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LW Paul Bittner - Portland Winterhawks, WHL (2015, 38th, CBJ)

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Here's an excerpt from a lengthy column on Bittner:
Kompon described what he has observed in coaching Bittner. Kompon suggested that having played in the WHL for a couple of years already, perhaps Bittner was putting a lot of pressure on himself early this season to produce.

“It’s a process to get where you want to go. If you want to get to the top without doing your due diligence along the way, you can come tumbling down the mountain. One compliment an NHL scout gave Paul recently is that at the start of the year he saw him as a scorer, and now he sees him as a 200-foot player on the rink. He’s playing on a line with the team’s top two players, and he creates a lot of space for those two. Playing with these two players is not an easy task; Paul has embraced this role. His hockey sense is top notch, he is a penalty killer, and is on our number one power play. His game has really evolved.”
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Tripod said:
So is he the real deal, or a product of playing on a great line?
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A bit of both, but some work out there has shown that his numbers are actually quite good when not on the ice with Petan and Bjorkstrand.
 
Bittner comes in at #7 on my final WHL player ranking for 2015.

#7 Paul Bittner

Team: Portland Winterhawks
Position: LW
Shoots: L
Height: 6’4
Weight: 204
GP: 66
Goals: 34
Assists: 37
Points: 71
Pts/Gm: 1.07
PIM: 52

Player Analysis: Paul Bittner is a big and rangy winger for the Portland Winterhawks… skates quite well for a player of his size, showing good growth in that area over the past two seasons…his stride is long but could use a bit more power in the way he uses his edges, especially in acceleration…footwork is still a bit clunky, especially his first few steps …skating fundamentals are quite good, though, when looking at the full picture…at full speed his stride has good length to it and his top speed is well above average for a player of his stature…possesses a fantastic shot…has a quick release with his wrister, also possessing that heavy quality that teams like to see…understands shooting lanes and angles and how to get in the proper shooting position against tight gaps or good sticks…isn’t shy about going to the front of the net to use his length to obstruct the goalies sight lines…is good at finishing plays from in tight despite his long limbs…while he has a shooters lean to his game he’s not afraid to make plays…his long arms help him find open lanes to dish the puck…passes the puck quick and doesn’t seem to over-think things when he has it on his tape…his arm length and lanky lower body also allows him to protect the puck well along the walls…is fantastic on the cycle and can generate chances in this manner…is strong on the rush but seems more like a set up and cycle type of offensive producer when projecting his game at the next level…felt that his hockey sense and positioning were standout features for him as a 16 year old but they haven’t been as prevalent or impressive the last couple of years…still plays a fairly complete game and isn’t afraid to block shots or do the little things defensively…defensively he could still stand to play with plenty more fire and assertiveness…doesn’t throw his weight around as much as one might expect or want to see from someone who is 6’4…have seen him take some big runs at smaller players but doesn’t always engage with guys closer to his weight class…has all the tools to take over a game but continues to leave me wanting a bit more, especially in the physicality department…isn’t your typical 6’4 power winger but still understands how to use his size and reach to his advantage although that consistency is a definite area of concern regarding his overall game…sitting at 204 pounds this year, I think his NHL playing weight will be somewhere around 215 or 220…will be extremely important that he maintains his quickness as he adds weight…is a late-1996 for the draft…spent much of the season alongside Nic Petan and Oliver Bjorkstrand on Portland’s top line, including 27 of their final 28 regular season games…was also a fixture on the powerplay with some penalty killing mixed in too…had a slow offensive start to this season but had a very productive second half as he had 0.82 PPG before December 31st and 1.33 PPG from January 1st until the end of the season…finished 2nd in regular season goals among first-time draft-eligible WHL forwards, trailing only Jake DeBrusk…his 71 regular season points were 4th best among all first-time draft-eligible WHL forwards while his point-per-game rate was 5th best…his even-strength points-per-game rate of 0.71 was 3rd best among all first-year draft-eligible WHL forwards while his 23 even-strength goals were also 3rd best among that group…finished 5th in primary assists among first-time draft-eligible WHL forwards with 21…was involved in 26.24% of all Winterhawks goals this season, good for 8th best among first-time draft-eligible WHL forwards…scored 12.93% of all Winterhawks goals this year, the 3rd highest percentage of any first-time draft-eligible WHL forward…he was never drafted into the WHL but was rather listed by Portland while playing high school hockey in Minnesota…overall I think he projects as a top 6 winger in the NHL, possessing a similar playing style to Max Pacioretty if all things go perfectly in his development…his length, size and decent smarts will allow him to be a solid bottom 6 winger if he doesn’t ever reach his top 6 potential…if his potential doesn’t get reached, his ceiling could end up more like an Eric Fehr style of player rather than a Pacioretty… I expect him to come off the board within the top 25 picks come June’s draft, possibly even ahead of guys like Merkley, Harkins and DeBrusk, despite me rating those three forwards higher and me having Bittner more as an early 2nd round type…


All other players: http://whl-from-above.blogspot.ca/2015/05/final-whl-rankings-2015-nhl-draft.html
 
Overrated. Looks like a guy that is a product of Petan and Bjorkstrand but some team is going to fall in love with his size and power forward potential. Happens every year to a bigger forward with limited offensive skills at the NHL level.
 
DJB said:
Overrated. Looks like a guy that is a product of Petan and Bjorkstrand but some team is going to fall in love with his size and power forward potential. Happens every year to a bigger forward with limited offensive skills at the NHL level.
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His offensive skills aren't that limited.

It's the other parts of his game that hold him back more than his ability to handle the puck, create and finish plays.
 
