Did the Wings get a steal in McGrath?

[A Good Flying Bird*]

What can anyone tell me about McGrath's rebound this year with the Rangers?
Once considered a first round pick by some, he had a disastrous season last year and fell way down on draft day.
But this year his numbers are terrific.
Thoughts?
How does he project?
Which NHL player does he compare to in terms of skill potential and game style?

Click to read more...

 

[surixon]

What can anyone tell me about McGrath's rebound this year with the Rangers?
Once considered a first round pick by some, he had a disastrous season last year and fell way down on draft day.
But this year his numbers are terrific.
Thoughts?
How does he project?
Which NHL player does he compare to in terms of skill potential and game style?

There is no doubt that he's a steal, The Mcgrath your seeing this year is the Mcgrath that is playing the way he can. I beleive he was projected as the 2nd ranked North American prospect behind Shrimp heading into last years season and a sure fire top 10 pick. Well he didn't have a great year last year and fell I beleive much more then he should have, he should of at least been a late 2nd round pick. McGrath has a very high skill set and posses great speed with a very hard and accurate shot as well as subperb playmaking skills. I beleive that if Even can continue to play with the intensity and desire he's playing with this year, as well as impprove his consistency then I can see him becoming a good first line center in the NHL.

 

[FedorScores]

Where they picked him, yes it was a defenite steal.

 

[leafaholix*]

I can't believe how unlucky Evan McGrath is. A horrible season during his draft year.

It's obvious he can play... the Wings stole him.

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

The WIngs haven't had a first round pick in four years, yet they've managed to draft quite a few solid prospects since 2001: Grigorenko (62), Hudler (58), Filppula (95), Howard (64), Quincy (128), McGrath (128), Haskins (162)

Not bad, if you ask me, considering guys like Datsyuk and Zetterberg were late round steals.

 

[leafaholix*]

The WIngs haven't had a first round pick in four years, yet they've managed to draft quite a few solid prospects since 2001: Grigorenko (62), Hudler (58), Filppula (95), Howard (64), Quincy (128), McGrath (128), Haskins (162)

Not bad, if you ask me, considering guys like Datsyuk and Zetterberg were late round steals.

That's proof that you don't need 1st rounders or hyped prospects to be successful in developing players. I think that's what Toronto's trying to do.

 

[shadoz19]

That's proof that you don't need 1st rounders or hyped prospects to be successful in developing players. I think that's what Toronto's trying to do.

If you want a talented big guy, then you need those first rounders.

 

[leafaholix*]

If you want a talented big guy, then you need those first rounders.

My arse.

 

[Sting]

Well if McGrath ever makes it big...I can tell people I was in a few of his classes in high-school!

 

[BuppY]

Well if McGrath ever makes it big...I can tell people I was in a few of his classes in high-school!

I'm friends with Rick Nash

 

[raidered]

You guys are still overlooking your first forward selected in the best draft of forwards maybe ever - Oulahen. The 85 forwards especially were very deep that year. You better do some research on Oulahen. He also fell in the draft due to a late season knee injury, but came back in 3 or 4 weeks to shut down Hemelfard (1 goal in 6 games) while scoring the winner in game 6 in his rookie season against Barrie. Has shut down Haskins twice this year while scoring the winner tonight. Went head to head against Corey Locke last year as his team took out Ottawa in 7 games. Plays against all the best centers in the OHL since his rookie year going back to Stajen, Roy, Locke, and now Carter and Richards. Looking forward to seeing him check McGrath in their 2 contests this year. I know it will be fun to watch, but he could shut McGrath down and score points as well. This kid (captain of the Battalion) does it all and continues to fly under the radar whereby his name hardly comes up except by the people that know all aspects of the game.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

Simply put, McGrath was a steal, that could turn to be into a huge steal when you consider at one point last year we all thought he was a top 20 mabey top 10 talent.

 

[BuppY]

Wings scouts are one of the best.

 

[Enoch]

I think the Wings take chances on players, that other teams do not, simply because they have been able to fill their holes through free agents/trades. Their scouts are good, and time and time again, the risks they appear to take on draft day....look like steals on the NHL ice. Still, while Mcgrath looks to be a steal early on (I believe he will be a quaility NHLer), its still too early in the year to label him a "steal". He is on his way, but he still has to prove that he can be consistent over the entire year.

 

[andora]

if he makes the nhl he's a steal...

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

You guys are still overlooking your first forward selected in the best draft of forwards maybe ever - Oulahen. The 85 forwards especially were very deep that year. You better do some research on Oulahen. He also fell in the draft due to a late season knee injury, but came back in 3 or 4 weeks to shut down Hemelfard (1 goal in 6 games) while scoring the winner in game 6 in his rookie season against Barrie. Has shut down Haskins twice this year while scoring the winner tonight. Went head to head against Corey Locke last year as his team took out Ottawa in 7 games. Plays against all the best centers in the OHL since his rookie year going back to Stajen, Roy, Locke, and now Carter and Richards. Looking forward to seeing him check McGrath in their 2 contests this year. I know it will be fun to watch, but he could shut McGrath down and score points as well. This kid (captain of the Battalion) does it all and continues to fly under the radar whereby his name hardly comes up except by the people that know all aspects of the game.

