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

[Magic Man]

Where does anyone get enforcer out of this pick...because he is big? He doesn't fight much. He does use his size to clear the zone though.

All 4th round picks by definition have limited upside. Otherwise they would have been drafted earlier.

I'd say a guy like Adam Brooks who was chosen a few picks before Middleton has a vastly higher potential upside.

He's 6'6 235lbs at 18 and he does fight and against some other rather large gentleman and he's done well doing so. Given his skill set, being the toughest guy out there is going to have to be how he claws his way to the NHL.

 

[4thline]

I'd say a guy like Adam Brooks who was chosen a few picks before Middleton has a vastly higher potential upside.

He's 6'6 235lbs at 18 and he does fight and against some other rather large gentleman and he's done well doing so. Given his skill set, being the toughest guy out there is going to have to be how he claws his way to the NHL.

The same Adam Brooks who put up 12 and 11 points in his 16 and 17 year old CHL years as a forward? I'd say we should wait and see how the rest of Middleton's junior career goes before passing that judgement. Hunter and co. clearly saw something more than just an ogre or the kid wouldn't be in the organization.

Phillipe Myers and our own Andrew Neilsen are other cautionary tales against writing a d-man off before they play their U-19

 

[Nylander88]

Was worth a shot with how late he was taken. I trust management. It's not like there was a sure fire defensive prospect on the board that we passed on for Middleton. The draft is a crap shoot after the first round anyways. Sometimes even the first rounders don't always develop. Nothing wrong with rolling the dice on a defenceman with size IMO

 

[Magic Man]

The same Adam Brooks who put up 12 and 11 points in his 16 and 17 year old CHL years as a forward? I'd say we should wait and see how the rest of Middleton's junior career goes before passing that judgement. Hunter and co. clearly saw something more than just an ogre or the kid wouldn't be in the organization.

Phillipe Myers and our own Andrew Neilsen are other cautionary tales against writing a d-man off before they play their U-19

That's fair. There is time to improve.

At the same time if they drafted Adam Brooks in the 4th rd. after he put up 11 points there would be a number of us scratching our heads. There is a reason he was passed over heading into the draft with those numbers.

Middleton could improve on what he's done. But, based upon what he's done in comparison with those available an argument could be made that he was taken to high.

 

[Mr Hockey*]

I'd say a guy like Adam Brooks who was chosen a few picks before Middleton has a vastly higher potential upside.

He's 6'6 235lbs at 18 and he does fight and against some other rather large gentleman and he's done well doing so. Given his skill set, being the toughest guy out there is going to have to be how he claws his way to the NHL.

This is what you need to know ... If Middleton reaches the potential that Hunter sees in him, he will be playing for the Leafs, most likely.

 

[SEER]

Keaton Middleton
Defense -- shoots L
Born Feb 10 1998 -- Stratford, ONT
18 yrs. ago
Height *6.06 -- Weight *235

RECENT STATS:

2014-15 - Saginaw Spirit - OHL
61 Games... 2 Goals... 7 Assists... 9 Points... - 12
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2015-16 - Saginaw Spirit - OHL
66 Games... 1 Goal... 6 Assists... 7 Points... -24
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*2016-17 - Saginaw Spirit - OHL
27 Games... 1 Goal... 7 Assists... 8 Points... +9

Keaton has gone from a -24 last season..., to a +8 so far this season...
His defensive game has improved.. and he appears to be choosing his battles more carefully....

D-Giant: Keaton Middleton 2014-2016 Highlights - TML 2016 Draft Prospect (HD)

​

 

[Randy Randerson]

Keaton Middleton
Defense -- shoots L
Born Feb 10 1998 -- Stratford, ONT
18 yrs. ago
Height *6.06 -- Weight *235

RECENT STATS:

2014-15 - Saginaw Spirit - OHL
61 Games... 2 Goals... 7 Assists... 9 Points... - 12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015-16 - Saginaw Spirit - OHL
66 Games... 1 Goal... 6 Assists... 7 Points... -24
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*2016-17 - Saginaw Spirit - OHL
27 Games... 1 Goal... 7 Assists... 8 Points... +9

Keaton has gone from a -24 last season..., to a +8 so far this season...
His defensive game has improved.. and he appears to be choosing his battles more carefully....

D-Giant: Keaton Middleton 2014-2016 Highlights - TML 2016 Draft Prospect (HD)

​

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

 

[BM14]

Thank you for the vid package.
Intersting to say the least.

 

[Keato]

Not entirely sure why, but I like the cut of this guy's jib. Hopefully he sticks around.

 

[Bruffins]

Keaton Middleton vs. Logan Stanley:

KM: 27gp, 1g, 7a, +9 (drafted 101st overall)

LS: 24gp, 2g, 8a, -2 (drafted 18th overall)

now look at their teams. Saginaw (Middleton) is 13-14-3-2 with 97 goals for and 110 against. Windsor (Stanley) is 21-6-4-0 with 105 goals for and 77 against.

 

[keon]

Keaton Middleton vs. Logan Stanley:

KM: 27gp, 1g, 7a, +9 (drafted 101st overall)

LS: 24gp, 2g, 8a, -2 (drafted 18th overall)

now look at their teams. Saginaw (Middleton) is 13-14-3-2 with 97 goals for and 110 against. Windsor (Stanley) is 21-6-4-0 with 105 goals for and 77 against.

