5'10" and 140lbs is not bad for a 15 year old kid.
If skating is an issue then that could hinder but based on points totals I'd like to know who his line mates are... He's not amassing all those points on his own (especially if you say skating is an issue). Do they have a few natural set up guys helping him? Start looking at those type players.
Hes not very big now (hes not small though) & I dont "think" hes going to be very big at all. Hes skating at the Bantam AAA level isnt an issue, but I think it will be going forward. Just not a real good skater.
His linemates are good. One is a very, very elite 1st year forward (Benson) , the other a very hardworking kid who does alot of the spade work (Greenly).
Hes obviously very skilled, I just think those shortcoming (as they are now) will affect him going forward.
I would be looking at who's getting him the puck and this Benson sounds interesting.
Folks if everyone has caught the last page of the SK Bantam AA thread we've been discussing the current SK situation: Dropping teams, moving toward AAA, etc, etc. For those in AB I'd be interested in your guys' perspective on your AAA bantam system from a few stand points:
1. Politics: Are the right kids making it? And is the process perceived to be fair
2. Coaching: Are all your AAA coaches paid? Can you comment on the quality of coaching, ie) practices, games (fair play) and what the coaching selection entails
3. Travel: What are some of the challenges
3. Parents: What is the overall satisfaction level in the AAA system
Thanks. Hoping to generate some interesting view points
Hes not very big now (hes not small though) & I dont "think" hes going to be very big at all. Hes skating at the Bantam AAA level isnt an issue, but I think it will be going forward. Just not a real good skater.
His linemates are good. One is a very, very elite 1st year forward (Benson) , the other a very hardworking kid who does alot of the spade work (Greenly).
Hes obviously very skilled, I just think those shortcoming (as they are now) will affect him going forward.
By the time he plays in the WHL, he will be at least 6'0" and 170 lbs which is bigger than a lot of forwards in the league. As far as skating you have to remember, Brendan Ranford wasn't the best skater in AMBHL either and he has had a pretty good WHL career. The next closest player (other than Benson) in points is Merkley, who is 27 points back and he plays with the very talented Shmyr. SSAC wouldn't be in first place without Estephan. Estephan will be picked in the top 10 in this year's Bantam Draft and will one day be in the top 20 in WHL scoring. I have guessed wrong before, only time will tell.
Every so often, someone else posts that the draft age should be changed. And for the next 20 years people will post that the draft age should change. It won't change now or in the near future whether people like it or they don't. The present system works well for the WHL, so why mess with it.
One of the top WHL teams this year (Oil Kings) seem to like the players they drafted:
2007 M. Pysyk, TJ Foster
2008 M. St. Croix, L. Brossoit, T. Ewanyk, R. Dech, K. Lowe
2009 G. Reinhart, M. Moroz, T. Sieben
2010 C. Lazar, M. Geertsen, T. Jarry, C. Bensen
Every so often, someone else posts that the draft age should be changed. And for the next 20 years people will post that the draft age should change. It won't change now or in the near future whether people like it or they don't. The present system works well for the WHL, so why mess with it.
One of the top WHL teams this year (Oil Kings) seem to like the players they drafted:
2007 M. Pysyk, TJ Foster
2008 M. St. Croix, L. Brossoit, T. Ewanyk, R. Dech, K. Lowe
2009 G. Reinhart, M. Moroz, T. Sieben
2010 C. Lazar, M. Geertsen, T. Jarry, C. Bensen
out of 10-12 picks a year having 3-4 succeed is pretty low and how many of the top 3 picks per team actually end up being top three players in their career 1of 3 ? times change but sometime old views never do even if its good for the game & the kids
out of 10-12 picks a year having 3-4 succeed is pretty low and how many of the top 3 picks per team actually end up being top three players in their career 1of 3 ? times change but sometime old views never do even if its good for the game & the kids
Actually, having 4 succeed is a successful draft. The make-up of a team would be 3-20 year olds, 4-19 year olds, 4-18 year olds, 4-17 year olds, 2-16 year olds and 2-Euros. The rest are acquired through trades, some of the players you drafted for drafted players from another team (K. Wilson, J. Peddle, T. Maxwell were Oil King trades for drafted players). Typically, each team has a couple of non-drafted players make the team (some players develop later - I believe D. Wruck was undrafted). Would the WHL teams have a higher success drafting 1st year Midgets - probably. But just like drafting Bantams, some 15-year old Midgets look like sure-fire stars and then don't pan-out down the road. The NHL wishes they had the same success rate at drafting players.
