LW Cole Eiserman - USNTDP U18 (2024 draft)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Honest question, what exactly is the dataset here? Assuming the numbers are tracked correctly, which is an assumption within itself, the NTDP play basically in 3 different leagues (USHL / NCAA / international).

Is this in comparison to other draft eligible prospects? Other NTDP players? If it's the former, the numbers aren't very useful..

That's a good question. I think it's probably in comparison to his teammates.

I think these graphics are often not that helpful, but when the numbers are that bad for a player that will be picked top 10 I don't think it should be completely ignored.

 

[WeThreeKings]

That's a good question. I think it's probably in comparison to his teammates.

I think these graphics are often not that helpful, but when the numbers are that bad for a player that will be picked top 10 I don't think it should be completely ignored.

If anything its just showing what has been out there for awhile.. that he hasn't taken his game to another level this year. Which is what you'd want to see.

Now Eiserman has some insane tools that he shouldn't be doubted, but his stock is taking a hit and it isn't just random, there's a purpose to it.

Hopefully he finds a way to diversify and amplify his game for the back half of the year. The Draft and the NHL is better when more offensive prospects are developing and making it.

 

[Goldenhands]

Totally clueless in his own zone, game away from the puck very flawed, some floating and pretty weak in puck battling.

I have him outside of my top 10 at this point.

 

[HawksDub89]

Totally clueless in his own zone, game away from the puck very flawed, some floating and pretty weak in puck battling.

I have him outside of my top 10 at this point.

I think he’ll still go top 10 because of his shot, maybe even top 5. But I completely agree the rest of his game is a bit of a mess.

Honest question, how do you fix those flaws? College? Some of those issues are a lack of GAF.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think he’ll still go top 10 because of his shot, maybe even top 5. But I completely agree the rest of his game is a bit of a mess.

Honest question, how do you fix those flaws? College? Some of those issues are a lack of GAF.

Takes a hard-ass coach willing to take away playing time and get on him constantly. Will help also once the competition is better, and he sees that he can't have as much success playing the way he does.

He has to want to make improvements. With as much as he scores, it doesn't seem like any type of crisis for him. Hard for someone like him to look at the big picture when he's likely going to set the NTDP goals record soon.

 

[sigx15]

Takes a hard-ass coach willing to take away playing time and get on him constantly. Will help also once the competition is better, and he sees that he can't have as much success playing the way he does.

He has to want to make improvements. With as much as he scores, it doesn't seem like any type of crisis for him. Hard for someone like him to look at the big picture when he's likely going to set the NTDP goals record soon.

Who knows what happens with him in college for a couple years. I've seen some kids go in who'd get lost trying to find the defensive zone and developed with a good coach. Whether Pandolfo is able to do that is a wait and see. I look at where Gauthier came into BC and he's improved dramatically defensively. We'll see if Eiserman has that in him

 

[austin63867]

Takes a hard-ass coach willing to take away playing time and get on him constantly. Will help also once the competition is better, and he sees that he can't have as much success playing the way he does.

He has to want to make improvements. With as much as he scores, it doesn't seem like any type of crisis for him. Hard for someone like him to look at the big picture when he's likely going to set the NTDP goals record soon.

He's barely gotten much playing time a lot of the year. He's played better when he gets bigger minutes on the first line.

Besides scoring goals, there really isn't anything I can point to as a highly positive trait, maybe vision. Playmaking and skating are average, I think his passing has shown slight improvements. Puck control, intensity and defensive awareness feel like questions to negatives at times.

 

[Faceboner]

He's barely gotten much playing time a lot of the year. He's played better when he gets bigger minutes on the first line.

Besides scoring goals, there really isn't anything I can point to as a highly positive trait, maybe vision. Playmaking and skating are average, I think his passing has shown slight improvements. Puck control, intensity and defensive awareness feel like questions to negatives at times.

Could be a case of being such a dominant scorer at this level that other positive traits will reveal themselves when the competition gets stiffer, I could see Anaheim take a swing on him given they have McTavish, Gauthier, Carlsson and zegras who would all compliment the way he plays:
Gauthier-carlsson-terry
Zegras-McTavish-eiserman
That's potentially a loaded top six that could score 5v5 at a top 5-10 rate league wide not to mention a terrifying power play unit especially with the stacked defensive pipeline.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Who knows what happens with him in college for a couple years. I've seen some kids go in who'd get lost trying to find the defensive zone and developed with a good coach. Whether Pandolfo is able to do that is a wait and see. I look at where Gauthier came into BC and he's improved dramatically defensively. We'll see if Eiserman has that in him

Perreault as well. He was getting a ton of negging for similar reasons as Eisermann and it's starting to look like a lot of that was overblown.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Takes a hard-ass coach willing to take away playing time and get on him constantly.

