F Riley Heidt - Prince George Cougars, WHL (2023, 64th, MIN)

[Plastic Joseph]

5A tonight...do you think he's playing with a chip on his shoulder?

I mean, probably. But this is his 3rd 5 pt game of the season and he's also had three 4 point games.

The kid was ripping regardless, good to see. He should be on the WJC team next year

 

[57special]

If he keeps this up for the whole season it will seem ridiculous if he is back in the WHL next year, but I don’t see him making the NHL team with Yurov, Ohgren, Marat, Bankier and others fighting for a spot.

 

[Al Lagoon]

Unheralded stat - kid has attempted almost 600 face offs this season, and won 57%

Wild could use some of that.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

2 Goals in the first period tonight, team up 4-0 and he's +3 right now. Doesn't play a lick of defense in the zone, though I did see him make a nice neutral zone check and his opportunities to play in the D zone have been few and far between.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Certainly would go higher in a redraft but I’m not sure he’d go waaaaay higher. Borderline first rounder imo. Scoring has never been a problem for him

 

[MNRube]

You’d love to see a player like this challenge himself a bit more and play in Europe or NCAA. This isn’t even close to the type of hockey he will face at the top level

 

[Dominance]

Death, taxes, and posters complaining about the absolute horror of prospects developing in the league that provides the vast majority of the league’s stars historically and today.

 

[Bubbles]

2G, 1A tonight, WHL leading scorer...not like Canada needs scoring, right?

 

[57special]

In his first two games back he only scored two points. Good to see him back on 2 P/pg track. At his rate, he'll have 136 pts. the most by any WHL'er not named Bedard since the mid 90's....in some of the years they played 4 more games, also.

I don't watch the WHL, and highlights miss a lot. He's average(not small...bigger than many prospects) sized, has some physicality, FO's are vg, and his skating looks to be pretty good. Is he that awful defensively? I mean, when you have a guy who can rack up the points like he can, you don't expect him to be a defensive whiz, right?

 

[Playmaker09]

2G, 1A tonight, WHL leading scorer...not like Canada needs scoring, right?

He and Cristall were so useless at the U-18s that it's hard to imagine either of them having an impact at a much stronger WJC tournament against older, more physical competition just a few months later.

They'll get their shot next year, as will Barlow and Ritchie who were both more impressive.

 

[Bubbles]

In his first two games back he only scored two points. Good to see him back on 2 P/pg track. At his rate, he'll have 136 pts. the most by any WHL'er not named Bedard since the mid 90's....in some of the years they played 4 more games, also.

I don't watch the WHL, and highlights miss a lot. He's average(not small...bigger than many prospects) sized, has some physicality, FO's are vg, and his skating looks to be pretty good. Is he that awful defensively? I mean, when you have a guy who can rack up the points like he can, you don't expect him to be a defensive whiz, right?

He's good defensively. I mean he's one of PG's top penalty killers. He's not a defensive wizard or anything but he's competent. Sure he cheats offensively but who doesn't when you have so much offensive skill?

 

[FourQuarters]

He and Cristall were so useless at the U-18s that it's hard to imagine either of them having an impact at a much stronger WJC tournament against older, more physical competition just a few months later.

They'll get their shot next year, as will Barlow and Ritchie who were both more impressive.

That's why I don't want my favorite players representing Canada in the U18. They came off an exhausting playoff run, playing with a group of players they don't know well, facing a group of Europeans and Americans who have been training together for a while, and then predictably losing and taking all the blame.
They played well in the HGC, you should consider the context of U18

 

[Playmaker09]

That's why I don't want my favorite players representing Canada in the U18. They came off an exhausting playoff run, playing with a group of players they don't know well, facing a group of Europeans and Americans who have been training together for a while, and then predictably losing and taking all the blame.
They played well in the HGC, you should consider the context of U18

So did the other Canadians at the U-18s who looked better and adapted their games more quickly...

And that's what these tournaments are about. Can you develop chemistry quickly enough to win a short tournament with a bunch of players you've never played with before? If they couldn't do it at the U-18s what confidence do we have that they could do it at the U-20s as an 18 year old?

 

[57special]

So did the other Canadians at the U-18s who looked better and adapted their games more quickly...

And that's what these tournaments are about. Can you develop chemistry quickly enough to win a short tournament with a bunch of players you've never played with before? If they couldn't do it at the U-18s what confidence do we have that they could do it at the U-20s as an 18 year old?

the setup is different at the U20's. The U 18's is the Americans to win, because it is rostered primarily by USNDP members who have been playing together all year. By the time the U20's has rolled around, the players have scattered to different teams, at least as far as the US is concerned, though they still have the advantage of long familiarity with each other.

