Player Discussion Drake Batherson (RW)

[BoardsofCanada]

Benn, Wheeler and Bobby Ryan are all good comparisons. If Drake comes close to these guys in career points, it will be a grand slam of a pick for the Sens.

 

[NORiculous]

Anyone know where and with who he is training?

He is clearly dominating the AHL and am wondering what he is working on to be able to take the next step.

 

[Korpse]

Anyone know where and with who he is training?

He is clearly dominating the AHL and am wondering what he is working on to be able to take the next step.

He's been training with Crosby, Mackinnon, Marchand an a couple others in past years.

 

[NORiculous]

He's been training with Crosby, Mackinnon, Marchand an a couple others in past years.

Thanks.

Asking cause he hasn’t filled out his size yet. He reminds me of a young E. Staal

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Looks like he’s finally a full time NHLer now. Looked amazing last night, and should be a staple in Ottawa’s top-6 for years to come!

 

[Tuna99]

Dorion deserves some credit for Steak Batherson. PD has always said when you’re ready, you’ll get your shot. Batherson #1 PP, top line, #1 in minutes played for forwards. Norris too.

 

[bert]

Looks like he’s finally a full time NHLer now. Looked amazing last night, and should be a staple in Ottawa’s top-6 for years to come!

I feel like he had a few games like that leading into covid. You could see him really coming along. One thing that stood out to me more than ever was his physicality. He was not just finishing his checks well he was leaning on guys down low too.

 

[Butchy Dakkar]

I said this on the GDT yesterday, but Drake has an outside shot of becoming Stone 2.0.

Smart, strong, well positioned, making unexpected plays, puck on a string entering the zone.

Gil Gunderson replied “He’s at the same age and stage in Stone’s career when he broke out as well.”

Getting excited.

 

[cudi]

I feel like he had a few games like that leading into covid. You could see him really coming along. One thing that stood out to me more than ever was his physicality. He was not just finishing his checks well he was leaning on guys down low too.

If he's got the confidence he's had at the AHL level, look out. Thats a scary player for the other teams D. His vision is just amazing.

 

[Sweatred]

Batherson had the second most hits for the Sens - tied with Brown.

 

[SpezDispenser]

If he's got the confidence he's had at the AHL level, look out. Thats a scary player for the other teams D. His vision is just amazing.

Absolutely this. His vision is unreal and he can make the right high skilled play to gain entrance into the offensive zone almost every time.

 

[HSF]

If batherson pans out it’s gonna be big

good job on management for letting him develop esp last year

 

[Xspyrit]

Yesterday at Even Strenght in terms of HDCF vs HDCA :

Brady Tkachuk 7 - 0
Drake Batherson 6 - 0

That's really sexy

I said this on the GDT yesterday, but Drake has an outside shot of becoming Stone 2.0.

Smart, strong, well positioned, making unexpected plays, puck on a string entering the zone.

Gil Gunderson replied “He’s at the same age and stage in Stone’s career when he broke out as well.”

Getting excited.

I see him as a Mark Stone and Bobby Ryan hybrid. The Ryan version in Ottawa of the first 3-4 years

Skill, vision, playmaking, hockey IQ, a knack for creating scoring chances. Not a lot of players have Stone's elite hockey IQ so it would be unfair to compare him to Stone but if he's anywhere close to him, we're golden. I have been high on Batherson since his 2017-18 Q season (D+1) where he took a major step and it's finally coming into fruition.

It shows how much we have to be patient with our prospects because the plan seem to be slow cooking them. Doesn't look like they want to graduate any of them fast outside of maybe the lotto picks (Stutzle, Tkachuk)

 

[67 others]

Bath vs norris. Will they both stick this year and are they ready to be top liners?

 

[cudi]

Bath vs norris. Will they both stick this year and are they ready to be top liners?

Batherson is ready 100% to be a top line player on this team. He looks like a completely different player this year. Confidence coming out the ass. One of the few forwards in the first few games to make things happen shift in shift out. He's been impressive as hell so far.

