RW Owen Tippett (2017, 10th, FLA)

Disappointed EP40

Registered User
Jan 13, 2015
3,222
1,720
Virtanen is also 20 years old. He played in 2 world juniors, in the NHL as an 18 year old. I'm sure he'll find his way to into the NHL as a solid player.

Just coz he played in the NHL doesnt mean he belonged there. Same for WJRs.

He currently looks to be a long shot for the NHL. He's hardly an AHLer atm.
 

Judas Tavares

S2S (Sundin2Sandin)
Sponsor
Feb 9, 2007
10,163
3,557
Don't like what I'm reading here. If he truly is just one-dimensional and the one dimension is the shot, imo he will tumble in the draft. At the same time, does not seem like a strong draft on the wings, which could give him an early look.
 

93LEAFS

Registered User
Nov 7, 2009
33,841
20,905
Toronto
Don't like what I'm reading here. If he truly is just one-dimensional and the one dimension is the shot, imo he will tumble in the draft. At the same time, does not seem like a strong draft on the wings, which could give him an early look.
His speed/strength combo is also high-end. Everything else is a question mark.
 

Mike27Devils

Registered User
Apr 24, 2015
422
179
The guy has so much skill. If he had the brain to go with it he would be so darn good... I would think about taking him 6 in this draft just based off his potential.
 

canucks20

Registered User
Oct 12, 2009
1,843
1,176
The guy has so much skill. If he had the brain to go with it he would be so darn good... I would think about taking him 6 in this draft just based off his potential.

But he just doesn't have the smarts, and that is one thing you can't teach. I wouldn't be touching Tippett with a top 15 pick
 

Daximus

Wow, what a terrific audience.
Sponsor
Oct 11, 2014
38,856
24,729
Five Hills
He could be a solid middle 6 scorer on a team like the Kings. Think he would fit the Kings system rather well. Under Sutter at least. Now who knows.
 

Johnny Hoxville

The Return of a Legend
Jul 15, 2006
37,549
9,343
Calgary
Yeah there's concerns about this guy, but he's a legit top prospect. Lots to love about his game. I'll be shocked if he doesn't go top 10.
 

1972

"Craigs on it"
Apr 9, 2012
14,426
3,147
Canada
I feel like there's so much misinformed opinions about this player, and people are not actually evaluating him but instead just assuming he's a Jake Virtanen because the similarities. He see's the ice for better then a Virtanen or an Evander Kane ever will, and is an incredible skater with size and a lethal shot. Teams will line up for that. He'll score 30 goals playing along a good center in his sleep. He reminds me of a poor mans Stamkos, if he doesn't go top 10 then teams are gonna be looking back wondering what they were thinking.
 

93LEAFS

Registered User
Nov 7, 2009
33,841
20,905
Toronto
I feel like there's so much misinformed opinions about this player, and people are not actually evaluating him but instead just assuming he's a Jake Virtanen because the similarities. He see's the ice for better then a Virtanen or an Evander Kane ever will, and is an incredible skater with size and a lethal shot. Teams will line up for that. He'll score 30 goals playing along a good center in his sleep. He reminds me of a poor mans Stamkos, if he doesn't go top 10 then teams are gonna be looking back wondering what they were thinking.
He doesn't see the game well off the cycle and doesn't particularly off the rush. More likely, he is a guy who drives a middle 6 line, than a guy who clicks with an elite center. I've seen a bunch of Tippett, I don't think he sees the ice well, and if he sees it better than Tippett or Kane, it's still not by a big enough margin to make it average at the NHL level. His positioning off the cycle is lost, he'll frustrate a high-end center to no end. There's a reason Mikey McLeod improved once he got a more positionally sound linemate in Spencer Watson.
 

skyo

Benning Squad
Sep 22, 2013
3,504
230
CanucksCorner
canuckscorner.com
I feel like there's so much misinformed opinions about this player, and people are not actually evaluating him but instead just assuming he's a Jake Virtanen because the similarities.

He see's the ice for better then a Virtanen or an Evander Kane ever will, and is an incredible skater with size and a lethal shot. Teams will line up for that. He'll score 30 goals playing along a good center in his sleep. He reminds me of a poor mans Stamkos, if he doesn't go top 10 then teams are gonna be looking back wondering what they were thinking.

