Prospect Info: Tom Willander: 11th Overall 2023 Draft (Rogle BK J20) - Part 02

[Diversification]

One thing I know for sure is that if I wanted a career in journalism as far as being known as an evaluator of young talent then I would throw out the phrase "may need more time" as often as I possibly could.

Plus I don't think anyone was seriously under the impression he wouldn't get reps in in Abby first? The number of guys who are ready to jump from NCAA to NHL directly are limited at best. Especially so given that no one is projecting Willander (that I know of) as a true dynamic "can't miss" guy. But just a super solid, top 3, minute munching steadying presence. You look at the pairing USA has right now of Slavin and Faber and see the impact they have on a game, that's the style I'm anticipating Willander to be.

When you look at our RHD depth, it's Hronek, Myers, Soucy playing on his offside (and making more salary than is ideal), and *throws up a bit in my mouth* Juulsen. I would say the odds of Soucy being dealt in the offseason as better than 50/50, which leaves a wide path for Willander to step in next season on the bottom pair with the opportunity to work his way up as injuries hit the blue line.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Jimbo never would have picked him either.

i think no way would he have taken another winger after pods. we'd have sillinger.

 

[Lindgren]

Just glancing at Willander's stats, something that sticks out is his penalty minutes.

Minutes for the other three apparent top four D: 54, 45, 29.
Minutes for Willander: 6.

Can the Willander watchers tell us whether, on balance, that striking contrast is more due to a complete lack of a physical game, or, rather, to smart positional play and elite skating meaning he's rarely forced to take a penalty?

 

[sting101]

i think no way would he have taken another winger after pods. we'd have sillinger.

or Svechkov

 

[logan5]

Just glancing at Willander's stats, something that sticks out is his penalty minutes.

Minutes for the other three apparent top four D: 54, 45, 29.
Minutes for Willander: 6.

Can the Willander watchers tell us whether, on balance, that striking contrast is more due to a complete lack of a physical game, or, rather, to smart positional play and elite skating meaning he's rarely forced to take a penalty?

Not a Willander or defenceman expert, but having watched some shift by shift videos of his games, he is always in the right spot. It looks like he is not doing much out there, but nothing bad happens when he is out there.

 

[Peen]

How does that make any sense? He hasn’t had any association with the Panthers for 5 seasons.

It's also funny because Bukala has always been higher than everyone else on D-Petey.

And that doesn't mean that we should take his word for gospel, but it just means that there isn't bias here. He just sees things differently. It isn't a big deal. At least he explains his justification for it too.

It's not like that stupid Dom L article where he found some guys who didn't watch Hughes' end of 22-23 where he took a leap defensively and took really stupid quotes from management like "Not a good two-way D" as gospel and was being super defensive about it.

 

[BluesyShoes]

Just glancing at Willander's stats, something that sticks out is his penalty minutes.

Minutes for the other three apparent top four D: 54, 45, 29.
Minutes for Willander: 6.

Can the Willander watchers tell us whether, on balance, that striking contrast is more due to a complete lack of a physical game, or, rather, to smart positional play and elite skating meaning he's rarely forced to take a penalty?

I raise you one Chris Tanev's collegiate penalty minute numbers. (41 games on the top pairing, 4 penalty minutes)

Tanev's absurdly low penalty minutes was actually the thing that peaked my curiosity when we signed him out of college.

For big minute d-men, it can indicate excellent mobility, positioning, and stickwork. Other low PIM guys that come to mind are Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon, Jaccob Slavin.

 

[Breakers]

Just glancing at Willander's stats, something that sticks out is his penalty minutes.

Minutes for the other three apparent top four D: 54, 45, 29.
Minutes for Willander: 6.

Can the Willander watchers tell us whether, on balance, that striking contrast is more due to a complete lack of a physical game, or, rather, to smart positional play and elite skating meaning he's rarely forced to take a penalty?

One thing of note with Willander

He'll cross check a guy but never retaliate, so like an example scrum around the net, he'll throw first cross check or push right after the whistler, but never retaliate. They never take that guy, even in the NHL.
Willander talks though and in big rivalry games like against BC he just gets face to face with perrault and especially Leonard and just talks, they fast wash him and he comes back again talking close up

BU is undisciplined as frank
Hockey East is the most penalized conference

Cole hutson........... is sooooooo damn undisciplined, and he's been benched for it.
to be a freshman and the 3rd most penalized player in the NCAA with the world junior break is brutal
He had a nice stretch since the world juniors of clearing that up which is good

so many stick infractions, its tripping penalty or slashing penalty every second game it seemed like.
and this isnt garland, who draws penalties and maybe takes the other guy with him.
and he got kicked out for face masking which is taking your glove off and putting your hands in the cage and yanking.

What makes it more frustrating is McCarthy also takes a F-load of penalties, and you guessed it
McCarthy is Hutson's partner, so they always throw the pairing 5v5 in a damn blender, becuase that pairing is always taking penalties
for context McCarthy is also top 15 in the NCAA in penalties
its ridiculous

 

[VanJack]

Canucks Army is counting down the Canucks top-prospects. And they've reached #2, naming Wilander. Obviously that means by default, Lekkerimaki is the top-ranked Canucks prospect.

I would have questioned this at the start of the season--but after what a 20-year Lekkerimaki has accomplished in the AHL, and in his brief call-up with Vancouver, I understand why they put him on top.

Seems to me that Wilander really needs to turn pro this spring and leave BU behind. I think you could make the argument that he's stagnating a bit under Jay Pandolpho's system at BU. He needs a new challenge.

Quinn Hughes spent two years at the U of Michigan, before signing with the Canucks and making his first appearance as a 20-year old at the tail end of the 2019 season. Of course he was never out of the NHL lineup again.

