Prospect Info: 2015 NHL Draft - Pick #113 - Brad Morrison

Xref

Registered User
Oct 16, 2010
1,690
85
The size/weight is a HUGE concern. That's rag-doll material right there, folks. Also, before we "jump for joy", no one knows where this kid's head is at. You can have all the skill in the world, but if your head isn't where it needs to be, you aren't going to make the big show. That goes for every pick outside of the top 3 or 5. That's why all draft picks are CRAPSHOOTS. Not getting excited at all until these kids make it to the show.
 

Miamipuck

Al Swearengen
Dec 29, 2009
7,411
2,693
Take a Wild Guess
I will be honest, I was at the draft and every single player there looks slight, light for their height.

I think with all the emphasis on speed that the players took off weight. I think I saw maybe 4-5 players that looked like they were filled out a bit. I wouldn't be too concerned at the moment about weight. That was an eye test observation thatmy brother and I thought it noticeable, I could be wrong.
 

Ghost of jas

Unsatisfied
Feb 27, 2002
27,188
13,601
NJ
Hopefully his head is right top of shoulders. If the scouts missed something like that then my faith in this franchise is destroyed.
 

Kanneda

Registered User
Aug 10, 2014
998
14
Madrid
Where does this senseless concern with his head come from? :S
Love this pick!
 
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East Coast Bias

Registered User
Feb 28, 2014
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NYC
The size/weight is a HUGE concern. That's rag-doll material right there, folks. Also, before we "jump for joy", no one knows where this kid's head is at. You can have all the skill in the world, but if your head isn't where it needs to be, you aren't going to make the big show. That goes for every pick outside of the top 3 or 5. That's why all draft picks are CRAPSHOOTS. Not getting excited at all until these kids make it to the show.

What are rambling on about?

Is this just a blanket statement to never be excited about a draft pick because it's not guaranteed?
 

Beacon

Embrace the tank
May 28, 2007
13,676
1,454
For an offensive forward, not a lot of points. Anyone wants to explain how that happened?
 

dshea19

Registered User
Jun 9, 2015
588
656
According to Jess Rubenstein, his team has new ownership and are undergoing a rebuild. So, I think this upcoming season will say a lot. Tambellini was also really skinny, but he grew and just had a monster year. There is time to put on weight. If he has a stagnant year for growth, then it might be time to worry.
 

eco's bones

Registered User
Jul 21, 2005
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Elmira NY
Morrison's not necessarily going to really be a small player per se. He's somewhere around 5'11-6'0 right now. Wouldn't be unheard for him to grow another inch or two but primarily he needs to put on some weight. He's 18 and practically everyone in his draft class could put on some weight. Anyway if he remains the same height--185-190 lbs would be just fine. Those lbs. should come naturally within the next two-three years. He should naturally become stronger as well.

Guy has skill. A lot of people looked at him as one of the draft's best sleeper picks. Me--I liked Conor Garland as my sleeper more than anyone else but Morrison was a guy mentioned a lot for team's rolling the dice and looking at players in the middle rounds. He's slick and he's been improving consistently and he's competitive and he's not afraid to go to the dirtier areas of the ice. It was a really really good pick IMO.
 

Pizza

Registered User
Sep 17, 2005
11,175
563
So are we at that place yet post draft where we collectively realize that these are 18 year old kids?

Kids will grow. They will mature (hopefully). They will develop to some extent.

In five years if 3 of these kids are regular NHLers, it was a solid draft. Very solid.
 

Joey Bones

***** 2k16
Jul 27, 2012
10,663
4,409
Nowhere
For every guy like Tyler Johnson that makes it, there are a dozen that don't. He's an interesting prospect for sure, but one we should look at with tempered expectations.

Agreed, we can rave all day about taking some offensive prospects, but none of these guys are a lock by any means. Longtime fans have seen plenty of these players go nowhere.

True, true. I love the kid's profile and will follow him with interest, but if he had a high chance of being Tyler Johnson, he would have gone third overall.

Touché, but I'm really excited with this kid's upside.
 

Bluenote13

Believe In Henke
Feb 28, 2002
26,703
848
BKLYN, NYC
Joey, you said everyone should be 'jumping for joy' :silly:

I like what Cody had to say about him, he knows his WHL. Makes me more into the pick, but jumping for joy....
 

dshea19

Registered User
Jun 9, 2015
588
656
Amazing how every player sounds great in blurbs.

According to the experts doing the draft coverage on TV, they all sound like future hall-of-famers. If you can get 1 real NHL player per draft, you are doing well. If you can get 2, that is a grand slam. A first round pick doesn't mean star player. It just means that they have a better shot at being a pro. A fourth liner is still a pro. Anything after the first 4 or 5 picks is really not guaranteed for anything. In some draft years, the top 3 don't amount to more than 3rd liners.
 

statsking

Registered User
Jan 19, 2015
15
0
Calgary / Pg
Just learned that Morrison has been training in Kelowna everyday with the likes of his brother in law Josh Gorges and shea webber, B.Comeue , Schenn, tootoo, Tyler Myers, C. Price and lucic. That's a big upside having a young prospect like him training with those types of guys every summer.
 