Yeah if a team can provide Tippett a outlet to just score he'll likely do that immediately, plus whats nice is Tippett will be drafted just to score goals, whereas Virtanen was drafted to be a powerforward, hitting players and scoring, too much for the young lad. I see two different players and expectations, so I believe
Tippett will have a much better transition to the NHL, he's the type to low-key be a quicker success at scoring in the league.

Future Considerations: "A strongly built, scoring winger who possesses that natural scorer’s touch…he gets to the right areas of the ice both with and without the puck and has the pro-type shot and release to bury it…he is strong and shifty with the puck, protecting it well as he moves through traffic…gets around the ice well, showing quick jump acceleration to generate space and speed coming down the ice on the rush, and he shows agility and balance on his feet"

Dennis Schellenberg Hockey Prospectus - Nov. 9th: "He is often at the right position around the net and has a natural scoring touch. Competes hard and has powerful skating and strong strides. Needs to have someone next to him who feeds him."
 
Last edited:

Jarey Curry

Avalanche of Makar
May 2, 2015
2,953
674
Finland
Tippett at 4oa would be something, the avs need a trigger man on the powerplay bad. Im not completely sold on other prospects also so i might consider him w our pick.
 

lawrence

Registered User
May 19, 2012
15,883
6,620
Tippett at 4oa would be something, the avs need a trigger man on the powerplay bad. Im not completely sold on other prospects also so i might consider him w our pick.

I wil not be surprised if he went 4th. Dude's a player. Sure the cons is that he might be one dimensional, but kid's an offensive player for sure. Zone entry, shot, speed, size, shot generation, and also him getting pucks to the net, is all there. HIs shot does hit the net, and he's not just some random that shoots at the net, and often misses or gets blocked. He does generate a lot of shots, and his shooting is extremely impressive.
 

Jarey Curry

Avalanche of Makar
May 2, 2015
2,953
674
Finland
I wil not be surprised if he went 4th. Dude's a player. Sure the cons is that he might be one dimensional, but kid's an offensive player for sure. Zone entry, shot, speed, size, shot generation, and also him getting pucks to the net, is all there. HIs shot does hit the net, and he's not just some random that shoots at the net, and often misses or gets blocked. He does generate a lot of shots, and his shooting is extremely impressive.

Plus that one dimension nurished into perfection when he hits 23 would be spectacular next to a fast guy like Mackinnon or on the pp. Everyone else gets more room to operate when opponents shut Tippett down. One can dream right? :D less skilled defensively questionable more stronger speedy sniper like Gaborik perhaps?
 

Birko19

Registered User
Aug 13, 2002
11,189
3
Hamilton, Ont
Visit site
Virtanen the 2nd. NO THANKS

The two don't even compare, Virtanen played more like a grinder than a scorer, Tippett is a legit goal scorer and has a very lethal shot. It also seems like his hockey IQ is much higher as he knows how to get open on the ice to put the puck in the net. On top of it all, he also has size/grit and is a pretty solid skater.

I actually love this kid, he's a legit player and if the Wings draft him, I would be very happy, the only downside is he plays the wing, but at #9, he's the best guy around given that the likes of Patrick, Hischier, Vilardi, Glass, Heiskanen, or Mittelstadt are not available.
 

57special

Posting the right way since 2012.
Sep 5, 2012
47,622
19,461
MN
The worry would be that he is the next Yakupov, maybe? I don't think you have to be a genius to play wing, but some find a way to screw it up, i guess?
 

Wintersun

Registered User
Jan 15, 2013
3,873
1,326
Montreal
The two don't even compare, Virtanen played more like a grinder than a scorer, Tippett is a legit goal scorer and has a very lethal shot. It also seems like his hockey IQ is much higher as he knows how to get open on the ice to put the puck in the net. On top of it all, he also has size/grit and is a pretty solid skater.

I actually love this kid, he's a legit player and if the Wings draft him, I would be very happy, the only downside is he plays the wing, but at #9, he's the best guy around given that the likes of Patrick, Hischier, Vilardi, Glass, Heiskanen, or Mittelstadt are not available.

Just saying but Virtanen was also a legit goal scorer in junior with a lethal shot, who had size/grit and was a very good skater as well. Your description of Tippett is the same as the one for Virtanen back then. They do have some legitimate similarities and hockey sense isn't a strength for either of them but I'd say Virtanen's case was worse.

