C Jeremy Bracco - Kitchener Rangers, OHL (2015, 61st, TOR)

[93LEAFS]

How many Kitchener Rangers games have you seen so far this year? I have watched every game so far and each and every game the kid has played well and made passes that were good enough to have been goals. As I watch more of the ohl I think the goal tending is better than that in the ncaa. Also it t took a while for his teammates to get ready for return passes that they are now putting in the goal. His play has not fallen off like you seem to indicate (whose going to make these passes on the us wjc group) so l ask again how many ranger games have you watched this year?

Quite a few, he was never a lock and he hasn't lit up the league. He's played well and is a great passer with elite vision and good edge work but is lacking in almost all other area, he was not going to excel in a 4th line. I never indicated his play has fallen off, just that he has clear areas he needs to improve on. I'm a fan of him and think that his playmaking is worth the gamble, but there are players on the USA national team who can create goals in different ways. If you don't think Debrinecat has outplayed him you have a clear bias.

 

[X66]

People shouldn't be upset IMO. We all would have liked to watch him play, but the US is at a point now where they're going to leave off some pretty good players. They left off quite a few noticeable players.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Too bad that USA has snubbed Bracco.

CLEARLY, if Konecny was American, he would have been snubbed by them as well.

 

[Brock Radunske]

I'm OK with him being left off. This will be a good opportunity for him to continue to get situated in the OHL.

Plus it was going to be tough for me to watch all the Canada, Sweden, Finland AND USA games.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Exceptional talents Keller and DeBrincat were picked ahead of Bracco. I don't think anyone can fault USA officials for not picking Bracco.

I know Lowry just said they are picking a very fast team for Canada. USA Coaches are probably thinking along the same lines.

 

[Countryjunkie]

It would have been nice to see Jeremy Bracco play in the WJC, but not a big deal. The most important thing is that he continues to play and develop in the OHL.

 

[The Assclown]

He has the skill and pedigree to do well at the WJC but the way in which he moved to the OHL definitely hurt his chances of being included on the team.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I wasn't too high on Bracco because of his lack of top end speed and strength on the puck. Not surprised he was struggling at BC. He seems to be adjusting fairly well in the OHL now, which is a better suited for his play. Though I'm not sure he'll get a lot of positive development there, I felt he needed the challenge of playing against older, faster, stronger players. He's already shown that he can score at the junior level.

 

[Tim Raines]

I wasn't too high on Bracco because of his lack of top end speed and strength on the puck. Not surprised he was struggling at BC. He seems to be adjusting fairly well in the OHL now, which is a better suited for his play. Though I'm not sure he'll get a lot of positive development there, I felt he needed the challenge of playing against older, faster, stronger players. He's already shown that he can score at the junior level.

Just curious what makes you say that?

Under the last two coaches in Kitchener I'd agree with you. But under this regime, virtually everyone is taking big steps forward. And the level of competition in the OHL Midwest is unprecedented. He has plenty to gain developmentally and is well-positioned to do it.

 

[Stats01]

I wasn't too high on Bracco because of his lack of top end speed and strength on the puck. Not surprised he was struggling at BC. He seems to be adjusting fairly well in the OHL now, which is a better suited for his play. Though I'm not sure he'll get a lot of positive development there, I felt he needed the challenge of playing against older, faster, stronger players. He's already shown that he can score at the junior level.

Yeah going up against teams that have the likes of Marner, Dvorak, Tkachuk, DeBrincat on them sure isn't going to help him develop...you know...not that these guys aren't bigger, older, faster, and stronger than he is.....

 

[Countryjunkie]

I wasn't too high on Bracco because of his lack of top end speed and strength on the puck. Not surprised he was struggling at BC. He seems to be adjusting fairly well in the OHL now, which is a better suited for his play. Though I'm not sure he'll get a lot of positive development there, I felt he needed the challenge of playing against older, faster, stronger players. He's already shown that he can score at the junior level.

Why wouldn't Bracco get a lot of positive development in the OHL?

You do realize that outside of the AHL, the CHL is the best developmental league in the world. Any junior age player's best path to development is to play in the CHL before turning pro.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Why wouldn't Bracco get a lot of positive development in the OHL?

You do realize that outside of the AHL, the CHL is the best developmental league in the world. Any junior age player's best path to development is to play in the CHL before turning pro.

And the OHL is the best within the CHL. The western hockey league seems to produce the best defencemen, the OHL produces the best all-around players, and the Q pumps out the soft, flashy, one-dimensional guys like Lafleur, Savard, Roy.......

 

[WTG]

Why wouldn't Bracco get a lot of positive development in the OHL?

You do realize that outside of the AHL, the CHL is the best developmental league in the world. Any junior age player's best path to development is to play in the CHL before turning pro.

