RW Brock Boeser - North Dakota, NCAA (2015, 23rd, VAN) II

[Breakers]

Do you think he's the best or one of the best players not playing in the NHL?

Puljujarvi
Keller
Barzal
Chabot
Connor
White
Steel
McAvoy
Malgin
Sergachev
Nylander
Jost
Greenway
Roslovic
Fischer
Patrick
Hischier

Hard to say he's better than these guys - and that's just North America. I'd say Gersich is even the better player right now.

I'd also think it a stretch to say his wrist problems are affecting his skating ability.

Actually it's pretty easy to say he is better than some of those listed.

 

[RandV]

Its concerning thats for sure but Button recently called him maybe the best hockey player outside the nhl which is pretty over the top so will have to be a lil more patient with these struggles. Maybe the ahl is the best for him next year well Gaudette makes the jump raight away to the Canucks. I hope he makes it but if is best for his development in the ahl then thats ok too i guess

So Craig Button is the definitive expert on scouting because he praises Brock Boeser now? I'm not discounting Craig Button, he is a professional scout... but he's a lone scout with his own opinion that can often strongly deviate from a common consensus. For the 2015 draft he had Boeser ranked 9th, so he's always been high on him. But there are also guys he ranks unusually low, from 2015:

Hanafin - 12
Rantanen - 16
Zacha - 24
White - 32
Konecny - 33

Think as highly as Boeser as you want, but waiving around Craig Button's opinion as some definitive authority isn't going to get you anywhere.

 

[The Drop]

And despite that, his opinion on the player is extremely debatable. Do you agree with his opinion?

I really don't get the appeal to authority with regard to evaluating prospects.



Nothing "against" Boeser, I just find whim highly overrated. Like when last spring he was voted as a better prospect than Aho (lol).

Which players on that list is Boeser definitively better than? Because he's certainly not better than Jost. I'd argue Gersich has been better this year as well.

I'm not sure I agree with his opinion either. But having not followed Boeser myself I usually just stick to these threads or what I hear on the radio.

You could also take Buttons word as "One of the best" to mean that he is among those guys you listed and not better

 

[Canucks LB]

I would be more worried if he did not just come off major wrist surgery.

 

[PG Canuck]

Luckily, skating is something that can be improved but not always, obviously. Hockey IQ, skills...you either have it or you don't. Horvat's biggest knock was his skating. One of his strengths now is his skating. If Boeser can improve his skating just a tad, he could be just fine in that regard and I'm not even sure how much of an issue it truly is (I only see highlights of him).

 

[Evolu7ion]

Luckily, skating is something that can be improved but not always, obviously. Hockey IQ, skills...you either have it or you don't. Horvat's biggest knock was his skating. One of his strengths now is his skating. If Boeser can improve his skating just a tad, he could be just fine in that regard and I'm not even sure how much of an issue it truly is (I only see highlights of him).

I'd say at present, considering what he's displayed both last season and this season, his skating isn't a strength, but it also isn't an outright weakness. It's something he should look to improve and polish to be the most dominant as possible at the next level.

 

[Evolu7ion]

Boeser brings a lot more to the table than just an elite (and it really is elite) shooting arsenal though. His ability to read the play and get his shots away in premium scoring chance areas is great. If you watch all the goals he scores, they aren't all the same - he scores in plenty of different ways and generates offense from different aspects of his game. I also think his playmaking is underrated a tad, he definitely knows where his teammates are and how to get them the puck for great scoring chances when defences inevitably overprotect against the scoring threat his shot commands. Also think he has great hands and puck handling just feels natural and smooth when you watch him play.

 

[Mickey the mouse]

Boeser brings a lot more to the table than just an elite (and it really is elite) shooting arsenal though. His ability to read the play and get his shots away in premium scoring chance areas is great. If you watch all the goals he scores, they aren't all the same - he scores in plenty of different ways and generates offense from different aspects of his game. I also think his playmaking is underrated a tad, he definitely knows where his teammates are and how to get them the puck for great scoring chances when defences inevitably overprotect against the scoring threat his shot commands. Also think he has great hands and puck handling just feels natural and smooth when you watch him play.

Lets look at his scoring this season

Canisus - 2 games = 6 pnts 1g, 5a
bemidji - 2 games = 5g, 0a
St cloud - 2 games = 3a
Neb Omaha - 2 games = 3g, 2a

Now take a look at what happens when he plays against a good defensive NCHC team with an elite skating d-man....

Minn Duluth ( Pionk ) - 4 games = 0 pnts
Denver ( Butcher ) - 2 games = 0 pnts
Miami ( Belpedio ) - 2 games = 1 pnt 5x3 PP goal

Needs to perform against top level competion

 

[Hanji]

There's a lot of players not in the NHL.

When I hear "one of the best not in the NHL" I'm not thinking top 5-6. Let's just say Button was suggesting he thought he was one of the top 30 outside the NHL. I'd still classify that as "one of the best not in the NHL" and quite realistic.

Oh cmon. Boeser has great potential, but he isn't even among the best 30 not in the NHL at the current moment. Not even close.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

Oh cmon. Boeser has great potential, but he isn't even among the best 30 not in the NHL at the current moment. Not even close.

Why not? I havent really seen this opinion here before.

 

[Hanji]

Why not? I havent really seen this opinion here before.

