Spent too long typing.
He might not totally light it up next year. He’s making a big jump here.
People's expectations are getting a bit out of hand. I get it haha, but let the kid play. I'm not going to say he can't take off, but if he can even hit 30 points in a 40 game schedule, that's a terrific freshman year, even for a 1st rounder. If he doesn't, it's not end of the world. You have top prospects in the USHL seeing international competition who don't go bananas as freshman, especially in tough conferences. The adjustment will be real over the first couple months.
He's very smart and skilled, so he will adjust and not pull a Bellows I imagine, but Providence is also a lower scoring, defensive team (22nd in GF; 7th in GA last year) whose best player, Erik Foley (StL), had 35 points in 38 games as a junior and just left, along with their 2nd top point getter. He'll have room to get usage though, if he is deserving. Compared to Farabee who, while probably more ready for the competition level (despite his weight), is going to a deeper team. Depending on what happens with Tkachuk (look how he did his freshman year), he might be 2LW at best. But he'll still get his.
As a '99, hopefully JOB does get a bottom 6 role on the WJC team. You figure Hughes-Poehling are top 2 centers, but there's no standout player after them. Josh Norris might get the USA bump; Jack Wise too. The RW depth is weak too, with Wahlstrom the most notable player, along with someone like Hutsko. Farabee will be a lock though. Cates will have to really impress a la Laczynski to make it as a 4th liner. LW is deeper.
