Prospect Info: Annual HFDevils Prospect Rankings #7

[Comparison Ford]

I like Bastian a lot. I think he is the highest ceiling player remaining but I chose Wood because of his accomplishments starting last season with being named to team USA at the WJC, first player in roughly 20 years to be chosen out of high school, his strong freshman year at BC and already having played a game in the NHL.

But going just on ceiling, I think Bastian is ahead of Blandisi and maybe even Quenneville. I like that prospect a lot.

I agree. Bastian looks great. I've only seen the highlights, but he's always in the right spot and you can see there is a ton of potential there. After this year, I'm sure he'll climb up the depth chart on our best prospects list.

 

[JimEIV]

Quote from Bastian's coach.

I see Nathan Bastian as a centerman at the next level. We played him on that wing because there was that rare chemistry between three players. You often don’t see that. And he was effective on the wing. We happened to have some depth up the middle, so it worked for us. He’s 6’4, and he’s probably going to end up playing at 220 pounds as a centerman. He’s got great vision and he can see the ice. He distributes the puck well. He’s good in his own end as well.

We moved him to the middle [after Michael McLeod’s injury in February] and it was a seamless transition. He did a great job for us. He’s always been a center. He came into the league initially as a center. He has no preference where he plays. He can come to the game, and two hours before the game I can tell him, “Nathan, you’re playing center,†or, “Nathan, you’re playing wing.†He’s unfazed by that. I do think that he projects down the road as a centerman.

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2016/06/09/nathan-bastian-scouting-report-2016-nhl-draft/

 

[NJDevils17]

Totally agree with the Bastian love. If his skating improves he could end up similar to Ryan Getzlaf stylistically. I'm almost certain he'll be a center and he's very smart. Without McLeod he shined at center as well. I certainly considered voting him as high as 5th.

 

[Comparison Ford]

Quote from Bastian's coach.



https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2016/06/09/nathan-bastian-scouting-report-2016-nhl-draft/

Very cool. Never saw this until now.