Blake Wheeler the forgotten prospect

[5mn Major]

I don't even understand your point here. I'm not sure what Okposo even has to do with this thread. But, if we want to compare the prospects, Okposo had 40 points in 40 games last year as an 18-YO freshmen. Wheeler, as a 19 YO freshmen, had 23 points in about as many games. As a sophmore, Wheeler still failed to put up more points than Okposo. And, it is not as if he is superior in other aspects of the game either.

I love Okposo's game and I know that you're that Okposo is not worse and probably better...but these two players are somewhat easy to compare and IMO Kyle/Blake point differential above is not indicative of these two guys talent level.

What drove Okposo's numbers last year was that the first half of the season, Kyle played with Tyler Hirsch. Tyler was the best playmaker in the NCAAs...and may have been the best in several years. He set up Kyle on countless plays. In the whole second half (without Hirsch), Okposo's scoring fell off. Kyle scored I think it was just 2 goals without Hirsch...against teams other than last place Alaska Anchorage. Even so, these numbers are also not totally indicative of Kyles play either as his game laid somewhere inbetween.

But these two guys should be at a pretty similar game this year (admittedly with Wheeler being older).

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

Wheeler's freshman team was also loaded - that was Kessel's team along with Potulny (38g in 41 games), Irmen, Guyer, Gordon, Howe.. almost all of them left the following year. The team Okposo joined was a younger one with much less competition for ice time and PP points. Barriball and Wheeler himself were his main competition, not Kessel and Potulny.

Certainly Okposo has made more progress at a younger age though, just not all that accurate to compare their freshmen seasons.

 

[PHX FireBirds18]

Who cares? I hated the pick at the time(I wanted Olesz or Schremp), but with the way that draft class is shaping up, I'm really okay with the Wheeler pick, at this point. Seriously, have a look at the first round ... http://www.forecaster.ca/demos/hockey/draft.cgi?2004 ... Wheeler looks like a decent gamble, so far, for sure.

I wanted Barker at first and if we didn't get him then trade down to get Stafford. Never saw the guy play just like what I heard.

 

[Redwingsfan]

i would be happy with the pick if i were a coyotes fan. they could have done better of course (olesz, radulov, wolski, zajac, meszaros), but they could have done A LOT worse too. im not going to name any players because i dont want to start a war with any teams fans. but there were so crappy players picked in the first round in 04.


if i were re doing the draft i think i would place him somewhere around 15, for now.

 

[rt]

i would be happy with the pick if i were a coyotes fan. they could have done better of course (olesz, radulov, wolski, zajac, meszaros), but they could have done A LOT worse too. im not going to name any players because i dont want to start a war with any teams fans. but there were so crappy players picked in the first round in 04.


if i were re doing the draft i think i would place him somewhere around 15, for now.

Right now it looks like Wolski, Zajac, and Meszaros were better picks. Long-term, who knows? Wheeler is still a long way away from a finished product.

 

[Redwingsfan]

Right now it looks like Wolski, Zajac, and Meszaros were better picks. Long-term, who knows? Wheeler is still a long way away from a finished product.

yeah. you are absolutely right, but wheeler is still a project. while wolski, zajac etc are NHL players, so for now you have to put them ahead of wheeler. but who knows what happens in the end.

 

[The Fuhr*]

I think when Wheeler is done developing he will be

6'5 and 235lbs
Good for 30-35 goals a season and 70-80 points
Great speed for his size
Responsable in the defensive end

I think Wheeler is going to be a really good player