F Blake Biondi - Notre Dame (2020, 109th, MTL)
- Thread starter Ovechkin962
- Start date
he is a legit 1st round talent...... wouldn't shock me if NTDP tries to find a way to get him in there for next season... that U17 team looks very unimpressive this year.... hopefully he moves on to Junior hockey next year, not much for him to prove in the Conf. he currently plays in....
Jaykay
Registered User
For those who aren't aware, he made the NTDP team this year but declined the invite to return to Hermantown. Like the above poster said it wouldn't surprise me if he goes next year, a la Gavin Hain.
Elimanator
The Future
Hermantown is the definition of a hockey town here in MN. Love that place and those folk.
16thOverallSaveUs
Danila Yurov Fan Club Executive Assistant
- May 2, 2018
- 18,789
- 11,750
I always shy away from taking players that have only played in Minnesota in the first round. Mittelstadt was the exception for me, but a half blond donkey could see his skill was off the charts. Biondi is good but I don’t like the sample size and competition.
Jaykay
Registered User
Even Mittelstadt had played internationally and had torn up the USHL before he was drafted. It's pretty rare these days for a kid at that level to not play before and after the season in the USHL or get some international experience.
You've got guys like Blake Wheeler, Nick Leddy, Jake Gardiner, Ryan McDonagh, Nick Bjugstad and Brock Nelson who only played in MN leading up to their draft year and turned out alright.
Either way, I'd be surprised if Biondi returns to Hermantown at all next year so this should be a moot point.
Artorius Horus T
sincerety
High motor and shooting is his game. Probably would have been the main scorer on the 17's had he not declined.
Sioux City has a knack of getting these players to come their senior year as well... example is Bobby Brink this year.... I'd be shocked if Biondi didn't see some games with SC this Spring....
William H Bonney
Registered User
He led the Select 17 team in scoring at the Five Nations, but that's a weak tournament and the US finished in a woeful third place. He didn't impress at all at the WHC17 with the NTDP.
The Hlinka will be a good test for him, especially since the '02 birth year hasn't been impressive thus far. It will be a roster extremely short on talent as well if guys like Stranges and Schingoethe don't participate.
The Hlinka will be a good test for him, especially since the '02 birth year hasn't been impressive thus far. It will be a roster extremely short on talent as well if guys like Stranges and Schingoethe don't participate.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Gerard Keane is another who could be on the team, but do you think there's some reason Stranges and Schingoethe won't compete? Kaliyev was on the team last year.
William H Bonney
Registered User
Stranges because he signed with the NTDP and then bailed. I'm not sure if it was his choice or USAH's choice, but after that he didn't participate in the Select 16 Player Development Camp and thus didn't play in the U17 Five Nations Tournament. Hopefully both sides bury the hatchet as Stranges selfishly needs the Hlinka headed into his draft year and USAH isn't good enough to hold grudges against talented players.
I expect Schingoethe to be there. He also didn't play in the U17 Five Nations, but if I remember correctly it was due to injury sustained at the Select 16 Player Development Camp.
Alex Taxman
FSHockey
As a Bruins fan, I hope somehow they can snag him. Om draftsite, the mock has 3 players I'm looking at that are right at the start of the third round. Bruins picking late second likely as their first pick in the draft. I'm hoping for Blake Biondi, Alex Cotton, or Carter Savoie to still be available then.
Steve Kournianos
@thedraftanalyst
tealhockey
@overtheboards
ValeriKamensky
Registered User
- May 8, 2013
- 573
- 371
IronMarshal
Registered User
Steve, in your podcast, you spoke very highly of Biondi. Any chance you will have a write up on him on your site anytime soon?
Thanks for what you do.
Steve Kournianos
@thedraftanalyst
I covered him in detail in my state tournament write-up.
Prospect Notes: 2020 Minnesota State Tournament - The Draft Analyst
Biondi has a nice size and strength to him. In a world where prospects seem to inflate their measurements, he seems like a legit, strong 6 footer who might get bigger and taller.
It's always hard to judge whether a HS'er can take his game to the next level(s). As Biondi plays on the second tier of MNHS hockey against lesser competition( like Jaxson Nelson did), it's even harder to predict how well he will do moving forward.
It's always hard to judge whether a HS'er can take his game to the next level(s). As Biondi plays on the second tier of MNHS hockey against lesser competition( like Jaxson Nelson did), it's even harder to predict how well he will do moving forward.
Spot on. Nevermind a senior in high school playing against freshman. Looking at past drafts its very risky picking a HS player in the 1st (Jay O'Brien rings a bell). Biondi did play 10 games in USHL and only had one goal which goes back to adjusting vs the level he is playing at vs competition.
To compare Hermantown's schedule to Luverne's is apples to oranges.
