Was checking Swift Current's playoff numbers to see how Josh Filmon was doing and noticed Mistelbacher.
How much of his big season is due to the team's dominance and how does his game translate to higher levels? Even Filmon was chosen in the later rounds.
Filmon is actually a pretty good comparison. Both are high IQ goal scorers, both are good skaters, very efficient against the puck but aren't really creative, don't have a high end skillset.
The problem with Filmon was that he was too slight for the powerforward style he wants to play. To a certain degree that is still the case and I do think that he does struggle both to add weight and with the already added weight. He used to be far too easy to knock off pucks and that's no longer the case but he still doesn't have the frame to play the way he wants to play. At WHL level it's starting to come but he may be struggling playing against men.
Mistelbacher is much thicker, tougher to knock off pucks but he doesn't seem to be into hitting quite as much as Filmon. He's also not as tall as Filmon so I'd say that there's less powerforward potential in Mistelbacher compared to Filmon. Filmon is also a way more dominant player right now but that's not surprising since he's older as well.
I think Mistelbacher's game could translate well to the NHL level but much like Filmon I think that if he does make it there, I see him as more of a role player than high end scorer.
Playing on a good team has helped both of these guys but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. They prove they can be effective and put pucks in the net if given the opportunity to play with good players. I think since they're not overly creative themselves they actually kinda need good teammates to set them up in order to score the way they're currently doing. I think they could be effective in different roles as well but demonstrating the ability to play with good players is a plus because of course, in the NHL players are more skilled than in the WHL.