Prospect Info: Owen Pickering, 21st Overall, 2022 NHL Draft

[Honour Over Glory]

At 18 and after a massive growth spurt yes. Not really worth worrying about. If he’s the same weight in 2 years, maybe.

He is naturally going to add muscle as he's getting used to his height after a growth spurt like his. A better example is Drew O'Connor who had a similar situation of being a short stack to a beanstalk. Genetics are also an x factor. My brother and I can put on mass quite quickly, naturally mind you. Depends on the lad.

2019 he was 5'7" and 131lbs
2022 he is 6'4"-6'5" and 179-180lbs

To me this shows he hasn't "naturally" filled out yet. Once he does, his body will want to add mass given it already has with his growth. I think he will get to 200lbs quite quickly. 9" jump in 3yrs is crazy. Reminds me of a cousin I have that was 5'8" at 15 and by 19 he was 6'5". Lazy as shit though, in decent shape but zero coordination.

Drew stands at 6'3" and 200lbs.

Drew was listed at the same weight back in 2020 at 21 and for 2019 Dartmouth roster.

Speaking of Drew...this will always crack me up.

"Put in a position to succeed......."

 

[Honour Over Glory]

If he spends a summer with Ovechkin, he could realistically gain 50lbs easy.



Of fat.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I'm sure there's a research paper out there on the optimal ratio of muscle to fat when adding weight for a hockey player. It may have just taken me 5 minutes to write that previous sentence -- I need more coffee.

If I get bored enough at work today I'll try to find something more medical/research centered than our thoughts.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I mean, he could just go the AO way and juice himself because lord knows they ain't checking for it.

The NHL's "drug policy" is basically, saying "don't do drugs (on camera)," really loudly.

 

[The Old Master]

he does a lot of things our de doesn't like clearing the front of the net......wonder how long it will take sully to coach it out of him? So he'll be standing at the side of the net and shaking his stick at the puck.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

he does a lot of things our de doesn't like clearing the front of the net......wonder how long it will take sully to coach it out of him? So he'll be standing at the side of the net and shaking his stick at the puck.

We should be worried if he shows any sign of aggressive behavior as a defenseman. If that happens he'll ride the WBS express the rest of his career.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I mean, he could just go the AO way and juice himself because lord knows they ain't checking for it.

The NHL's "drug policy" is basically, saying "don't do drugs (on camera)," really loudly.

Don't film yourself and your pals with lines of coke already cut up on the table with your cellphone *ahem*Kuznetsov*ahem* guys.

 

[JTG]

Gotta be honest, I like the Pickering pick but I don't give the slightest shit how well somebody interviews. Everyone always loved talking to Ben Lovejoy but he sucked. Kessel couldn't talk at all and he was good.

It doesn't matter unless the interview is catastrophically bad, and even then I think with the right leadership you can work on that with a prospect.

The difference is if this guy lives up to his draft position, he should be one of the better guys on the team. He could conceivably be a future captain here if things work out a certain way. And how he handles himself, he sounds like a leader, which this team is going to need by time he gets into the NHL.

 

[dogthateats]

 

[Jacob]

The more clips I watch the more I think he’ll be one of the best skating blueliners in the league if/when he plays in the NHL. His skating is perfect.

 

[Ryder71]

Very curious and excited to see how this young player develops.

 

[Flying Dego]

Pickering making the NHL in a few years as Sid and Geno retire and the rest of our lineup are the old overpaid vets left to lead us to a #1 pick

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Legit candidate for the WJC (winter one) imo, if not just based on the other LD on the Team Canada camp roster.

 

[Jobeycool]

Pickering's skating looks really good and passing..

 

[Pancakes]

Pickering making the NHL in a few years as Sid and Geno retire and the rest of our lineup are the old overpaid vets left to lead us to a #1 pick
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It's kinda funny but the last time this type of situation happened was when Brooks Orpik joined the Pens. Late first rounder who could skate and be good defensively, pretty much exactly what we're hoping Pickering will be, though I think Pickering projects to have more offense than Brooks did.

Time is a flat circle I guess? Maybe this means we're due for another generational player after the wheels fall off. Uncle Gary always delivers

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Hopefully a nice core piece to start the post Crosby-Malkin era.

 

[jmelm]

5'7 to 6'5 in a few years? damn, boys got some DOC in him.

So you're saying he's a future all star.......nice!!

 

[jmelm]

I haven't participated in this thread yet (I was mainly focused on the Draft/Prospect forum around draft time) but I am absolutely in love with this pick.

I didn't see anyone mention it here (since no one else is as big of a draft nerd/obsessive as I am and didn't listen to all of CB's interviews) but Craig Button said he likens Pickering's game to Jaccob Slavin.

I do also love this kid's personality. It doesn't always matter, but in this case I think it does matter. Not bullshit pre-canned answers. He also plays the violin, and you need a good brain to do that. It's a better hobby than what some other kids engage in.

Also, didn't see this posted:

 

[Pens x]

Hopefully, he doesn’t take as long as big lips Poulin to make the team.

 

[jmelm]

Hopefully, he doesn’t take as long as big lips Poulin to make the team.

That's in part because Poulin can't skate. If they had drafted Tomasino like we should have, he'd be on the team right now. But NOOOO....Poulin is 1.5" taller so we better draft him...

 

[Pens x]

That's in part because Poulin can't skate. If they had drafted Tomasino like we should have, he'd be on the team right now. But NOOOO....Poulin is 1.5" taller so we better draft him...

It seems like only yesterday so many people had Poulin projected in their top 9 because he was invited to team Canada world junior training camp, even though no one had ever seen him play.

 

[td_ice]

Pickering's skating looks really good and passing..

Some Jay Bouwmeester vibes maybe? That'd be cool.

 

[66-30-33]

So you're saying he's a future all star.......nice!!

Future HOF!

 

[jmelm]

Some Jay Bouwmeester vibes maybe? That'd be cool.

Yeah, this is precisely what I was thinking.

Brad Allen from HockeyProspect was on SiriusXM's prospect show today and was talking about Pickering (they did a mini-review of teams' drafts) and he was saying that his skating and puck handling skills are at the pro level right now.

Especially given his crazy growth spurt and missing the vast majority of last season with the Covid stoppage, this kid has as much potential as anyone in the draft to really pop next year in regards to that missed development time. If he doesn't pop, he could still be a very high end #4 insulator type D (like a better Dumoulin). But if he does pop next season and we're seeing what we may have seen in his draft season were if not for missing the previous one, we're talking about a clear cut top 10 pick.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think Jesse mentioned his ceiling is prime Dumo's defensive/stick work and Matheson's skating/transition ability--just to kinda reference familiar players.

That's a hell of a player. Hope he pans out.