Blake Wheeler Final Five Championship OT Goal

[wukwinn]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EuepVP-NBrs

Click to read more...

 

[PhoPhan]

In the last two games of the WCHA tournament, Wheeler had a 4 goals and an assist, including both game winners. He's had some consistency issues this year, but when he's on, he's difficult to handle. If he can figure out how to bring it every night, he'll be an absolute force.

 

[Bryzga lol*]

saw that before the ducks-kings game....not the most amazing goal of the year since the puck was rolling and the goalies went on his knees....but you won't see a nicer goal in an overtime championship.

 

[Redwingsfan]

wow. sweet goal.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Tallackson #2?

 

[cupcrazyman]

during the nhl draft with their first round pick, the coyotes went right off the board and drafted him out of highschool .early reports seem to suggest that gretzky & Co. knew exactly what they were doing with this pick.he signed with the gophers and there you have it.

 

[Draft Guru]

Tallackson #2?

Ummm...his top-end potential is light years above Tallackson.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Ummm...his top-end potential is light years above Tallackson.

Back in Tallacksons draft year he has a 6`4 winger, could skate, strong and had a nice shot. He was Minny's top recruit and surely was thought of as a top line player in the NHL. Tallackson also put up the same amount of points as Wheeler in his freshman year, the only difference is Tallackson was 2 years younger. Don't act as if Tallackson was always pegged to be a filler player. Wheeler should have went much higher in the draft. He is 20 and still isn't dominating the college scene like a top 10 pick should.

 

[The Joker*]

Wheeler should have went much higher in the draft.

What?

He's better than Ladd, Barker, Malkin or Ovechkin?

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

What?

He's better than Ladd, Barker, Malkin or Ovechkin?

I meant higher as in mid 20's

 

[PhoPhan]

Name 20 players in that draft better than Wheeler.

 

[Vagrant]

It's weird how on HF a player is one highlight reel goal away from having "bust potential" to being a potential superstar in the making. I'm not commenting either way on the player having seen a limited amount of him, but the pervasive opinion of Wheeler prior to this goal was that he was struggling to adapt to life after high school hockey and now he's the apple of everybody's eye.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

It's weird how on HF a player is one highlight reel goal away from having "bust potential" to being a potential superstar in the making. I'm not commenting either way on the player having seen a limited amount of him, but the pervasive opinion of Wheeler prior to this goal was that he was struggling to adapt to life after high school hockey and now he's the apple of everybody's eye.

I wouldn't say Wheeler's "struggled to adapt", but he has been inconsistent. He does have upside though, and this past weekend was a good example of why he was drafted as high as he was.

 

[Vagrant]

I wouldn't say Wheeler's "struggled to adapt", but he has been inconsistent. He does have upside though, and this past weekend was a good example of why he was drafted as high as he was.

Struggle to adapt was a poor choice of words. He looks exactly like a decent college hockey player at this point in his career, but people expect more out of Top 5 selections. Thomas Vanek like production shouldn't have been out of the question for Wheeler. considering where he was drafted. I understand that the 2003 draft and the 2004 draft were worlds apart, but the point remains that you expect more production out of such a highly regarded player.

 

[Fozz]

Great effort but lucky that the puck was rolling. Not bad none the less.

 

[PhoPhan]

Struggle to adapt was a poor choice of words. He looks exactly like a decent college hockey player at this point in his career, but people expect more out of Top 5 selections. Thomas Vanek like production shouldn't have been out of the question for Wheeler. considering where he was drafted. I understand that the 2003 draft and the 2004 draft were worlds apart, but the point remains that you expect more production out of such a highly regarded player.

I'm not going to compare Wheeler to Vanek, but I will say that Blake has been progressing as expected. He was drafted as a project player who would need time to grow into his body. In the 3 seasons since being drafted, Wheeler has put on over 40 lbs. of body mass, which takes some adapting. The first half of this season, he looked like an absolute monster, but then he sort of fell off. The last two games, though, were when he came back to life: a hat trick one game, then a goal and an assist the next, including both game winners. Both were important games, too. Wheeler has shown he has what to it takes to be a dominant power forward, but he needs to work on consistently bringing the intensity every single night.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Back in Tallacksons draft year he has a 6`4 winger, could skate, strong and had a nice shot. He was Minny's top recruit and surely was thought of as a top line player in the NHL. Tallackson also put up the same amount of points as Wheeler in his freshman year, the only difference is Tallackson was 2 years younger. Don't act as if Tallackson was always pegged to be a filler player. Wheeler should have went much higher in the draft. He is 20 and still isn't dominating the college scene like a top 10 pick should.

Actually, after his craptastic draft year play (filled with inconsistency and heartless play), Tallackson WAS looked at as more of a filler player.