I'd rather have my prospects in a good NCAA program like UND, BC, BU, ect....

 

[Paxon]

Why wouldn't Bracco get a lot of positive development in the OHL?

You do realize that outside of the AHL, the CHL is the best developmental league in the world. Any junior age player's best path to development is to play in the CHL before turning pro.

There's simply no way of proving the CHL is the best developmental path. The common argument that it produces the most/best players can't establish causality. The most/best talents come out of the CHL best the most/best talents go into the CHL, mainly because Canada produces the most/best talents and the CHL is the national juniors league for Canada. Any given player might be better off with any given developmental path.

 

[SalVitro]

You do realize that outside of the AHL, the CHL is the best developmental league in the world. Any junior age player's best path to development is to play in the CHL before turning pro.

I believe the USHL had more NHL draft picks than any other junior league last year.

Also, 1/3 of the NHL players come out of NCAA nowadayz, so the CHL isn't necessary any better than other paths. I guess it depends on the player - they are all uniquely different.

 

[93LEAFS]

I believe the USHL had more NHL draft picks than any other junior league last year.

Also, 1/3 of the NHL players come out of NCAA nowadayz, so the CHL isn't necessary any better than other paths. I guess it depends on the player - they are all uniquely different.

Probably should remove or account for though how the USNDP is bit of a different development program than just playing USHL, the under 18's get a bunch of games vs NCAA teams.

 

[93LEAFS]

Also by my quick count the USHL had 30 players picked straight out of the USHL last year including the USNDP players, but not including guys like Eichel or Proverov who both played USHL at one point but where drafted out of hockey east and the WHL respectively. The WHL had 34, the OHL had 31 and the QMJHL had 30. I'm too lazy to go through the entire draft but I'll do the top 20 picks to show how anyone with USHL experience were picked. In the top 5 there were 2 guys with USHL experience to 3 with OHL, in the top 10 there were 4 guys with USHL experience to 4 with OHL experience, 1 with WHL experience (Provorov was in the USHL and WHL), 1 with QMJHL and 1 SM-Liga. In the top 20 it breaks down like this.

OHL (6): McDavid, Strome, Marner, Zacha, Crouse, Senyshen,
WHL(3): Provorov, DeBrusk, Barzal
QMJHL (4): Meier, Zboril, Chabot, Svechnikov
USHL (5): Eichel, Hanifin, Provorov, Werenski, Connor
SM-Liga(1): Rantanen
MHL(1): Gurianov
SWEHL(1)- Erikson-Ek

 

[GTA]

There's simply no way of proving the CHL is the best developmental path. The common argument that it produces the most/best players can't establish causality. The most/best talents come out of the CHL best the most/best talents go into the CHL, mainly because Canada produces the most/best talents and the CHL is the national juniors league for Canada. Any given player might be better off with any given developmental path.

This is the correct answer.

 

[champs*]

Bracco needs to hit a higher gear when playing from what i see.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Bracco needs to hit a higher gear when playing from what i see.

I don't get the hype TBH. Leaf fans should be really really excited for both Marner and Dermott though.

 

[RoyalGremlin]

All this crap happening is making his draft steal label lose a little luster.

 

[champs*]

All this crap happening is making his draft steal label lose a little luster.

lol ... He is super skilled with great hands... He is more a "give me the puck guy" (not a go get it guy) He seems like he wants to quarterback his line off his wing and slow the game down. He is very skilled and dangerous from the top of the circles to the net!! He also looks to be an average skater, nothing special. A couple season in the OHL and another in the AHL he may develop into a good player ... This is just my opinion of seeing him play on a couple streamed internet games lately.

hit me up the next time Kitchener plays and I will shoot you a stream if you want to see him play.

 

[Senator Stanley]

Just curious what makes you say that?

Under the last two coaches in Kitchener I'd agree with you. But under this regime, virtually everyone is taking big steps forward. And the level of competition in the OHL Midwest is unprecedented. He has plenty to gain developmentally and is well-positioned to do it.

He/she literally says in the next sentence:

I felt he needed the challenge of playing against older, faster, stronger players. He's already shown that he can score at the junior level

 

[shelf]

I wasn't too high on Bracco because of his lack of top end speed and strength on the puck. Not surprised he was struggling at BC. He seems to be adjusting fairly well in the OHL now, which is a better suited for his play. Though I'm not sure he'll get a lot of positive development there, I felt he needed the challenge of playing against older, faster, stronger players. He's already shown that he can score at the junior level.

It's not like he is ripping apart the OHL. He is 24th in points/game for players that have played over 10 games.

 

[BigWilly]

I don't have very high hopes for the kid. Timashov and Dzeirkals have both passed him in the Leafs depth chart in my opinion.