Stat watching means diddly. And I know nothing about either guys. I hope Middleton does develop into something useful.

 

[TimeZone]

Keaton Middleton vs. Logan Stanley:

KM: 27gp, 1g, 7a, +9 (drafted 101st overall)

LS: 24gp, 2g, 8a, -2 (drafted 18th overall)

now look at their teams. Saginaw (Middleton) is 13-14-3-2 with 97 goals for and 110 against. Windsor (Stanley) is 21-6-4-0 with 105 goals for and 77 against.

Stanley is god awful, and had no business being picked where he was picked. He moves like a sloth.

 

[Bruffins]

Stanley is god awful, and had no business being picked where he was picked. He moves like a sloth.

Let's leave sloths out of this please. They are awesome animals

 

[SEER]

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

Yes... Not a lot of good highlights of him out there, at the moment.., but I like to try and put something together for all of our prospects,
whenever there is enough to make a montage for them..

From my own experience with larger people in life, I always found them a little bit later than others getting a grip on their skills, because of the continuous growth spurts always causing them to have to re-calibrate positions, etc.., because of the huge changes..

I'll still give him three years.., to show what he can do..

 

[Toronto makebeleifs]

Stanley is god awful, and had no business being picked where he was picked. He moves like a sloth.

Wouldn't say he's awful; overrated? Yes × a million. I'd give Middleton a few yrs, not saying we have a Chara here.... but he might just impress above his draft pedigree

 

[Walshy7]

Wouldn't say he's awful; overrated? Yes × a million. I'd give Middleton a few yrs, not saying we have a Chara here.... but he might just impress above his draft pedigree

between him, greenway and mattinen hopefully at least one turns out for us in some capacity. My money right now is greenway but it is great to see this kid improving too

 

[Randy Randerson]

Yes... Not a lot of good highlights of him out there, at the moment.., but I like to try and put something together for all of our prospects,
whenever there is enough to make a montage for them..

From my own experience with larger people in life, I always found them a little bit later than others getting a grip on their skills, because of the continuous growth spurts always causing them to have to re-calibrate positions, etc.., because of the huge changes..

I'll still give him three years.., to show what he can do..

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

 

[1specter]

between him, greenway and mattinen hopefully at least one turns out for us in some capacity. My money right now is greenway but it is great to see this kid improving too

greenway impressed me a lot. soft hands and great skating for a guy with his size.

 

[Bullseye]

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

Future Polak? but better??? Finger's crossed as not many d-men turn out to be anything. We need to keeping drafting them and goalies in the earlier rounds but it's quality over quantity hopefully. If we can find another 1 or 2 good guys in Russia looking to come over...

 

[Brock Radunske]

greenway impressed me a lot. soft hands and great skating for a guy with his size.

Agreed. I'm really excited about Greenway. I'm not sure if he'll make it, but if you can get a guy that big and skates that well, you take him 10/10 where we drafted him.

 

[Randy Randerson]

Future Polak? but better??? Finger's crossed as not many d-men turn out to be anything. We need to keeping drafting them and goalies in the earlier rounds but it's quality over quantity hopefully. If we can find another 1 or 2 good guys in Russia looking to come over...

I'd be happy if this pick turned into a Polak level player, at least that's a fringe NHL'er and I'd be surprised if Middleton gets that far

I guess they're not all going to be home runs and I didn't like the Nielsen pick at the time, so if the same group that found him in the rough thought they saw something in Middleton then c'est la vie

 

[4thline]

Future Polak? but better??? Finger's crossed as not many d-men turn out to be anything. We need to keeping drafting them and goalies in the earlier rounds but it's quality over quantity hopefully. If we can find another 1 or 2 good guys in Russia looking to come over...

Likely yeah for a reasonable projection- punishing bottom pairing pk d that isn't a complete liability 5v5.

Pie in the sky best case- mean mobile Hal Gill, towering modern shutdown 4D

 

[Pyrophorus]

I just want someone, who can stand people up at the blue line, and the people who want to stand in front of Freddie, eat pine (or carbon fiber)

 

[Johny Drama]

Likely yeah for a reasonable projection- punishing bottom pairing pk d that isn't a complete liability 5v5.

Pie in the sky best case- mean mobile Hal Gill, towering modern shutdown 4D

Didn't like the pick at the time as I thought 4th round was a bit high. Other dmen I thought were better options at this slot, but he does seem to be very much a project type of player who needs a lot of time but has some good qualities.

 

[4thline]

Didn't like the pick at the time as I thought 4th round was a bit high. Other dmen I thought were better options at this slot, but he does seem to be very much a project type of player who needs a lot of time but has some good qualities.

Yeah until the Habs got him I was sure we were going to luck into Mete... would have been ecstatic. But I think there is more to boom/upside than just offensive potential. A 6'6 angry man that is mobile and effective defensively is a rare and valuable player.

More food for thought, +7 with only 7 even strength points on a team that is a net minus, must be doing something right defensively.


Anyone with any source to more detail CHL stats- time on ice, situational on ice goal scoring and such?