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Originally Posted by Faidh ar Rud Eigin

I completely disagree about Beaulieu's boom being a top pairing defensemen. He simply doesn't have the hockey defense to be a top pairing defensemen. If everything goes right he could be a PP QB with sheltered second pairing minutes, but that's highly unlikely at this point. Ever heard of all the tools but not the toolbox? Kris Russell, another defensemen who excelled in junior, but lacking sense stunted him at the NHL level. Beaulieu's dumb mistakes stem from that. A likely reason for Beaulieus lack of progression is this lack of hockey sense.

Beaulieu is bigger, a better skater (which isn't not a slight to Russell at all), and much stronger than Russell is. Personally, I'd compare Beaulieu to Jack Johnson. Both are big defenseman who can move the puck extremely well, have a hard slapshots, and are great passers, but get lost in their own zone, are prone to trying to force plays, and try to do too much by themselves.

There has absolutely been progression in Beaulieu's game. He's much better defensively, he still can be absolutely terrible in his own zone, but when it's a run and gun style game, he thrives. Beaulieu uses his stick to plays up much better, strips players of the puck, and his gap control has improved substantially. When the play is in his own zone for a large amount of time, that's when he starts looking bad. That's why I'm not a fan of his, but say he hasn't made any progression, is really selling him short. Either that, or you've seen him play like 5 games and formed an opinion off of that.

We'll have to agree to disagree about Oleksiak, if you think he's done nothing to be in that list, why do you think Beaulieu has? Not long ago, Oleksiak was an average sized defensemen with limited offensive ability. And then he grew big, his skating got even better and he developed offensive skills. Oleksiak went from being an all-defense guy to a player with the potential to be a two-way defensemen. His talent just keeps improving, and his great skating combined with his size are a very rare combo, that's why he deserves to be in there.

It was his final year in junior, if he isn't something special defensively, you kind of expect him to do something good offensively. I just don't see it with. Clearly you're very enthralled with Oleksiak, so there's absolutely no way that you're going to change your mind.

Pouliot is an offensive defensemen with hockey sense. He's got potential to develop a strong defensive game (For his play style), and his offensive talent is more developed than Beaulieus at the same age, which as I've stated many times, is not much different now. Merrill is much better defensively than Beaulieu and his offense game is not far off if not on par with Beaulieu. The only thing holding back Merrill from blue-chip prospect status is his personality.

Of course he has potential to develop and defensive game, so does every defenseman. That includes Beaulieu. I consider a blue-chipper a top 10-15 prospect in the game. The Yakupovs, Markstroms, and Hamiltons of the game. There is no way he's a blue chipper at this point in time.



Also about the Tinordi vs. Oleksiak mini-debate, Tinordi's better. He's much defensively than Oleksiak. At he tries to be physical from time to time. He blocks more shots, is meaner (not mean enough though), much better and more consistent in his own zone. Tinordi out played Oleksiak at the World Juniors, and during the playoffs. You're greatly overrating Oleksiak's skating here. Is he a great skater for his size? Yes. Is he a great skater? No.

Give me Harrington over both. Love that guy.