When he was drafted, many suggested was a Kris Draper-type player. The problem is his production. Because even defensive minded forwards are expected to show some offensive hockey sense in junior or college. You look at a guy like Maltby. Not a whole lot of offense in the NHL. But just enough to make the other team cautious. He was a 45 goal scorer in junior.
That's the knock on wings prospect Todd Jackson. Speedy. Responsible. A leader. But worries almost nothing in terms of offense.
Oulehen, however, is two inches taller than Jackson. So that helps him.

Anyway, glad to see Oulahen having a good season. He seemed a little inconsistent last season

 

[hunter1909*]

Well if McGrath ever makes it big...I can tell people I was in a few of his classes in high-school!

yeah, just like my dad and his cousins used to throw rocks at tom lysiak when they were kids

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

Wings scouts are one of the best.

As a Wings fan, the nice thing to see is that we're finally drafting some North Americans with talent. I have nothing against Europeans. Hakan Andersson has done a wonderful job injecting some young talent into the lineup. It's just good to see that the Wings North American scouting department is finally getting it together.
I don't think a Wings North American draft pick has had any semblance of an NHL career since Matthieu Dandenault. 1994. Ouch.

 

[pavel13]

As a Wings fan, the nice thing to see is that we're finally drafting some North Americans with talent. I have nothing against Europeans. Hakan Andersson has done a wonderful job injecting some young talent into the lineup. It's just good to see that the Wings North American scouting department is finally getting it together.
I don't think a Wings North American draft pick has had any semblance of an NHL career since Matthieu Dandenault. 1994. Ouch.

Ryan Barnes (enforcer in GR last year) played a game or two last year due to all the injury problems. He's in the USHL, I think.

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

Ryan Barnes hasn't had any sort of NHL career.
By the way, he was signed by the Griffins yesterday.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

If somone asked me who is the better goaltender I would have a tough time saying Montoya is better then Howard but in the end Montoya would be my guy.

Howard is another great pick by the Wings. Yes I know he plays for Maine but he is one good goalie.

 

[raidered]

I see where Oulahen got the winning goal again today across the river beating a well rested Windsor team. A buddy who went to the game said he must have played close to 30 minutes and after last nights win on the road against St. Mikes he was surprised at how much icetime one player was getting. He also thought he saw Nill and Holland checking out the action and taking notes on the 1st star's performance.

 

[PigPen]

The 3 wings picks I've been most impressed in the last 3 years are Howard, Oulahan and McGrath.

Howard is 4 and 3 this year. Not too impressive but the team he's on isn't as good as it was last year. A lot more freshmen and not as many of the seniors from his first two years. Nonetheless he impressed the hell out of me when he carried his team to the NCAA finals. He was the only reason Maine made it that far in the first place.

The one thing I gotta say about Oulahan is, this kid has heart! For a player his age to play the way he does now and do it so effectively is a very strange sight to behold. He's excellent at faceoffs and is an above average skater with a very high top speed but what I really love about this kid is how damn hard he works every single shift.

McGrath has always shown to have a high skill level but for some reason didn't put it together during his draft year. Maybe because of pressure he put on himself, maybe because of off ice problems. Who knows? But the fact of the matter is that the 29 teams that passed up a 6'0" center with a lot of potential and talent should be ashamed of themselves for not taking a chance on him because now he's scoring almost 2 points every game and showing some serious skills out there.

 

[pavel13]

The 3 wings picks I've been most impressed in the last 3 years are Howard, Oulahan and McGrath.

Howard is 4 and 3 this year. Not too impressive but the team he's on isn't as good as it was last year. A lot more freshmen and not as many of the seniors from his first two years. Nonetheless he impressed the hell out of me when he carried his team to the NCAA finals. He was the only reason Maine made it that far in the first place.

The one thing I gotta say about Oulahan is, this kid has heart! For a player his age to play the way he does now and do it so effectively is a very strange sight to behold. He's excellent at faceoffs and is an above average skater with a very high top speed but what I really love about this kid is how damn hard he works every single shift.

McGrath has always shown to have a high skill level but for some reason didn't put it together during his draft year. Maybe because of pressure he put on himself, maybe because of off ice problems. Who knows? But the fact of the matter is that the 29 teams that passed up a 6'0" center with a lot of potential and talent should be ashamed of themselves for not taking a chance on him because now he's scoring almost 2 points every game and showing some serious skills out there.

I think Kyle Quincey also deserves some mention. I think he was OHL second team all-star last year. And he's doing well so far this season from what I've heard.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

If somone asked me who is the better goaltender I would have a tough time saying Montoya is better then Howard but in the end Montoya would be my guy.

Howard is another great pick by the Wings. Yes I know he plays for Maine but he is one good goalie.

i see montoya all the time....i dont think he's that great of a goalie. Howards having a rough start to this year, hope he can rebound.

Montoya IMO looks so good because of the team he plays on, same with the WJC.