Just like I said in a previous post, when I see this picture I sorta think "did we just draft broken Matt Hardy" hahaha
ohlprospects.blogspot.com
Barlow (and McGroarty) bring a bit of Jake DeBrusk and Tyler Bertuzzi with their games.
Makes you wonder if he maybe could get a look out of camp. Being a guy who is already a man playing against boys in the OHL doesn't seem like an ideal situation for him next year. Sounds like a lot of his game is "pro-ready".Link has been posted above, but these batch of quotes from scouts offers a condensed mulitpinion of his perceived strengths & weaknesses / floor & ceiling, IMO:
Final Media/Scout Top 10 for 2023
A week before the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, the final media/scout poll for 2023 is complete! For comparison's sake, here was the prelimin...
"Barlow has a ton of value because of his projected versatility. It's rare to find solid goal scorers who don't need to have their responsibilities sheltered. I remember saying the same thing about Jack Quinn, in his draft year, and it's why I had him ranked highly too. Barlow could end up developing into the type of guy you want on the ice whether you're up a goal or down a goal late in the game. He is a smart kid, probably wears a letter in the NHL, and has the kind of straight forward game that projects to play well in the NHL playoffs. People seem to focus on the things that he needs to improve on for him to develop into a top six forward (overall mobility, small area skill), but they should be focusing on all the things he does well already that make him one of the most pro ready players available this year." - Brock Otten
"I came away so impressed with the live viewing I had of Colby Barlow. He's someone who has an NHL ready body, and an NHL ready shot. Plus, he shows as a mature player beyond his years, given the captaincy he was given this year for Owen Sound. Like a lot of players, I would have loved to have seen more playoff action ,to see how he would perform when the games got real because with his size, and strength, he's tailor made for a physical game. Skating fluidity was the only downside I saw, but overall he's well earned his Top 15 ranking. 76 goals in 118 games is true sniper material, and he's added 8 more in 11 playoff games." - Steve Clark
"To me Barlow has all the makings of an elite power forward in the NHL. With his combination of shooting ability, size, and tenacity on the puck, he is a nightmare to defend against. He has drastically improved his off the puck play throughout the year and has a knack for getting himself open in the scoring area. When fully engaged he is unstoppable; very few in this class have his combination of natural scoring ability and size. I think he is easily the best 2023 NHL Draft prospect in this OHL class, and it is not particularly close in my opinion." - Austin Broad
"Obviously a ton to like about his game on this ice, but I don't think you can really understate just how impressive his work in the classroom was this season. Barlow had a stretch from January 20th to 28th where he played 6 games in 9 days (including CHL Top Prospects) and managed to write his mid-term grade 12 exams in that timeframe as well. Barlow never let his on-ice commitments take away from his work in the classroom, and became the first ever Owen Sound Attack player to win the CHL Scholastic Player of the Year award. For a bona-fide NHL prospect to have that kind of commitment in his draft year to excelling in school speaks volumes about the type of person he is." - Victor Findlay
"Barlow is an interesting prospect in that he plays a fairly simple north-south game, driving to the net and overpowering his opponents with his strength. The Owen Sound captain is physically mature which allows him to bully junior-aged players already in front of the net and around the boards. His shot is very good but he has a tendency to take shots from above the faceoff circles and then follow it up and attempt to bang in the rebound. His shot metrics look great because he does follow his initial shot up so frequently. Barlow is a decent play connector and has a nose for the net with the hands to score on those chances in tight. His acceleration and agility are going to need work as they limit his mobility at this stage. He is a safe player if you’re looking for an NHLer but his lack of dynamism and mobility issues could limit just how high in an NHL lineup he could play. " - Tony Ferrari
Thanks for this. Such a great contribution.Link has been posted above, but these batch of quotes from scouts offers a condensed mulitpinion of his perceived strengths & weaknesses / floor & ceiling, IMO:
Final Media/Scout Top 10 for 2023
A week before the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, the final media/scout poll for 2023 is complete! For comparison's sake, here was the prelimin...
"Barlow has a ton of value because of his projected versatility. It's rare to find solid goal scorers who don't need to have their responsibilities sheltered. I remember saying the same thing about Jack Quinn, in his draft year, and it's why I had him ranked highly too. Barlow could end up developing into the type of guy you want on the ice whether you're up a goal or down a goal late in the game. He is a smart kid, probably wears a letter in the NHL, and has the kind of straight forward game that projects to play well in the NHL playoffs. People seem to focus on the things that he needs to improve on for him to develop into a top six forward (overall mobility, small area skill), but they should be focusing on all the things he does well already that make him one of the most pro ready players available this year." - Brock Otten
"I came away so impressed with the live viewing I had of Colby Barlow. He's someone who has an NHL ready body, and an NHL ready shot. Plus, he shows as a mature player beyond his years, given the captaincy he was given this year for Owen Sound. Like a lot of players, I would have loved to have seen more playoff action ,to see how he would perform when the games got real because with his size, and strength, he's tailor made for a physical game. Skating fluidity was the only downside I saw, but overall he's well earned his Top 15 ranking. 76 goals in 118 games is true sniper material, and he's added 8 more in 11 playoff games." - Steve Clark
"To me Barlow has all the makings of an elite power forward in the NHL. With his combination of shooting ability, size, and tenacity on the puck, he is a nightmare to defend against. He has drastically improved his off the puck play throughout the year and has a knack for getting himself open in the scoring area. When fully engaged he is unstoppable; very few in this class have his combination of natural scoring ability and size. I think he is easily the best 2023 NHL Draft prospect in this OHL class, and it is not particularly close in my opinion." - Austin Broad
"Obviously a ton to like about his game on this ice, but I don't think you can really understate just how impressive his work in the classroom was this season. Barlow had a stretch from January 20th to 28th where he played 6 games in 9 days (including CHL Top Prospects) and managed to write his mid-term grade 12 exams in that timeframe as well. Barlow never let his on-ice commitments take away from his work in the classroom, and became the first ever Owen Sound Attack player to win the CHL Scholastic Player of the Year award. For a bona-fide NHL prospect to have that kind of commitment in his draft year to excelling in school speaks volumes about the type of person he is." - Victor Findlay
"Barlow is an interesting prospect in that he plays a fairly simple north-south game, driving to the net and overpowering his opponents with his strength. The Owen Sound captain is physically mature which allows him to bully junior-aged players already in front of the net and around the boards. His shot is very good but he has a tendency to take shots from above the faceoff circles and then follow it up and attempt to bang in the rebound. His shot metrics look great because he does follow his initial shot up so frequently. Barlow is a decent play connector and has a nose for the net with the hands to score on those chances in tight. His acceleration and agility are going to need work as they limit his mobility at this stage. He is a safe player if you’re looking for an NHLer but his lack of dynamism and mobility issues could limit just how high in an NHL lineup he could play. " - Tony Ferrari
