RW Oliver Wahlstrom - Boston College, NCAA (2018, 11th, NYI)

[Mrb1p]

He is Vlad Tarasenko 2.0. He's not Boeser, he has better hands.

Hes a lot more Nash IMO. Tarasenko is a horse on skates.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Reminds me of Michael Ryder

 

[Mrb1p]

Reminds me of Michael Ryder

Michael Ryder never pulled a deke in his life.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Michael Ryder never pulled a deke in his life.

Toe drags a defender and snipes literally in the first segment of this clip

 

[Mrb1p]

Toe drags a defender and snipes literally in the first segment of this clip

Thanks for posting this, made me go back ten years. Marky was so great back then.

Anway, back on the subject, thats one time Ryder toe dragged someone, theres also that onr time against the rangers I believe, he hasnt done much dangling in his career Remember my friend going "wow Ryder can do that?" At that Caps goal.

Tldr; Ryder never deked anybody.

 

[Macch]

Toe drags a defender and snipes literally in the first segment of this clip

Video makes Ryder look like a good skater...

Boy has the NHL changed over the years

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Thanks for posting this, made me go back ten years. Marky was so great back then.

Anway, back on the subject, thats one time Ryder toe dragged someone, theres also that onr time against the rangers I believe, he hasnt done much dangling in his career Remember my friend going "wow Ryder can do that?" At that Caps goal.

Tldr; Ryder never deked anybody.

lol

I mean I doubt Wahlstrom will be dangling many defenders at the NHL level but I get you're point

 

[PWJunior]

On the Isles board, it was mentioned that Wahlstrom is AHL eligible this season according to Pronman. If he doesn't play the 9 games in the NHL, his ELC would slide.

Can anyone else confirm this? I thought only kids drafted out of Euro leagues could have their ELC slide while playing in the AHL.

 

[Phenomenon13]

On the Isles board, it was mentioned that Wahlstrom is AHL eligible this season according to Pronman. If he doesn't play the 9 games in the NHL, his ELC would slide.

Can anyone else confirm this? I thought only kids drafted out of Euro leagues could have their ELC slide while playing in the AHL.

this is true from my understanding.

Any prospect drafted that is under the age of 20 can have their elc slide for 2 years provided they do not play more than 9 games in the NHL.

 

[PWJunior]

this is true from my understanding.

Any prospect drafted that is under the age of 20 can have their elc slide for 2 years provided they do not play more than 9 games in the NHL.

I didn't know that it applied to kids out of the USA program too. If so, then why don't we see more Team USA kids forego College to go directly to pro hockey? It's a small sample group since the only kids who sign ELC's immediately after being drafted are top 1st round talents.

 

[Frk It]

Hes a lot more Nash IMO. Tarasenko is a horse on skates.

He’s like 210 lbs already and he just turned 18.

 

[AmericanDream]

On the Isles board, it was mentioned that Wahlstrom is AHL eligible this season according to Pronman. If he doesn't play the 9 games in the NHL, his ELC would slide.

Can anyone else confirm this? I thought only kids drafted out of Euro leagues could have their ELC slide while playing in the AHL.

as long as he is drafted out of the USHL/NCAA/BCHL/OJHL they can play immediately in the AHL. A few have done that right after their draft, Wahlstrom can play 9 games and get sent down to the AHL, or he can just go straight to the AHL. The CHL does not allow this so their "talent" doesn't get poached every year to the AHL.

 

[AmericanDream]

I didn't know that it applied to kids out of the USA program too. If so, then why don't we see more Team USA kids forego College to go directly to pro hockey? It's a small sample group since the only kids who sign ELC's immediately after being drafted are top 1st round talents.

to be honest, kids want to go to college for that experience, and not everyone is ready for 12 hour bus rides and full schedules. the AHL is still a real big step and most teams aren't comfortable with 18 year olds developing not against their peers unless they are physically and mentally ready which many aren't. I think we will be seeing more and more jumping directly though, as these kids are becoming pro payers like it was the earlier 1980s again, so Wall-E could very well be in the AHL next year.

