Player Discussion Mason McTavish

[bsu]

You think Beniers' hands are even close from McTavish's or Eklund's? Could he pull off the same moves? I haven't seen anything that would suggest he's even close. Also, did you ever watch Hughes? He's scary. Probably closer to Power than to the top forwards. Don't think any of the forwards are gonna come even close but it's still a bit early.

Using "hands" to judge players is definitely an interesting way to tell if someone is better than another. Milano has better hands than 80% of the players on our team. Beniers has underrated offensive skills and a ridicolous skating base with both speed and elite edge work that both those players don't. He also has more heart and determination than any of those players and its not even close. He's a Point type. He's the reverse of "quick strike" offense than McTavish brings. His hands are in everything whether he has the puck or not. He impacts the game more than any of the forwards you listed.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

It has nothing to do with that but Beniers just doesn't have the hands to justifiy a top10 pick in what's probably gonna be a strong draft class with so many elite defenders and a few forwards with exceptional hands like Eklund, Johnson or McTavish. Beniers is gonna be a good player but he's not as gifted as other forwards and I still think the defenders are likely gonna be even better than the forwards.

In my view, you're a grade a moron if you draft Beniers when you could have Luke Hughes instead. Especially if you're an expansion team. If you're an established team with a full defense pipeline it's something different but for Seattle there was no reason to draft a forward 2nd overall, let alone friggen Beniers. Again, this is nothing against Beniers who's gonna be a very good NHL player. It's just that there were better options.

I'm just talking about winning the Calder. Beniers has a higher floor than many forwards in his 2021 class. That makes Beniers be ahead of the race. As things progress, other forwards may surpass Beniers, but we just don't know when. That's why Beniers is one of the favorites before the season.

 

[Hinterland]

Using "hands" to judge players is definitely an interesting way to tell if someone is better than another. Milano has better hands than 80% of the players on our team. Beniers has underrated offensive skills and a ridicolous skating base with both speed and elite edge work that both those players don't. He also has more heart and determination than any of those players and its not even close. He's a Point type. He's the reverse of "quick strike" offense than McTavish brings. His hands are in everything whether he has the puck or not. He impacts the game more than any of the forwards you listed.

I'm not. I just don't think Beniers' hands are good enough to justify his 2nd overall pick. I think this is a very strong draft class and a forward without elite hands can't possibly be the 2nd best of that group. I know his skating is elite, he's great against the puck and stuff and again...it's nothing against Beniers who's gonna be a great player. I just think there's too many with higher upside in his draft class. If it turns out I'm wrong that's most likely gonna be fine with me since, like I said, Beniers appears to be a nice bloke. For now though I have no reasons to change my mind regarding that draft class.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I think the reasoning behind picking Beniers is he'll have a lot of opportunity to provide offense while centering Seattle's top line between Burakovsky and McCann.

Power is the pick for me at the moment. And I agree that McTavish probably won't set the league on fire just yet.

McTavish hasn't had a long stretch at the pro level to display his talent on full. He's had the bad luck of constantly being injured... just like a Duck already. ha!

As a winger, there's less for McTavish to think about and could go bonkers. Two seasons ago against men in the NL-B, it took McTavish a short bit until he he had an impact on the scoreboard. And then in the playoffs, he took it to another level.

That's my hope is that Mctavish turns it on maybe a month into the season. Strome likes to pass and Terry likes to pass or shot. Maybe McTavish's goal from Terry's assist in pre-season is the start of good chemistry.

 

[Ducks in a row]

McTavish the primary assist on Ducks 1st goal of the season

 

[AngelDuck]

He gave Beniers a little "suck it" tap after Terry roofed that.

Hahaha

 

[Rybread86]

Liking the kids hands and his calmness. Whatelse cha got kid?

 

[Quack Shot]

On pace for 246 points

 

[Mr Rogers]

I guess he wasn't really known as a playmaker but both of those passes were really nice

 

[bracer028]

Just let him play

 

[DigiDuck]

He's going to be fun to watch. Let him get acclimated to the NHL game on the wing and make an impact. He reads the game well and that's always a good trait. And in the way that he can change his play style to how the game is going. The edge to his game is going to be needed on this roster in the future.

He'll have some rough patches and growing pains, but he won't be floating or disappearing during them.

 

[bsu]

Quick strike but damn he's good at getting points one way or another. Two excellent passes for primary apples.

 

[Hinterland]

I was sceptical about him playing top6 but if Eakins can give him PP time and still limit his TOI like in game 1 then McTavish could be fine. He was certainly effective.

 

[Kalv]

Being an often critic of his game in the past, I think this was a really good game for him. He showed his range of skills, those assists weren't easy and not everyone could make them...

Still he's quite long way from reaching his potential but that's also exciting. There's room to grow and I have little doubt that there's also will from him to get there.

For the watch!

 

[KaseMeOutside]

I hope the first game brings to an end some of the ridiculous scrutiny on him. Give the kid time to develop

 

[AngelDuck]

That top 4 of Power, Beniers, McTavish, and Hughes is looking really, really nice

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

MacTavish just barely missed making the U23 team on the mainboards - do you think they made a mistake?

I think he will be in the discussion for top line in next year's polls.

FYI Drysdale also got some votes but didn't quite crack the HM's. Very possible Anaheim has at least 3 guys on the team next year!

 

[Gliff]

MacTavish just barely missed making the U23 team on the mainboards - do you think they made a mistake?

I think he will be in the discussion for top line in next year's polls.

FYI Drysdale also got some votes but didn't quite crack the HM's. Very possible Anaheim has at least 3 guys on the team next year!

He is still 19. I feel like people are putting way too much pressure on him.

Vegas thinks he will win the Calder.
Expecting him to be better then Jarvis and Raymond is a tall order.

 

[Quack Shot]

 

[bsu]

I hope the first game brings to an end some of the ridiculous scrutiny on him. Give the kid time to develop

I mean almost every person on here usually says it's the pace thats the issue and he will be good once he gets used to it. If he can produce two sick assists until that happens no one will complain. He's 19 years old and eligible for WJC.....

 

[Kalv]

He had 3 shots, Including one hit the post.
He might be putting the puck in net himself soon.

 

[bsu]

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Quick strike but damn he's good at getting points one way or another. Two excellent passes for primary apples.

Gonna get the crowd upset at this but keep in mind the only reason he had a chance to make the second pass was because his ass was saved after a horrendous blue line giveaway by a Zegras back check - doesn't seem all that repeatable tbh

 

[bsu]

Gonna get the crowd upset at this but keep in mind the only reason he had a chance to make the second pass was because his ass was saved after a horrendous blue line giveaway by a Zegras back check - doesn't seem all that repeatable tbh

Have fun with that post

Another underrated part of that play was Strome's forecheck and takeaway.

 

[Sean Garrity]

Gonna get the crowd upset at this but keep in mind the only reason he had a chance to make the second pass was because his ass was saved after a horrendous blue line giveaway by a Zegras back check - doesn't seem all that repeatable tbh

IIRC, That was Zegras with the horrendous turnover, where he dropped it to Klingberg who instantly had 3 Kraken on him at the blue line. Mactavish had one earlier in that sequence when he fell down, but it didn’t lead to that.