Prospect Info: 5th Overall Pick, Alex Turcotte, C, USNTDP UPDATED: Signs 3 Year ELC 3/11/20

[Steve Zissou]

Spencer Knight in goal for BC.

 

[King'sPawn]

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I agree.

As far as the USNTDP team from last year, there were three I had (and still have) major concerns:
1. Spencer Knight - I think his numbers benefited from being on a good team, because many times I saw him miss very stoppable shots
2. Trevor Zegras - More style than substance, although Anaheim is a very good team to develop forwards
3. Cam York - While I think he'll be an NHL player, he showed a lot of tunnel vision and "puck watching" in the games I watched. It can be coached out, but until it does, he'll get burned a lot.

With you 100% on these ones.

I don't think there's a chance in hell Caulfield busts. I think he'll be a top-3 goal scorer in the NHL when Ovy retires.

Knight will have a good career. He reminds of Quick with those stretches of being unbeatable followed by getting sniped from the goal line or something.

My money is on Zegras busting. He'll play on the third line or something. I even thought that before the draft so no one can accuse me of pumping our pick and hating the Ducks I just think he tried a lot of cute spinaround passes and random dangerous centering plays that will be easily defused at the NHL level and so far he's too slight to be a threat anywhere but in open ice.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Secondary assists don't count, trade Turcotte while he's still got value

 

[Herby]

It's amazing to me that people can't look past the 5'7 and see that there are only a handful of players in the world that can shoot the puck like that.

Just like Kopitar made GMs and scouts look like idiots because they were afraid to draft a Slovenian in the top 10, Caufield is going to do the same thing. Simply amazing this kid fell out of the top 10.

 

[crassbonanza]

It's amazing to me that people can't look past the 5'7 and see that there are only a handful of players in the world that can shoot the puck like that.

Just like Kopitar made GMs and scouts look like idiots because they were afraid to draft a Slovenian in the top 10, Caufield is going to do the same thing. Simply amazing this kid fell out of the top 10.

It's simply risk analysis, he has huge boom/bust potential due to his size, so some GM's were nervous about investing early picks on him. Same concept led to Vilardi slipping in the draft, there were risks involved that led to him falling in the draft.

 

[Herby]

It's simply risk analysis, he has huge boom/bust potential due to his size, so some GM's were nervous about investing early picks on him. Same concept led to Vilardi slipping in the draft, there were risks involved that led to him falling in the draft.

I'm going to politely disagree.

This guys floor is an elite PP specialist who you hide on a bottom six role . And his upside is a perennial Rocket Richard candidate.

I don't really see how he can bust with the way he shoots the puck.

 

[King'sPawn]

I'm going to politely disagree.

This guys floor is an elite PP specialist who you hide on a bottom six role . And his upside is a perennial Rocket Richard candidate.

I don't really see how he can bust with the way he shoots the puck.

I dunno. Some of what I saw from Caufield in this game so far are the same criticisms I saw last season: when he's not scoring, what is he doing? His goal scoring ability is elite, but he was borderline invisible when nobody was feeding him the puck. When he did have it, he turned it over.

I agree that people overlooking him due to size did themselves a disservice. But there are legitimate question marks.

 

[ru4reals]

Sheesh Granato's coaching Defense like Barry Melrose Defense Horrible. My goodness.

 

[King'sPawn]

Turcotte got over aggressive and lost Boldy, who wristed it to make it 4-1.

Wisconsin defense is pretty bad, but the goalie's not doing them any favors.

 

[Herby]

Newhook just got obliterated at center ice. I don't know what is legal and illegal anymore, but man he got destroyed.

And the concerns about Wisconsin's goaltending that many of their fans had seem to be true.

 

[crassbonanza]

I'm going to politely disagree.

This guys floor is an elite PP specialist who you hide on a bottom six role . And his upside is a perennial Rocket Richard candidate.

I don't really see how he can bust with the way he shoots the puck.

If that was honestly his floor/ceiling he would have been the number 1 overall pick, but that is not his floor(beyond that role not even really being a thing in the NHL). He can easily bust by not being able to get to positions where he can use his shot, by being a liability without the puck, by being easily taken off of the puck. Again, there is a good chance that he will have a successful career, but there are valid concerns that make teams question whether to take the risk early.

