Angelo Esposito and the Junior Hockey Hype Train

[Unfriendly Ghost]

is this the fate of all prospects in the post-Crosby/Ovechkin hockey world? It really seems like Kessel and Esposito will suffer the same fate: massively overrated, then criminally underrated, and finally leveling out as still very good players.

The charges at hand? Hockey sense and teamwork. I'm not a scout, so this is probably where you can tune me out if you'd like, but doesn't it seem like you're going to find both of those a little lacking in ANY 17-18 yearold you're watching? It's a little early to conclude, but Kessel has stuck in the NHL, and he's shown a helluva lot of character in battling through cancer.

It just seems like these Kessel got (and Espo will get) sentenced to a lower draft position for the crime of Not Being Sidney Crosby. Not every player can be Mr. Perfect at 17. These are still kids. I damn sure was still an idiot until about 21.

Could this happen to Stamkos and Tavares? Before you answer, remember how hyped both Kessel and Espo were before their draft years.

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[Seachd]

When did Kessel get criminally underrated? He went 5th.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

You don't remember? I remember seeing him get torn apart here. Some people made it sound like he was not worthy to be a 1st rounder. No hockey sense, bad attitude, soft, no defense, wasn't going to make it.

 

[JeromeHP]

Agree 100% both kessel and espo will be fine. I can speak for esposito the QMJHL try to sold him as the next crosby to the media and the fan but it didnt work out...just let the kids played and stop with all the non-sense praise...only true cant miss prospects can manage it like crosby ovechkin and in the futur tavares

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Esposito could turn out to be very much like Patrice Bergeron. It seems he was being touted as the next big thing early on, and having Alexander Radulov as a teammate probably got Esposito a lot of recognition, but this season it seems as though his responsibilities were increased as a two-way center. He may not turn out to be a superstar center, but I think he can develop to become a very good #2 center.

 

[Jovavic]

I think if you break a Gretzky record like Tavaras did, you're probably worthy of the praise.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

is this the fate of all prospects in the post-Crosby/Ovechkin hockey world? It really seems like Kessel and Esposito will suffer the same fate: massively overrated, then criminally underrated, and finally leveling out as still very good players.

The charges at hand? Hockey sense and teamwork. I'm not a scout, so this is probably where you can tune me out if you'd like, but doesn't it seem like you're going to find both of those a little lacking in ANY 17-18 yearold you're watching? It's a little early to conclude, but Kessel has stuck in the NHL, and he's shown a helluva lot of character in battling through cancer.

It just seems like these Kessel got (and Espo will get) sentenced to a lower draft position for the crime of Not Being Sidney Crosby. Not every player can be Mr. Perfect at 17. These are still kids. I damn sure was still an idiot until about 21.

Could this happen to Stamkos and Tavares? Before you answer, remember how hyped both Kessel and Espo were before their draft years.

Not sure about Stamkos, but it won't happen to Tavares. Neither Espo nor Kessel had a pre-NHL season as impressive as the one Tavares just had. And JT's only 16.

He's in a different stratosphere.