I see a lot of bantam discussion on this site . With the high number of 1-2 round picks that don't pan out as predicted would a 16 yr old draft lesson the chances of this happening. The other two CHL leagues do this. I would think you would get a better read on development etc with one more year. Anyone know why it is 15 not 16 . Seems there are a lot of list players that out perform drafted players mainly due to the fact IMO that they get listed at 16 or later and have developed into better players.
I agree with you completely ! Another year in Midget AAA would do a high % of 16 year olds a whole bunch of good as far as development goes. Also I would like to see the overage increased from 3 to 5 players per team. Players could still get there 4 year scholarships by playing in the dub when they are 17, 18, 19 and 20 !
By the time he plays in the WHL, he will be at least 6'0" and 170 lbs which is bigger than a lot of forwards in the league. As far as skating you have to remember, Brendan Ranford wasn't the best skater in AMBHL either and he has had a pretty good WHL career. The next closest player (other than Benson) in points is Merkley, who is 27 points back and he plays with the very talented Shmyr. SSAC wouldn't be in first place without Estephan. Estephan will be picked in the top 10 in this year's Bantam Draft and will one day be in the top 20 in WHL scoring. I have guessed wrong before, only time will tell.
Those are fair comments. Ranfords a pretty good refrence too. But if memory serves (& it might not ) Ranfords CAC teams were not near as strong as SSAC's.
But its a very good point/comprable nontheless..
I agree with you completely ! Another year in Midget AAA would do a high % of 16 year olds a whole bunch of good as far as development goes. Also I would like to see the overage increased from 3 to 5 players per team. Players could still get there 4 year scholarships by playing in the dub when they are 17, 18, 19 and 20 !
I agree with your comments. I believe the WHL and Junior A leagues are taking players way too early. Years ago it was rare to see a 15-year old on a Midget AAA team and it was rare to see a 16-year old in the WHL or Junior A. Now with the WHL and Junior A leagues ****** the Midget AAA leagues, the leagues are dominated by 15-year olds. The WHL should increase the number of 20 year olds and the Junior A leagues need to change their rules (I believe it is 5 players 17 or younger).
The NHL is also talking about moving their draft back a year.
This is something I hope happens . there is no longer a rival league for players to go to if they don't like a 19 yr old draft. It keeps all players in the proper age groups 1 more year and that can't hurt. A limit of 2 16's and adding 1 - 2 20's would be better. As a season ticket holder in the dub a lot of nights I'm watching a glorified midget league.
Has big frame and lots of speed with a decent shot. The kicker is that this is only his second year playing out. He was a goalie before hand. His quickness and skating are improving immensely. PAC is hosting the Western Canadian Bantam Championships. His team is very weak, but hopefully a few take notice of him.
I'm not sure why he didn't play much this year. But he is a great puck mover and can quarterback the powerplay. Hopefully someone saw him before this year.
This is something I hope happens . there is no longer a rival league for players to go to if they don't like a 19 yr old draft. It keeps all players in the proper age groups 1 more year and that can't hurt. A limit of 2 16's and adding 1 - 2 20's would be better. As a season ticket holder in the dub a lot of nights I'm watching a glorified midget league.
first of all the NHL will never raise the draft age, its been argued in the supreme court that an 18 year old (an adult) should not have any obstruction to work. this will never get over turned nor should it. if a player is good enough at 18 to play in the NHL, why stop him, very few players make the NHL right out of their draft year anyways.
as for the limits in the DUB, they have a limit of 3 20 year olds for each team and thats plenty, its not a professional league, its a jr league. if you don't like the product your seeing get rid of your tickets and let someone who enjoys that level of hockey have them
What is Ty Ronning's upside? I seen him play in a provincial tourny last season and he showed great puckhandling and good speed but not much else. Can someone fill me in on his skills and weaknesses
He is playing for the Burnaby Winter Cub and although his team just lost the PCAHA Flight 1 bantam championship to the Cloverdale Colts. Even with the loss, his team will still be playing in the The Bantam Tier 1 Provincials which will take place from March 19-22 at the McArthur Island Sport & Event Centre in Kamloops, BC.