Disagree, takes the total opposite. Put him on a John Tortorella team and he'll get benched, made to feel small and probably sulk. Give him a coach who can and does appreciate what he does bring and is able to connect with him and unlock things to make him a more winning player, and he'll have more success than if he is looking over his shoulder because he has a coach that doesn't believe in him.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I put a premium on goal scoring. You can’t teach that. And it’s the single most important asset a player can have.

Defense can be taught.

The question is whether he turns into Bossy or Laine. Scouts will have to do some homework here.

But generally speaking- and that’s all I can offer here as I don’t watch the minor leagues- I’m always inclined to take more chances on a goal scorer. If this guy really is a 50 goal guy in the making… draft him, coach him and give him a solid center to play with.

 

[coooldude]

I put a premium on goal scoring. You can’t teach that. And it’s the single most important asset a player can have.

Defense can be taught.

The question is whether he turns into Bossy or Laine. Scouts will have to do some homework here.

But generally speaking- and that’s all I can offer here as I don’t watch the minor leagues- I’m always inclined to take more chances on a goal scorer. If this guy really is a 50 goal guy in the making… draft him, coach him and give him a solid center to play with.

I hope your team (and not mine) feels the same way!

Related, I never understand when people think D can be taught really easily. Good defense is not that easy. History is littered with players who couldn't play a complete game and at best scored points in the NHL but never did much of anything else.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I hope your team (and not mine) feels the same way!

Related, I never understand when people think D can be taught really easily. Good defense is not that easy. History is littered with players who couldn't play a complete game and at best scored points in the NHL but never did much of anything else.

Easily? No. But it can be taught.

Bossy was passed on partially because people thought he was a one way player. Arbor said ‘I can teach him’ and the rest is history.

Then you get guy like Patrick Laine…

And that’s where the scouting comes in. I don’t know this guy. Barely watched him play. I’m speaking in general terms. All things begin equal I will always take the goal scorer.

And the idea that centers are better than wingers is malarkey. You take the best player available and that can be any position.

 

[SlafySZN]

Easily? No. But it can be taught.

Bossy was passed on partially because people thought he was a one way player. Arbor said ‘I can teach him’ and the rest is history.

Then you get guy like Patrick Laine…

And that’s where the scouting comes in. I don’t know this guy. Barely watched him play. I’m speaking in general terms. All things begin equal I will always take the goal scorer.

And the idea that centers are better than wingers is malarkey. You take the best player available and that can be any position.

Some are over exaggerating. No one should expect a 17 years old, elite goal scoring winger to be awesome defensively.

Elite skills should be the reason a player is drafted in the top 5-10, not if they play a ‘’complete’’ game.

 

[MNRube]

Easily? No. But it can be taught.

Bossy was passed on partially because people thought he was a one way player. Arbor said ‘I can teach him’ and the rest is history.

Then you get guy like Patrick Laine…

And that’s where the scouting comes in. I don’t know this guy. Barely watched him play. I’m speaking in general terms. All things begin equal I will always take the goal scorer.

And the idea that centers are better than wingers is malarkey. You take the best player available and that can be any position.

Laine has been basically PPG the last two years on a crap team. Some of that while learning to play C. He’s a very good NHLer but some people here just completely have it out for him.

A better example would be a Kaliyev or someone.

 

[93LEAFS]

Laine has been basically PPG the last two years on a crap team. Some of that while learning to play C. He’s a very good NHLer but some people here just completely have it out for him.

A better example would be a Kaliyev or someone.

Wahlstrom.

But, Laine is still a fairly flawed player, and I believe he only played center this year, and didn't do it particularly well.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Laine has been basically PPG the last two years on a crap team. Some of that while learning to play C. He’s a very good NHLer but some people here just completely have it out for him.

A better example would be a Kaliyev or someone.

Laine is an enigma. 80 goals in 155 NHL games all before his 20th birthday in a low-scoring league. Would seem like he was trending towards an easy HHOF career at that point, but there's been lots of ups and downs and frustrations since then.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Laine has been basically PPG the last two years on a crap team. Some of that while learning to play C. He’s a very good NHLer but some people here just completely have it out for him.

A better example would be a Kaliyev or someone.

I don’t think Laine is a bad player but he’s not what he was projected to be.

Eiserman will probably have a good career in the NHL. How good though? That’s where the scouts have their work cut out.

Is he lazy, being used wrong, bad attitude? He was neck and neck with Cellebrini but now he’s sliding. The answers will determine how high he goes.