R S said:
His offensive skills aren't that limited.

It's the other parts of his game that hold him back more than his ability to handle the puck, create and finish plays.
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Yup. I think he got to do too much handling the puck and finishing plays playing with those two this year. He wanted to wait around for the puck, it almost would have been better for him to take charge of his own line. This guy does not want the puck enough, he doesn't want to go get it, I don't think you can teach it. He is skilled and big and can skate and can shoot, I wouldn't exactly call him bust material but he's definitely going to be a player that makes fans of the team he's on wanting more, he does that now and I can't see it changing a whole lot in the future. He is not hard to play against at all. But just because a player doesn't fit into a certain mold or archetype doesn't mean he can't be useful, it's going to be up to the team that drafts him to recognize his makeup and push the right buttons and put him in positions to succeed, the player development mechanism of the team that drafts him will be important. If he gets drafted to one of those orgs that doesn't invest in it and just sort of lets their prospects sink or swim that isn't a good situation for him.
 
DJB said:
Overrated. Looks like a guy that is a product of Petan and Bjorkstrand but some team is going to fall in love with his size and power forward potential. Happens every year to a bigger forward with limited offensive skills at the NHL level.
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Oh so you've never watched him. He's got surprisingly soft hands and offensive instincts. I do worry that they boosted his production but I like what I see from him as an individual.
 
puckfan13 said:
Yup. I think he got to do too much handling the puck and finishing plays playing with those two this year. He wanted to wait around for the puck, it almost would have been better for him to take charge of his own line. This guy does not want the puck enough, he doesn't want to go get it, I don't think you can teach it. He is skilled and big and can skate and can shoot, I wouldn't exactly call him bust material but he's definitely going to be a player that makes fans of the team he's on wanting more, he does that now and I can't see it changing a whole lot in the future. He is not hard to play against at all. But just because a player doesn't fit into a certain mold or archetype doesn't mean he can't be useful, it's going to be up to the team that drafts him to recognize his makeup and push the right buttons and put him in positions to succeed, the player development mechanism of the team that drafts him will be important. If he gets drafted to one of those orgs that doesn't invest in it and just sort of lets their prospects sink or swim that isn't a good situation for him.
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Yeah, i think situation, and expectations are going to be huge for Bittner's development and how he turns out.

Any team or fans going in expecting to turn him into a big aggressive "power forward" in the classic mold, are going to be disappointed and frustrated. That's just not what Bittner is, and i don't think that kind of fundamental attitude toward the game is something that you often see changed...you just don't see many teams really successfully cultivating a "mean streak" in players like that. If he lands with a team intent on trying to make him into something he's not, i can't see it going very well for them.

And i think the other part of the expectations thing, is that going in you probably have to think that if Bittner does end up in your "top-6", he's probably always going to be the "3rd best" player on his line. That said, there's still plenty of value to be had in a guy with that sort of size and mobility, who also has very respectable puck skills and enough offensive instincts to play with other good players in a complementary way. I think Bittner in the right situation, could absolutely develop into exactly the sort of player you're happy to have as a complement to your smaller "offensive dynamo" types - your Petans and Bjorkstrands, etc.

Could see Bittner always being one of those players who is a bit frustrating for fans who want to see more, and for coaches who are constantly having to prod him to keep him using his size effectively. But you can't teach 6'4" with good hands like that. And even just the rather "passive" way he uses his size on the cycle can make him a less than pleasant guy to play against.

Gonna be very interesting to see where he lands in the draft, and how he's developed from there.
 
DJB said:
Overrated. Looks like a guy that is a product of Petan and Bjorkstrand but some team is going to fall in love with his size and power forward potential. Happens every year to a bigger forward with limited offensive skills at the NHL level.
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Yunno, that's what I assumed until I watched him. He has surprisingly good hands and is a surprisingly good skater. He's not Jordan Greenway or Michael McCarron.
 
Blessed with a soft set of hands, the Minnesota native is adept at the possession game due to the way engulfs the puck and his keen vision. He’s actually a pretty good passer for a guy with a reputation as a sniper, sometimes to the point of being too unselfish. When he’s engaged (we’ll get to that later), Bittner is strong on his feet and uses his physicality to get to the net and stay there. His instincts in the tough areas near the crease are excellent; few are better than Bittner at corralling missed shots off the end boards while maintaining his position near the net. He plays a smart game, but tends to lose focus when the play isn’t happening in the offensive end. This is a common trait of skilled power forwards — they feel that the only way they can be effective is with the puck heading in one direction.
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http://www.thedraftanalyst.com/prospects/paul-bittner/
 
Hulleuz said:
I really want him, Meloche or Chabot as a Habs POV
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I'd be fine with Meloche or Chabot, but I want no part of Bittner. The scouting reports remind me of Pierre Dagenais or Rene Bourque. No more big guys that need jumper cables to get them going!

Also, I would have expected more production from him since his regular linemates appeared to be Bjorkstrand (sp?) and Petan.
 
Anardil said:
I'd be fine with Meloche or Chabot, but I want no part of Bittner. The scouting reports remind me of Pierre Dagenais or Rene Bourque. No more big guys that need jumper cables to get them going!

Also, I would have expected more production from him since his regular linemates appeared to be Bjorkstrand (sp?) and Petan.
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Still, he is a big boy and can be a support to some better offensive player. However, I have no idea about his attitude, work ethic and etc. If he is as lazy as you are saying, then screw it, lets get Boeser, Meloche or Chabot. J. Roy might slip as well in the first round :popcorn:
 
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