Prospect Info: Eduard Sale - Forward (Round 1, Pick #20 - 2023 Draft)

[RainyCityHockey]

Eduard Sale at eliteprospects.com

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Eduard Sale, 2005-03-10 Brno, CZE Czechia. Most recently in the OHL with Barrie Colts. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

Eduard Sale Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Eduard Sale, a hockey player from Brno, Czech Rep. born Mar 10 2005 who was active from 2021 to 2024.

www.hockeydb.com

Eduard Šalé - 2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

At one point he was a top-10 prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft, but Eduard Šalé could make for an interesting first-round pick.

thehockeywriters.com

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[Cisse]

This kid has talent. I'm happy we got him.

 

[rsteen]

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

It seems interesting that we went for a guy whose biggest question marks are lack of motor and defensive play. Guessing Francis and company really feel that they can teach him that.

 

[Cisse]

It seems interesting that we went for a guy whose biggest question marks are lack of motor and defensive play. Guessing Francis and company really feel that they can teach him that.

It is easier to teach 18-year old forward to become better defensively than to get him the skills he already has. The thing about Czechs is that they can be pretty moody although they are more professional now than they used to be.

 

[majormajor]

It seems interesting that we went for a guy whose biggest question marks are lack of motor and defensive play. Guessing Francis and company really feel that they can teach him that.

He's very undeveloped physically so perhaps the energy and consistency will come as his body matures. He has room to gain 20-30 lbs of muscle.

I'll put my Sale write-up here too:

Sale - There are several reasons to think Eduard Sale might be a big upside player. He has a lot of room left on his 6’2 frame to get stronger and more dynamic. He has great hands and skating that could pop with more athleticism. Getting out of the Czech league could lead to a big breakout of his offensive potential. But he’s been one of the most inconsistent prospects for years at all levels, including internationally. It’s still hard to know what he is because there are a lot of off games for him. I could see him becoming a good NHL scorer but without the consistent drive and edge that teams covet for the playoffs.

 

[rsteen]

It seems interesting that we went for a guy whose biggest question marks are lack of motor and defensive play. Guessing Francis and company really feel that they can teach him that.

Must think that's more coachable than Perrault's skating. Kind of interesting that lack of compete was the knock on Wright too.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

He is like Perrault who can skate. "He compared himself to Jonathan Huberdeau, and that he may be little better than him."

 

[AarG]

Definitely happy with this but he has a lot of work to do. You have to remember that a #20 pick is never a guarantee NHLer.

Excited for the development camp!

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

He is like Perrault who can skate. "He compared himself to Jonathan Huberdeau, and that he may be little better than him."

That is a brave statement to make.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

That is a brave statement to make.

I've read it on twitter.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I've read it on twitter.

Maybe it got lost in translation from Czech to English .. LOL. Either way, happy with the pick. Would rather swing for high-end talent anyway.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Fun fact: It is statisticaly nearly impossible to not draft at least good czech player in 20s. Havlat, Rucinsky Chytil, Pastrnak, Kulich, and now Sale speaking for themselves.

 

[Gniwder]

It is easier to teach 18-year old forward to become better defensively than to get him the skills he already has. The thing about Czechs is that they can be pretty moody although they are more professional now than they used to be.

But you can't teach motivation. Sounds like a poor man's Anthony Mantha.

Hopefully the desire to play in the NHL motivates him, he'll have to earn his way onto the Kraken roster unlike the lottery teams.

 

[majormajor]

But you can't teach motivation. Sounds like a poor man's Anthony Mantha.

That's the exact thing teams were supposedly worried about. On the Athletic Pod the prospect writers said that a scout wondered if Sale liked hockey. That's a scary question. He won't get anywhere without passion.

I personally won't call him poor man's Mantha though, he's right up there in talent in my book.

 

[Mirinho]

I'm so happy he is new baby Kraken
Maybe you'd like to know how to pronounce his name correctly
so i recorded it for you

 

[RainyCityHockey]

I updated the opening post a bit.

 

[rsteen]

But you can't teach motivation. Sounds like a poor man's Anthony Mantha.

Hopefully the desire to play in the NHL motivates him, he'll have to earn his way onto the Kraken roster unlike the lottery teams.

At 20th any prospect on the board is going to have some significant flaw. With Perrault it was skating and size. With Sale it's compete level. In the late first you should swing for the fences with a guy who has the skill to be a top-6 player if his flaws can be fixed. They've had success signing a 'safe' player who projects in the bottom 6 with Kartye, so they can try that again this year or use later picks for that kind of player profile.

 

[kihei]

It seems like our scouts had a good long look at him and decided he was the guy. They must have believed that with proper mentoring by the entire organization that Sale could be something special. That's good enough for me.

 

[Kat Predator]

On compete level ... he was an underage kid, who is visibly not yet developed in his upper body, playing against men in the Czech pro league.

Obviously, who knows at this point, but I'd be super surprised if he was out physical-ing people given that situation. (Reality is not like the commercial of the pee-wee leaguer, supposedly Stamkos' kid, crushing the full grown man into the boards.)

 

[NiagaraKraken]

Gonna put up numbers next season.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Gonna put up numbers next season.

Yeah. I was thinking this too. He does need to get used the NA ice but after playing against men last year, it will be interesting what happens in juniors.

 

[wewantyoursoul]

 

[sigma six]

I'm so happy he is new baby Kraken
Maybe you'd like to know how to pronounce his name correctly
so i recorded it for you

Thanks, I was close-- in my mind it was pronounced like a Duck from the 90's named Ruslan Salei.
I'll put a Shh on it.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

On compete level ... he was an underage kid, who is visibly not yet developed in his upper body, playing against men in the Czech pro league.

Obviously, who knows at this point, but I'd be super surprised if he was out physical-ing people given that situation. (Reality is not like the commercial of the pee-wee leaguer, supposedly Stamkos' kid, crushing the full grown man into the boards.)

I found a post on the main boards saying that his production took a significant step back in 2022-23. Kind of makes sense to be honest. He went to the pros as a 17 year old and still had a respectable 14 points in 47 games.

Go a year back and he looks to have lit it up in the U-20 league he played with 89 points in 39 games. As a 16 year old.

I do think he needs to grow into his body. That should happen. And I hope it is the same case with his effort/motivation. At some point the skill alone is not enough.