GDT: IIHF U18s - Hughes Watch

[Devils731]

Hughes has gift wrapped a few goals for Caufield this third period.

 

[Patrik26]

54 days to go.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I like Brayden Tracey, solid player

He's on my short list for my "sleeper prospects of the day" write-up series on my draft thread.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Ray, you know what to do.

 

[StevenToddIves]

They would trade the pick if we took Kakko...allegedly.

The Rangers management would die with happiness. Though the Rangers have a superstar-caliber RW in Kravtsov in the organization already, they lack a #1C. Zibanajad is a very good 2C at the NHL level, and Chytil has a shot to be a very good 2C as well. But they are still likely haunted by their pick of mid-six F Lias Andersson when they could have had Mittelstadt, Vilardi or Necas in 2017. Jack Hughes is precisely what the Rangers franchise needs more than anything.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I've said Kakko will likely win rookie of the year due to his reaching physical maturity earlier and his having more experience.

We all remember Nico being easily rubbed-out along the boards by men his rookie year. That sort of thing happened less last season and will happpen even less next season as he's bulking-up, but the same thing will happen to Hughes. I predict less so it will happen to Hughes than Nico, because you have to catch Hughes first, but it will be a factor.

That said, I think it's illogical to suggest it will take Hughes 7 more year to reach a peak impact simply because it's completely atypical of comparable players.

I'd say Cale Makar and Martin Necas are better bets for Rookie of the Year than Kakko. The best Calder candidate for the Rangers next year might actually be Kravtsov. Both Hughes brothers will certainly be in the mix, as well.

 

[NJ07102]

They would trade the pick if we took Kakko...allegedly.

Then we should tell them that we're gonna take Kakko and trade for the #2 overall. After that, we take Kakko and Hughes.

 

[Blender]

 

[BahlDeep]

But he sucked against Russia

 

[Devils731]

All these Hughes numbers are nice but when has any good player come through The program? And even if there is 1, nobody else has ever played with teammates that are also good.

 

[Blender]

US National U18 All-Time Points:

USNDTP Juniors All-Time Points:

 

[Blender]

U18 WJC All-Time Points:

 

[severian]

So I just read through the Hughes thread on the main board. The only thing I got out of it was that Jack Hughes must have slept with Bladeparadigm’s girlfriend.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

So I just read through the Hughes thread on the main board. The only thing I got out of it was that Jack Hughes must have slept with Bladeparadigm’s girlfriend.

I somehow got banned from that thread (I think I called one of those guys a freak or something?). But they’re allowed to pollute that thread with obvious baiting and trolling.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

I'd say Cale Makar and Martin Necas are better bets for Rookie of the Year than Kakko. The best Calder candidate for the Rangers next year might actually be Kravtsov. Both Hughes brothers will certainly be in the mix, as well.

I agree that especially Makar is more likely Calder Trophy winner than Kakko, but I'm really surprised if Kravtsov gets more votes than the latter one. I expect that Kakko makes about 50 points next season. Maybe I underrate Kravtsov.

 

[Devilswede]

Just heard Håkan Andersson talk about Jack Hughes. And for you that don't know who HA is, just Google his name and add Detroit Red Wings next to his name and you'll find out. He's one of the best if not THE best talent finders out there.

He's absolutely blown away by Hughes and his skills and has him in the same category as some of the generational players that have been drafted before him.

In Sweden there's a saying and he said it "han leker hockey", which basically means he dominates like it's pond hockey against kids for him. He says talking to defensemen they think he's impossible to slow down or catch. His skating is so outwordly that he can shift from one direction to another in an instant. Hockey looks so easy with him out there and we all know it's not.

He was asked if Hughes is the easy choice for #1 this year. His answer was a simple "yes, no doubt".

Really interesting to hear from HA. He also discussed Dylan Cozens, which was really interesting since he's a player that is projected to go in that range where the Red Wings are picking. He said Cozens was good today, but that he had been a disappointment prior. Really candid comments since rarely hear scouts say things like that.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

He's absolutely blown away by Hughes and his skills and has him in the same category as some of the generational players that have been drafted before him.

In Sweden there's a saying and he said it "han leker hockey", which basically means he dominates like it's pond hockey against kids for him. He says talking to defensemen they think he's impossible to slow down or catch. His skating is so outwordly that he can shift from one direction to another in an instant. Hockey looks so easy with him out there and we all know it's not.