 

[PWJunior]

as long as he is drafted out of the USHL/NCAA/BCHL/OJHL they can play immediately in the AHL. A few have done that right after their draft, Wahlstrom can play 9 games and get sent down to the AHL, or he can just go straight to the AHL. The CHL does not allow this so their "talent" doesn't get poached every year to the AHL.

Great. Thank you and @Phenomenon13 for the information.

This presents an interesting dilemma then, I just figured Wahlstrom would be one of those one and done kids at BC next year.

 

[PWJunior]

to be honest, kids want to go to college for that experience, and not everyone is ready for 12 hour bus rides and full schedules. the AHL is still a real big step and most teams aren't comfortable with 18 year olds developing not against their peers unless they are physically and mentally ready which many aren't. I think we will be seeing more and more jumping directly though, as these kids are becoming pro payers like it was the earlier 1980s again, so Wall-E could very well be in the AHL next year.

Yeah, these kids these days are not really kids. It's increasingly becoming a young man's game. Cases like Wahlstrom that could make the jump to the AHL are a pretty small sample though. You have to be quite a talent to even be considered to make the leap which would require the blessing of the NHL team.

There's risk in college too. Kieffer Bellows got buried by the talent at BU and wasn't been deployed the way Isles probably wanted. Seems like the CHL was a better fit for him. Everyone is different.

As you've seen a lot of Wahlstrom, you think he could make the jump? He is already NHL sized and doesn't have a mobility problem. He could polish his 200-foot game in the pros with proper coaching, something that Lou should remedy during the summer.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Wahlstrom is a winger. Will however be the 3rd best player from this draft 5 years from now looking back. Behind Dahlin and Svech

8th best behind Dahlin, Svech and several NYR picks

Yea and Ho-Sang is cocky as well and we see how that has turned out.

Wahlstrom is a completely different player and person than Ho-Sang. NYI got a good one. I've watched this kid a lot in person the past two seasons, and thought he was a better prospect than Tkachuk who went at #4.

Do you think he was saying that they're exactly the same person? Of course they're different. He was pointing out that, in this one aspect, while it can be great to say you have a proverbial chip on your shoulder, it could easily be the empty words of a future disappointment. I like the confidence, personally, but I recognize he wouldn't be the first player to spout confidence and end up a bust.

 

[AmericanDream]

Yeah, these kids these days are not really kids. It's increasingly becoming a young man's game. Cases like Wahlstrom that could make the jump to the AHL are a pretty small sample though. You have to be quite a talent to even be considered to make the leap which would require the blessing of the NHL team.

There's risk in college too. Kieffer Bellows got buried by the talent at BU and wasn't been deployed the way Isles probably wanted. Seems like the CHL was a better fit for him. Everyone is different.

As you've seen a lot of Wahlstrom, you think he could make the jump? He is already NHL sized and doesn't have a mobility problem. He could polish his 200-foot game in the pros with proper coaching, something that Lou should remedy during the summer.

I have zero doubts he can make the NHL next year, especially if he was picked by the Hawks. The Isles are a bit different, they still have Bellows who you mentioned that is so freaking underrated on here to fit in their lineup. Plus Ho Sang as well, so doubtful they want to go with that much youth in one year.

Wahlstrom and his family have been big proponents to NCAA hockey, so for him I see him going 1 year and done just to see college life, it seems it has been a big priority for his family for him to go at least one year - doesn't mean if Big Lou says we want you to sign and play in the pros that he will say no. Bellows and his family came from the junior life/CHL, college was a path his buddies grew up more with than he did, so him jumping was the right call and likely a decision that wasn't too hard for him since there isn't much NCAA history in his family.

It will be interesting to see what happens with a number of these kids next year, but I imagine definitely one of Tkachuk, Hughes, and Wall-E make it to the NHL right away..

 

[Frk It]

lol

I mean I doubt Wahlstrom will be dangling many defenders at the NHL level but I get you're point

Why? It’s absolutely part of his game.