 

[Vagrant]

I'm not going to compare Wheeler to Vanek, but I will say that Blake has been progressing as expected. He was drafted as a project player who would need time to grow into his body. In the 3 seasons since being drafted, Wheeler has put on over 40 lbs. of body mass, which takes some adapting. The first half of this season, he looked like an absolute monster, but then he sort of fell off. The last two games, though, were when he came back to life: a hat trick one game, then a goal and an assist the next, including both game winners. Both were important games, too. Wheeler has shown he has what to it takes to be a dominant power forward, but he needs to work on consistently bringing the intensity every single night.

Was his billing as a power center more a result of him putting on so much body mass or was it his initial scouting report? For some reason, I remember him being a slick center compared to a Brad Richards type prior to the draft. As i've said, I haven't seen a great deal of him but is he now using his size to his advantage like a say Keith Primeau or is he just using his size to create chances like a Joe Thornton?

 

[5mn Major]

Back in Tallacksons draft year he has a 6`4 winger, could skate, strong and had a nice shot. He was Minny's top recruit and surely was thought of as a top line player in the NHL.

I guess I don't see where that makes him the same human...Erik Johnson and Jack Johnson have the same last name (and even more to the point are both defense) and very few think they're the same prospect.

It's weird how on HF a player is one highlight reel goal away from having "bust potential" to being a potential superstar in the making. I'm not commenting either way on the player having seen a limited amount of him, but the pervasive opinion of Wheeler prior to this goal was that he was struggling to adapt to life after high school hockey and now he's the apple of everybody's eye.

What posters are doing is using this highlight goal to let people know that Wheeler has made great strides this year...and through that play, many of us can see a budding star in the dominance he can show. No he's not putting up CHL style numbers...but he's not playing in the CHL either.

So if your thinking people suddenly love the guy because of one goal...your mistaken.

 

[Vagrant]

So if your thinking people suddenly love the guy because of one goal...your mistaken.

No, that much for sure is certain. Maybe the informed posters who follow his progress know the "real deal" as you see it, but the casual posters that haven't seen a lick of Blake Wheeler this year are using this as a high water mark of his progress when in fact, it's only one goal. Search for a Blake Wheeler thread from a week ago and see what kind of replies were flying around. Heck, even the "Who is going to be the Blake Wheeler of '07" thread has quite a few people making remarks about his lack of progression unless i'm mistaken.

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

The guy who started that Wheeler 07 thread meant someone who shocked posters by going so high.

Those people making remarks about his lack of progression are really the same casual posters you mentioned a few sentences earlier. Wheeler has doubled his goal production and been very strong *at times*. Inconsistancy is still a problem for him but he's doing much better. I'm not sure how that translates to a "lack of progress". IMO it probably comes more from "stats unavailable on hockeydb" = "lack of progress".

As for your question - no Wheeler doesnt use his size much.. he's no K.Primeau.

 

[BlueJays]

Props to Wheeler....the kid is getting hot at the perfect time.

 

[5mn Major]

No, that much for sure is certain. Maybe the informed posters who follow his progress know the "real deal" as you see it, but the casual posters that haven't seen a lick of Blake Wheeler this year are using this as a high water mark of his progress when in fact, it's only one goal. Search for a Blake Wheeler thread from a week ago and see what kind of replies were flying around. Heck, even the "Who is going to be the Blake Wheeler of '07" thread has quite a few people making remarks about his lack of progression unless i'm mistaken.

It was 4 goals and an assist in 2 games of the top shelf WCHA Final 5 (as well as MVP of the tournament).

The knock on Blake Wheeler has been that he sometimes disappears for stretches and that his scoring is spotty. But this has been due to him acclimating to tough WCHA play...at every level he has played at, he has only progressed. On the otherhand, Blake's talent is great and his moves can be as spectacular as anyone in the NCAAs. Even as I think the WCHA is a better place than the AHL for Blake Wheeler next year, he has now shown that he has the ability to take over games at the NCAA level.

All I can say is there are few players out there with a finer line to cross to being a great prospect than Blake Wheeler...and he looks like he's on the verge of crossing it.

 

[The Big E]

As a Goofer fan, I've been underwhelmed with with Blake's progress compared to how high Phoenix drafted him. Conversely, Erik Johnson and Kyle Okopso have lived up to their draft positions in my opinion. Obviously, PHO took a risk drafting Blake so early and were gambling that he'd grow into a kind of power forward game that would be awesome in the NHL. He's sporadically shown that game-changing ability this season and its awesome (as a homer and a Goofer fan) to see him stepping up in the playoffs.

I think we'll know if Blake is for real next season when he'll be expected to approach PPG numbers. Obviously, if posted PPG+ numbers through the postseason, that'd be awesome, too.

 

[Zine]

All I can say is there are few players out there with a finer line to cross to being a great prospect than Blake Wheeler...and he looks like he's on the verge of crossing it.

I think labeling him a great prospect or 'star' is going a bit too far. I've seen a ton of Gopher games and while I think Wheeler will be a productive NHLer I don't see him as a 1st line talent (even if he is a project). He just doesn't possess the pure raw skills of a Toews, or like Heatley did, or Vanek or Parise did.

He WILL be a solid NHLer but I think more should be expected of a top 5 pick.