Prospect Info: Colton White -D- (97th Overall 2015)

[seabass11]

I think he'll make the NHL one day. He's got a lot of game and just keeps getting better and better. Good pick up.

 

[blink]

But he's not a forward!

Seriously though, I like this pick as well. I like all of our picks including Blackwood and give Shero a thumbs up in his first draft at the helm.

With Hamilton having an OHL team this year I should be able to watch some of our OHL picks over the last couple of seasons.

 

[Billdo]

White was stuck behind Nurse and took on a mentor role with the Grey Hounds. Assuming he stays with SSM and Nurse doesn't he should be given a larger role and his offensive numbers will come around. He's projected as having a substantial amount more offense than what everyone's seen because of the depth of SSM. This is a solid upside pick and if anything he can be a Martin or Oduya type who is reliable defensively while occasionally chipping in from the blue line.

 

[Kurt Cobain]

Everything I read about Colton makes me happy we chose him. Hope he works out great for us.

Yeah same here. He seems like a really solid defense prospect. I hope he really puts together his offensive ability since he seems to have the defensive part down. Love this pick.

 

[Kurt Cobain]

White was stuck behind Nurse and took on a mentor role with the Grey Hounds. Assuming he stays with SSM and Nurse doesn't he should be given a larger role and his offensive numbers will come around. He's projected as having a substantial amount more offense than what everyone's seen because of the depth of SSM. This is a solid upside pick and if anything he can be a Martin or Oduya type who is reliable defensively while occasionally chipping in from the blue line.

Nurse most definitely will not be on SSM next year. Either the Oilers or the AHL.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I like Colton White, but Devils needed scoring forwards, especially on the RW. The Jets took a terrific young RW in Spacek just ten picks later.

Not to put down White. I like what I've seen and think he has solid upside a few years down the road.

 

[Bleedred]

His name sounds too much like Colin White.

I hated Colin White more than any player to play for the Devils up until the time that he left.

 

[Emperoreddy]

His name sounds too much like Colin White.

I hated Colin White more than any player to play for the Devils up until the time that he left.

This White can skate though.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I like Colton White, but Devils needed scoring forwards, especially on the RW. The Jets took a terrific young RW in Spacek just ten picks later.

Not to put down White. I like what I've seen and think he has solid upside a few years down the road.

We need LH D as well. Maybe not quite as desparetely as forwards, but it's a need. This wasn't a bad pick. It was the goalie that was a stupid pick.

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

His name sounds too much like Colin White.

I hated Colin White more than any player to play for the Devils up until the time that he left.

Shero and Conte send their apologies.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

His name sounds too much like Colin White.

I hated Colin White more than any player to play for the Devils up until the time that he left.

What if we had drafted Colin White?

 

[Emperoreddy]

We need LH D as well. Maybe not quite as desparetely as forwards, but it's a need. This wasn't a bad pick. It was the goalie that was a stupid pick.

Also can't abandon one position to fill another. It is how we got into this forward mess. We went really D heavy for a few years neglecting the forwards.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

In the fourth round, too, I also don't have a problem with the scouts just going with whoever they feel has the best shot of making the NHL regardless of position. An NHLer is far from assured, so I could see where it makes sense to just go with whoever you think has the best chance of defying the odds and having an NHL career.

 

[Bleedred]

What if we had drafted Colin White?

I would have been pretty happy.

Cause I'd hope that Colin White would become the one we remember, more than the first Colin White.

Hopefully Colton White makes people forget about the original White too.

 

[devilsblood]

People moaning because we didn't take a forward, but it really sounds like this kid could be a steal and we are thin on the left side. Plus if we really do end up trading Merrill it makes it easier since we can fill the hole inside not to far down the road.

So many were ready to take Ivan at 6, not sure why one would be upset about this.

Well there are various groups of posters out there.

And Im in the fwd at all costs camp, but in the 4th? I'm cool with a d-man with a bunch of untapped potential.

 

[glenwo2]

I would have been pretty happy.

Cause I'd hope that Colin White would become the one we remember, more than the first Colin White.