He's good defensively. I mean he's one of PG's top penalty killers. He's not a defensive wizard or anything but he's competent. Sure he cheats offensively but who doesn't when you have so much offensive skill?

Thanks for the reply. Still think it was weird that he wasn't taken earlier in the draft. Team Canada is stacked, but if they continue to have trouble scoring his omission(and Cristall's) will cause questions.

 

[FourQuarters]

So did the other Canadians at the U-18s who looked better and adapted their games more quickly...

And that's what these tournaments are about. Can you develop chemistry quickly enough to win a short tournament with a bunch of players you've never played with before? If they couldn't do it at the U-18s what confidence do we have that they could do it at the U-20s as an 18 year old?

who did better? Celebrini and Wood looked good, carried the whole team and their line, but they're from NCAA.

 

[Playmaker09]

who did better? Celebrini and Wood looked good, carried the whole team and their line, but they're from NCAA.

Celebrini, Wood, Ritchie, Barlow, Lardis, a 16 year old Porter Martone all easily looked better. Probably a 17 year old Catton too.

And discounting the underagers, Barlow, Lardis and Ritchie did not make this U-20 team and guys like Yager and Wood are bottom of the lineup/13th forward.

 

[LeProspector]

Celebrini, Wood, Ritchie, Barlow, Lardis, a 16 year old Porter Martone all easily looked better. Probably a 17 year old Catton too.

And discounting the underagers, Barlow, Lardis and Ritchie did not make this U-20 team and guys like Yager and Wood are bottom of the lineup/13th forward.

Barlow was injured otherwise he would have made it. Ritchie was just coming back from an injury so didn’t get many reps in before they announced the camp.

 

[FourQuarters]

Celebrini, Wood, Ritchie, Barlow, Lardis, a 16 year old Porter Martone all easily looked better. Probably a 17 year old Catton too.

And discounting the underagers, Barlow, Lardis and Ritchie did not make this U-20 team and guys like Yager and Wood are bottom of the lineup/13th forward.

Maybe we didn't watch the same U18. Barlow shouldered so many blames at that time, and if not Heidt flight to Swiss/ Cristall's assists in the final minute, Canada wouldn't bring any medal back. I remember when Heidt played his first game in the U18, everyone said they're impressed.
And most important thing to the bronze is, Celebrini and Wood did nearly everything, contributing the most. That proves my point, because they're from NCAA instead of CHL.
I don't want to argue about if someone should be over other players to make the WJC, I was just pointing out the objective difficulties CHL players face in the U18s and it's a shame to see such a harsh attitude towards players who are trying to overcome these difficulties to contribute to the team.

 

[DANOZ28]

as long as hes improving year over year im happy. when is he eligible to play AHL?

 

[57special]

as long as hes improving year over year im happy. when is he eligible to play AHL?

Not till 25-26.

 

[AKL]

Not till 25-26.

I'm still not convinced he can't play in the AHL next year if the Wild petition for it. He'll be just three games shy of four seasons with 25+ games that would usually qualify a player to make the jump, and those three games came in the covid shortened year when he played 22 of his teams 22 possible games.

 

[landy92mack29]

You need to have exceptional status to play in the ahl at 19 like Wright, Veleno. I don't think he'll need ahl time though based on his skill set.

 

[AKL]

You need to have exceptional status to play in the ahl at 19 like Wright, Veleno. I don't think he'll need ahl time though based on his skill set.

I'd be absolutely floored if he made the NHL team next season. Which would mean he's forced back into the WHL, a league where he's currently scoring 2 points per game. Exceptional status or not, it's basically the same situation as Wright. He's outgrown the WHL, it doesn't serve the player, or the Wild, to have him back there again.

After Wright got granted permission, I thought I read something about it being decided on a case by case basis, possibly coming from Bill Daly himself. I think Heidt has as good a case as anyone, given the number of games/seasons played that I outlined above, and his performance this year.

For more reference, Wright played 156 OHL games, and Heidt has played 201 WHL games (and likely finishes with at least 230+, if not 240+).

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Loved this kid going into the draft.

Ridiculous he dropped as much as he did.

Good to see him doing well.

 

[LeProspector]

I think he’s going to be a very good junior scorer. dont think he has what it takes to be a legit nhl scorer.