Noah Dobson vs. Evan Bouchard

[Tonystretcher]

Very interested in these 2 prospects and would like to hear which one you guys think is better

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[TT1]

I've been a fan of both for a while and i still go back and forth on both of them, for the time being i have Dobson at #4 and Bouchard at #7. Amongst the dmen Dahlin is in my 1st tier and Bouchard/Dobson are in my 2nd tier. Both Dobson and Bouchard are insane workhorses.

I'm really happy to see how much Bouchard has improved his overall game this year (which has been a trend throughout his career, he always keeps improving), his hockey IQ and offensive abilities have always been there. For being so young Dobson is already very polished but he still has a ton of upside, that's why a lot of people are high on him. His tools and smarts are high end, he really is the complete package for a dman.

I have to see more of Hughes and Boqvist before i can assess them properly but i wasn't all that impressed by Hughes at the U20's (in order to have him over Bouchard or Dobson), Boqvist looked great at Hlinka tho. I need to know where both their defensive games are at and how much room there is for growth.

 

[93LEAFS]

Dobson, better skater and more fluid. Also think he competes harder and is better positionally at defence.

Bouchard has the better shot and is probably better operating in the offensive zone.

If you want to talk about high-end upside, I see Pietrangelo in Dobson, I see more Dougie Hamilton or John Carlson in Bouchard. That makes me lean pretty strongly to Dobson. But, both are top pairing guys and who are effective at what they do. But, I'm going to lean on the do everything guy who I can trust more in all-situations.

 

[McMozesmadness]

I have Dobson on a tier above Bouchard.

He has more NHL tools and more room to grow. Bouchard is good, but I think he’s much closer to being a finished product.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Dobson, better skater and more fluid. Also think he competes harder and is better positionally at defence.

Bouchard has the better shot and is probably better operating in the offensive zone.

If you want to talk about high-end upside, I see Pietrangelo in Dobson, I see more Dougie Hamilton or John Carlson in Bouchard. That makes me lean pretty strongly to Dobson. But, both are top pairing guys and who are effective at what they do. But, I'm going to lean on the do everything guy who I can trust more in all-situations.

Trying hard to think of how the Leafs can trade up to grab Dobson.

 

[Apotheosis]

Trying hard to think of how the Leafs can trade up to grab Dobson.

Best we can do is hope he somehow manages to drop to us.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Best we can do is hope he somehow manages to drop to us.

Don't think it's going to happen, we'd need to trade.

 

[SI90]

I have a man crush on Bouchard. It’s killing how much he’s rising. I really hope the islanders are in position to draft him.

 

[Goldenhands]

Dobson, better skater and more fluid. Also think he competes harder and is better positionally at defence.

Bouchard has the better shot and is probably better operating in the offensive zone.

If you want to talk about high-end upside, I see Pietrangelo in Dobson, I see more Dougie Hamilton or John Carlson in Bouchard. That makes me lean pretty strongly to Dobson. But, both are top pairing guys and who are effective at what they do. But, I'm going to lean on the do everything guy who I can trust more in all-situations.

Funny you compare Dobson's potential final product to Pietrangelo, thats exactly the same comparison Ive made on the Habs board some days ago...

I have Dobson on a tier above Bouchard.

He has more NHL tools and more room to grow. Bouchard is good, but I think he’s much closer to being a finished product.

Exactly my thought that I expressed in the draft thread of the Habs board, to me, Bouchard is the most polished product as we speak while Dobson is more raw but Dobson's celling and room to grow is too attractive to pass on and select a guy like Bouchard or Wilde.. I have Dobson as the best Canadian D prospect and I wouldnt be surprised at all if he turns to be the second best defenseman in that draft down the road..

 

[Castle8130]

Bouchard reminds me of seabrook offensively, when seabrook was good.

 

[93LEAFS]

Bouchard at 7, Dobson at 8 according to McKenzie.

 

[Dominance]

Bouchard reminds me of seabrook offensively, when seabrook was good.

Similar in the offensive zone, perhaps, but Bouchard’s passing ability in generating the rush is far better IMO.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Bouchard at 7, Dobson at 8 according to McKenzie.

To be accurate, it's according to 10 NHL scouts, not Bob himself.

I would take Dobson as a Habs fan because I think there's a better chance of him being a #1 D (the Titan game Sportsnet showed in mid-December was a fantastic showing from him and so mouth watering) but Bouchard is also legit and should be a solid point producing #2-#3 D.

 

[Semaj49]

Dobson, better skater and more fluid.

Interesting, I've never been impressed with Dobson skating and footwork. It always been what hod him out of a top 10 worthy
pick for me. For the record, I've seen him 3 or 4 games at the Ivan Hlinka, yesterday's top prospect game and one live Q game.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but from what I've seen, his skating hold him back more than is a strength

 

[93LEAFS]

Interesting, I've never been impressed with Dobson skating and footwork. It always been what hod him out of a top 10 worthy
pick for me. For the record, I've seen him 3 or 4 games at the Ivan Hlinka, yesterday's top prospect game and one live Q game.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but from what I've seen, his skating hold him back more than is a strength

He literally just tested as the best all around skating player in the CHL at the Top Prospects game at the on-ice combine.

Other guys to win it are McDavid, Virtanen, MacKinnon, Formenton and Kyrou.