Edge

Kris King's Ghost
Mar 1, 2002
34,749
42,578
Amish Paradise
According to the experts doing the draft coverage on TV, they all sound like future hall-of-famers. If you can get 1 real NHL player per draft, you are doing well. If you can get 2, that is a grand slam. A first round pick doesn't mean star player. It just means that they have a better shot at being a pro. A fourth liner is still a pro. Anything after the first 4 or 5 picks is really not guaranteed for anything. In some draft years, the top 3 don't amount to more than 3rd liners.

Well, you have to remember that the scouting reports are based off observations against their peers - fellow players between the ages of 15-20. So when a kid gets drafted, in most cases, he performed at least reasonably well against his peers.

The challenges comes when you try and translates what you're seeing into how that player before when the competition becomes bigger, stronger, faster, etc.

The reason why you seldom see noticeably bad scouting reports is because most guys who are drafted are amongst the top 1/3 of the players on their team or in their age group.

You also have to remember that any kind of scouting report is a delicate balance between evaluating talent, versus whether that players is likely to translate that talent. You could have a guy who isn't the most naturally skilled player on his team (though he's still skilled) but find that his game has a higher probability of translating to the NHL. Similarly, you could have an incredibly talented player whose game is not likely. It's tough to distinguish the next Marc Savard from the next Peter Sarno. Even people who have a solid track record have some complete misses.
 
Dec 13, 2010
976
5
For anyone who knows history when is the last time a kid this small during the draft made a big impact in the NHL? I feel like I've seen a lot of reeeeaaaally tiny drafted guys around this weight and none of them make it. I'm sure there have to be some kids who have grown and made it though. When i say tiny I mean in reference to being a twig. 6'0 isn't short or anything

Pretty sure Johnny Gaudreau weighed in under 140 pounds at the combine in 2011.
 

Joey Bones

***** 2k16
Jul 27, 2012
10,663
4,409
Nowhere
Well, you have to remember that the scouting reports are based off observations against their peers - fellow players between the ages of 15-20. So when a kid gets drafted, in most cases, he performed at least reasonably well against his peers.

The challenges comes when you try and translates what you're seeing into how that player before when the competition becomes bigger, stronger, faster, etc.

The reason why you seldom see noticeably bad scouting reports is because most guys who are drafted are amongst the top 1/3 of the players on their team or in their age group.

You also have to remember that any kind of scouting report is a delicate balance between evaluating talent, versus whether that players is likely to translate that talent. You could have a guy who isn't the most naturally skilled player on his team (though he's still skilled) but find that his game has a higher probability of translating to the NHL. Similarly, you could have an incredibly talented player whose game is not likely. It's tough to distinguish the next Marc Savard from the next Peter Sarno. Even people who have a solid track record have some complete misses.

^This.
 

Hunter Gathers

The Crown
Feb 27, 2002
106,463
11,443
parts unknown
Just learned that Morrison has been training in Kelowna everyday with the likes of his brother in law Josh Gorges and shea webber, B.Comeue , Schenn, tootoo, Tyler Myers, C. Price and lucic. That's a big upside having a young prospect like him training with those types of guys every summer.

That's awesome. Thanks for the update, dude!
 

Amazing Kreiderman

Registered User
Apr 11, 2011
44,816
40,285
Well, you have to remember that the scouting reports are based off observations against their peers - fellow players between the ages of 15-20. So when a kid gets drafted, in most cases, he performed at least reasonably well against his peers.

The challenges comes when you try and translates what you're seeing into how that player before when the competition becomes bigger, stronger, faster, etc.

The reason why you seldom see noticeably bad scouting reports is because most guys who are drafted are amongst the top 1/3 of the players on their team or in their age group.

You also have to remember that any kind of scouting report is a delicate balance between evaluating talent, versus whether that players is likely to translate that talent. You could have a guy who isn't the most naturally skilled player on his team (though he's still skilled) but find that his game has a higher probability of translating to the NHL. Similarly, you could have an incredibly talented player whose game is not likely. It's tough to distinguish the next Marc Savard from the next Peter Sarno. Even people who have a solid track record have some complete misses.

This is what people seem to forget. This isn't NHL15 where you just pick the player with the best stats, highest rating etc and assume he has the best chance of making it out of all the players still available.

I am still very happy with this pick. He was on my radar as a 3rd round pick and we got him with a 4th. Sometimes players drop. Ryan Pilon was a 1st round pick in many mocks I have seen in the months leading up to the draft but he fell to the 5th round for whatever reason. Time will tell if the players from the later rounds actually have what it takes to make it to the NHL, but having a player who already posesses the skill and vision really helps. The physical aspect can be worked on.
 

Irishguy42

Mr. Preachy
Sep 11, 2015
26,789
19,036
NJ
Interesting but relevant necro.

Probably deserves to be in the Around the NHL thread instead :P
 

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