Let me ask you, would you rather the Kings have selected Caufield than Turcotte?

 

[ru4reals]

BC is Senior loaded so Wisconsin's gonna need some time Announcers said Wisconsin's the second youngest team I believe in their conference?

 

[ru4reals]

Newhook just got obliterated at center ice. I don't know what is legal and illegal anymore, but man he got destroyed.

And the concerns about Wisconsin's goaltending that many of their fans had seem to be true.

That was freakin clean as I've ever seen. But it's college hockey it's almost flag football. Horrible call.

 

[King'sPawn]

There's one of those stoppable goals I was referring to.

 

[Herby]

If that was honestly his floor/ceiling he would have been the number 1 overall pick, but that is not his floor(beyond that role not even really being a thing in the NHL). He can easily bust by not being able to get to positions where he can use his shot, by being a liability without the puck, by being easily taken off of the puck. Again, there is a good chance that he will have a successful career, but there are valid concerns that make teams question whether to take the risk early.

Let me ask you, would you rather the Kings have selected Caufield than Turcotte?

I like both players, and am happy the Kings ended up with Turcotte rather than say Dach, Cozens, Zegras or Boldy.

But if things had been more clear with Vilardi I would have taken Caufield, I think he is the better prospect with a skillset that you just aren't going to see very often. I am guessing that the Kings have very little hope that GV ever has an NHL career so I understand why they made the pick, but I think Caufield is the better prospect all things being equal. But we will see.

 

[ru4reals]

Dayem that's two for GOAL Caufield my goodness.

 

[Herby]

How do you defend that as a PK'er?

You can't. It's not defendable if a right shot player can fire one-timers like that from the left circle.

 

[King'sPawn]

Prior to Caufield's goal, Turcotte had a good chance attacking the net on the powerplay. Shot it low enough to generate a rebound for Miller to try jumping on it as well.

 

[ru4reals]

How do you defend that as a PK'er?

You can't, we've seen numerous players in the NHL have HOF careers doing just that. It's not defendable.

Great pass great shot Knight had no chance. Turcotte almost scored too. Dayem.

 

[Herby]

You can see the great game sense of Turcotte, but to play the style the Kings are hoping he can play he is going to have to add a significant amount of weight and strength. I really hope the Kings don't do something stupid like try and sign him after this season. Two years at Wisconsin and hopefully a late season addition to a 20-21 Kings playoff team.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

If that was honestly his floor/ceiling he would have been the number 1 overall pick, but that is not his floor(beyond that role not even really being a thing in the NHL). He can easily bust by not being able to get to positions where he can use his shot, by being a liability without the puck, by being easily taken off of the puck. Again, there is a good chance that he will have a successful career, but there are valid concerns that make teams question whether to take the risk early.

Let me ask you, would you rather the Kings have selected Caufield than Turcotte?

I love Caulfield. I love Turcotte.

Would still rather have Toews than Skinner.

 

[Reaper45]

Sorry Reaper, thought you were replying to a different post, my bad.

Although, I don't know if it's fair to call anyone from the 2019 draft a bust quite yet. Maybe around Christmas if it keeps up.

No worries. I dont think you can anyone a bust for 5 years or so.

 

[King'sPawn]

As far as Turcotte, I think he did well. Definitely against the right level of competition.

His two biggest flaws this game:
- I think he won only 1 or 2 faceoffs, but it showed a lot that Granato still put him out there with the empty net in the dying minutes. And that time he would not lose the faceoff
- He got too aggressive leading to a goal against

Overall, he was still used on the half-wall on the powerplay but also went to the front of the net.

He also just battled hard to take the puck away.

He's just a fighter for the puck.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

As for the USNT kids from this past draft, it isn't much of a take to claim several will bust simply due to the sheer number of them that were drafted. Of course some of them will bust since being a 1st or 2nd round pick doesn't guarantee anything.

Now, if you want to put your name on "Caufield will bust", then we've got something.

Dude, you are so full of ****, that it is just sad.

Stop searching for things.

7 players of that team were drafted top 15.