The issue with this is that Jarret Stoll-type players are pretty easy to acquire. There's always a few of them available via free agency. So let's say Samuelsson is a pretty safe bet to reach the level of Stoll and Bozon is much riskier, but his upside is somewhere between Mike Ribeiro and Claude Giroux.
On a very good team, a player like Stoll and a player like Ribeiro can both fill a role. The thing is, if you drafted Stoll, you'd have to pay out the nose to get Ribeiro (in money and probably assets, too), but if you drafted Ribeiro, you could pick up a Stoll pretty easily. And if Bozon doesn't pan out, you can go pick up a couple Stolls just as easily as you could draft one and sign the other.
My gut feeling is that he will be better than his upside and will make it to the NHL by the end of his 1st year and surprise everybody. Just a feeling, but between his dad and being around the league for most (if not all) his life he knows what it takes to get to the NHL and has been preparing for it (and not just playing hockey).
I voted Tom Wilson , after watching NHL network promo on him .
Nine goals. I just can't get over that. Especially when taking a looking at what guys like Shawn Thornton, Chris Neil, Krys Barch, Brandon Prust, Matt Martin, Kyle Clifford, and Tom Sestito did in their draft years, in the OHL. As a rule, I would never expect a player to score any more at any point in the NHL than they do in juniors, during their draft year. (Obviously not taking injuries into consideration).
I would just have a tough time burning a first round pick on a guy with 5-10 goal NHL upside. I don't care how hard he hits, or how well he fights.
Every one of those guys I just listed had more productive OHL seasons in their draft year. Some of the older ones like Thornton and Neil did it during the dead puck era. None of those guys will be more than fourth line players (a few get PK time) and none were drafted any higher than the 2nd round.
Nine goals. I just can't get over that. Especially when taking a looking at what guys like Shawn Thornton, Chris Neil, Krys Barch, Brandon Prust, Matt Martin, Kyle Clifford, and Tom Sestito did in their draft years, in the OHL. As a rule, I would never expect a player to score any more at any point in the NHL than they do in juniors, during their draft year. (Obviously not taking injuries into consideration).
I would just have a tough time burning a first round pick on a guy with 5-10 goal NHL upside. I don't care how hard he hits, or how well he fights.
Every one of those guys I just listed had more productive OHL seasons in their draft year. Some of the older ones like Thornton and Neil did it during the dead puck era. None of those guys will be more than fourth line players (a few get PK time) and none were drafted any higher than the 2nd round.
Reminds me of the hype around Colton Gillies. Given Wilson's toughness, I think he could be groomed into a 15-goal player if everything goes right while adding an elite physical game, but it's more likely he's just another Matt Martin. Not worth a 1st.
My gut feeling is that he will be better than his upside and will make it to the NHL by the end of his 1st year and surprise everybody. Just a feeling, but between his dad and being around the league for most (if not all) his life he knows what it takes to get to the NHL and has been preparing for it (and not just playing hockey).
I voted Samuelsson but I would have voted Bozon as well, had he been on the list.
French hockey is in a good phase at the moment, and developing. France has had a solid World championship recently and the most successful team of the French league in the last 15 years (Les Dragons de Rouen) has won an European cup in January.
Some players are starting to play in better European leagues (Bellemare in Sweden for example), some youngsters are going to Switzerland early to develop. It is promising.
There is a bit of a void for a name to carry the next generation of French players and Bozon with his current pedigree, the influence of his father, may be the one destined to become a leading figure in French hockey. In a way (I am not comparing skills or ability here), this could be a bit of a similar situation with Kopitar and Slovenia (I think his father was a known name in Slovenian hockey). Obviously Anze is taking this to another level.
How about we sign Huet as a back up for a couple of years (better than Barbs, and a good team guy), find a way to get Bozon and start a little French connection in Phoenix.
However, Maloney's recent comments concerning the Russian factor lead me to believe he's not interested.
Yeah, good point. In the last four drafts, the only non-Scandinavian Euro this team has drafted was Tikhonov, and he was basically a Californian. Might be able to rule out guys like Hertl and Frk, although with a mostly new scouting staff, it's hard to guess which trends will continue.
Yeah, good point. In the last four drafts, the only non-Scandinavian Euro this team has drafted was Tikhonov, and he was basically a Californian. Might be able to rule out guys like Hertl and Frk, although with a mostly new scouting staff, it's hard to guess which trends will continue.
I don't think we had issues with central Europeans, I just think there has be development issues over there and there havent been a whole lot of really good NHL prospects coming through.
I've only been really high on Voracek, Musil, and Tatar in the last long while. Five years or so, anyway.
