Wright, Slafkovsky, Cooley : Time to make that final decision

[BLONG7]

Pretty interesting article.

Can you translate the hilights of the article....
Thx

I watched every shift of two games of Wright tonight, and he doesn't skate/move his legs enough. But when he does, it's like he's a completely different player. Just short bursts of looking dominant then he goes back to his aloof style. So bizarre. Looks like he plays with a piano on his back, then for a short moment the piano falls and he's free to move and he looks great. Then the piano again a second later. I don't get it.

Seems he's shooting for Son Goku's Kaioken style, but it feels too extreme in 2022 compared to 2020.

Interesting..............good info.
A pro environment will do him well.....coach's spotting that will help him big time.

 

[Skip Bayless]

I watched every shift of two games of Wright tonight, and he doesn't skate/move his legs enough. But when he does, it's like he's a completely different player. Just short bursts of looking dominant then he goes back to his aloof style. So bizarre. Looks like he plays with a piano on his back, then for a short moment the piano falls and he's free to move and he looks great. Then the piano again a second later. I don't get it.

Seems he's shooting for Son Goku's Kaioken style, but it feels too extreme in 2022 compared to 2020.

It is the same thing I hated about Suz in junior.

This is why I wont Wright him off, because it can be fixed.

It’s not a matter of lack of compete, it’s a bad habit acquired by playing with kids that don’t read or execute the play as fast as you , so these guys realize that only good positioning is needed to trap the opponent. But sometimes it doesn’t work so they look soft, lazy and predictable.

Wright might not have the flashy moves, but he plays faster than any player in this draft, and he’s miles ahead. That’s why he’ll go #1.

 

[sandviper]

Does Shane Wright have a known girlfriend?

Yes, here’s a recent photo.

 

[Tetragrammaton]

Yes, here’s a recent photo.

View attachment 564467

I heard she gets around..

 

[HomaridII]

Can you translate the hilights of the article....
Thx

Wright - Overscouted, pretty much three years with every eye on him. Won't take you out of your seats, will be a solid good player but not a franchise level talent. Will play top two lines for 10+ years, intelligent, complete center. One scout says he reminds him of Sean Couturier in the sense that he was overscouted and dropped to 8th but the flyers never regretted it.

Slaf - Physical Specimen, future 40 goal scorer. But will need a good two way center to play with and take advantage of his shot. Has a goal scorer's instinct which can't be taught but more than one scout quoted are not happy with his consistency. Why didn't he dominate in Finland?

Cooley - Probably the most potential of the three, but his size will be an issue for a center. Flashy, finds way to create offense. Tremendous character, very dynamic player. If he was 6'2 like Wright he would be easily no.1 but he might end up playing wing due to size.

 

[Whitesnake]

Couturier is actually a really good comparison for Wright. Better than Bergeron.

 

[Saundies]

Welcome to draft week guys. Enjoy the craziness for the next 4 days.

 

[salbutera]

Couturier is actually a really good comparison for Wright. Better than Bergeron.

FWIW…

Couturier comparison was due to being scouted in detail for 3-years time and inevitably finding faults:

“«Quand tu regardes un gars pendant trois ans, tu lui trouves des défauts à la fin, a rappelé un recruteur de l’Est. Son histoire me fait penser à celle de Sean Couturier. À son année de repêchage en 2011, Sean avait descendu jusqu’au 8e rang. Mais les Flyers n’ont jamais regretté ce choix. Je ressens un essoufflement semblable avec Shane. Il y a des attentes depuis longtemps. Il reste toutefois un très bon joueur de hockey.»”

Same scout also said he left after watching Wright play disappointed on more than one occasion.

“«Je suis sorti de Kingston déçu plus d’une fois», a clamé un recruteur .»”


One of the scouts also said Wright is nowhere near Bergeron:

“Il n’est pas le prochain Patrice Bergeron, mais il ressemble à un centre dans le moule de Nico Hischier. Il jouera au sein des deux premiers trios, il a de bonnes aptitudes et du talent.»”

 

[morhilane]

One of the scouts also said Wright is nowhere near Bergeron:

“Il n’est pas le prochain Patrice Bergeron, mais il ressemble à un centre dans le moule de Nico Hischier. Il jouera au sein des deux premiers trios, il a de bonnes aptitudes et du talent.»”

This one is funny, since Bergeron was nowhere being Patrice Bergeron in his draft year either.

