I'm surprised at the comments here. I'd say he's been more or less what I expected.
He's shown some great offensive IQ and instincts, but unlike others, I haven't been at all impressed by his defensive play. His foot speed is a bit of a problem, he's not too strong on his stick, and he's looked a bit lost a few times (noticed this mostly in preseason).
But all of that is to be expected - it's not much of an indication of what he projects to become, as his skating / strength and defensive IQ should both improve. But as of today I would consider him a below average defender. Luckily he's got no shortage of effort, which is one of the most important things for me when evaluating young, highly touted centers.
I see a lot Sean Monahan in his game, but he's got better vision and brings a physical edge that Monahan doesn't, making him more successful along the offensive boards. I think we'll see a Monahan type progression for him, especially in his 2 way game. Monahan has gotten better every year in that aspect, taking a pretty big jump last year under Gulutzan.
Does 15g 40p seem like a reasonable forecast for this season?