 

[Micklebot]

Bath vs norris. Will they both stick this year and are they ready to be top liners?

Batherson looks legit, Norris looks like a rookie with potential. I think Norris will probably manage to stick, but of one of them gets sent down I suspect it would be him, particularly as we have Brown waiting in Belleville who is also pretty close.

 

[67 others]

how about young Stue?

I liked what I saw so far, but what are his chances? Looks like opportunity city for the kids here, but how forgiving is coaching?

 

[Sensmileletsgo]

how about young Stue?

I liked what I saw so far, but what are his chances? Looks like opportunity city for the kids here, but how forgiving is coaching?

It’s not going to be long before he becomes one of DJ Smith’s go to forwards. He’s his type of player and has game breaking ability. Smith will slowly ease him into a bigger role as the season goes on is my guess.

 

[swiftwin]

Batherson is already a top 6 forward for us. He's 100% a regular NHLer now.

Norris I think will go back down at some point. He no doubt has the potential. But I think he'll be back in the AHL at some point this season, possibly in favor of giving Logan Brown a shot.

Stutzle, is a big unknown right now. He obviously has some jitters right now, but also easily has the most potential of all our forwards, even this season. I'm hoping getting that first goal has taken the edge off, and he's keep getting better. The next few games will be very telling to see if he sticks around for the whole season or not. I'm inclined to say he will.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

Drake is highly skilled with a great offensive IQ and fantastic vision. He's been my fave prospect for a while now. People call him the next Stone but I don't think he has Stone's overall smarts (very very few do). I do think he has better hands and slightly better wheels than Stone though. I think he's a bit more physical too.

I once heard someone compare his style to Scheifele and now I can't unsee that.

 

[PlayersLtd]

One of Drake's assets that caused me to always compare him to Mark Stone is how the puck seems to bounce for him. He has that way that Stone mastered where the puck just has a way of ending up back on his stick even when the battle appears to be lost. It seems like the puck just WANTS to be on their stick more than the opponents.

Anyway, Scheiffle and Stone are good but Benn was mentioned earlier and I think that is a good comparison for this years version of Drake. They even kind of look alike...

 

[Sweatred]

One of Drake's assets that caused me to always compare him to Mark Stone is how the puck seems to bounce for him. He has that way that Stone mastered where the puck just has a way of ending up back on his stick even when the battle appears to be lost. It seems like the puck just WANTS to be on their stick more than the opponents.

Anyway, Scheiffle and Stone are good but Benn was mentioned earlier and I think that is a good comparison for this years version of Drake. They even kind of look alike...

I was amazed with Batherson in game 2. At one point he tracked the leaf Dman behind the net. He’d been banging them all series and this time he backed off and covered the passing lane. The Dman just passed it right onto Drakes stick who fed it out front for a scoring chance.

Drake was thinking miles ahead of the play. He’s a unique combo of skill, power, and brains.

Drakes play gives me hope for Brown and Brann and the Sens current developmental approach.

 

[SensontheRush]

I was amazed with Batherson in game 2. At one point he tracked the leaf Dman behind the net. He’d been banging them all series and this time he backed off and covered the passing lane. The Dman just passed it right onto Drakes stick who fed it out front for a scoring chance.

Drake was thinking miles ahead of the play. He’s a unique combo of skill, power, and brains.

Drakes play gives me hope for Brown and Brann and the Sens current developmental approach.

That was Batherson? That was easily the best chance we had all game too... other than the Dadonov shot... which Batherson sauced to Tkachuk to start the play...

 

[Sensmileletsgo]

That was Batherson? That was easily the best chance we had all game too... other than the Dadonov shot... which Batherson sauced to him...

We might be thinking of different plays, but our best scoring chance was late in the game when Tkachuk made a tip pass to Dadanov who had an open net but shot it at Campbell.

 

[SpezDispenser]

We might be thinking of different plays, but our best scoring chance was late in the game when Tkachuk made a tip pass to Dadanov who had an open net but shot it at Campbell.

I think he hesitated for a split second. I couldn't believe he missed that opportunity