Prospect Info: Chase Stillman (#29 overall)

[The 29th Pick]

I think it’s semantics. Merkley will fill the spot occupied by Bastian but I’m not sure he can completely replace Bastian. He’s not as big and strong even if he is a willing checker and he plays with effort and heart.

fair enough, but there are several holes to fill, and he's a bottom 6 guy, so I assume they use him down there and sign/trade for a top 6 forward, another decent to good D man (unless we get Hamilton which isnt looking good) and of course a backup goalie.
In other words, Bastains position should be filled (albeit temporarily) from within (and without you!) (George pun)!

 

[RememberTheName]

I saw an Alex Burrows comparison for Stillman and I actually think it's not a bad comparison except I think Stillman throws hits in a higher volume than Burrows ever did. Burrows put up 67 points in his top season in the NHL, which I think is a good potential ceiling for Stillman to hit.

 

[devilsblood]

Disagree completely. Coleman 100% improved his speed and agility over time. Others in the past have as well.

Agility to me would be improved skating.

Did he get faster? Not in a significant way.

Guys like Coleman, Wood, and McLeod were always fast. Guys like Smith, Butcher, Boucher and it sounds like Holtz will never be fast.

 

[TheDuke93]

Agility to me would be improved skating.

Did he get faster? Not in a significant way.

Guys like Coleman, Wood, and McLeod were always fast. Guys like Smith, Butcher, Boucher and it sounds like Holtz will never be fast.

Is Holtz considered slow?

 

[devilsblood]

Is Holtz considered slow?

Slow might be an overstatement, but def not fast.

 

[TheDuke93]

Slow might be an overstatement, but def not fast.

I think he's average acceleration and his top end is similar.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I think we should make a new rule where, if people complain about a pick -- a la Chase Stillman -- they must at least mention an alternative of what should have been done with the pick.

My choice would have been Pastujov, Chibrikov, or Morrow.

I haven't looked through (or remember) all of the posts people have made but I don't think anyone is insulting Stillman as a player, more that we went with a safer pick instead of shooting for upside. The people who brought up Chatham, I don't think are comparing Stillman to him, more that we passed on a upside player for him, just like they just did here.

Fitz clearly has an agenda here, and that's drafting guys based on how they'd fit in the team and not necessarily the best player which no one can say is right or wrong approach, but I can say I'm not really a fan of it. You're banking on everything to go correctly with 0 issues that may put in dent in the plans. I much prefer trying to draft upside players every time and try to mold your team to fit what you need later through trades utilizing these guys we drafted.

 

[Lou Bloom]

I like the pick. I think people get too infatuated with the term upside despite the fact that most players selected after the mid 1st round are more likely to be nothing more than role players if they even make the league than reach their potential "upside". Players with a mix of speed, physicality, high end motor and also having the offensive skill to play up and down a lineup are pretty rare to find. Even if he doesn't have "star" upside if he hits his higher percentile outcomes and becomes a two way power forward who can play a complimentary role in a top six he'll easily be worth this pick.

 

[Guttersniped]

Conte style pick.

Not a huge fan of this pick, how can you realistically expect the guy that didn't produce well at any level to produce in the NHL?

I agree that grit and physical play are important, however you can find it elsewhere, not using the premium draft capital. Of course the fact that Isles won 2 rounds didn't help our case but I feel that we didn't do anything to help it as well.

Still better than trading it away for temporary solution a'la Johansson or Subban.

Huh? Someone literally posted about his D-1 stats right before this post.

In 2019-20, Stillman had 34 points (13G 21A) in 58 games, for .59 PPG. Only five U17 players in the OHL out scored him. Two were drafted before him (Clarke & McTavish), one is a ludicrous future 1OA (Wright with 1.14 PPG at 15), and then Pinelli (#42) & Harrison (#85). Othmann (#16) was .60 PPG in 55 games.

The OHL First All-Rookie Team 2019-20: Brochu (G, 2002), Clarke (D, 2003), Rafkin (D, 2002), Wright (F, 2004), Othmann (F, 2003), Stillman (F, 2003)

Matteau has Feb 1994 birthday and I took a peak at his equivalent season. Wowza. He had 18 points (7G 11A) in 47 games for .38 PPG on the U17 USNT. That tied him for 14th on the team. In the USHL he had 9 points (4G 5P) .32 PPG, which was 22nd overall. He did not get that much more comparatively productive in his draft year. Raw point totals only tell you so much but, yeah, Matteau, had such meager production then that it could only be wishful thinking to envision more coming in the NHL.

Without a draft year OHL season we don’t know how well Stillman would have done but “but didn’t produce well at any level” is not actual description of his 2019-20 season.

Or his 2018-19 season, when his 2.29 PPG tied another U16 player for the league lead in the GNML and he was GNML Rookie of the Year and NOHA Player of the Year.

 

[HyperX]

Huh? Someone literally posted about his D-1 stats right before this post.

In 2019-20, Stillman had 34 points (13G 21A) in 58 games, for .59 PPG. Only five U17 players in the OHL out scored him. Two were drafted before him (Clarke & McTavish), one is a ludicrous future 1OA (Wright with 1.14 PPG at 15), and then Pinelli (#42) & Harrison (#85). Othmann (#16) was .60 PPG in 55 games.

The OHL First All-Rookie Team 2019-20: Brochu (G, 2002), Clarke (D, 2003), Rafkin (D, 2002), Wright (F, 2004), Othmann (F, 2003), Stillman (F, 2003)

Matteau has Feb 1994 birthday and I took a peak at his equivalent season. Wowza. He had 18 points (7G 11A) in 47 games for .38 PPG on the U17 USNT. That tied him for 14th on the team. In the USHL he had 9 points (4G 5P) .32 PPG, which was 22nd overall. He did not get that much more comparatively productive in his draft year. Raw point totals only tell you so much but, yeah, Matteau, had such meager production then that it could only be wishful thinking to envision more coming in the NHL.

