D Ryan Merkley - Peterborough Petes, OHL (2018, 21st, SJS)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Dominance

99-66-4-9-87/97
Sep 30, 2017
7,821
12,254
The Land of Hockey
Isn’t he the youngest player in the draft? Either way, I’ve been impressed by his defensive play in my viewing since about the start of December. Really like him and think he could be a steal if somebody picks him up after the 15th pick. Has big bust potential, obviously, but the upside is immense.
 

1972

"Craigs on it"
Apr 9, 2012
14,426
3,147
Canada
A smart team will draft him in the late first, let him stay in the OHL for 2 years, then give him a year or two in the AHL and have him come up and be a legit PP QB in the NHL.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dack

93LEAFS

Registered User
Nov 7, 2009
33,841
20,900
Toronto
A smart team will draft him in the late first, let him stay in the OHL for 2 years, then give him a year or two in the AHL and have him come up and be a legit PP QB in the NHL.
The only issue I would have with this plan, is that you need a clear Merkley "buy-in" for it to work, and I'm not sure you'll get it.

For highly hyped kids (especially true for a top of his age group GTHLer) who have been told they are god's gift to the earth since they are 10 it can be very hard to get that level of buy in on that type of long-term plan. This is why judging the personality, and how receptive they are is vital. A bunch of kids who were 1st rounders don't re-act well to being sent down twice to ride the bus when they could be earning a solid check in the NHL.
 
  • Like
Reactions: daddy

93LEAFS

Registered User
Nov 7, 2009
33,841
20,900
Toronto
It's more than poor defensive play isn't it? I thought it had to do with not being coachable and having attitude concerns.
It is. No one is going to go on record with an official article about it though. Its why you only ever hear bad interview with certain guys but what actually happened is never elaborated on.

Just look at Ho-Sang for example. All you heard was bad interview or over-confident. If those were the only 2 issues, he wouldn't have been put on multiple teams no draft lists. The real issue was he was late for practice, didn't listen to the coaches, got kicked out of billets houses and had to move in with a member on the coaching staff before they dumped him to Niagara. That's on top of pissing off Hockey Canada along with Jared McCann by basically being a dick to McDavid and trying to haze him at the U-17's (Which is why McCann also got the label "bad interview"). The thing is, no one is going to go on record saying these things to a published reporter for two reasons. They don't really gain much, and agents will raise a stink. People think his fall was based on just being a-typical and sounding ridiculous in that Steve Simmons column.

Tony D's stuff was documented because he was actually suspended for his anger-issues, but people just ignored the non-slur incidents of him losing control in Sarnia.
 

ProspectsFanatic

Registered User
Nov 13, 2012
3,696
2,426
If Merkley was regarded as someone having great attitude/work ethic, where do you think he would be ranked at?
 

Castle8130

Registered User
May 9, 2017
2,581
1,776

This kid is so dang talented that I feel like he knows it and if something disrupts him from being in control of the game he gets pissed. Also think that his ego might be too high and doesn't think his teammates have the same capabilities as him, so he doesn't pass as much as he should. This kid looks like he might go down the deangelo path IMO.
 

JiggsNY

Registered User
Sep 14, 2016
678
676
New York

It's one thing to retaliate when things get heated, but after the slash he completely gives up on possession of the puck to slash back, allowing the opposing player to just scoop up the puck for a scoring chance. I don't mind when you get heated and boil over, but you gotta have composure and finish the play, especially in that location in front of the net.
 

Dominance

99-66-4-9-87/97
Sep 30, 2017
7,821
12,254
The Land of Hockey
Hard to know how good defensively he would be if he actually cared about playing defense.
His fiery compete level (in the rare moments when it’s activated) combined with his incredible speed and stick skills allow him to be a beast in his own end against OHL-level competition, when he wants to be. It’s dumb because it seems that he can take the puck at will, but just doesn’t put in the effort to do so.
 

JK2K

Registered User
Mar 13, 2017
486
82
Forget all the crap about attitude.
This kid can flat out play.
Most of the rumours are started by scouts who don’t want him gone when they pick!
He is top 10. Or at least should be....
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,201
14,683
Forget all the crap about attitude.
This kid can flat out play.
Most of the rumours are started by scouts who don’t want him gone when they pick!
He is top 10. Or at least should be....

It’s mostly from his coaches who have no skin in the game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 93LEAFS

93LEAFS

Registered User
Nov 7, 2009
33,841
20,900
Toronto
Forget all the crap about attitude.
This kid can flat out play.
Most of the rumours are started by scouts who don’t want him gone when they pick!
He is top 10. Or at least should be....
No the kid has a shit attitude. Why would a coach scratch him to appease scouts.

He also doesn’t and/or can’t play defence.

Your conspiracy theory is a joke. Because it would require a bunch of scouts from multiple teams to work as a collective when only one would benefit. Maybe you thought the same about Ho-Sang, Shinkaruk, Day, Jared McCann, Deangelo, Kabanov and Anthony Duclair.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 99664987

93LEAFS

Registered User
Nov 7, 2009
33,841
20,900
Toronto
Flat out, play
Great, most of the guys I listed could too, and he can’t or won’t play D. Why would coaches bench him? Why would scouts from multiple organizations work in a collective to drive down his stock? Your logic is irrational.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->