F Mac Swanson - Fargo Force, USHL (2024 Draft)

[LeProspector]

Has 2+2 in the first two final games where his team has won both.

Has 5+11=16 points in 10 playoff games. Next best in the playoffs has 9 points.

Playoff MVP will be his too. One of the most dominant draft-eligible seasons in the USHL ever.

I know he’s 5’8, but he needs to get more respect than he’s getting.

Could legitimately be the next Johnny Gaudreau

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

Could legitimately be the next Johnny Gaudreau

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Caps off his season with Playoff MVP. Lead the playoffs in scoring by 7 points with 5+12=17 points in 12 games. His 17 points in this year's playoffs were tied for the most in the USHL since the 2016 playoffs.

Won all of the following this season for Fargo:

• Regular season title
• Playoff title
• League All First Team
• League Forward of the Year
• League Player of the Year
• League Playoff MVP

https://x.com/i/web/status/1792026575082274832

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Schlossman has said that scouts told him that Swanson should be a Hobey finalist before his time at UND is done. North Dakota fans will be in for a treat, will be following his progress.

 

[barriers]

'His Talent Is Undeniable': 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Mac Swanson Continues To Silence Doubters With Clark Cup Playoff Performance

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

In the article he was referred to by an anonymous scout as 5’7, but Central Scouting had him at 5’8 in the most recent listing. We’ll get a better idea at the combine of what he actually is, but his father is 5’10 or 5’11, so it wouldn’t be too big of a surprise if he grew an inch or two from last season through this one.

 

[BondraTime]

In the article he was referred to by an anonymous scout as 5’7, but Central Scouting had him at 5’8 in the most recent listing. We’ll get a better idea at the combine of what he actually is, but his father is 5’10 or 5’11, so it wouldn’t be too big of a surprise if he grew an inch or two from last season through this one.

He's unlikely to be at the combine

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's unlikely to be at the combine

Would be quite pathetic if they didn’t invite the best player in the USHL to the combine because he’s a little small.

They invite like four rounds of players, so I think he’ll probably make it.

 

[95snipes]

He's grown on me. His vision and ability to see the ice is the best I've seen of a player in the past three drafts. He makes some incredible feeds. He's a powerplay wizard. He's small and lacks the burst to separate.. that's a concern for any player when projecting their offense to higher levels. Is he slippery enough and does he anticipate the play well enough that it doesn't matter? Odds are against him and that's why he probably won't be a top 75 pick, but I give him more of chance then I did at the beginning of the year. He's either a 45+ assist player or an AHL superstar. I don't see any in between here.

If you put him a grouping with Max Plante and Christian Humphreys - they're all small. They're all below average skaters by NHL standards. If things go well for those two, they're 50 point middle sixers? Maybe a bit more. Why not take a chance on someone that with an actual elite attribute? That's where I'm at right now.

 

[BondraTime]

Would be quite pathetic if they didn’t invite the best player in the USHL to the combine because he’s a little small.

They invite like four rounds of players, so I think he’ll probably make it.

It literally just happened with Jeremy Wilmer in 2022

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It literally just happened with Jeremy Wilmer in 2022

Wilmer was nowhere near as accomplished.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

It literally just happened with Jeremy Wilmer in 2022

Wilmer was draft eligible in 2021 (August birthday).

 

[BondraTime]

Wilmer was nowhere near as accomplished.

They both finished atop the USHL

Wilmer spent his 17 year old year in the USNTDP.

They are both just as accomplished outside of the playoffs, with Swanson being a year earlier.

Regardless, the combine is put off by NHL central scouting, unless teams are requesting him, which absolutely could happen as it does every year, it’s unlikely they’ll be extending an invite to their 152nd ranked NA skater.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

They both finished atop the USHL

Wilmer spent his 17 year old year in the USNTDP.

They are both just as accomplished outside of the playoffs, with Swanson being a year earlier.

Regardless, the combine is put off by NHL central scouting, unless teams are requesting him, which absolutely could happen as it does every year, it’s unlikely they’ll be extending an invite to their 152nd ranked NA skater.

