C Jack Hughes - USNTDP (2019, 1st, NJD) Part 5

[FinnishSniper]

Anyone can get a concussion at anytime in the NHL. It is just s fast and violent that there is a risk every time you step on the ice. It isn't like physically larger players are immune to getting hurt, ex. Eric Lindros was a physical beast and he was plagued by concussions just due to style of play. This argument is just absolute nonsense.

Who has the bigger chance of getting hit violently: Hughes or Crosby?

 

[Edmonton East]

I’ve done some googling and can’t find where Shero has said they’re taking Hughes. Why is it so obvious to to Devils fans they are taking him? Is there a link to something he has said? Thanks.

He didn't. But majority of our board, including the Mods, used it as justification to lock the Kakko thread I created post lotto. ^I shouldn't get infracted for this for stating fact. It's also written on our boards by the Mods.

It's a false narrative, but some people keep saying it repeatedly. In reality what happened was a reporter asked Shero about his thoughts on Hughes following the lotto. And, of course, he had great things to say. Like any GM would in that situation.

I think the Devs will take Hughes....but that interview people keep referencing =/= Shero saying the team is taking Hughes.

 

[HBK27]

Shero never said they were taking Hughes and that would just be stupid if he did. Most posters assumed that though since Hughes was the consensus #1, even if it was by a slim margin over Kakko. Add in that Shero used to be the agent for Hughes' father, wanting to build a team down the middle (similar to Shero's Penguins) and that Hughes and Hall train together in the offseason and it seemed like the most likely case scenario. Hughes' performance at the U18's did nothing to slow that speculation down.

I'm sure NJ is leaning towards one of the players, but doubt they'll finalize the pick until after the combine and interviews.

 

[Section32]

Alright. I spent 10 minutes looking and it really is 3 or so trolls that go over the line in bashing Kakko and/or NYR.

I was wrong and am admitting it.

NYR have quite a few trolls as well and it really derails enjoyable threads.

So, with that said, I hope we can continue to discuss what is an exciting time for both the NJD and NYR. As tough as the division is, these two clubs should be battling for the top spot quite soon.

Cheers.

 

[Devil made me do it]

Exactly, a concussion won’t affect for a couple of weeks, it could affect you for your lifetime. It would be stupid for the Devils to risk such things, as a concussion or a bad injury could take a year or two away from the lenght of one’s career.

Lindros was a big physical player. How did his career end?

 

[FinnishSniper]

Lindros was a big physical player. How did his career end?

Holyyy why are you guys so insecure. It’s fine if he doesn’t play in the NHL next year. Eric Lindros was hurt because he played ultra physical, but Hughes could get hit with a bad one next season and it could ruin his season. His physicality is not even close to the NHL. I really couldn’t care less, but the chances of him getting hurt are really high if he doesn’t gain muscle and most importantly strenght.

 

[Devil made me do it]

There are many big players in the league who play physical and never get a concussion. Just as there are many young skinny players who get physically pushed around but never get a concussion.
Paul Kariya was concussion prone but Pavel Bure was not. I guess this is where genetics comes to play.

 

[Albatros]

Bure was mostly short, not really a weak guy.

 

[mtnet]

On the Shero thing, he just hypothesized: “To have an opportunity at a Jack Hughes is what our franchise needs” So technically he didn't come right out and say who the team would select, nor should he! He merely alluded to the consensus pick in an interview very soon after the lottery announcement.

I think with having a #1OA fall in your lap so unexpectedly, had you polled any GM off the record immediately after the lottery they would just say Hughes impulsively without even thinking about it. When you see professionals who tirelessly research prospects saying this is the kid to pick for the past two years, it becomes natural to assume whoever wins #1 would make that their selection, that's all.

Honestly our forum was hand wringing for weeks leading up to the lottery on who we might take if we land somewhere #4 through #6, who might fall, etc. Nothing could have been more unexpected than #1. I'm sure management was super shocked at the result as well.

