C Jack Hughes - USNTDP (2019 Draft)

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Pavel Buchnevich

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Dec 8, 2013
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I remember a lot of people questioned the size of Patrick Kane when he was selected 1st overall and doubted him. Guess it was not a factor.

The same also apply for Gaudreau.

If you are an elite stick handler, skater and have hockey sense through the roof it does not mater of big you are.

He should bulk up a bit and get stronger especially to his core but he does not require to get 30 more pounds to play in the NHL.

No one questions Hughes overall hockey ability. Brilliant player. There's a question whether he can stick at center, and if he can't stick at center, he's going to have to be some brilliant scorer to be somewhere between McDavid and Eichel.
 

Juxtaposer

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No one questions Hughes overall hockey ability. Brilliant player. There's a question whether he can stick at center, and if he can't stick at center, he's going to have to be some brilliant scorer to be somewhere between McDavid and Eichel.

How many elite 17 year old centers who play center full-time transfer to wing in the NHL?
 

cg98

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Oct 10, 2017
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No one questions Hughes overall hockey ability. Brilliant player. There's a question whether he can stick at center, and if he can't stick at center, he's going to have to be some brilliant scorer to be somewhere between McDavid and Eichel.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Dec 8, 2013
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you keep reaching here my friend. Tyler Johnson is 5'8 and isn't bulky by any means..and I am very doubtful he is 185lbs. personally I just said his name as a joke, I don't get into these debates as I think they are pointless and silly. There will always be someone who bucks the trend, always.

What am I reaching with?

You are right that there will always be someone who bucks the trend, I just don't think its unrealistic to question whether Hughes can stick at center. I think it is naive to say there's no chance he moves off center. Keller did, Marner did, Kane did, Kessel did according to the previous poster, Mittelstadt will probably move off center. This type of game usually does not stick at center, especially when you are at least 30 pounds underweight for the position.
 

Juxtaposer

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Didn't Kessel play C in his pre-NHL days?

I dunno, did he? But either way, he was a fifth overall pick. Hughes is expected to be a strong 1st overall.

What am I reaching with?

You are right that there will always be someone who bucks the trend, I just don't think its unrealistic to question whether Hughes can stick at center. I think it is naive to say there's no chance he moves off center. Keller did, Marner did, Kane did, Kessel did according to the previous poster, Mittelstadt will probably move off center. This type of game usually does not stick at center, especially when you are at least 30 pounds underweight for the position.

The previous poster did not say Kessel did, but rather asked for confirmation.

And you’re never answering my question. Was Patrick Kane drafted as a center? I wasn’t an NHL fan at the time but I’ve heard that Kane wasn’t expected to be a strong first overall pick at the time of the draft. Marner was 100% drafted as a winger, I can tell you that one, even if he dabbled at center. Keller and Mittelstadt were great but not comparable to Hughes.

When was the last time a truly elite center prospect who plays center full-time and never plays wing was converted to wing once he hit the NHL?
 
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Pavel Buchnevich

Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Dec 8, 2013
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What does it matter where they draft you? Plenty of players are drafted at one position, and play the other. In fact, it usually is completely irrelevant what you are drafted as. Sometimes no one even knows what the team drafted the player as, and the listing is whatever the NHL bureau thinks that player is.

I think the discussion here should be how Hughes specifically projects for the position, not asking if there's precedent for a player with his exact credentials moving off center.
 

Thebesthockey

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Aug 6, 2013
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"When was the last time a truly elite center prospect who plays center full-time and never plays wing was converted to wing once he hit the NHL?

not exactly the same but alex galchenyuk drafted as center big center #3 overall and is now playing wing
 

Passchendaele

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Dec 11, 2006
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I dunno, did he? But either way, he was a fifth overall pick. Hughes is expected to be a strong 1st overall.

I don't know how old you are, but Kessel was considered a lock to go 1st overall circa 2003-04. Some people even compared him to Crosby. Then 'attitude' concerns popped up and he slipped at the draft.
 

lidstromiscool

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May 5, 2007
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What? Come on! He is listed between 196 and 200 lbs on all the sites I can find....

Cant remember where I saw this but I think it's common knowledge on the Wings board that Z is nowhere near 190lbs. Not trying to get off topic though. Not sure if we should worry about his weight this early.
 

JiggsNY

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Sep 14, 2016
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I think that brings his season to 98 points in 51 games, then looks like 1 more USHL game for the U18s and then the U18 Worlds. The U17s have like another 6 games in the regular season. I selfishly want them to let Jack play with the U17s to stay fresh and break the single season scoring record for sure at worlds, I know they wouldnt though.
 

AmericanDream

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I think that brings his season to 98 points in 51 games, then looks like 1 more USHL game for the U18s and then the U18 Worlds. The U17s have like another 6 games in the regular season. I selfishly want them to let Jack play with the U17s to stay fresh and break the single season scoring record for sure at worlds, I know they wouldnt though.
you think anyone drops back down for some of those u-17 games? maybe York and Caulfied?
 

JiggsNY

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you think anyone drops back down for some of those u-17 games? maybe York and Caulfied?
I dont know its a weird scenario. If the U18 team today is the ideal team they want to take to the U18s then I would think they wouldn't send anyone down, so that the U17 team has every opportunity to gel together cause that will be the team fighting in the playoffs. But idk, the NTDP is never in this scenario in 1st place. But hey maybe they will want to keep some guys fresh, it'll be interesting either way.
 
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AmericanDream

Thank you Elon!
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I dont know its a weird scenario. If the U18 team today is the ideal team they want to take to the U18s then I would think they wouldn't send anyone down, so that the U17 team has every opportunity to gel together cause that will be the team fighting in the playoffs. But idk, the NTDP is never in this scenario in 1st place. But hey maybe they will want to keep some guys fresh, it'll be interesting either way.
that's where I am kind of coming from, the experience is a good one to be in the playoffs, might want to bring a kid or two back down to get bigger minutes and still play against very good competition.
 

Whalers Fan

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Sep 24, 2012
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"When was the last time a truly elite center prospect who plays center full-time and never plays wing was converted to wing once he hit the NHL?

not exactly the same but alex galchenyuk drafted as center big center #3 overall and is now playing wing

...and as a Habs fan and someone who watched him play in the OHL, Galchenyuk should actually be playing center on that team. He's performed better at center, and instead moving Drouin to center was just a stupid idea by Bergevin / Julien. So sometimes moving a player from center to wing -- or vice versa -- is just a bad decision by the team. Trying to predict what will happen with a player once an NHL team gets a hold of a prospect is not always easy.
 

Whalers Fan

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you think anyone drops back down for some of those u-17 games? maybe York and Caulfied?

I doubt anyone moves back -- York is the only one who has any possibility. Hughes, Turcotte and Caufield are needed for the U18 WJC for their offense -- before they came up and Wise returned from injury, this was a one line team. Knight will stay because there are no better options for a 2nd goalie on the team... and DeRidder is actually playing for the U17's on the road this weekend. I couldn't see who was dressed as backup for Knight the last two nights for the U18's in Plymouth -- whoever it is, he's not on the game sheets handed out to the season ticket holders.
 
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