What you are leaving out is that Wilmer was the top scorer in the USHL the year after the first time he sat through not getting drafted. Swanson hasn’t went through the draft yet. Thats a big difference.

NHL Central Scouting makes the list, but they are only one scouting service. They aren’t some religious gospel. They can rate Swanson wherever they want, but they need to be fair to all prospects and not use their own biases to make the combine invite list. Not including a first year draft eligible who was the USHL POY and Playoff MVP is pretty indefensible.

 

[BondraTime]

What you are leaving out is that Wilmer was the top scorer in the USHL the year after the first time he sat through not getting drafted. Swanson hasn’t went through the draft yet. Thats a big difference.

NHL Central Scouting makes the list, but they are only one scouting service. They aren’t some religious gospel. They can rate Swanson wherever they want, but they need to be fair to all prospects and not use their own biases to make the combine invite list. Not including a first year draft eligible who was the USHL POY and Playoff MVP is pretty indefensible.

Central Scouting literally put on the combine, their ranking is a gigantic part of the invites.

They send the invites with the help of NHL teams, so you get guys like Jack Sparkes invited while being 120+ on the NHLCS rankings because teams wanted him there.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Won another award.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1795849715336040531

 

[Sombastate]

Where do people genuinely project him to land?

 

[Chuck Downie]

Where do people genuinely project him to land?

I don’t buy the won’t be drafted idea. My guess is by round four he’ll be gone

 

[BondraTime]

Where do people genuinely project him to land?

Probably somewhere in the 5th-7th

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Where do people genuinely project him to land?

3rd to 4th round

 

[WeThreeKings]

Where do people genuinely project him to land?

4th to 5th round generally are where these types of players go.

 

[ryan callahan]

Where do people genuinely project him to land?

Should go early 2nd but NHL GMs are stupid so 3rd or 4th.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Wasn't invited to the combine.

This was the worry. Central Scouting are trying to put their foot on the scale. They are not remotely fair in their consultant work they do for the NHL. How you could not invite literally the best player in a league that will have 20-30 non-NTDP players? That's f***ing malpractice.

Central scouting are bums. Some of the worst lists out there year after year. If you are going to try to be the NHL's partner, you need to be fair to the players when you put on an event like this, regardless of what you personally think. The combine is not a draft. Central scouting is one company with a list. You must invite the consensus players to allow NHL teams to make decisions. Central scouting has become a bunch of activists.

Now the biggest question about his game he's not going to get a chance to answer. Real shame. He'll have to persevere some more.

 

[BondraTime]

Wasn't invited to the combine.

This was the worry. Central Scouting are trying to put their foot on the scale. They are not remotely fair in their consultant work they do for the NHL. How you could not invite literally the best player in a league that will have 20-30 non-NTDP players? That's f***ing malpractice.

Central scouting are bums. Some of the worst lists out there year after year. If you are going to try to be the NHL's partner, you need to be fair to the players when you put on an event like this, regardless of what you personally think. The combine is not a draft. Central scouting is one company with a list. You must invite the consensus players to allow NHL teams to make decisions. Central scouting has become a bunch of activists.

Now the biggest question about his game he's not going to get a chance to answer. Real shame. He'll have to persevere some more.

It’s not surprising at all, it should have been expected. He’s a guy ranked towards the end of the 6th/7th, and teams clearly never asked for him.

NHL CS puts together the event, NHL teams still get to invite any player they want. It seems no teams requested to have Swanson attend, which also isn’t surprising whatsoever.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It’s not surprising at all, he’s a guy ranked towards the end of the 6th/7th, and teams aren’t going to be asking for him.

NHL CS puts together the even, NHL teams still get to invite any player they want. It seems no teams requested to have Swanson attend.

You have no clue where he's ranked. Speak for yourself. You have him ranked 6th/7th.

Central Scouting does not invite a consensus list. They invite their favorites. In doing so, they put their foot on the scale and discriminate against players like this who need an avenue like the NHL Draft Combine to prove their height.

And where's your proof NHL teams can invite any player they want? You are telling me NHL teams only have interest in seeing 100 or so players at the combine? Very hard to believe thats remotely true.