why? I don't know if you have ever seen guys like Pietrangelo and Doughty play juniors but he has just as big of an impact as they ever did (maybe not at Doughty's level). Ekblad has all the tools to be a guy that a team is built around, nearly every scout you talk to will say without hesitation "he is a 25-30 minute guy in the NHL no question".
He is the real deal, people who don't see him play want to make the stupid "he just dominates because he is big" argument. It's not true, he is good because there are no holes in his game, he has an elite shot from the point, and has elite hockey sense and has that "it" factor to take over a game.
As for Noah Hanifin, he looks like the real deal but let's pump the brakes a little bit.
You probably know better than I do. I'm just saying from what I've seen/read I don't think he has that potential. As I said I think he will be a damn good player but at this point I don't think he's that much of an upgrade on Risto/Zads/Myers to take him over a potential game breaking forward which we sorely need.
As for Hanifin I'll disagree, it's clear that he thinks the game faster than everybody else, he thinks light years faster than hes peers and it shows. I'm really high on him.
Respectfully disagree. The "it" for you must not be hockey sense, because he has that in spades.
As I told 1972, you probably know much more than I do, I'm just stating my opinion on these guys, perhaps we see something different.
Personally, I don't think Ekblad has the offensive tools that will translate to the next level.. Petro,Doughty,Keith,OEL are some of the games best blueliners and IMO, they dwarf Ekblad's offensive capabilities which make me think he won't be a #1 guy.
He's puts up great numbers in junior but watching him play, that's what I get.