Just a suspicion on my part and maybe overly optimistic, but I suspect Wilander doesn't spend any time in the minors either.

 

[Nomobo]

A neutered offence without Quinn. We probably win this with him playing.

 

[Bleach Clean]

It's also funny because Bukala has always been higher than everyone else on D-Petey.

And that doesn't mean that we should take his word for gospel, but it just means that there isn't bias here. He just sees things differently. It isn't a big deal. At least he explains his justification for it too.

It's not like that stupid Dom L article where he found some guys who didn't watch Hughes' end of 22-23 where he took a leap defensively and took really stupid quotes from management like "Not a good two-way D" as gospel and was being super defensive about it.

Bukala being high on DPetey early on is a reason why I respect his judgement here. Willander may need time. He may not. It doesn't detract from his eventual upside.

DPetey progressing as he has affords the team that opportunity too. They don't need to rush Willander.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Bukala being high on DPetey early on is a reason why I respect his judgement here. Willander may need time. He may not. It doesn't detract from his eventual upside.

DPetey progressing as he has affords the team that opportunity too. They don't need to rush Willander.

I wish more GMs would not feel the need to rush in their high 1st prospect to make themselves look good. I think Allvin has the humility for that.

 

[Breakers]

Saw the first period of last nights game

Right on queue, Cole Hutson takes another tripping penalty 1 minute in

Same as on Friday night
Really getting sick and tired of that pairing of McCarthy and Hutson to be honest
4 minors in 2 games from that pairing

 

[Lindgren]

Saw the first period of last nights game

Right on queue, Cole Hutson takes another tripping penalty 1 minute in

Same as on Friday night
Really getting sick and tired of that pairing of McCarthy and Hutson to be honest
4 minors in 2 games from that pairing

How did Willander look on the penalty kill? Is Celebrini getting any PK time?

 

[Lindgren]

How did Willander look on the penalty kill? Is Celebrini getting any PK time?

I'll add the note that I believe he picked up an assist. He's at 30/2/17/19.

 

[Breakers]

It wouldnt be a BU game without a Hutson taking a penalty almost instantly.

Boumedienne and Willander are coming on as a pairing
Willander doesnt have to do all the heavy lifting these past 2 weeks

 

[The Iron Goalie]

It wouldnt be a BU game without a Hutson taking a penalty almost instantly.

Boumedienne and Willander are coming on as a pairing
Willander doesnt have to do all the heavy lifting these past 2 weeks

Yeah is nice to see his (Boumedienne) development. Willander has been able to push more offensively lately vs having to full on baby sit the freshman.

With his assist tonight, Willander has 9A over his last 11GP (2G 9A 11Pts over his 1st 20GP).

 

[Nucker101]

I like Bukala a lot. Don't agree with every single take but he's clearly thoughtful, insightful, and intelligent and isn't given to stupid hot takes for engagement's sake.

I have a lot less exposure to full games from Willander, I've seen him in WJC and a couple of shift by shift vids from college.

My expectation is that he could probably pretty quickly do well in terms of tilting the ice as a 3rd pairing D man against lower lines, which is useful. But whether that's the best utilization for his long-term development I couldn't say.

Maybe being a top pairing horse in the minors for 40 games next year might imbue him with the confidence to be a 40 point Brock Faber type instead of a 20 point type. Who knows?

My issue with him is that Sportsnet has hired him to basically keep tabs on all prospects, drafted, and draft eligible and also NHL players. I refuse to believe one man is that dialed in, I don't think it's even possible to be, he's spread incredibly thin so for that reason alone I take everything he says with a grain of salt through no fault of his own.

Like even the most hockey obsessed fans on this board probably can't tell you much about the 4th best prospect on the Isles, but he's expected to have a take on that prospect while also expected to comment on Utah's 3rd pairing and tell you about some projected 3rd round CHL prospect in this upcoming draft.

 

[HockeyWooot]

Canucks Army is counting down the Canucks top-prospects. And they've reached #2, naming Wilander. Obviously that means by default, Lekkerimaki is the top-ranked Canucks prospect.

I would have questioned this at the start of the season--but after what a 20-year Lekkerimaki has accomplished in the AHL, and in his brief call-up with Vancouver, I understand why they put him on top.

Seems to me that Wilander really needs to turn pro this spring and leave BU behind. I think you could make the argument that he's stagnating a bit under Jay Pandolpho's system at BU. He needs a new challenge.

Quinn Hughes spent two years at the U of Michigan, before signing with the Canucks and making his first appearance as a 20-year old at the tail end of the 2019 season. Of course he was never out of the NHL lineup again.

Just a suspicion on my part and maybe overly optimistic, but I suspect Wilander doesn't spend any time in the minors either.

It’s neck and neck but I’d still have Willander at 1.

He projects as a safe bet to be a strong defensive two way dman in the top 4, whereas Lekkerimaki is a bit more boom-bust at a less valued position.

Lekkerimaki has had a strong last couple years though his ceiling ranges from top line goal scorer to middle 6 tweener.

 

[Szechwan]

My issue with him is that Sportsnet has hired him to basically keep tabs on all prospects, drafted, and draft eligible and also NHL players. I refuse to believe one man is that dialed in, I don't think it's even possible to be, he's spread incredibly thin so for that reason alone I take everything he says with a grain of salt through no fault of his own.

Like even the most hockey obsessed fans on this board probably can't tell you much about the 4th best prospect on the Isles, but he's expected to have a take on that prospect while also expected to comment on Utah's 3rd pairing and tell you about some projected 3rd round CHL prospect in this upcoming draft.

He's been in the scouting circles for a long time though, he's got the contacts to get a read on the guys he isn't personally watching every night.