Sometimes I feel like some scouts care more about the comparison with current NHL players than how projectable the players's tools and toolbox are.

 

[salbutera]

This one is funny, since Bergeron was nowhere being Patrice Bergeron in his draft year either.

Sometimes I feel like some scouts care more about the comparison with current NHL players than how projectable the players's tools and toolbox are.

What else are scouts going to say the reason Bergeron, Weber, Kucherov, Josi, Gaudreau et al dropped to 2nd round and later in the draft is because our jobs are limited in scope since drafting 17-18 year olds is a crapshoot to begin with?

 

[Beer and Chips]

Pretty embarrassing to have Slafkovsky at #1 , everyone else in the world has Wright #1 , don’t act like this would be happening if Toronto was picking #1 , TSN would be praising Wright and he would be #1 on Bob’s list.

We can agree to disagree, I see the bias going on, it started with Bettman’s enthusiasm when we won the lottery.

They really don't want the dragon to wake up

 

[morhilane]

What else are scouts going to say the reason Bergeron, Weber, Kucherov, Josi, Gaudreau et al dropped to 2nd round and later in the draft is because our jobs are limited in scope since drafting 17-18 year olds is a crapshoot to begin with?

Just comment on the guy skills/IQ and stop doing or looking for comparison with current NHL players. Those kids aren't done developing, what they are now isn't what they are going to be later. Wright is going to be Wright, not a copy-paste of another player.

 

[Hacketts]

Couturier is actually a really good comparison for Wright. Better than Bergeron.

Yeah, draft Cooley instead of that option.

 

[Mister Hab]

We've added "centers" in the past, with so-called "star potential (Drouin, Kotkaniemi).

The question isn't whether we need a center with star potential or whether Suzuki-Dvorak-Evans-Poehling is just fine and dany.

The question is: how good is Shane Wright??? Just as the question should have been, how good are Drouin and Kotkaniemi, not what need do we have that they can potentially address.

That's the question that all the scouts are asking themselves. If your analysis has answered that question for yourself. Great for you. Apparently the scouts who do this for a living are more divided.

The only opinion I care about is the one we'll hear from our scouts on July 7th. Not because I trust them more. It's a new bunch with no track record. Things are so up in the air, all we can do is hope they know what they're doing - and hope we have more lottery picks over the next few years.

You've answered your own question...just by mentioning DROUIN and KOTKANIEMI. It's obvious it has been DECADES since we've needed TWO solid CENTERS...here's our chance to have solid top 6 CENTER DEPTH...STAR quality (Wright and Suzuki)..... ; and with Dvorak/Evans/Poehling it will be quality/quantity and more solid DEPTH for our 3rd and 4th line CENTER POSITIONS (and one of them can move up in case of injuries or if performing super well).

VERY IMPORTANT: we cannot pass up on this huge huge opportunity to draft a natural CENTER (Wright) with this much potential (especially not for a Slaf that may become a Puljujarvi/Mantha/Kakko......Slaf is way too much of a gamble and he's not a CENTER).
(Drouin is a winger...not a center...that short trial as a center was a huge FAILURE.....and that Kotkaniemi pick should be forgotten as quickly as possible....Carolina is stuck with him now....that contract is a joke.... ; Seth Jarvis is way way better than Kotkaniemi, yet they are already paying way too much money to Kotkaniemi!).

Wright is a natural CENTER (and he can skate and shoot well...and can play two-way hockey for the team....it's been DECADES since we've had the opportunity to draft a natural CENTER with this much potential....we're lucky to have the choice of drafting Wright).

1. Wright
2. Nemec/Cooley
3. Cooley/Nemec/Gauthier
4. Gauthier/Slaf/Jiricek
5. Slaf/Gauthier/Jiricek

Habs have got to keep trying to get it "Wright" with our CENTERS...here's our chance to finally improve our CENTER DEPTH with quality and quantity. Huge huge no-brainer. Shane Wright is the "Wright" pick for the no.1 spot.

Every pick in the top 5-10 has its risks...but Wright, Nemec, Cooley are the ones with the minimum amount of risk, imo. That's why they should go top 3 (solid potential and small risk factor). Slaf is a HUGE HUGE risk, imo (give that HUGE RISK to another team.......our Habs have to take care of its CENTER DEPTH (major priority for....decades).

