C Dylan Strome - Erie Otters, OHL (2015, 3rd, ARZ) II

[86Habs]

Marners speed (both mind and feet) allow him to get to the dirty areas. Strome struggles with processing whats going on around him at an elite rate, on top of a slow release and being a slow skater. I really thought he had a quick mind prior to this tournament but when the pace picked up and so did the competition it was evident he doesnt have it. The biggest tell for me is as soon as I saw him get pressure on the pp. He panicked and couldnt make a fast play to move the puck. I feel bad for yotes fans on this one.

A good contrast would be to watch a Strome shift, then a Cirelli or Stephens shift. The latter two, their feet don't stop moving the entire shift, they don't coast anywhere on the ice; they're persistent on the puck, fought through checks, won puck battles, and consistently created offensive opportunities out of nothing. What Strome seems to lack is intensity or a desire/willingness to compete and raise his game when the going gets tough. He's not going to have 2 seconds to get his shot off in the NHL, it's simply not going to happen. And losing puck battles or making low-percentage (but easy) plays is a quick ticket to the pressbox. The good news is that he can be taught how to skate a bit faster with a more powerful, balanced stride, and he can be taught how to quicken his release. What can't be taught is the drive and competitiveness that doesn't seem to be there for him right now, and this is what ultimately may hold him back.

 

[Christ]

I think Strome is still worthy of his draft status. The problem I saw with him was a young man who didn't grasp the level of competition he was facing. He seemed very nervous and went to his happy place by doubling down on how he plays in junior and missed the extra gear everyone else played at.

He naturally did what made him successful but the problem is that he has to figure out a better way to evolve his game. Shoot faster, skate harder, pass more decisively... in other words speed the game up physically. The catch is I don't think the game slowed down for him mentally all tournament.

Strome has a lot of work to do to become the great player we know he can

Don't you expect a little more from a guy drafted that high in such a strong draft? Look at the guys drafted around him and see what they are doing... Strome has all the tools to be an excellent player but he does not seem able or willing to up his game when the competition gets difficult...he is still young and still has a chance to learn, but if he cannot correct this shortcoming he never be able to justify his draft position.

 

[bert]

Don't you expect a little more from a guy drafted that high in such a strong draft? Look at the guys drafted around him and see what they are doing... Strome has all the tools to be an excellent player but he does not seem able or willing to up his game when the competition gets difficult...he is still young and still has a chance to learn, but if he cannot correct this shortcoming he never be able to justify his draft position.

See I dont see the tools, I see why he dominates in Jr but I do not see the tools to get him to the next level. I knew he wasnt a great skater, but I thought his hockey sense and ability to process what is going on around him was very elite. When the speed picked up instead of him reacting he looked like it was all going too fast for him.

 

[SenzZen]

Did he expect Parsons to just jump out of the way in the SO? WTF was that attempt?

 

[1Gold Standard]

A good contrast would be to watch a Strome shift, then a Cirelli or Stephens shift. The latter two, their feet don't stop moving the entire shift, they don't coast anywhere on the ice; they're persistent on the puck, fought through checks, won puck battles, and consistently created offensive opportunities out of nothing. What Strome seems to lack is intensity or a desire/willingness to compete and raise his game when the going gets tough. He's not going to have 2 seconds to get his shot off in the NHL, it's simply not going to happen. And losing puck battles or making low-percentage (but easy) plays is a quick ticket to the pressbox. The good news is that he can be taught how to skate a bit faster with a more powerful, balanced stride, and he can be taught how to quicken his release. What can't be taught is the drive and competitiveness that doesn't seem to be there for him right now, and this is what ultimately may hold him back.

Arizona would be wise to have him in Arizona all summer long to work on his skating...and then a full year in the AHL. maybe 2 years wouldn't hurt. He's not going to have any success in the NHL until he learns to skate and gets a quicker release.

I was writing something else, but I thought it was too mean, so I wrote something else...enough of Strome criticism. It's over.

 

[BDizzle*]

Arizona would be wise to have him in Arizona all summer long to work on his skating...and then a full year in the AHL. maybe 2 years wouldn't hurt. He's not going to have any success in the NHL until he learns to skate and gets a quicker release.

I was writing something else, but I thought it was too mean, so I wrote something else...enough of Strome criticism. It's over.

That is nice of you. But your points are true, he does need to improve his skating and release if he ever wants to dream of being an impact NHLer one day. He is frustrating to watch at times.

 

[voxel]

Drai is more powerful and not afraid to get his nose dirty.

That's not his strength though... it's akin to say Crosby is powerful and not afraid to get his nose dirty. It's true, but not his primary attribute.

Draisaitl has ELITE hockey sense. I've never seen it in Strome.

Strome is a good player but he did not impress me in WJC 2017. I was more impressed by him last year. I think he needs to check his ego and bring his lunch pail and be prepared to work like there is no tomorrow

He's never impressed me - much like M.Dal Colle.

 

[TMLife*]

Needs to get more intense.

 

[WilliamNylander]

Don't you expect a little more from a guy drafted that high in such a strong draft? Look at the guys drafted around him and see what they are doing... Strome has all the tools to be an excellent player but he does not seem able or willing to up his game when the competition gets difficult...he is still young and still has a chance to learn, but if he cannot correct this shortcoming he never be able to justify his draft position.

He has no tools to be an excellent player really. He went high because of size and the McDavid factor. Surprise, surprise.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Did he expect Parsons to just jump out of the way in the SO? WTF was that attempt?

Yeah that was mind boggling.

 

[93LEAFS]

He has no tools to be an excellent player really. He went high because of size and the McDavid factor. Surprise, surprise.

He put up almost 2ppg in his D+1 without McDavid. What was that? The Debrincat factor?