 

[PWJunior]

I have zero doubts he can make the NHL next year, especially if he was picked by the Hawks. The Isles are a bit different, they still have Bellows who you mentioned that is so freaking underrated on here to fit in their lineup. Plus Ho Sang as well, so doubtful they want to go with that much youth in one year.

Wahlstrom and his family have been big proponents to NCAA hockey, so for him I see him going 1 year and done just to see college life, it seems it has been a big priority for his family for him to go at least one year - doesn't mean if Big Lou says we want you to sign and play in the pros that he will say no. Bellows and his family came from the junior life/CHL, college was a path his buddies grew up more with than he did, so him jumping was the right call and likely a decision that wasn't too hard for him since there isn't much NCAA history in his family.

It will be interesting to see what happens with a number of these kids next year, but I imagine definitely one of Tkachuk, Hughes, and Wall-E make it to the NHL right away..

Thanks for the background on his situation.

If Tavares were to leave, there could be a bit of a fire sale that would open up some spots and opportunities for the Isles. If they decide to rebuild/retool, pending UFA's like Lee and Eberle are the prime candidates to be moved. Brock Nelson as well if they decide he's not a part of the long term plan and don't want to sign him to term. Bellows and Ho-Sang would almost certainly be given a chance to show what they've got in an evaluation season. Maybe even Dal Colle gets a last chance to earn another season after his ELC is done. Wahlstrom would be right there in the thick of things. Maybe he stays in the NHL, maybe he's stashed in the AHL to refine his game. The door would certainly be open for him.

We'll have to see what happens. I think he needs to be signed to participate in training camp so a decision is probably coming sooner rather than later.

 

[AmericanDream]

Thanks for the background on his situation.

If Tavares were to leave, there could be a bit of a fire sale that would open up some spots and opportunities for the Isles. If they decide to rebuild/retool, pending UFA's like Lee and Eberle are the prime candidates to be moved. Brock Nelson as well if they decide he's not a part of the long term plan and don't want to sign him to term. Bellows and Ho-Sang would almost certainly be given a chance to show what they've got in an evaluation season. Maybe even Dal Colle gets a last chance to earn another season after his ELC is done. Wahlstrom would be right there in the thick of things. Maybe he stays in the NHL, maybe he's stashed in the AHL to refine his game. The door would certainly be open for him.

We'll have to see what happens. I think he needs to be signed to participate in training camp so a decision is probably coming sooner rather than later.

correct. this is why it makes it tougher for college bound kids to sign, they do not have a guarantee really (unless the GM gives them that they are guaranteed a stretch right out the gate in the NHL), and having a full NCAA scholarship and developing being the man at a top program just sounds better than riding buses every day in the AHL for some...

 

[PWJunior]

correct. this is why it makes it tougher for college bound kids to sign, they do not have a guarantee really (unless the GM gives them that they are guaranteed a stretch right out the gate in the NHL), and having a full NCAA scholarship and developing being the man at a top program just sounds better than riding buses every day in the AHL for some...

If he does sign and is in training camp, you could see a little preview of a Bellows-Barzal-Wahlstrom line. If no JT, that could be the top line for next season. They'll take their lumps, but that would a glimpse into the new future of the Isles.

 

[LordNeverLose]

Why? It’s absolutely part of his game.

Maybe Ranger fans have decided to just label him as one-dimensional to convince themselves they made the right call passing on him?

 

[NJ DevLolz]

If he does sign and is in training camp, you could see a little preview of a Bellows-Barzal-Wahlstrom line. If no JT, that could be the top line for next season. They'll take their lumps, but that would a glimpse into the new future of the Isles.

You would not want that to happen if you're an Islanders fan.

 

[PWJunior]

You would not want that to happen if you're an Islanders fan.

Of course not, I want JT back.

If he leaves, you have to move on.

 

[Fvital92]

Maybe Ranger fans have decided to just label him as one-dimensional to convince themselves they made the right call passing on him?

He is one-dimensional, you can look at his scouting reports. The thing is that said dimensional is absolutely elite.