Thread we normally do in the off-season but I haven't seen come up yet.
Please limit to players picked round 4-7, F-D-HM
Mine
F- Torn here between Brooks and Chebykin. I'll go with Brooks. He seems like a guy that's been hugely underrated for the last 3 years, primarily due to silly draft related stigmas/ rules of thumb(getting passed over after U-18, getting sent back for an overage year. I expect him to seize top 6/9 minutes with the Marlies and put up 50 points, I would not be surprised if he pulls a Kevin Labanc, sets the A on fire and shoots up our call-up list.
(Also, I know that he technically could be seen as breaking the round 4-7 rule as pick 92 is now a 3rd rounder, so sue me haha)
D-Middleton. I think it's safe to call him the boards least favourite pick from last year but I think that he just keeps trending upwards and makes some noise this year starting at the rookie tourney. I was pleasantly surprised with his mobility last year, and apparently it's come a long way. Seems like a great kid, and really raw coming out of a rural program. I think this year he becomes known as one of the top shutdown defenders in the CHL. Fun little tidbit, check out how low his PIM's are for a "fridge on skates" handling shutdown minutes on a low scoring team, while still staying in the + column. Kid can defend without being forced to cheat
Edit HM- Macgregor/Gordeev. Seems like gut hail mary picks by Hunter and the staff. They think that they have a lot more to give to justify the picks, we'll see pretty quickly
Please limit to players picked round 4-7, F-D-HM
Mine
F- Torn here between Brooks and Chebykin. I'll go with Brooks. He seems like a guy that's been hugely underrated for the last 3 years, primarily due to silly draft related stigmas/ rules of thumb(getting passed over after U-18, getting sent back for an overage year. I expect him to seize top 6/9 minutes with the Marlies and put up 50 points, I would not be surprised if he pulls a Kevin Labanc, sets the A on fire and shoots up our call-up list.
(Also, I know that he technically could be seen as breaking the round 4-7 rule as pick 92 is now a 3rd rounder, so sue me haha)
D-Middleton. I think it's safe to call him the boards least favourite pick from last year but I think that he just keeps trending upwards and makes some noise this year starting at the rookie tourney. I was pleasantly surprised with his mobility last year, and apparently it's come a long way. Seems like a great kid, and really raw coming out of a rural program. I think this year he becomes known as one of the top shutdown defenders in the CHL. Fun little tidbit, check out how low his PIM's are for a "fridge on skates" handling shutdown minutes on a low scoring team, while still staying in the + column. Kid can defend without being forced to cheat
Edit HM- Macgregor/Gordeev. Seems like gut hail mary picks by Hunter and the staff. They think that they have a lot more to give to justify the picks, we'll see pretty quickly