 

[26Mats]

You've answered your own question...just by mentioning DROUIN and KOTKANIEMI. It's obvious it has been DECADES since we've needed TWO solid CENTERS...here's our chance to have solid top 6 CENTER DEPTH...STAR quality (Wright and Suzuki)..... ; and with Dvorak/Evans/Poehling it will be quality/quantity and more solid DEPTH for our 3rd and 4th line CENTER POSITIONS (and one of them can move up in case of injuries or if performing super well).

VERY IMPORTANT: we cannot pass up on this huge huge opportunity to draft a natural CENTER (Wright) with this much potential (especially not for a Slaf that may become a Puljujarvi/Mantha/Kakko......Slaf is way too much of a gamble and he's not a CENTER).
(Drouin is a winger...not a center...that short trial as a center was a huge FAILURE.....and that Kotkaniemi pick should be forgotten as quickly as possible....Carolina is stuck with him now....that contract is a joke.... ; Seth Jarvis is way way better than Kotkaniemi, yet they are already paying way too much money to Kotkaniemi!).

Wright is a natural CENTER (and he can skate and shoot well...and can play two-way hockey for the team....it's been DECADES since we've had the opportunity to draft a natural CENTER with this much potential....we're lucky to have the choice of drafting Wright).

1. Wright
2. Nemec/Cooley
3. Cooley/Nemec/Gauthier
4. Gauthier/Slaf/Jiricek
5. Slaf/Gauthier/Jiricek

Habs have got to keep trying to get it "Wright" with our CENTERS...here's our chance to finally improve our CENTER DEPTH with quality and quantity. Huge huge no-brainer. Shane Wright is the "Wright" pick for the no.1 spot.

Every pick in the top 5-10 has its risks...but Wright, Nemec, Cooley are the ones with the minimum amount of risk, imo. That's why they should go top 3 (solid potential and small risk factor). Slaf is a HUGE HUGE risk, imo (give that HUGE RISK to another team.......our Habs have to take care of its CENTER DEPTH (major priority for....decades).

THE question is how good will Wright be? Not: do we need a very good center?

I don't have the answer to that and you haven't answered it either in this post. To assume Wright, Cooley, and Slaf all are on the same level, so just take the big center, isn't something I'm willing to do.

My gut and mind are saying take Shane Wright, for basically the reasons you mention. But I don't give a hoot what my gut and mind are saying because I know they don't know what they're talking about and are just basing their opinion on hearsay. They haven't done any real analysis.

 

[Mister Hab]

Pretty embarrassing to have Slafkovsky at #1 , everyone else in the world has Wright #1 , don’t act like this would be happening if Toronto was picking #1 , TSN would be praising Wright and he would be #1 on Bob’s list.

We can agree to disagree, I see the bias going on, it started with Bettman’s enthusiasm when we won the lottery.

Absolutely. This is the truth.

If...Toronto was picking 1st in this Draft....they'd be pumping UP Wright all the way. Wright would be no.1 in Bob McKenzie's rankings...without a doubt.

But, ever since Mtl won the no.1 pick...the Hab-haters went on and on about Slaf or Cooley or Nemec as the ones who should be no.1...instead of Wright. Lots of Hab-haters out there trying to ruin our Shane Wright party.

Hab-haters don't want to see the Habs finally improve their CENTER DEPTH with STAR quality. Wright and Suzuki has the potential to be super for our top 6. It will also put less pressure on Dvorak/Evans/Poehling...which is great.

Hab-haters WANT the Habs to gamble BIG TIME by drafting Slaf.
huge huge gamble....huge huge risk....no way I'd take that gamble with the no.1 pick.... ; the no.1 pick was always for Wright...not for Slaf or anyone else).

Wright is the "Wright" choice for no.1....always has been.

 

[Hacketts]

Absolutely. This is the truth.

If...Toronto was picking 1st in this Draft....they'd be pumping UP Wright all the way. Wright would be no.1 in Bob McKenzie's rankings...without a doubt.

But, ever since Mtl won the no.1 pick...the Hab-haters went on and on about Slaf or Cooley or Nemec as the ones who should be no.1...instead of Wright. Lots of Hab-haters out there trying to ruin our Shane Wright party.

Hab-haters don't want to see the Habs finally improve their CENTER DEPTH with STAR quality. Wright and Suzuki has the potential to be super for our top 6. It will also put less pressure on Dvorak/Evans/Poehling...which is great.

