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LW Riley Tufte - Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA (2016, 25th, DAL)

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AmericanDream said:
I actually do not see how the USHL does anything for him this year.

Am I supposed to believe a kid who jumps to another team at the end of the year for a handful of games with no chemistry with line mates is going to make him a top 15 player or not?

I agree that he didn't overwhelm in his whopping 12 games to start the year, but this isn't then and another 5 or 6 games isn't going to do a ton for him either regardless if he produces or not. You are basing your opinion off of a game you saw 4 months ago? And I respect your opinion as you follow USHL closely as well, so don't take it the wrong way just this isn't then.

At this point teams have seen what he is made of, his size and skillset are nearly unmatched in this draft...

Going off history we haven't seen this size and skill from Minnesota hockey since Nick Bjugstad went top 20. And prior to him was Blake Wheeler who went top 5. I have a hard time believing Tufte is going to go anywhere past those two after putting up the goal numbers he has. He is 6'6 200lbs plus for the love of God.

Looking at some of the names being ranked ahead of him currently: Logan Brown, Luke Kunin, Dante Fabbro, Max Jones, Tyson Jost, Kieffer Bellows, and Mikhail Sergachev, are you going to say he can't go ahead of any of these kids as Tufte is ranked 21st for Bobby Mac?

I just watched the Portland game last night and they were talking about Tufte, maybe because of Bittner and Iverson being from Minny.. But they as well said they would be shocked if this kid isn't picked in the 10-15 range as Prince George is throwing everything at Tufte to come on board to play.

They echo the same sentiment of his size and skillset is simply unmatched (goal scoring especially which Logan Brown does not have) and talked about players like McCarron and Biggs (both bigger power forwards) who got drafted around the same range that Tufte is getting ranked currently with FAR LESS skill. I agree with them, people are missing the boat with him rankings wise and it will show come June.

The one thing I would love to see is him invited to play for the US at the u18 tournament. They do bring kids from outside from time to time and no better player to bring and showcase a bit than him.
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No doubt they are. They are going to be a top team next year, he could put them over the top.
 
puckfan13 said:
Genuinely honest question: how many points do people more familiar with the hockey think Logan Brown would put up in Minn HS hockey this season, or Tage Thompson last season (his HS Sr year)
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(FWIW, I've seen all three this year and would put Tufte ahead of Brown, and way ahead of Thompson.)

They'd certainly have no trouble scoring a lot of points at the high school level. At a certain point, the exact total doesn't matter all that much. Once you get past a point per game, it's more about who is running up the score in low leverage situations than quality of the player.

I'd guess they'd score slightly less than Tufte because the nature of HS hockey suits Tufte's skills a lot better. It's much more wide open with very little contact, and with a few exceptions, the talent around them isn't as good so they're not getting set up as often. It definitely favors guys that are good skaters and can create their own opportunities with the puck on their stick like Tufte as opposed to more traditional power forwards(Brown's stickhandling is excellent, but his skating isn't anywhere close to Tufte). Tufte would(and did) have more problems playing in a more physical environment though.

That's why I think--having watched both a lot in HS--Tufte is a much better HS player this year than Nick Bjugstad was as a senior. Tufte is more consistently dangerous because of his skating. But that doesn't necessarily mean Tufte will end up being the better pro. Bjugstad figured out how to adjust to use his skills at a higher level of play. Tufte will still have to figure out how to make that jump.
 
WesternCollegeHockey said:
(FWIW, I've seen all three this year and would put Tufte ahead of Brown, and way ahead of Thompson.)

They'd certainly have no trouble scoring a lot of points at the high school level. At a certain point, the exact total doesn't matter all that much. Once you get past a point per game, it's more about who is running up the score in low leverage situations than quality of the player.

I'd guess they'd score slightly less than Tufte because the nature of HS hockey suits Tufte's skills a lot better. It's much more wide open with very little contact, and with a few exceptions, the talent around them isn't as good so they're not getting set up as often. It definitely favors guys that are good skaters and can create their own opportunities with the puck on their stick like Tufte as opposed to more traditional power forwards(Brown's stickhandling is excellent, but his skating isn't anywhere close to Tufte). Tufte would(and did) have more problems playing in a more physical environment though.

That's why I think--having watched both a lot in HS--Tufte is a much better HS player this year than Nick Bjugstad was as a senior. Tufte is more consistently dangerous because of his skating. But that doesn't necessarily mean Tufte will end up being the better pro. Bjugstad figured out how to adjust to use his skills at a higher level of play. Tufte will still have to figure out how to make that jump.
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fantastic post. this is why I come to HFboards
 
How does it work for school, he left Minnesota to attend school in North Dakota partway into the second semester?
 
with the Jets having Chicago's 1st round pick this year and Tufte being ranked around 27th and the Jets current LWs being "geezers" compared to the rest of the roster I am drooling at the Tufte potential..with Connor and Roslovic..he'd fit right in with Wheeler and Buff and the rest of the mafia..and with the Jets sucking so hard this season we'll hopefully get a top 4 pick..more LW options in Laine or Tkachuk..I can't see us getting #1..Toronto's already paid for that pick..
 
Hoped for better numbers but hard jumping to a new team at a higher level near the end of the season. Doesn't take away from his potential.
 
MNRube said:
I think he goes around 15-18. But he would be an excellent fit with Winnipeg.
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I have a group of 21 players who I think will all be picked in the first round(most likely somwhere between 21 and 25), that being said I have Tufte in a group of 4-5 players just after that top 21 teir who might sneak in to the end of that list
 
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