I love to hear this. Hughes was just dominant in these World Championships, and his skating and puck handling is so fun to watch.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

US National U18 All-Time Points:

USNDTP Juniors All-Time Points:

So he has almost as many goals as Matthews, Kessel etc. Just saying.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I agree that especially Makar is more likely Calder Trophy winner than Kakko, but I'm really surprised if Kravtsov gets more votes than the latter one. I expect that Kakko makes about 50 points next season. Maybe I underrate Kravtsov.

Kravtsov is a year older and his offensive upside is similar to Kakko's. I think 50 points for either of them is a lofty but not outlandish expectation. The Rangers rebuild is intriguing, in that -- after adding Kakko -- they will have three high end prospects in Kakko, Kravtsov and K'Andre Miller. Kakko and Kravtsov are both left-shooting RWs. I'm guessing that, next season, Kravtsov plays the RW on the top unit with Zibanajad and Kreider, while Kakko is on the second line alongside Chytil and Buchnevich. Like the Devils, the Rangers organization is loaded with very talented left-shooting wingers and lacking for right-shooting wingers.

K'Andre Miller is crucial to the Rangers future, also similar to how Ty Smith is crucial to the Devils. The Rangers have a litany of good mid-pairing type defense prospects in Hajek, Lindgren, Lindqvist and Rykov -- but Miller is the only possible top-pairing stud in their pipeline.

Fortunately for the Rangers, they have a pair of first round picks in the 2019 draft (#2, #22). While the second pick is certain to be Kappo Kakko, the Rangers desperately need to turn that #22 pick into an impact future D or C. I think players they will be targeting include Moritz Seider, Connor McMichael, John Beecher, Ryan Suzuki and Philip Tomasino. As the Rangers have relied heavily (perhaps too heavily) on their European (especially Swedish) scouts in the past few seasons, it would not be surprising to see them reach (see: Andersson, Lindqvist) for a Tobias Bjornfot, Albert Johansson or even Simon Lundmark at #22. If Philip Broberg were still on the board at #22, it would be a slam dunk that the Rangers would take him.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Just heard Håkan Andersson talk about Jack Hughes. And for you that don't know who HA is, just Google his name and add Detroit Red Wings next to his name and you'll find out. He's one of the best if not THE best talent finders out there.

He's absolutely blown away by Hughes and his skills and has him in the same category as some of the generational players that have been drafted before him.

In Sweden there's a saying and he said it "han leker hockey", which basically means he dominates like it's pond hockey against kids for him. He says talking to defensemen they think he's impossible to slow down or catch. His skating is so outwordly that he can shift from one direction to another in an instant. Hockey looks so easy with him out there and we all know it's not.

He was asked if Hughes is the easy choice for #1 this year. His answer was a simple "yes, no doubt".

Really interesting to hear from HA. He also discussed Dylan Cozens, which was really interesting since he's a player that is projected to go in that range where the Red Wings are picking. He said Cozens was good today, but that he had been a disappointment prior. Really candid comments since rarely hear scouts say things like that.

It's hard not to like Dylan Cozens, his physical tools and talent floor and versatility are all tantalizing. But I agree with Mr. Andersson that he has likely been eclipsed in the 2019 draft by some more dynamic talents, such as Alex Turcotte and Trevor Zegras. He's still a top 10 pick without any doubt, but he's less of a threat to crack the top 5.

 

[Figgie]

So he has almost as many goals as Matthews, Kessel etc. Just saying.

Matthews and Kessel was not playing with USA U18 team with their draft year.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Matthews and Kessel was not playing with USA U18 team with their draft year.

That has more to do with age or anything. Hughes would be in college or overseas next year if this wasn’t his draft year.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Though they most likely won’t share the ice much. Hell I still don’t know where Hughes would fit on USA’s roster if both Matthews and Statsny end up going.

USA is getting s good turnout of NHL players. Finland not so much.

 

[Figgie]

That has more to do with age or anything. Hughes would be in college or overseas next year if this wasn’t his draft year.

I know but if for example Matthews, Kane, Eichel or Kessel would have been played in U18 team with their draft year so they would maybe have much better stats than Hughes.

 

[Blender]

Matthews and Kessel was not playing with USA U18 team with their draft year.

They would have if they could have. Matthews is almost as old as you can be to not have been in the draft the year before (born September 17th), and Kessel wasn't far off (born October 2nd), cut off was September 15th. Hughes is only about 4 months older than Matthews and 5 months older than Kessel were when they played their last U18 season.