 

[sammystl5]

Who has the bigger chance of getting hit violently: Hughes or Crosby?

Crosby? The guy with multiple concussions that almost derailed his career? You start watching hockey during the World Championships? Anyone can get a concussion, goalies, enforcers, skilled centers, all it takes is getting hit the wrong way. There is no perfect player who can't get a concussion.

 

[93LEAFS]

Crosby? The guy with multiple concussions that almost derailed his career? You start watching hockey during the World Championships? Anyone can get a concussion, goalies, enforcers, skilled centers, all it takes is getting hit the wrong way. There is no perfect player who can't get a concussion.

There is still literally no evidence small players are more injury prone. People said the same thing about Marner and Gaudreau. Matthews, for example, is way more built for the NHL, yet has missed significantly more games than Marner.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Holyyy why are you guys so insecure. It’s fine if he doesn’t play in the NHL next year. Eric Lindros was hurt because he played ultra physical, but Hughes could get hit with a bad one next season and it could ruin his season. His physicality is not even close to the NHL. I really couldn’t care less, but the chances of him getting hurt are really high if he doesn’t gain muscle and most importantly strenght.

Between the posters you're responding to, and you, it's pretty obvious you're the insecure one.

You're wrong, it's cool. It's only like 40th time throughout the course of these threads.

 

[Blade Paradigm]

I've said this before, but with regards to Jack's skating with the puck, he is very similar to Nikolaj Ehlers. However, Ehlers is a fairly good goal scorer, whereas Hughes is very far behind in that department.

 

[GigaChad]

This guy just should not be playing in the NHL next season, plain and simple. Too weak and too light.

 

[Blade Paradigm]

This guy just should not be playing in the NHL next season, plain and simple. Too weak and too light.

The biggest hindrance is that he is not elusive enough to avoid being checked. While he can persevere through all of the obstacles, he will be battered and bruised by the end of the season.

One of the biggest mistakes of the Columbus Blue Jackets was to rush Gilbert Brule.

 

[Eggtimer]

J Gaudreau says hello.
On a side note , so glad that “someone” didn’t get any points vs Great Britain or everyone would have to hear more about how Hughes isn’t as good as that “someone”. 3/4 games way to short of a sample size to base an entire evaluation of who is the best player to draft first overall.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

The biggest hindrance is that he is not elusive enough to avoid being checked. While he can persevere through all of the obstacles, he will be battered and bruised by the end of the season.

One of the biggest mistakes of the Columbus Blue Jackets was to rush Gilbert Brule.

Thats simply not true that he isnt elusive enough. It makes me wonder how many games youve actually watched of his.

 

[Albatros]

On a side note , so glad that “someone” didn’t get any points vs Great Britain or everyone would have to hear more about how Hughes isn’t as good as that “someone”.

Seider did score a goal against Team GB. And yes, he is better than Hughes right now.

 

[Blade Paradigm]

Thats simply not true that he isnt elusive enough. It makes me wonder how many games youve actually watched of his.

It is true that he is not elusive enough.

Every time he skates up the ice with the puck and into traffic, he gets stripped off the puck. Either he wants to be stripped off the puck because he won't slow the game down upon entry (obviously not), or he doesn't know that he is incapable right now of going in and out of traffic with the puck. He does not slow the game down or recognize when not to be skating in at full throttle.

In these 4 games alone at the 2019 Worlds, he has been taken off of the puck at least dozen times-- several times by Team France and Team Great Britain -- resulting in failed rushes and repossession of the puck by the opposition.

He had the same problem at the World Juniors, where he kept going into the offensive zone, getting the puck taken away, and then having to leave the zone because the play was going the other way.

This is a matter of being able to skate elusively, but not being elusive. That's an IQ issue. Clever players, Nico Hischier included, know about change of pace. If a player isn't strong enough, they should try to maintain possession by trying to find open ice, not by trying to bolt through traffic at top speed every time.

