Confirmed with Link: Casey Fitzgerald (2016, 86th) – '18-19: Boston College #5 (NCAA) SIGNED

Chainshot

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Future Considerations:

173 CASEY FITZGERALD
POSITION: Defense
SHOOTS: Left
TEAM: Boston College (NCAA)
BORN: February 25, 1997
VITALS: 5’-10” / 185 Lbs
STATS: 39 GP 4 G 23 A 27 PTS 46 PIM
Fitzgerald is a puck-moving defenseman who routinely makes the right pass, showing that he is a smart player. As a skater, he uses his feet well to move laterally and open up passing lanes for himself. He seems to be most comfortable when he picks the puck up in his own zone, and is able to make a quick pass up the ice to a waiting forward, rather than stickhandling it through the zones himself. In the offensive zone, he possesses a decent shot and skilled hands to control the puck, and is able to get into position easily to either shoot or snap quick passes to create scoring chances. Defensively, his game needs some work before he makes the jump to the NHL level. Fitzgerald is effective using his positioning and quick stick to keep opponents at bay. But even though he shows he is willing to get his nose dirty, laying down and blocking a shot or pass, and engaging in battles along the wall, he is too weak physically to compete against many NCAA forwards. In the corners and along the wall this past season, he routinely lost puck battles. He is not a physical player either and rarely attempts to make a check. However, strength is an area that can be worked on and he is doing so. He is an extremely smart player. Being in his second season as a draft-eligible player and after contributing as a decent puck-mover in his freshman season, there should be plenty of interest this time.

Interesting that they have him as a LHD when he's a rightie.
 

Ralonzo

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I'm wondering if this kid would be available later. I was hoping Mete to get just one friggin potential PPQB into the system somewhere. And a right-shot to boot.
 

kingofQueens

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Jun 8, 2016
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I don't knew why future considerations has him as a LHD. He is in fact a RHD. I guess I'm in the minority but I like him a lot. I was shocked he didn't get talked about more leading up to the draft.

Edit: and the Vesey connections are interesting
 

Chainshot

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"Prospect Hot List: Casey Fitzgerald’s deep hockey roots"

Casey Fitzgerald, D – U.S. NTDP (USHL)
Call it a stereotype, but Fitzgerald has a certain scrappiness that makes sense for a 5-foot-11, 186-pound kid from New England.
“I pride myself on my defense,” he said. “I’m a smaller guy, but I try to play like I’m 6-foot-5. I also take pride in my first pass – make sure it’s hard and tape-to-tape.”
Fitzgerald has amazingly thorough hockey bloodlines. Father Tom is an ex-NHLer who now works in management with the Pittsburgh Penguins, while brother Ryan is a Boston Bruins pick at Boston College. NHLers Jimmy and Kevin Hayes plus retired star Keith Tkachuk and his son Matthew (Casey’s teammate this year) are also relatives. So advice is easy to come by.
“I have great resources,” Fitzgerald said. “Any change I get I ask them for tips, it’s been a lot easier with them on my side.”
Fitzgerald does pretty much everything quick on the ice, from his skating to his puckhandling. He’ll also step up quick and throw hits on bigger players, which gets back to that scrappy factor. Next year, he’ll join brother Ryan at Boston College, though living arrangements haven’t been discussed yet. Roomies?
“I don’t know his thoughts on that,” Fitzgerald said. “Probably mixed.”
But if Casey can help the Eagles the way Ryan has, the older bro might make some space…eventually. Draft eligible in 2015.
 

Rhett4

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So his cousins are the Hayes, who happen to be close Vesey family friends? I assume it's fair to say his family knows the Vesey family, too, then.

We'll either have Vesey at the end of this or be left with an odd collection of kids with Boston accents. :popcorn:
 

Ace

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Oct 29, 2015
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Vesey liked Fitzgerald's tweet about getting drafted to Buffalo.

So...yeah the plan appears to be to hold all of his friends hostage and make him sign lol
 

Digable5

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Feb 23, 2004
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Does this make the price for Vesey is now two 3rds? Another connection:

"Fitzgerald is the son of former NHLer, Tom Fitzgerald who played over a 1,000 games in the NHL. Tom Fitzgerald and Sabres coach Dan Bylsma won a Stanley Cup together on the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins, and Bylsma has known Casey for most of his young life."

http://www.diebytheblade.com/2016/6...16-sabres-take-casey-fitzgerald-at-86-buffalo

I don't attribute this pick to Vesey. I guess it could be a tie breaker between two like prospects but Casey is a legit player in his own right.

Casey Nelson went undrafted and plenty of teams wanted to sign him. I see Fitzgerald as someone that took an extra year to find his game and the Sabres grabbed him instead of waiting three years and fighting for his rights. A third for a Ruhwedel/Nelson type player is a good choice.
 

Woodhouse

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Dec 20, 2007
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Excerpt on Fitzgerald from SBNation's Frozen Four preview:
Fitzgerald's hockey pedigree is no secret. He's the son of former NHLer and current New Jersey Devils Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald. His older brother, Ryan, is a junior and BC's leading scorer. His cousins are Kevin and Jimmy Hayes and Matt, Brady and Keith Tkachuk.

He committed to BC out of Malden Catholic, a perennial high school hockey powerhouse in Massachusetts. The North Reading, Mass. native left schoolboy hockey to head out to the U.S. NTDP where he struggled to find his groove and was buried on the depth chart of the talent-laden squad.

"Casey was a little under-recruited. He played for the NTDP. There were five or six defensemen statistically rated ahead of him, but we saw something in Casey when he played at Malden Catholic. We really thought he could be a special player," said BC coach Jerry York.

"'He's gone through the NTDP and he's learned some lessons. Now it's coming to fruition, what we thought we saw of him at Malden Catholic," York added.

Fitzgerald has always been known for his skating acumen, his ability to think the game and his impact on the transition, but some of that skill set had to be found again this season.

"He's a dynamic skater. He's a very intelligent player, hockey-wise. His competitive level is off the charts," said York.
 

truthbluth

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Feb 2, 2011
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Casey was an US WJC invitee last year. And he's invited again this year.

Not trying to draw too many parallels, but in 2012, there was a 5'11" 186 lb, 19 year old defensemen who had just finished his freshmen year in college, and was slotted to be a 5th-6th round pick who went in the 3rd, helped US to WJ gold, and then just was voted 2nd in the calder race.

Just saying.
 

SabresBillsBuffalo

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May 4, 2010
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Kids pretty solid idk why so many are discouraged.

.69 PPG pace as a freshman defenseman at BC? Ill take that. We will see him at the WJC next season.
 

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