I know there is a prospects thread, but figure this deserves its own thread since this guy was our first rounder this past summer (and I don't want it to get buried amongst the other prospect talk in there).
I was not a fan of picking Kreider due to concerns that sometimes players playing in prep school find it difficult to jump to the NCAA.
Kreider has 5 points in 14 games, per hockeydb.com. Stats aren't everything, so I am wondering can anyone tell me how his performance has been? The word was this guy was a tremendous skater, has this held true at the college level?
I believe Jerry York sometimes refuses to give freshmen big roles, has this been the case with Kreider and it has it hurt his production, or has it been more due to Kreider having a hard time making the leap to NCAA? Has there been improvement?
I really wish this guy would have listened to the Rangers advice to go play in the Canadian major junior leagues. Don cherry had a very good point the other weekend on coah's corner. He pointed out that most guys that are concidered elite players in the league today played in either the WHL, OHL or QMJHL. So i was really hoping that Kreider would do that. I also believe that the schedule, speed and the physicality in the CHL also makes the eventual transition to the NHL much smoother.
I hope this guy pans out. We really need that. Enough of the first round busts!
I really wish this guy would have listened to the Rangers advice to go play in the Canadian major junior leagues. Don cherry had a very good point the other weekend on coah's corner. He pointed out that most guys that are concidered elite players in the league today played in either the WHL, OHL or QMJHL. So i was really hoping that Kreider would do that. I also believe that the schedule, speed and the physicality in the CHL also makes the eventual transition to the NHL much smoother.
I hope this guy pans out. We really need that. Enough of the first round busts!
Cherry would leave out the Russian, Czech and Swedish leagues. ROFL.
As fa as the college hockey league, it creates players with more character and responsibility.
Wasnt a pick fan at the time of the pick, but listening to posters got me excited going into the season...but with 5 points in 14 games I was hoping better start (but not overly shocked since he came from HS)
He's got plenty of time though, like someone posted in the in the Prospect thread, Stepan had almost the same amount of points his first 12 or so games..so hopefully Kreider will explode offensively as the season goes on.
14 games playing in the bottom-six and people are throwing in the towel. Pretty sad.
Glad the Rangers got rid of Stepan after he had 6 points in his first 14 games last year.
Exactly, that's why I said all we can do is wait and see. Hopefully he pans out, but then again I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't I think he should have went to Juniors but that's just me.
NCAA players are quite capable of making the jump to the NHL and becoming great players (see: Parise/Zajac/Martin on the Devils). There's often an adjustment period, but the difference between playing in the NCAA and the CHL is not as big as some make it out to be. It's overstated because the CHL simply has more top-end talent than the NCAA does.
Plus, I believe that the NCAA tends to nurture more character development/defensive responsibility, though that's something that you can't really measure and it may just be a Cornell fan's bias.
14 games playing in the bottom-six and people are throwing in the towel. Pretty sad.
It has nothing to do with his current stats as I'm sure he will pick it up with more playing time.
I feel that the Rangers took a high-risk player in the first round that won't pan out. The guy was dominating prep leagues, which isn't all that great in determining how he might pan out. Time will tell.
It has nothing to do with his current stats as I'm sure he will pick it up with more playing time.
I feel that the Rangers took a high-risk player in the first round that won't pan out. The guy was dominating prep leagues, which isn't all that great in determining how he might pan out. Time will tell.
If it's not about stats, what is it? He's blowing people away with his speed, playing well defensively, and he's developing a really nice edge to his game. He doesn't look at all out of place at this level.
I don't see how you could look at him and be concerned by anything other than his production. He could easily be at 10 or 12 points too. He's rang quite a few posts and had some of his linemates blow some really nice set-ups.
Frankly, any pick from #11 to #60 is a high-risk pick. If they weren't risky, they'd be in the top-10.
I think he's been bumped up to a higher line recently, but it's really more about figuring out how to use his tools...from the sounds of things, he's working out his play at the college level, and the next step is just putting the puck in the net more often.
Of all the top players in last years draft Kreider was probably the rawest--the most in need of development--the one player who played the weakest competition. With that said he has extraordinary talent. Some think he is the best skater in the entire draft. He has an extraordinary first step. And he has size--6'2 200lbs. and is growing. His stick and shooting skills are pretty good too. He still needs to put all these things together--and considering he's made a huge step in competition level--moreso than other college freshman coming from the USHL, the US development team, and all the Canadian feeder leagues. Consensus on him in any case was that it would take time for him--more than maybe other players.
IMO just on his size and skating he is a safe pick to at least play 3rd line in the NHL--he could develop into very much though given the time and a little patience. That the USA WJC team considers him a serious candidate for this year's team even with those not so impressive stats so far might say something about how much potential he has.
Just for some perspective, Kreider is playing on the same level as most of the other players picked right before him and after.
Peter Holland has just over a PPG in the OHL this season, and is being outscored by our 2nd round pick Ethan Werek.
Jordan Schroeder's college season has been much more disappointing then Kreider's, as he was expected to contend for the Hobey Baker (similar to Colin Wilson). He has only 12 points in 18 games (Stepan almost has twice as many).
Anaheim's 1st round pick Kyle Palmieri has 7 points in 18 games as a freshman for Notre Dame.
Carolina's 1st round pick Phillipe Paradis has already been traded to Toronto for Jiri Tlustly.
Ryan O'Reilly is the only player I could see being upset about passing on, but nobody knew he would make the NHL as an 18 year old and play as he does. No matter how well he does this season, I still am a firm believer his upside is a 60 points 2 way center, which we already have plenty of playing pros or juniors. Maybe Jeremy Morin as well, but Kreider's upside is incredibly high.
I think we are all a little spoiled, as nobody would have ever thought Stepan would be playing this well in college.
Wasnt a pick fan at the time of the pick, but listening to posters got me excited going into the season...but with 5 points in 14 games I was hoping better start (but not overly shocked since he came from HS)
He's got plenty of time though, like someone posted in the in the Prospect thread, Stepan had almost the same amount of points his first 12 or so games..so hopefully Kreider will explode offensively as the season goes on.
This.
There have been a lot of positives too. Kreider is at least close to the US WJC's team for example. At the same time -- if we were hoping for this kid to be the steal of the draft and to maybe be better then everyones expectations; he probably ought to be able to post better numbers.