I think Tippett is a stronger prospect, and I think Virtanen could have been handled much better and could have been a decent NHL player if that had been the case. Tippett just seems to be a better version of Virtanen, or what some thought Virtanen was supposed to be.

I think Tippett has 30 goals upside but he has to find new ways to produce because he's a bit of a one trick poney to me at the moment offensively, but he's very good at what he does. I just find that players that have that one thing they excel at are easier to defend against because you know what they'll try to do. Tippett has to be a little bit more creative, scoring at the NHL level isn't easy and finding space and time is much harder. Very solid prospect, not top 5 level for me.
 

Whileee

Registered User
May 29, 2010
46,061
33,043
Just saying but Virtanen was also a legit goal scorer in junior with a lethal shot, who had size/grit and was a very good skater as well. Your description of Tippett is the same as the one for Virtanen back then. They do have some legitimate similarities and hockey sense isn't a strength for either of them but I'd say Virtanen's case was worse.

I think Tippett is a stronger prospect, and I think Virtanen could have been handled much better and could have been a decent NHL player if that had been the case. Tippett just seems to be a better version of Virtanen, or what some thought Virtanen was supposed to be.

I think Tippett has 30 goals upside but he has to find new ways to produce because he's a bit of a one trick poney to me at the moment offensively, but he's very good at what he does. I just find that players that have that one thing they excel at are easier to defend against because you know what they'll try to do. Tippett has to be a little bit more creative, scoring at the NHL level isn't easy and finding space and time is much harder. Very solid prospect, not top 5 level for me.

Virtanen had red flags about his character and work ethic. That's a big deal when you are assessing 17 year olds that still have a lot of work before being ready for the NHL.
 

NarcoPolo

Registered User
Jul 16, 2012
7,183
224
Watched him play last night. Flashed some skill a few times to create some grade a scoring chances for himself. Reminds me a little bit of Evander Kane with his north south style of play, but he also made a few questionable plays. On a few occasions, he burried his head and would just throw the puck away or make a low percentage play when there were better ones available. Impressive skillset nonetheless.
 
Last edited:

Steve Kournianos

@thedraftanalyst
The worry would be that he is the next Yakupov, maybe? I don't think you have to be a genius to play wing, but some find a way to screw it up, i guess?

Difference is that Tippett is North American and likely not a first overall pick a franchise will pin a ton of expectations on. Plus the league is getting younger, smaller and to an extent, cheaper, so a kid like Tippett should be expected to follow a different developmental path. He's kinda low key in his demeanor but his fast, aggressive style of play should fit perfectly in the way games are played nowadays.

I think he's the kind of winger who can reinvent himself into a solid support guy if all else fails, whereas guys like Yakupov are pretty useless if they aren't in a top-6 role.
 

hradekbr

Registered User
Apr 19, 2017
67
8
The Virtanen comparisons are silly. Virtanen got by in Juniors by blowing the puck by weak WHL goaltending. His power and physical play was incredibly tough to handle, he was essentially ahead of the curve compared to similar players his age in those areas. Once he got to the NHL and faced goaltenders who are used to seeing shots a lot harder than his, he struggled to generate goals. Not to mention his tough, physical play wasn't a fall back option for him like he thought it would be. Tippett is different in many ways. Quicker with and without the puck, better hands, quicker release. That being said, I'm still not sold on Tippett being a top 5-7 draft pick this draft. He coasts too much for me, often disappearing for large stretches of the game. He has an incredible shot, but at times won't seek out high scoring areas on the ice. For a guy who is essentially a one trick pony (that one trick is elite), he doesn't seem to utilize it enough for my liking compared to a guy like Laine, who obviously is regarded as a much higher prospect, but they have similar styles and roles. When watching the Steelheads recently, his line just doesn't generate as many chances as they should, which IMO falls a lot on him.
 

Cheddabombs

Status Quo
Mar 13, 2012
24,653
31,227
Thought Tippett had a real solid game today despite the team performing pretty terribly all together. After Mikey got ejected it was a pretty tough blow to a Steelheads team not nearly as deep as Erie already. Tippett stepped up nicely, looked like he wanted to lead the charge. Unfortunately too many defensive errors cost his team in the end, but I was impressed with this guy for sure.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->