C Jake Wise - Boston Univ., NCAA (2018, 69th, CHI)

[Short Side High]

Wasn’t it only a year ago he was considered Eichel/Matthews level?

No. The Eichel comparisons were coming from people comparing what they each did in Massachusetts prior to joining the USNTDP, maybe even a couple years prior. Wise has been way off Eichel's USNTDP production and well below him as a prospect since he joined the U17s.

 

[AmericanDream]

Wasn’t it only a year ago he was considered Eichel/Matthews level?

In a sense, yes. prior to the start of last season, Jake Wise was being compared pound for pound with Eichel.

Wise actually was ahead of Eichel at nearly every step of the way prior to the USNDP. Last year was a down year for Wise who said he understands what he needs to do to be much better. fast forward to now, he is healthy and is putting up over a ppg pace since his return, if he keeps this up, this is what he was envisioned of becoming just barely 2 years ago.

Many of us posters kept saying this:

Eichel
Matthews
Wise

our top 3 centers for the future

while that still could happen, a certain Jack Hughes has stepped up and has become that next phenom over Wise for right now.

 

[Frk It]

If I count up all his games played since the start of last year, I get 116 games played, but only 15 goals over that span... that's kind of concerning?

 

[AmericanDream]

If I count up all his games played since the start of last year, I get 116 games played, but only 15 goals over that span... that's kind of concerning?

he is a pass first player, I have said he needs to be more selfish as the kid has a good shot. it could be concerning, lets see how he finishes and where his numbers are after the u18

 

[WHISTLERNATE]

He could be a solid pick in the top half of the second round. He has a ton of potential, just seems like he needs time to find out what his game is.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He did pretty well at the U18 5 Nations Tournament. He had 4 assists. When I watch him play, I feel like he's more talented than the points he puts up. There might still be more offense in his game than he's shown, but 17 in 19 games this season is good, and better than last season. He's also shooting 3% this season, so I think there's bad luck factored in. During the game against Russia, he nearly scored a very nice short-handed goal, but hit the post.

People talk about if these sub 6'0 centers can stick at center, but Wise looks to have a really good chance to play center. He looked like the best player at the dot that I saw at that tournament, and he does well defensively. He also has that Crosby type of build, so I wouldn't doubt that Wise has the capability to keep up physically in the middle of the ice with taller players.

 

[LuckyLuke87]

Solid floor, low ceiling type of player and solid bottom six-er if all goes well. By no means 1st round material...

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Solid floor, low ceiling type of player and solid bottom six-er if all goes well. By no means 1st round material...

Why not? I also don't understand the "low ceiling" comment. I think he's very talented and is underachieving, if anything. Is it because of his height?

 

[DatDude44]

Why not? I also don't understand the "low ceiling" comment. I think he's very talented and is underachieving, if anything. Is it because of his height?

He just meant the new apartment he rented has very low ceilings so thank god he's not very tall.

 

[LuckyLuke87]

He just meant the new apartment he rented has very low ceilings so thank god he's not very tall.

Hilarious! Have you thought of a career in comedy?

 

[DatDude44]

Hilarious! Have you thought of a career in comedy?

dam that hf hostility

 

[LuckyLuke87]

Why not? I also don't understand the "low ceiling" comment. I think he's very talented and is underachieving, if anything. Is it because of his height?

Underachieving for 2 years in a row is not underachieving anymore... The kid simply peaked too early, which led to the hype. Not big, not particularly fast, not producing - none of this bodes well for a bright NHL future. If he wasn't so hyped a few years ago, he wouldn't even sniff first two rounds. You aim for game-altering talent in the first round, 3rd / 4th line plugs he's developing into are dime a dozen...

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He is particularly fast and he's producing a pretty high PPG rate. 9 in 7 USHL games. SSS, but if it continues, that would only be bested by Hughes, Wahlstrom and Farabee who will all be high picks. When I say he's underachieving, I'm talking about that he could play better. His current play is still very good. He's also getting unlucky with a 3% shooting percentage.

I don't know how you watch his play, and don't think he's a first two round talent. I hope NHL teams are underrating him as much as you are though, as I'd like my team to be able to take other players in those rounds, and than draft Wise in a later round. That could work out well.

 

[AmericanDream]

Wise went from potential star, to inconsistent year, to hurt for much of the year...to now lost in the Jack Hughes shuffle.

He hasn't grown much in 2 years, which has hurt him, and I agree PB, he is fast enough to be a pro player. He is a playmaker first which will likely take him longer to adjust and become the player he needs to be in college.

The Hughes - Wahlstrom - Farabee line has just taken over, Wise is now on the second line and that hurts a player like him a lot draft wise. He is still ranked very highly on a lot of lists and I even see him as a potential late first/early second if he finishes strong at the u18 in April. His upside is still pretty huge.

Scouts know a lot about this kid, he just needs to work hard, continue producing and he will be selected higher than most on here will admit IMO.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Nice assist on the first goal, scored the second.

 

[AmericanDream]

it was a nice game for Wise, I liked his positioning and quick release. He just needs to shoot more, if he starts doing that he will rise up the charts a bit more.

 

[Rogie21]

Under-18 Season Full of Memories for Jake Wise

While Wise missed three months of the season, since returning, he's fourth on the U18s in points per game with 23 in 21 games.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Two more assists today. He now has 17 points in 13 USHL games, which is fourth in the league among U-18 players. Only players he's behind are the first line on his own team, and he's actually rather close to Farabee's PPG average.

