Brian Little thoughts?

stardog

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Oct 31, 2003
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What is his upside as far as scoring goes? He tore the "O" apart so with stats like that why was he at 10? I know stats dont tell an entire story which is why I am asking. I dont know much about him so what is his drawback? What is his ceiling and basement and what do you see as realistic?
Thanks in advance
 

CanuckistanFlyerfan

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May 10, 2005
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His size doesn't help him, but shouldn't hurt so much anymore. He's not superfast. Other than that, I'd say he's a great player. Gifted playmaker who can put the puck in the net. Doesn't shy away from the gritty part of the game.
 

Blind Gardien

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Apr 2, 2004
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What is his upside as far as scoring goes? He tore the "O" apart so with stats like that why was he at 10? I know stats dont tell an entire story which is why I am asking. I dont know much about him so what is his drawback? What is his ceiling and basement and what do you see as realistic?
Thanks in advance
One "drawback" I see for him maybe is his overall competitiveness and leadership. ("Hunh? That's a drawback?" you ask). Well, in terms of his upside as far as scoring goes it might be. He's not big, but he's solid, and he'll do what his coaches ask him to do, and he'll do it pretty successfully. So far in the OHL, the coaches basically only have to ask him to score score score. But depending on where and when he lands in the NHL, he has the kind of drive that a coach could ask him to play both ends more, and he could end up being a Peca or Drury type of NHLer. I'm not predicting it will happen, but at least in considering his scoring upside, I could see it. He really turned up his physical play and got stronger this past year, and if that trend continues and he starts to learn to like hitting and getting involved more, I think there is actually a pretty good chance that he follows that Peca/Drury path.

Of course, he could also relax a bit and be more of a Savard/Ribeiro type of offensive centre, although with more shooting ability and less of a pure passer. But I don't see that as being the more likely scenario.

FWIW. :dunno:
 

stardog

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Thanks alot for the input guys. Im gonnna draft him and just needed to know what I was getting into! Im picking him (10th)when there are a couple other highly rated guys still on the board but his mass scoring intrigued me. Could he be like a Lupul type?
 

BuppY

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Dec 24, 2003
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Bryan Little is a little guy who works hard and doesn't take shifts off and brings it every night, he loves playing in the traffic will make hits and take hits to make play, has a great shot and also is a very good playmaker. Later on in his career as he turns pro I see him moving over to the wing, as I think he's a goalscorer and wing position will suit him better. I was hoping the Leafs get Little but I knew the Thrashers were going to take him especially considering Brassard, Sheppard already gone. Little is a guy who can be a PPG player in the NHL and captain material.
 

Dr.Sens(e)

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I like Little and think he is a pretty safe bet to be an NHL and is one of the more ready guys out there. It wouldn't shock me if he cracks the Thrashers line-up this year (they are weak at center after all) and plays with one of Hossa or Kovalchuk for at least part of the time.

His upside is probably similar to Marc Savard, although I don't think it will take Little quite as long to crack the NHL as it did Savard given Little is a bit better skater and grittier at the same age.

That's the upside. The downside is it takes him a few years to crack the line-up and adapt to the speed of the NHL and he ends up more of a Daymond Lankow type - not quite good enough to be an elite scoring line center, but still a good forward.
 

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