Hopefully Colton White makes people forget about the original White too.

Hopefully this "White" manages to keep BOTH eyes functioning as opposed to One-eyed Whitey.

 

[Devils Dominion]

This pick was made by Conte and our scouts.

Shero admitted that he has never seen him play.

 

[Better Call Sal]

His name sounds too much like Colin White.

I hated Colin White more than any player to play for the Devils up until the time that he left.

How could that be? We had Andrew Peters during that time.

Seriously though, why so much hate?

 

[JimEIV]

Not a fan of this pick. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Bleedred]

How could that be? We had Andrew Peters during that time.

Seriously though, why so much hate?

I think he was seriously overrated. If there was ever a ''Product of the system'' on any of those Devils championship teams, it was absolutely him. I think he was a product of Niedermayer.

I'm not saying he was AWFUL in his prime. He just wasn't as good as people jocked him and he was IMO the most replaceable defenseman we had for about 10 years there. Not including the early 00s Albelin, who was used as a number 7 guy and was never an every nighter, or maybe the last season or two of Dano.

He was our weakest defenseman for many of those years, which doesn't necessarily say much since we had such a GREAT and LEGENDARY defense. Yeah of course Rafalski may have been worse defensively, though he brought an offensive skill. White was just a stay at home defenseman, who hit things. He was also responsible for so many boneheaded plays that went unnoticed over the years. Then he turned out to be a locker room problem allegedly, which is why I personally think he was bought out. Though at the same time, he was completely done pretty much by that point. People thought he was so great in his last couple seasons, he was still our weakest defenseman when Mark Fraser wasn't in the lineup. And Mike Mottau was pretty awful at times too.

I thought White was pretty meh from 2005 onward. He had a couple good seasons after that. He had one late 2000s season where I thought he looked better than some of his early 2000s seasons. As much as I didn't like Salvador's last few years (just because he was completely done due to age), I wanted to trade White before the 10-11 season over Salvador, when it was discussed that we needed to trade one. I thought White looked completely cooked by 09-10. Salvador was put on LTIR and it never had to come between trading one of them. Not until White was bought out when Sal got healthy again. I was roasted on a few forums for wanting Salvador to stay over White. I wholeheartedly and easily think that Salvador in 2010 (before the nasty preseason injury) was a better defenseman and NHL player at that point than White was. Even in 11-12 when Sal returned from injury, He had a great season, while White stunk up the joint for the Sharks. And then became a healthy scratch.

He also tortured me that season, like Pete is doing now. Sharks fans thought they were getting a top 3/4 defenseman for the price of less than a 6th defenseman after the buyout. I told them he's finished, you'll see that soon. I was also told horror stories about his time with the Sharks, I don't wanna repeat here to avoid being accused of slandering the guy. It didn't have to do with being a locker room problem either. Colin White was probably a bonfide #5 defenseman during his career if he weren't paired with a HOF guy. He would have been a number 2 or 3 on a pretty bad team IMO. Not counting a team in which he was paired with Niedermayer.

I also remember Niedermayer having some particularly forgettable games in the 03 playoffs. And when Niedermayer was having a bad game, White was completely lost and couldn't even cover for him.

So that's a novel on why I didn't like White. I would never boo the guy, or do anything extreme. I just don't like the guy. I think he was the most overrated Devils defenseman of the last 20 years though. I don't know who else was more overrated. Rafalski? He brought an offensive skill. White was an average defensive defenseman, who had according to Marty one of the hardest shots he'd ever seen. One of the hardest shots that hit shin pads and glass. Colin White is mostly adored because of all the memorable teams and a couple cup wins IMO. I would credit John Madden and Jay Pandolfo with being MUCH better defensive players than he ever was for this team.

There were definitely many times where the dude was a warrior and would block shots, much like Sal and Volchenkov. I just don't think he was as good as some fans think.

 

[captainscott]

I think he was seriously overrated. If there was ever a ''Product of the system'' on any of those Devils championship teams, it was absolutely him. I think he was a product of Niedermayer.