Only U-18 seasons since 2000 with a higher PPG average than he currently has in the USHL are Matthews, Hughes, Eichel, Vanek, Wahlstrom, Keller, Cammarata, Milano, Roslovic, Bellows, Schwartz, Tkachuk, Farabee, Bracco, Connor. All of these players who were drafted already were picked in the first round, except for Cammarata and Bracco, and they only weren't first round picks due to size. The non-drafted ones will all be first round picks.

I think Wise has been himself back in the first round discussion with the good season he's having. I know a number had dropped him from their first round, but he's had a very good season without getting the extra points that the first liners on his team get from playing with other first rounders. I have him ranked 16, and I've had him in the first round all season. I think he's one of the most underrated players in this draft. While people will say he's under-sized, he plays the type of game where his height doesn't really matter because he plays a good two way game and is built like a Crosby.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Hoping he falls to the 2nd round and the habs grab him

 

[93LEAFS]

Two more assists today. He now has 17 points in 13 USHL games, which is fourth in the league among U-18 players. Only players he's behind are the first line on his own team, and he's actually rather close to Farabee's PPG average.

Only U-18 seasons since 2000 with a higher PPG average than he currently has in the USHL are Matthews, Hughes, Eichel, Vanek, Wahlstrom, Keller, Cammarata, Milano, Roslovic, Bellows, Schwartz, Tkachuk, Farabee, Bracco, Connor. All of these players who were drafted already were picked in the first round, except for Cammarata and Bracco, and they only weren't first round picks due to size. The non-drafted ones will all be first round picks.

I think Wise has been himself back in the first round discussion with the good season he's having. I know a number had dropped him from their first round, but he's had a very good season without getting the extra points that the first liners on his team get from playing with other first rounders. I have him ranked 16, and I've had him in the first round all season. I think he's one of the most underrated players in this draft. While people will say he's under-sized, he plays the type of game where his height doesn't really matter because he plays a good two way game and is built like a Crosby.

While I think he's put himself back in the late-first discussion, he does get prime PP time, from what I've seen he plays on the first unit with Farabee, Wahlstrom, Hughes and Wilde, which would obviously help production to an extent.

He's the 3rd best forward of the draft eligibles on the U-18's though.

If the U-18's go ahead it will be interesting to see how he shows there. No one knows what's happening with that event at the moment, but the longer nothing concrete is said, the more likely it is that every country will show up.

 

[Whalers Fan]

A very nice night for Jake Wise -- a natural hat trick and an assist in the U18's 6-4 comeback win over Madison. He's definitely putting himself in the running for late first round consideration. As a Habs fan, I hope he's still there in the 2nd round when they have all those extra picks.

FYI, Team USA is one win away from clinching a first round bye in the USHL playoffs. It's been six years since the program last qualified for the playoffs.

 

[Rogie21]

A very nice night for Jake Wise -- a natural hat trick and an assist in the U18's 6-4 comeback win over Madison. He's definitely putting himself in the running for late first round consideration. As a Habs fan, I hope he's still there in the 2nd round when they have all those extra picks.

Despite missing the U18s first 24 games, he's up to 7th on the team scoring list and is one of four averaging more than a point/game. Nice unselfish move at the end of the game, passing up an ENG for a teammate. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTx938qFyhg&feature=youtu.be

 

[Whalers Fan]

Despite missing the U18s first 24 games, he's up to 7th on the team scoring list and is one of four averaging more than a point/game. Nice unselfish move at the end of the game, passing up an ENG for a teammate. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTx938qFyhg&feature=youtu.be

That empty net goal was an intelligent play by Wise. He had a tough angle for the shot while being pressured defensively and could have easily missed the net, but instead had the presence to look for his open teammate for the certain, layup goal.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Wise had an uneven season last year, but if you caught the right game or tournament, he was excellent, and the best player on the ice. Other games, not so much, but this season, he's been that or close to that very consistently. I think he's living up to the initial hype this season. Now, the only U18 seasons since 2000 in the USHL with a higher PPG are Matthews, Eichel, Vanek, Keller, Hughes and Wahlstrom. Two NHL 1C's, a former PPG winger, another winger who likely will be PPG at some point, along with two players currently on his team that will be top 10 picks, and in Hughes case, likely 1OA.

Over two years of evidence, I'd say he's the best draft-eligible forward on the NTDP team. At the very least, he deserves the same top 15 consideration that Wahlstrom and Farabee will get.

 

[AmericanDream]

Wise had an uneven season last year, but if you caught the right game or tournament, he was excellent, and the best player on the ice. Other games, not so much, but this season, he's been that or close to that very consistently. I think he's living up to the initial hype this season. Now, the only U18 seasons since 2000 in the USHL with a higher PPG are Matthews, Eichel, Vanek, Keller, Hughes and Wahlstrom. Two NHL 1C's, a former PPG winger, another winger who likely will be PPG at some point, along with two players currently on his team that will be top 10 picks, and in Hughes case, likely 1OA.

Over two years of evidence, I'd say he's the best draft-eligible forward on the NTDP team. At the very least, he deserves the same top 15 consideration that Wahlstrom and Farabee will get.

very happy to see him playing strong since his comeback...hopefully others are noticing and he goes in the top 20, kid had some bad luck earlier on, so good for him for sticking with it and proving what he can do. might be one of the biggest risers since he seems ranked in late 30's to early 40's on most lists.