that he is pretty highly skilled.
 
buttman said:
Big numbers in the OHL sure. This is my assesment after watching him -- good player but he's more Tom Wilson than Petan, McDavid, Domi, etc. etc. He's just not that highly skilled.
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Then you haven't been watching him much, if that's the first guy who comes to mind when you think of Crouse.

The same Tom Wilson who scored 3 goals in his rookie season? The same Tom Wilson who scored 9 goals in his draft year? Crouse scored more as a 16 year old rookie than Wilson scored his first two seasons *combined*.

Also, this comparison to danglers is kind of odd. Not all NHL players are created equal, either. Is Mike Ribeiro a better NHL player than David Backes because Ribeiro's a better stickhandler or passer? Is Phil Kessel head and shoulders better than Corey Perry because Kessel can beat defenders 1 on 1 more often than Perry?

Crouse doesn't have the flash and dash of the guys you mentioned, but that doesn't mean he can't be as effective (not including McDavid in that) as a pro in his own way.
 
sniper81 said:
He's 6 foot 4, skates incredibly well, cycles incredibly well, he is one of the best defensive forwards in the OHL, has an excellent shot and release, has very slick hands and has a solid sense for making nifty passes in tight. Did you watch him on TV over the holidays or have you been following him the past while? Not taking a shot against you but just using strictly this tournament probably isn't the best way to get a read on him. Lawson has had a big body of work over the last 3 years and has shown time and time again that he is pretty highly skilled.
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He's a straight-ahead north-south guy with terrific fundamentals. He'll be a solid NHL player.

I don't see much offensive IQ or vision, or a guy who will be a PP player in the NHL. Like I said previous, looks to me like a 15-20 goal, 30-40 point terrific 3rd-liner.

I see more skill than Colton Gillies or Tom Wilson ... but I don't see skills that make it likely he'll be an NHL point producer.
 
MS said:
He's a straight-ahead north-south guy with terrific fundamentals. He'll be a solid NHL player.

I don't see much offensive IQ or vision, or a guy who will be a PP player in the NHL. Like I said previous, looks to me like a 15-20 goal, 30-40 point terrific 3rd-liner.

I see more skill than Colton Gillies or Tom Wilson ... but I don't see skills that make it likely he'll be an NHL point producer.
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I respectfully disagree. I have seen a lot more skill and vision from Lawson than I have seen from Wilson and Gillies combined, comparing him to those 2 isn't fair in the slightest. There's a reason scouts love his game, it's not because they think he's a third or fourth line guy.
 
sniper81 said:
He's 6 foot 4, skates incredibly well, cycles incredibly well, he is one of the best defensive forwards in the OHL, has an excellent shot and release, has very slick hands and has a solid sense for making nifty passes in tight. Did you watch him on TV over the holidays or have you been following him the past while? Not taking a shot against you but just using strictly this tournament probably isn't the best way to get a read on him. Lawson has had a big body of work over the last 3 years and has shown time and time again that he is pretty highly skilled.
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So with all that you have pumped him up for, where is the production in the O? He is a great athlete, huge and getting the opportunity, so why is that not translating into points?
 
sniper81 said:
I respectfully disagree. I have seen a lot more skill and vision from Lawson than I have seen from Wilson and Gillies combined, comparing him to those 2 isn't fair in the slightest. There's a reason scouts love his game, it's not because they think he's a third or fourth line guy.
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I agree he has more skill and vision than those guys. That's why they're 4th liners/out of the NHL and I'm saying Crouse is a good 3rd-liner.

I don't see that vision. And I've only seen him once in the OHL, but when he has 4 assists in 24 games that's kind of backing up my perception from the eye test.

I think he's a terrific prospect, he's the sort of guy winning teams have in their top-9, and if I was drafting 10-15 I'd be stoked to add him to my organization. Top-5 in a deep draft? Not so much.
 
sniper81 said:
He's 6 foot 4, skates incredibly well, cycles incredibly well, he is one of the best defensive forwards in the OHL, has an excellent shot and release, has very slick hands and has a solid sense for making nifty passes in tight. Did you watch him on TV over the holidays or have you been following him the past while? Not taking a shot against you but just using strictly this tournament probably isn't the best way to get a read on him. Lawson has had a big body of work over the last 3 years and has shown time and time again that he is pretty highly skilled.
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No doubt he will play in the NHL. But I do have doubt's that he will be a top line player. I see him more as a Tom Wilson, 3rd line player.
 
sabrebuild said:
So with all that you have pumped him up for, where is the production in the O? He is a great athlete, huge and getting the opportunity, so why is that not translating into points?
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I have yet to see a single Crouse proponent answer that question.
 
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