I'm not saying he was AWFUL in his prime. He just wasn't as good as people jocked him and he was IMO the most replaceable defenseman we had for about 10 years there. Not including the early 00s Albelin, who was used as a number 7 guy and was never an every nighter, or maybe the last season or two of Dano.

He was our weakest defenseman for many of those years, which doesn't necessarily say much since we had such a GREAT and LEGENDARY defense. Yeah of course Rafalski may have been worse defensively, though he brought an offensive skill. White was just a stay at home defenseman, who hit things. He was also responsible for so many boneheaded plays that went unnoticed over the years. Then he turned out to be a locker room problem allegedly, which is why I personally think he was bought out. Though at the same time, he was completely done pretty much by that point. People thought he was so great in his last couple seasons, he was still our weakest defenseman when Mark Fraser wasn't in the lineup. And Mike Mottau was pretty awful at times too.

I thought White was pretty meh from 2005 onward. He had a couple good seasons after that. He had one late 2000s season where I thought he looked better than some of his early 2000s seasons. As much as I didn't like Salvador's last few years (just because he was completely done due to age), I wanted to trade White before the 10-11 season over Salvador, when it was discussed that we needed to trade one. I thought White looked completely cooked by 09-10. Salvador was put on LTIR and it never had to come between trading one of them. Not until White was bought out when Sal got healthy again. I was roasted on a few forums for wanting Salvador to stay over White. I wholeheartedly and easily think that Salvador in 2010 (before the nasty preseason injury) was a better defenseman and NHL player at that point than White was. Even in 11-12 when Sal returned from injury, He had a great season, while White stunk up the joint for the Sharks. And then became a healthy scratch.

He also tortured me that season, like Pete is doing now. Sharks fans thought they were getting a top 3/4 defenseman for the price of less than a 6th defenseman after the buyout. I told them he's finished, you'll see that soon. I was also told horror stories about his time with the Sharks, I don't wanna repeat here to avoid being accused of slandering the guy. It didn't have to do with being a locker room problem either. Colin White was probably a bonfide #5 defenseman during his career if he weren't paired with a HOF guy. He would have been a number 2 or 3 on a pretty bad team IMO. Not counting a team in which he was paired with Niedermayer.

I also remember Niedermayer having some particularly forgettable games in the 03 playoffs. And when Niedermayer was having a bad game, White was completely lost and couldn't even cover for him.

So that's a novel on why I didn't like White. I would never boo the guy, or do anything extreme. I just don't like the guy. I think he was the most overrated Devils defenseman of the last 20 years though. I don't know who else was more overrated. Rafalski? He brought an offensive skill. White was an average defensive defenseman, who had according to Marty one of the hardest shots he'd ever seen. One of the hardest shots that hit shin pads and glass. Colin White is mostly adored because of all the memorable teams and a couple cup wins IMO. I would credit John Madden and Jay Pandolfo with being MUCH better defensive players than he ever was for this team.

There were definitely many times where the dude was a warrior and would block shots, much like Sal and Volchenkov. I just don't think he was as good as some fans think.

Fair analysis on white, he was decent defesnsman on a great team, how does rafalski make it into the overrated conversation?

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Not a fan of this pick. Hope I'm wrong.

I can't say much about specifically picking White, but I do like that the org's philosophy at this point in the draft seemed to be seeking out talented players that were buried, and not so much looking for the "safe" guys. In that respect, I really like this pick. But as far as what else was available, would've still preferred a forward, especially with all the potential steals still on the board between Richard, Ahl, Spacek, and Zhukenov.

 

[Bleedred]

Fair analysis on white, he was decent defesnsman on a great team, how does rafalski make it into the overrated conversation?

Some people argue because he wasn't that good defensively.

I loved his unique offensive skillset though.

 

[Zippy316]

Fair analysis on white, he was decent defesnsman on a great team, how does rafalski make it into the overrated conversation?

Rafalski started his career with Stevens, then played with Niedermayer, and then went on to play with Lidstrom the rest of his career.

He gets a lot of flack from being lucky with who he played with because he also played alongside Hall of Fame defenders.

 

[Devils Dominion]

So, this guy Colton White, a teammate of Speers.