CHL’s Top Prospects Showcase Strengths in Sport Testing Combine – Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Interesting, I've never been impressed with Dobson skating and footwork. It always been what hod him out of a top 10 worthy
pick for me. For the record, I've seen him 3 or 4 games at the Ivan Hlinka, yesterday's top prospect game and one live Q game.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but from what I've seen, his skating hold him back more than is a strength

From watching him a lot over the last 2 seasons his skating is absolutely a strength of his game.

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

Both look like they are going to be really good defense-man, but I'll give the edge to Dobson.

 

[Apotheosis]

Don't think it's going to happen, we'd need to trade.

Either or. I think he's worth trading up for. That blend of size, shot from the point and skating screams "all minutes 1D".

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Either or. I think he's worth trading up for. That blend of size, shot from the point and skating screams "all minutes 1D".

Trading up into the top 10 from the top 20(maybe late teens is usually an incredibly difficult task. I mean right off the bat you need a team that is actually willing to drop down 10 spots....and then you need to actually put together a package worth prying the pick from them. I just don't see it being realistic in any way.

 

[Apotheosis]

Trading up into the top 10 from the top 20(maybe late teens is usually an incredibly difficult task. I mean right off the bat you need a team that is actually willing to drop down 10 spots....and then you need to actually put together a package worth prying the pick from them. I just don't see it being realistic in any way.

No doubt. It's a pipe dream at this point. I just love his tools. You mix all that with him seemingly having good hockey IQ and it makes you think what the Leafs could do with Dobson, Liljegren in the pipeline along with Dermott, Rielly and Zaitsev already in the NHL.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

No doubt. It's a pipe dream at this point. I just love his tools. You mix all that with him seemingly having good hockey IQ and it makes you think what the Leafs could do with Dobson, Liljegren in the pipeline along with Dermott, Rielly and Zaitsev already in the NHL.

Oh trust me I am right there with you, I think he has sky high potential and at the beginning of the year I was hoping he would stay under the radar longer. But there are enough really good defensemen in this draft that the Leafs should be able to pick one up that drops or slips through even if it isn't Dobson.

 

[Apotheosis]

Oh trust me I am right there with you, I think he has sky high potential and at the beginning of the year I was hoping he would stay under the radar longer. But there are enough really good defensemen in this draft that the Leafs should be able to pick one up that drops or slips through even if it isn't Dobson.

If not him, I wouldn't mind Woo. Both have great mobility. Woo reminds me more of Vlasic, while Dobson is the prototypical Pietrangelo. The latter is more regarded, but wouldn't mind either.

 

[Woodhouse]

Here are re-posts of game capsules of these two if you're interested:

QMJHL BAT #53 N.Dobson, RHD -- Last viewing: 2017-11-10 BAT@DRU

• Plays heavy minutes and all-situations, including PP1 and PK1; pairing's frequently out with Bathurst's top line.
• Is the PP1 point option, and sometimes its only true d-man based on personnel, but Morand and Rubtsov are the playmakers of that unit.
• PP1 scored three goals in my latest viewing, with Dobson not factoring into the first two, but I suppose you could say that he had a tertiary assist keeping the puck in on the third; still, that goal was Morand and Rubtsov.
• Defensively sound, maybe three chances against playing like half the game, still a hiccup here and there though that needs eliminating or help; stick and positioning good overall, as seen here, but clearances need more zip as there were probably three or four instances where that execution was off, including an early PK and his minus.
• Will carry the puck on exits and entries when the opportunity presents, like here and here, but not often, and shows more as a smart and simple puck distributor; progression and/or potential here via more aggressiveness and confidence on these carries and fourth-forward chances would certainly elevate his first-round stock.
• Took four shot attempts, registering two of his three SOG on three low-danger point shot attempts which left slot rebounds here and here; while his trailer high-danger chance is the one you'd like to see him snipe.

OHL LON #2 E.Bouchard, RHD -- Last viewing: 2017-11-16 GUE@LON

• Two-way heavy-minute defenseman, including frequent PP and PK TOI; top defender on London and used in key situations; on-ice for 5GF and 2GA, finishing +3, though two plusses were ENG.
• Registered six shots; mostly point attempts, including assist, shot, PPG, attempt; sneaks into right circle for wristers here and there; and also looks to pinch backdoor on PP opps.
• Good decision-making in opportunities to carry, join, and pass; examples: joins and sets up a Pu one-timer, backdoor pass, carried entry, seam pass, carried exit then forecheck, keep-in, spin pass and join.
• Displayed some chippy defense; in instances like defending this odd-man and the PPGA, it'd be better if he got a piece of the puck to thwart those chances; minus came on a bad rebound to opponent; had one lackadaisical moment in own end but recovered enough; was whistled once for hooking.

 

[DL44]

Down to the nitty gritty.

Instead of posting a new version of this... I figure I would just bump this...

At the time of the is bump, the votes are 33-32 - virtual dead heat back in January.

NOW which way does it go.

Some team is walking up to the podium that had decide between selecting one of these 2 right-handed Dmen... Which one will they call?

 

[cgf]

I’d be happy to bet on either one to become a legit #1 and I think their upside is similar...Bouchard’s better creativity making him more of a threat with the puck, Dobson’s skating making him tougher to beat without it.

So gimme the more polished one who’s a safer bet to get there because he doesn’t have as far to go.