Hab-haters WANT the Habs to gamble BIG TIME by drafting Slaf.
huge huge gamble....huge huge risk....no way I'd take that gamble with the no.1 pick.... ; the no.1 pick was always for Wright...not for Slaf or anyone else).

Wright is the "Wright" choice for no.1....always has been.

This is not the truth.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Absolutely. This is the truth.

If...Toronto was picking 1st in this Draft....they'd be pumping UP Wright all the way. Wright would be no.1 in Bob McKenzie's rankings...without a doubt.

But, ever since Mtl won the no.1 pick...the Hab-haters went on and on about Slaf or Cooley or Nemec as the ones who should be no.1...instead of Wright. Lots of Hab-haters out there trying to ruin our Shane Wright party.

Hab-haters don't want to see the Habs finally improve their CENTER DEPTH with STAR quality. Wright and Suzuki has the potential to be super for our top 6. It will also put less pressure on Dvorak/Evans/Poehling...which is great.

Hab-haters WANT the Habs to gamble BIG TIME by drafting Slaf.
huge huge gamble....huge huge risk....no way I'd take that gamble with the no.1 pick.... ; the no.1 pick was always for Wright...not for Slaf or anyone else).

Wright is the "Wright" choice for no.1....always has been.

This is not the truth.

 

[Mister Hab]

THE question is how good will Wright be? Not: do we need a very good center?

I don't have the answer to that and you haven't answered it either in this post. To assume Wright, Cooley, and Slaf all are on the same level, so just take the big center, isn't something I'm willing to do.

My gut and mind are saying take Shane Wright, for basically the reasons you mention. But I don't give a hoot what my gut and mind are saying because I know they don't know what they're talking about and are just basing their opinion on hearsay. They haven't done any real analysis.

Imo, Wright has the potential to be a Patrice Bergeron/Suzuki++ for our Habs. There. That's my prediction. Take it or leave it!! (I can't wait for July 7!! We're all Hab fans trying to drive each other crazy...no thanks to the recent Bob McKenzie ranking!!).

Pro scouts make mistakes...and often (ex: Yakupov, Puljujarvi, Kotkaniemi, A.Kostitsyn, Sergachev instead of McAvoy...*joke*...but yes I do much prefer McAvoy vs Sergachev...maybe this is only me? I think Sergachev is overrated and will soon be overpaid, imo...again maybe this is just me? I wish we chose McAvoy and KEPT HIM...not trade him for a Drouin!).

I didn't sweat nervously while looking at the standings all season long for a Slaf or a Nemec or a Cooley...for the no.1 pick. I (like many many other Hab fans) was doing the "Pain for Shane" waiting game (hoping and hoping for the no.1 pick/Shane Wright)...and now July 7 is almost here....and I really hope the Habs pick the "Wright" one.

"Real analysis": many pro scouts do "Real analysis" all day long...and still pick the wrong players. Many (not all, but many).

 

[Runner77]

Wright is the "Wright" choice for no.1....always has been.

I don’t know how many more of these low hanging fruit Wright puns I can handle.

 

[Justin11]

I don’t know how many more of these low hanging fruit Wright puns I can handle.

Yeah, wright

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

I don’t know how many more of these low hanging fruit Wright puns I can handle.

...the Wright-ing's on the wall, is it, amigo??...

 

[Runner77]

...the Wright-ing's on the wall, is it, amigo??...

Great. Now, we’ll have a cottage industry.

Just because of the bad puns, I’m going for Cooley!

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Great. Now, we’ll have a cottage industry.

Just because of the bad puns, I’m going for Cooley!

...OK, I'm done...just don't Slaf off again cuz of it...

 

[dcyhabs]

I like to think professionalism comes absolute first with a guy like Bob. But it’s hard to ignore Montreal, with our first overall pick in 30 years at a draft we’re hosting, with no consensus picks has even the best drooling over all the potential content and easy money to be made.

Keep in mind Bob is a professional journalist reporting on hockey and not a scout for an NHL team. His primary goal is to get people to watch and keep watching. Getting an accurate list is important, and he's not going to just randomly list players, but if swapping two guys will lead to a huge debate I expect him to do it.

Bob's list is relevant and useful but if Hughes puts more stock in a TSN list than in the analysis from his organization he has a lot of work to do.