Is he more Bossy or is he more Laine or is he more Yakupov? Talent is there. Can he be coached?

If the answer to that last is ‘yes’ then you definitely draft him high. The goals are just too valuable not to.

 

[Corso]

I don’t think Laine is a bad player but he’s not what he was projected to be.

Eiserman will probably have a good career in the NHL. How good though? That’s where the scouts have their work cut out.

Is he lazy, being used wrong, bad attitude? He was neck and neck with Cellebrini but now he’s sliding. The answers will determine how high he goes.

Is he more Bossy or is he more Laine or is he more Yakupov? Talent is there. Can he be coached?

If the answer to that last is ‘yes’ then you definitely draft him high. The goals are just too valuable not to.

I don't know, he just seems so uninterested and unaware through much of the play. Shot/skill are there but not sure of the awareness and other intangibles that might make him a huge risk at the next level

 

[Sanderson]

I put a premium on goal scoring. You can’t teach that. And it’s the single most important asset a player can have.

Defense can be taught.

The question is whether he turns into Bossy or Laine. Scouts will have to do some homework here.

But generally speaking- and that’s all I can offer here as I don’t watch the minor leagues- I’m always inclined to take more chances on a goal scorer. If this guy really is a 50 goal guy in the making… draft him, coach him and give him a solid center to play with.

I'd disagree with that. The most important asset a player can have is anticipation. Without awareness of what is going on, a player can have all the physical assets in the world, he will never put it all together. And a great shot is meaningless if you cannot put yourself into the right positions to use it.

While a player can certainly gain some knowledge through experience alone, and thus learn to be decent at anticipating things, it is not something that you can master of you don't have the instincts for it from the get go.

Anticipation can counter many weaknesses. It can't help overcome everything, but it is the one ability that helps you the most, as it enhances all your skills. Look at a player like Draisaitl. He has great anticipation. When he was younger, no one thought he would be a great goalscorer, he was very much deemed to be a playmaker who would maybe pot 30 goals if things went well. Then he developed his shot, and in combination with his anticipation it has turned him into one of the best goalscorers of the recent years. That wouldn't have worked the other way round.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Let's be real.. the reason he is dropping isn't because he's bad defensively.

He's dropping because of his on ice play, lack of urgency, lack of diversification in his game and that he hasn't added anything to his game.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I'd disagree with that. The most important asset a player can have is anticipation. Without awareness of what is going on, a player can have all the physical assets in the world, he will never put it all together. And a great shot is meaningless if you cannot put yourself into the right positions to use it.

While a player can certainly gain some knowledge through experience alone, and thus learn to be decent at anticipating things, it is not something that you can master of you don't have the instincts for it from the get go.

Anticipation can counter many weaknesses. It can't help overcome everything, but it is the one ability that helps you the most, as it enhances all your skills. Look at a player like Draisaitl. He has great anticipation. When he was younger, no one thought he would be a great goalscorer, he was very much deemed to be a playmaker who would maybe pot 30 goals if things went well. Then he developed his shot, and in combination with his anticipation it has turned him into one of the best goalscorers of the recent years. That wouldn't have worked the other way round.

I didn’t say ‘shot’. I said goalscoring. If you can score goals it’s the most valuable thing you can do. Now if you want to say ‘anticipation’ is part of goalscoring that’s fine. End of the day though, if you can score goals in bunches you make it to the HOF on that alone.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Let's be real.. the reason he is dropping isn't because he's bad defensively.

He's dropping because of his on ice play, lack of urgency, lack of diversification in his game and that he hasn't added anything to his game.

I guess the question to ask is: why?

 

[KevSkillz4]

I guess the question to ask is: why?

Because he want to be drafted by Habs, so he know that MTL will pick between 6-12. So he try to drop more as possible.

 

[Sanderson]

I didn’t say ‘shot’. I said goalscoring. If you can score goals it’s the most valuable thing you can do. Now if you want to say ‘anticipation’ is part of goalscoring that’s fine. End of the day though, if you can score goals in bunches you make it to the HOF on that alone.

Do you though?
Peter Bondra scored 503 goals in the NHL, including two 50 goal seasons, leading the league in goalscoring twice. While he is in the IIHF Hall of Fame, he is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Goalscoring is pretty useless for a goaltender, and it is hardly the most important thing for a defender either. And while it is certainly a good quality to have as a forward, many of the best in the game were better at other things than goalscoring. Joe Thornton certainly didn't suffer from being very average at scoring goals.

And yes, I'd very much say that goalscoring in itself is not a skill. It's a combination of multiple skills that leads to the outcome of scoring lots of goals.