Best and Worst Personal "Finds"

[Rhodes 81]

Were I an NHL Gm, I would have happily drafted Saad with a top 10 pick. Though I also thought Ondrej Pavalec was going to be a perennial Vezina candidate.

 

[HanSolo]

A friend of mine showed me tape of this tournament he went to in late 2010 and Trouba stuck out for me in the videos, followed him ever since.

As for a bad find? Zach Boychuk was one of the first prospects I started following and thought he'd become a real solid player. Nope.

 

[Love]

I thought Chris Higgins would either be really good or really bad but he turned out "meh."

 

[25Bieksa3]

Called Kevin Bieksa a real gem after his rookie campaign in Manitoba and made a bet with a buddy he'd become an NHL regular. (Won 200 bones 'cause I got odds )

Worst was definitely Pavel Brendl, I was certain he'd be a force.... I was SOOOOO wrong.

 

[radicalcenter]

I thought Bobby Sanguinetti was gonna be one of the best D in the league...loll

 

[Kingsfan1]

I watched Toffoli play since he was 16 and told my uncle and dad one day this kid will be one of the best to play the game. They laughed cause I was young too but not to shabby eh ! And even better he was drafted by my favorite team. It's destiny

 

[Redline]

Never could see Griffin Reinhart as a budding star, always seemed ken klee'ish to me.
Felt Steve McCarthy had a much brighter NHL future than it turned out he did.

 

[blazinblair]

I remember back when Toronto selected Tyler Biggs just ahead of Pittsburgh. I was hoping he would fall to Pittsburgh and was ticked when he ended one spot away. We ended up taking Joe Morrow who has yet to really do anything in the NHL and Biggs came to us as a throw in in the Kessel trade. Funny how it worked out.

 

[Reddawg]

Tyson Barrie for the good

Stefan Elliott for the bad

I drafted them both, then traded away Barrie thinking that Elliott had the spot locked up for sure following his 31-goal 81-point defensive player of the year season in 2011.

 

[dahrougem2]

I knew for certain that Sam Gagner would never amount to much in the NHL. Not good enough for a top-6, not the kind of player you want in a bottom-6. Also thought that Andrew Cogliano would end up the better player when they started their career's in the NHL. I'd gladly take Cogs over Gagner any day today.

Not a player but I was certain Dallas Eakins was going to be an atrocious coach the second he was announced as a hire for Edmonton.

Thought Magnus Paajaarvi would be one of the best wingers in the league at this point. Boy was I wrong.

Thought Ondrej Pavelec was going to be an elite starting goaltender dating back to when he began in Atlanta. He's good, but not elite.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

Best:
I thought Noah Juulsen would be a first round pick after 10 games in his 17-year-old season.
Early in his rookie season, I thought Jamie Benn would eventually be a top 3 player in his draft year.
I thought Alexander Edler would become a very good NHL player before he set foot in the NHL.
Scott Glennie would be a bust.

Worst:
I thought Kyle Beach would become a superstar power forward on the level of prime Todd Bertuzzi.
I thought Alex Pietrangelo would be the biggest bust of his draft year.
I did not think very highly of Ryan O'Reilly back in his draft year.

 

[korxi]

Only finish players

Best:
Saw Mikael Granlund 15-year-old and thought he is the next Saku Koivu (a bit slower skater version).


Worst:
Saw Teemu Pulkkinen 15-year-old (some games vs Mikael Granlunds team) and thought he is next big goal scorer from Finland after Teemu Selänne. The best pure goal scorer i have seen in junior games, and he could also pass and make plays.


Present/Future:

Wondered why many felt (mainly in finish boards) Vili Saarijärvi as possible undrafted player.

Puljujärvi has couple questionmarks: 1) Finishing ability (I think for example Pulkkinen as same age was a lot better finisher) and 2) hockey IQ (not saying its bad, but don't see anything special there). I really hope he will not be the next Magnus Pääjärvi. In boards prob. of success rankings would have given Barkov B and Puljujärvi C. While potential for both would be between 8-9.

 

[Balls Mahoney]

Best: Jannik Hansen - Watching him as Portland Winterhawk and adapting to North American hockey like a duck to water, I knew he was going to be special. It's been special to follow him through his entire career.

Braydon Coburn - I can remember a game he played my Thunderbirds where he scored five goals and knocked out the reigning WHL heavyweight champion all in the game. When he was one his game, he was the most dominant WHL defenseman I ever saw.

Thomas Hickey - I've never seen a better hockey prodigy. I can remember his first few shifts with the Thunderbirds and watching this 15-year old kid dangle through entire defenses. Probably the most talented WHL player I've ever seen. The kid had it all, incredible skater, incredible offensive player, leadership and he could throw fists. It made total sense to me when the Kings drafted him fourth overall. It's a shame injuries derailed his career as he's never going to be as good as he could have been. But it's excellent watching him do well with the Islanders.


Worst

Zack FitzGerald - Good ol' Fitzy. Probably the most intimidating defenseman I've seen the in WHL. Absolute fierce enforcer who was the reigning WHL champ in his time. Could also play a really good brand of physical defensive hockey. FitzGerald was drafted in the third round by the Blues (I think) but never could make it up to the NHL. He did get to play one game with the Canucks which was awesome. But he's eeked out a career as AHL enforcer.

Scott Jackson - FitzGerald's defensive partner in Seattle. Seemed to have everything you'd look for in a defenseman. Could play both sides of the puck well, had size and I don't remember his skating being noticeable either way. Was drafted in the second round by the Blues and I was hoping St. Louis would reunite Fitzy and Jackson in the NHL but alas it never happened. Jackson played a few years in the AHL but retired in 2012.