Prospect Info: 2016 Leafs Pick - 101st Overall (COL) - Keaton Middleton - D - Saginaw [6-6/235]

[SEER]

I'm not holding out a lot of hope for this particular pick, but you never know I guess.

Thanks for the effort, I don't get time to watch a lot of non-NHL hockey so you're responsible for much of my exposure to a lot of our prospects

Cheers

Appreciated.., thanks Randy....

Yeah.., I think a lot of people expect too much too fast, from a lot of the younger ones.., or just go on stats alone..
I'll give him a few years, as I said earlier..

 

[realgoodleafs]

Jeez, as many highlight reel fights as goals...this one must have been a grind to find footage for

Nice to see the defensive game has come around, maybe he has a snowball's chance of becoming Tryamkin

This video from the rookie tourney is probably the best footage. He was way more mobile than people were making him out to be. He covers a lot of ground because of his size and reach.

 

[Randy Randerson]

Appreciated.., thanks Randy....

Yeah.., I think a lot of people expect too much too fast, from a lot of the younger ones.., or just go on stats alone..
I'll give him a few years, as I said earlier..

I won't rush to judgement on him. I think one nice thing is that we're all willing to give this leafs management group the benefit of the doubt because of their immediate returns on other picks that we maybe didn't love on draft day like Nielsen, Korshkov, Grundstrom, Brooks, etc

They won't all hit, and if Hunter thinks he sees something in a kid I would rather he take a shot and miss than not trust his gut

This video from the rookie tourney is probably the best footage. He was way more mobile than people were making him out to be. He covers a lot of ground because of his size and reach.

That's a good reel on him, and you're right he's much more fleet of foot than I would have thought for a guy of his size

Not much offense to speak of but a guy that size who can move and plays in position could be smothering, definitely something that we could use if he turns out

That reel makes me think that a good projection for him (if he turns out) is a rich man's Martin Marincin, or what we hoped we were getting in Marincin: big, mobile body who plays in position, clogs up lanes, keeps the puck outside in the defensive zone and retrieves it from the corners with success. Little to no offensive impact - which is totally fine given the acumen of our D corps and Babs' propensity to play 4 forwards on the powerplay.

Thanks for sharing

 

[Joey Hoser]

Not much offense to speak of but a guy that size who can move and plays in position could be smothering, definitely something that we could use if he turns out

I'm having a hard time buying in. I still have some time for big bodies who can throw guys around down low, but you gotta be able to handle the puck to play in the NHL, even if offensive production isn't in the cards. I feel like if you can't put up even modest production in junior, there's a strong possibility you aren't nearly talented enough to take a regular shift in the NHL.

Haven't really watched him and could be wrong, but yeah.

 

[Randy Randerson]

I'm having a hard time buying in. I still have some time for big bodies who can throw guys around down low, but you gotta be able to handle the puck to play in the NHL, even if offensive production isn't in the cards. I feel like if you can't put up even modest production in junior, there's a strong possibility you aren't nearly talented enough to take a regular shift in the NHL.

Haven't really watched him and could be wrong, but yeah.

I have the same feeling as a general measuring stick and I'm definitely not over-the-moon about his chances, but I also have a hard time seeing Hunter & Co just burning a pick for no reason so they must have seen something.

Watch the reel of his rookie camp, he does move pretty well for a big guy and seems to know where to be defensively. I'm looking for a silver lining for sure, but there's more hope there than I thought there was. He's still 18 too, very young on draft day with a huge body so I could understand if they thought he would get better as he grew into himself

 

[Bullseye]

I'm having a hard time buying in. I still have some time for big bodies who can throw guys around down low, but you gotta be able to handle the puck to play in the NHL, even if offensive production isn't in the cards. I feel like if you can't put up even modest production in junior, there's a strong possibility you aren't nearly talented enough to take a regular shift in the NHL.

Haven't really watched him and could be wrong, but yeah.

I heartily agree with your reservations but there is one main factor to consider - Saginaw has a terrible group of forwards. Middleton is not going coast to coast anytime soon so his ability to collect points passing or shots from the point are diminished.

 

[realgoodleafs]

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That's a good reel on him, and you're right he's much more fleet of foot than I would have thought for a guy of his size

Not much offense to speak of but a guy that size who can move and plays in position could be smothering, definitely something that we could use if he turns out

That reel makes me think that a good projection for him (if he turns out) is a rich man's Martin Marincin, or what we hoped we were getting in Marincin: big, mobile body who plays in position, clogs up lanes, keeps the puck outside in the defensive zone and retrieves it from the corners with success. Little to no offensive impact - which is totally fine given the acumen of our D corps and Babs' propensity to play 4 forwards on the powerplay.

Thanks for sharing

I had never seen him before the rookie tourney so I was expecting him to be an enforcer because that's how some people on this board described him so he's already exceeded my expectations

 

[moon111]

If Middleton jumps up to the AHL next season and put up 13 points in 48 games, would you be content? And played 25 games in the NHL with 1 assist, would you be happy? What if he broke out the next season after that with 8 points in 59 games while being a -8? Would that work for you? Well it worked for Zdeno Chara.

Chara didn't break 20 points until `01-02. He was born in `77 and was drafted in `96.

 

[Randy Randerson]

I had never seen him before the rookie tourney so I was expecting him to be an enforcer because that's how some people on this board described him so he's already exceeded my expectations

I wasn't expecting that skating ability at all. The offense I think is basically as advertised, but I guess I can understand taking a kid who's only 18 and a quarter who's already his size, mobile and seems to know where to be/how to use his body. It's a long shot like any 4th rounder is, and maybe even riskier than most drafted at that position, but if you catch lightning in a bottle as he grows into his body I get the allure. Definitely less upset about this pick than I was on draft day

If Middleton jumps up to the AHL next season and put up 13 points in 48 games, would you be content? And played 25 games in the NHL with 1 assist, would you be happy? What if he broke out the next season after that with 8 points in 59 games while being a -8? Would that work for you? Well it worked for Zdeno Chara.

Chara didn't break 20 points until `01-02. He was born in `77 and was drafted in `96.

I think the production in junior is more of a general litmus test, there's not many guys who make the jump to the NHL successfully who didn't put up better offense than Middleton in junior, even when those guys aren't expected to be point producers in the NHL.

I would be very happy if Middleton ended up being Chara without the offensive abilities - hard to generate offense against, clears the front of the net on the PK and clog passing lanes, maybe station him infront of the opposing net on the PP, keep the opposing offense to the outside 5v5 and retrieve the puck at a good level of success, don't get outskated constantly and don't be out of position often. The kind of guy who you judge based on his CA/60 and CA/60Rel more than his boxscore stats.

Jiri Fischer as a comparable maybe?

 

[realgoodleafs]

I wasn't expecting that skating ability at all. The offense I think is basically as advertised, but I guess I can understand taking a kid who's only 18 and a quarter who's already his size, mobile and seems to know where to be/how to use his body. It's a long shot like any 4th rounder is, and maybe even riskier than most drafted at that position, but if you catch lightning in a bottle as he grows into his body I get the allure. Definitely less upset about this pick than I was on draft day

...

For a 4th rounder it was definitely worth the shot.

 

[Prince N]

Just cross your fingers and words out for the giant.