Because Boeser is a junior aged player with a lot of growing to do. Same goes for a lot of those players listed on that previous post.

There are like a gazillion fully developed veteran players in Europe/AHL who would be one man wrecking crews if they currently played against college competition. But of course none have anywhere near the potential of Brock, or those other players previously listed.

 

[Breakers]

Lets look at his scoring this season

Canisus - 2 games = 6 pnts 1g, 5a
bemidji - 2 games = 5g, 0a
St cloud - 2 games = 3a
Neb Omaha - 2 games = 3g, 2a

Now take a look at what happens when he plays against a good defensive NCHC team with an elite skating d-man....

Minn Duluth ( Pionk ) - 4 games = 0 pnts
Denver ( Butcher ) - 2 games = 0 pnts
Miami ( Belpedio ) - 2 games = 1 pnt 5x3 PP goal

Needs to perform against top level competion

He did remember???? when they won the national championship and he was the leading scoring in the tourney.

 

[Breakers]

Because Boeser is a junior aged player with a lot of growing to do. Same goes for a lot of those players listed on that previous post.

There are like a gazillion fully developed veteran players in Europe/AHL who would be one man wrecking crews if they currently played against college competition. But of course none have anywhere near the potential of Brock, or those other players previously listed.

NOPE, he's a sophmore. Big difference

 

[TeddyBare]

Oh cmon. Boeser has great potential, but he isn't even among the best 30 not in the NHL at the current moment. Not even close.

Name 30 then.

 

[93LEAFS]

NOPE, he's a sophmore. Big difference

Pretty sure he meant U-20 player, as in was eligible for the WJC this year, and wouldn't be an overager in most junior leagues.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

Because Boeser is a junior aged player with a lot of growing to do. Same goes for a lot of those players listed on that previous post.

There are like a gazillion fully developed veteran players in Europe/AHL who would be one man wrecking crews if they currently played against college competition. But of course none have anywhere near the potential of Brock, or those other players previously listed.

Ah, that makes sense. So Kovalchuk, for example, is one such player.

 

[Hanji]

Name 30 then.

Name 30? Just look at the rosters for any top European teams, especially KHL clubs. I mean Boeser would likely be riding the pine if he were on SKA or whoever.

As a North Dakota alum, I can tell you that even nobodies like Bochenski, Genoway, Duncan, etc. are certainly better players than Boeser at the moment. At younger ages they all dominated at UND (like Boeser) yet are fully developed veteran men now. If they were to suit up for UND tomorrow it would be an absolute bloodbath.

This isn't a slam on Boeser, he plays for my beloved Sioux. But I'm just trying to inject some reality into this thread. Brock's still a kid.

 

[TeddyBare]

Name 30? Just look at the rosters for any top European teams, especially KHL clubs. I mean Boeser would likely be riding the pine if he were on SKA or whoever.

As a North Dakota alum, I can tell you that even nobodies like Bochenski, Genoway, Duncan, etc. are certainly better players than Boeser at the moment. At younger ages they all dominated at UND (like Boeser) yet are fully developed veteran men now. If they were to suit up for UND tomorrow it would be an absolute bloodbath.

This isn't a slam on Boeser, he plays for my beloved Sioux. But I'm just trying to inject some reality into this thread. Brock's still a kid.

I'm pretty sure Craig Button was referring to the top "PROSPECTS" not playing in the NHL.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I'm pretty sure Craig Button was referring to the top "PROSPECTS" not playing in the NHL.

That's not what was said. But even still, he's not even in the discussion for best prospect not in the NHL.

And for those saying that being top 30 still could mean he's "one of the best prospects not in the NHL" - that's really nothing special considering he was a 1st rounder drafted 2 years ago and half the guys drafted ahead of him are already in the NHL.

 

[TeddyBare]

That's not what was said. But even still, he's not even in the discussion for best prospect not in the NHL.

And for those saying that being top 30 still could mean he's "one of the best prospects not in the NHL" - that's really nothing special considering he was a 1st rounder drafted 2 years ago and half the guys drafted ahead of him are already in the NHL.

Key word drafted "AHEAD" of him

He's a late round draft pick who is performing above expectations. A little context goes a long way.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Key word drafted "AHEAD" of him

My point is that the pool of available top prospects playing outside the NHL is extremely small. Saying he's a top 30 prospect playing outside the NHL is the opposite of impressive considering he was a first round pick 2 years ago.

He's a late round draft pick who is performing above expectations. A little context goes a long way.

But he's really not playing at all better than expectations. He's a PPG sophomore being outscored by his 2 linemates. If anything, he's playing below expectations after last season.

 

[Breakers]

But he's really not playing at all better than expectations. He's a PPG sophomore being outscored by his 2 linemates. If anything, he's playing below expectations after last season.

Sorry there pal

Jost and gersich aren't his line mates
They were for like 1 week at the start of the season.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Sorry there pal

Jost and gersich aren't his line mates
They were for like 1 week at the start of the season.

Hmm, I saw him play UMD a couple weeks ago and looked like he was taking shifts with Jost. I know he was when I saw him in November?

 

[CherryToke]

No wonder he is struggling. His linemates are deadweight. Does he play with Jost and Gersich on the PP at least?

 

[Hanji]

Berry mixes lines up all the time, within games. Jost, Boeser, Gersich all get a fair share of minutes next to each other, as they do next to Pogo, JJ, or Gardner.