 

[tavares]

Yeah that was mind boggling.

At least he didn't miss the net like others...

 

[Heldig]

He has no tools to be an excellent player really. He went high because of size and the McDavid factor. Surprise, surprise.

Come on. That is just wrong.

Sportscaster
Assets: Has a tremendous shot, plus all-round ability, including excellent playmaking skills plus the qualities of a true finisher. His hockey sense is well above-average, too. Owns a very projectable frame for an NHL center.

Draft War Room
Offense
Vision – First rate along the patience to let the play develop.
Passing – Pass first mentality with the vision and skills to make it happen.
Shooting – Lethal wrist shot.
Stickhandling – Very good, especially in heavy traffic.
Puck Protection – Will not let go of his puck, a real dog with a bone mentality. A real strength.

Elite Prospects
A competitive offensive dynamo in nature, Dylan Strome possesses the technical skills and the intangible traits that differentiate leaders from followers. He makes his own luck; no number that shows up beside his name on the score sheet is handed to him on a silver platter. He consistently showcases the size and speed to attack and break through the opposition defense, and always knows where his linemates are in relativity to his position. Possesses a hard, accurate release on his shot, which he is never afraid to use. All-in-all, Dylan Strome is a player who wants to win more than anybody else, a person who takes it upon himself to do everything he can to help his team win, and a leader who provides his team with the motivation and will that it takes to win. (Curtis Joe, EP 2015)

TSN Hockey's Top 50 NHL-affiliated prospects
#2 Dylan Strome

2016 OHL coaches poll
Smartest player. 2nd best playmaker. Best on faceoffs. Best shootout shooter.

I could go on.

Does he have flaws? Absolutely. To say he has no tools is just piling on him.

 

[Dabest]

Best shootout shooter

hmmm

 

[Heldig]

Best shootout shooter

hmmm

Silly I know. Good players score 100% of the time.


Player Team Pos Shootout Attempts Shootout Goals Shootout %
Vincent Trocheck FLA C 8 4 50.0%
Claude Giroux PHI C 8 2 25.0%
Aleksander Barkov FLA C 7 4 57.1%
Jakub Voracek PHI RW 7 4 57.1%
Mitchell Marner TOR C 6 2 33.3%
Mark Letestu EDM C 5 3 60.0%
Evgeny Kuznetsov WAS C 5 2 40.0%
Jaccob Slavin CAR D 5 2 40.0%
Auston Matthews TOR C 5 1 20.0%

 

[XX]

Best shootout shooter

hmmm

Does Roy have to fear for his life? At least Strome got a shot off.

I swear you guys love nothing more than to beat on obvious pinatas.

 

[DaveyBumbles]

He sure didn't look THAT bad to me, especially in light of the criticism. Quietly effective is a thing too.

 

[Alberta Yote]

That is nice of you. But your points are true, he does need to improve his skating and release if he ever wants to dream of being an impact NHLer one day. He is frustrating to watch at times.

Good thing he will be in Arizona and you and most if you won't have to watch him.

 

[Bloomberg]

Strome's play was disappointing. He didn't drive his line and he didn't seem to have good chemistry with any one his various linemates

 

[_Del_]

He put up almost 2ppg in his D+1 without McDavid. What was that? The Debrincat factor?

Pretty sure he was 2ppg his draft year after McDavid was out for a couple months, too. These threads are amazing.

 

[93LEAFS]

Pretty sure he was 2ppg his draft year after McDavid was out for a couple months, too. These threads are amazing.

He's actually never broken the 2ppg threshold in the O. Was 1.98 and 1.9 the year prior. McDavid clearly helped him in his draft year, but people really overplay how much of an effect he had.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

Seemed (very much) to these eyes that the higher the pressure got, the more he didn't want the puck.

I have no idea what he is in the OHL --the stat line is very, very impressive-- but the player that I have seen in the WJCs does not want the puck when the game is on the line (or does not have the speed/drive to get it consistently).

 

[LarrysMustache]

Seemed (very much) to these eyes that the higher the pressure got, the more he didn't want the puck.

I have no idea what he is in the OHL --the stat line is very, very impressive-- but the player that I have seen in the WJCs does not want the puck when the game is on the line (or does not have the speed/drive to get it consistently).

pp league. you could put up 50 points a year on erie's pp unit.

 

[jacobhockey13]

Seemed (very much) to these eyes that the higher the pressure got, the more he didn't want the puck.

I have no idea what he is in the OHL --the stat line is very, very impressive-- but the player that I have seen in the WJCs does not want the puck when the game is on the line (or does not have the speed/drive to get it consistently).

I think some of the flack is deserved but this seems more to just a misunderstanding of Strome's play style. For Strome's entire OHL career, he's succeeded because of his play away from the puck. There's nothing wrong with that. nki, a poster who extensively scouted and wrote incredibly detailed reports on 120 prospects in Strome's draft, and who stopped posting because he/she got hired in a professional capacity, noted this in Strome's writeup and even made a whole post about it. Strome's game is based on getting in good position (usually near the hashmarks and goal line; not on the point where he played a lot of minutes for Canada's PP) and making good decisions to move or advance the play when he receives the puck, not carry it in the zone.

I'd agree that he didn't make as many acute and incisive plays in this tourney that he's shown at the OHL level, but there also wasn't a lot of appreciation or understanding of what he brings to the table.

 

[SAK11]

Pretty sure he was 2ppg his draft year after McDavid was out for a couple months, too. These threads are amazing.

In 20 games while McDavid was hurt / at the WJC, Strome scored 29 points, so 1.45 points per game. If he did that all year, he would've scored 30 less points that year. I don't think it's crazy to think McDavid helped his draft stock at least somewhat.