Some have previously compared him to Patrick Kane, but Kane is not a full-throttle player. Kane slows the game down and weaves into open ice. Johnny Gaudreau does this as well. Kane knows how to exploit open space and take his time to open up lanes. Hughes is all about flying through the zone and trying to overwhelm the other team with speed -- something that requires power against adult players and professional defensive structures.

Time and time again, Hughes takes the puck up the ice at full speed, hits a wall of defenders, gets it taken away, and the other team regains possession of the puck. This is why, on multiple occasions already, he has gotten crushed along the boards. He puts himself in vulnerable positions. This is not sustainable over the course of a full NHL season.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

This thread is genuinely sickening. You’d think they were talking about some mediocre 4th round pick and not one of the best American born prospects ever.

 

[Red Solo Cup]

I am devils fan, and I would personally be fine with taking either Hughes or Kakko. I see Kakko as more of a sure thing where you’ll get immediate results, and Hughes as a player that needs to develop in certain areas of his game. If the Devils were to select Hughes, I would prefer that he play a year in the NCAA just to add some more weight, and polish his game up outside of the NHL. I don’t see anything wrong with this route. Look at Pettersson, he was a highly skilled player who needed to round out his game and mature physically (he still does need to mature some more), and he came in and lit up the league. I’m pretty sure about 100% of people would have Pettersson going first in a redraft from 2017. Not playing in the league immediately after being drafted is not a slight against a players potential, it’s simply a statement on where the player currently is in regards to his developmental path. Some devils fans act insulted when they hear people bring up the idea that maybe Hughes should wait a year before heading to the NHL, and it’s really sad to see. Patience is a virtue, and I believe that if Hughes is developed properly, he will be a premier player in the league, as will Kakko. There is nothing wrong with giving Hughes another year to develop, no matter what team he is selected by.

 

[FinnishSniper]

Crosby? The guy with multiple concussions that almost derailed his career? You start watching hockey during the World Championships? Anyone can get a concussion, goalies, enforcers, skilled centers, all it takes is getting hit the wrong way. There is no perfect player who can't get a concussion.

Hughes plays a high speed game which is why I see it as pretty dangerous as he could be hit with a huge hit with high speeds.
Crosby has got hurt multiple times. Though honestly imagine this, a dump and chase is thrown in and Hughes and Crosby got to the puck. Players in the NHL often make contact before going for the puck. Who is more likely to fall down? Id you guys seriously aren’t able to see where I’m coming from (Pettersson’s concussion this year) I have really no words. Isn’t it also funny how like 5 people have completely trashed my opinion and 1 person has said it’s reasonable. 5 Devils fans and 1 random dude.

Once again. I think Jack will be a great player. I just see no sense in playing him in the league as he has a bigger chance of getting hurt. That will of course hurt his development. Of course the smaller guys have as big of a chance of getting hurt usually, but lets be honest here, he has a good chance of getting hurt next year with the physique he has.

 

[yeaher]

Crosby? The guy with multiple concussions that almost derailed his career? You start watching hockey during the World Championships? Anyone can get a concussion, goalies, enforcers, skilled centers, all it takes is getting hit the wrong way. There is no perfect player who can't get a concussion.

They did derail his career, you think Crosby 0 concussions, scores only 100 this year.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

There is still literally no evidence small players are more injury prone. People said the same thing about Marner and Gaudreau. Matthews, for example, is way more built for the NHL, yet has missed significantly more games than Marner.

I'd argue players who are skinny (for their height) are more prone to being banged up throughout the playoffs (see Tampa throughout the years).

Waterbug-like players are great at avoiding contact so I'm not worried about Hughes but he definitely needs to add some mass; he looks tiny next to Kane on Team USA.

He still gets pushed over too easily against men but once he gets stronger and even more agile he'll be a beast.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I've said this before, but with regards to Jack's skating with the puck, he is very similar to Nikolaj Ehlers. However, Ehlers is a fairly good goal scorer, whereas Hughes is very far behind in that department.

Ehlers was always considered to be a bad goal scorer up until his 29 goal season. It's still a weakness for him.