Without a draft year OHL season we don’t know how well Stillman would have done but “but didn’t produce well at any level” is not actual description of his 2019-20 season.

Or his 2018-19 season, when his 2.29 PPG tied another U16 player for the league lead in the GNML and he was GNML Rookie of the Year and NOHA Player of the Year.

You forgot to mention where he was the 2023-2024 Calder trophy recipient

(Luke won it in 2022-2023, and Holtz won it this season when he makes the team as a surprise and scores 30)

Chase the dream!

 

[goonybird]

Cory Stillman is a good comparable

 

[djscooter]

Having watched him a ton in Sudbury, its entertaining to see people commenting that his skating may not be good enough. Short of Byfield he's probably the player who ended up on the most breakaways and odd-man rushes. I've not seen many people make the comparison either, but I think he ends up being a Gallagher type player.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Having watched him a ton in Sudbury, its entertaining to see people commenting that his skating may not be good enough. Short of Byfield he's probably the player who ended up on the most breakaways and odd-man rushes. I've not seen many people make the comparison either, but I think he ends up being a Gallagher type player.

One thing that surprised me in the film is how good his edgework is for a powerforward. I see absolutely no issues with his skating, it is probably a strength.

 

[RememberTheName]

Anyone complaining about his skating has clearly never watched him before.

 

[Shakir ONeal]

Huh? Someone literally posted about his D-1 stats right before this post.

In 2019-20, Stillman had 34 points (13G 21A) in 58 games, for .59 PPG. Only five U17 players in the OHL out scored him. Two were drafted before him (Clarke & McTavish), one is a ludicrous future 1OA (Wright with 1.14 PPG at 15), and then Pinelli (#42) & Harrison (#85). Othmann (#16) was .60 PPG in 55 games.

The OHL First All-Rookie Team 2019-20: Brochu (G, 2002), Clarke (D, 2003), Rafkin (D, 2002), Wright (F, 2004), Othmann (F, 2003), Stillman (F, 2003)

Matteau has Feb 1994 birthday and I took a peak at his equivalent season. Wowza. He had 18 points (7G 11A) in 47 games for .38 PPG on the U17 USNT. That tied him for 14th on the team. In the USHL he had 9 points (4G 5P) .32 PPG, which was 22nd overall. He did not get that much more comparatively productive in his draft year. Raw point totals only tell you so much but, yeah, Matteau, had such meager production then that it could only be wishful thinking to envision more coming in the NHL.

Without a draft year OHL season we don’t know how well Stillman would have done but “but didn’t produce well at any level” is not actual description of his 2019-20 season.

Or his 2018-19 season, when his 2.29 PPG tied another U16 player for the league lead in the GNML and he was GNML Rookie of the Year and NOHA Player of the Year.

Listen, they were both 29th overall picks by NJ therefore Stillman = Matteau…got it?

 

[AfroThunder396]

People just like to make logic leaps that are unjustified. If he's big that means he's slow, if he's slow that means he's a bad skater, and if he's a bad skater that means he's a 4th liner. Stupid and lazy.

 

[The 29th Pick]

Time will tell
John Quenneville had some real nice numbers in the WHL especially in the playoffs but...

 

[HyperX]

Updated my picture!

I love the way he plays, just became my favorite prospect (sorry Shakir, Luke may have stole some of my love for you to be honest lmao)

if Chase can pan out in our top-9, he will be a player our rivals despise!

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Time will tell
John Quenneville had some real nice numbers in the WHL especially in the playoffs but...

Quenneville had 19 points in 47 WHL games in his D - 1 season
Stillman had 34 points in 58 OHL games in his D - 1 season

not comparable.

 

[The 29th Pick]

Quenneville had 19 points in 47 WHL games in his D - 1 season
Stillman had 34 points in 58 OHL games in his D - 1 season

not comparable.

dude, seriously

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

I would have liked a trade up for Wallstedt but probably was too much to move up....Watching Stillman in his interview you could feel that kids energy hopping off screen.....I think he'll be a fan favorite

 

[Unknown Caller]

People just like to make logic leaps that are unjustified. If he's big that means he's slow, if he's slow that means he's a bad skater, and if he's a bad skater that means he's a 4th liner. Stupid and lazy.

Nobody is making unjustified logical leaps about his skating/speed. Here's Pronman's write up below. Just because you don't like a criticism about a player doesn't make it unjustified. There are things to like about Stillman's game, but footspeed isn't one of them.

Stillman is a fun player to watch due to the energy he brings to a given shift, even if we didn’t get to see much of him this season. He’s a very competitive player who can kill penalties and wins a lot of battles. He’s grown a few inches over the last year and you can see him projecting into a bottom-six NHL forward. He’s not going to be a primary offensive type for an NHL team, but he can make plays and his skill level can pop. The main drawback is his footspeed. In a sentence, Stillman projects to play fourth-line minutes, but may not have enough skill or speed to stick in a lineup.

 

[HyperX]

I would have liked a trade up for Wallstedt but probably was too much to move up....Watching Stillman in his interview you

Oh no, dont leave us hanging.. Tell us what you thought!!

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

Nobody is making unjustified logical leaps about his skating/speed. Here's Pronman's write up below. Just because you don't like a criticism about a player doesn't make it unjustified. There are things to like about Stillman's game, but footspeed isn't one of them.

That's one write up on him.....I prefer to trust the team scouts and trainers who feel they can improve or correct weaknesses in a player who is still maturing.....Time will tell who is right.

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

Oh no, dont leave us hanging.. Tell us what you thought!!

Look up a few got cut off if not keep hanging