Jack Hughes on pace to have worst rookie season by a 1st overall forward since Patrik Stefan in 1999

[Riddum]

Hughes needs to get huge. He's too skinny right now.

 

[severian]

Moved to the wing tonight. Probably a move that was long overdue.

 

[tapi]

It's probably most him being undersized but the bust potential is certainly there. IF you are the worst top draft pick in over 20 years that's saying something

 

[BCNate]

Hughes is not the worst 1st overall pick of that last 20 years, not by a long shot. He very well may be the least NHL ready though. He will be fine in the long run, but him playing in the NHL this year was too big a jump.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

It's probably most him being undersized but the bust potential is certainly there. IF you are the worst top draft pick in over 20 years that's saying something

What's your take on Kakko? I remember you from those threads. Tune changed?

 

[calnuck]

I feel for Hughes, no way was he physically ready for the NHL, could have benefitted from a year in college much like his brother to get stronger and more used to playing more physically developed players. I think in the end he'll turn out fine, but it's very clear he wasn't ready for this level, and I feel the Devils forced it.

Not sure on Kakko, I thought he'd be pretty good since he was used to playing against men, maybe the jump to NA ice was tougher for him. As an Avs fan, we played Rantanen a year in the AHL, to help him adjust to the NA ice and game, it work very well, wonder if this would have benefitted Kakko as well.

Dach not surprised he isn't putting up huge numbers, really surprised he stuck around, even though he has the size, not sure he was quite ready for that big of talent jump from Juniors to NHL. I feel another year of dominating the WHL would have been beneficial.

I think Dach has the potential to be the best of the three. Watching him play against us (Vancouver), he was a presence on most shifts and I was impressed with what I saw out of him, granted we're definitely not that great at playing defense. Give him a year or two to adjust.

Hughes and Kakko could go either way imo

 

[HBK27]

 

[Blackjack]

I think Dach has the potential to be the best of the three. Watching him play against us (Vancouver), he was a presence on most shifts and I was impressed with what I saw out of him, granted we're definitely not that great at playing defense. Give him a year or two to adjust.

Hughes and Kakko could go either way imo

Have you watched Hughes recently? Marked improvement from the first half.

 

[Blackjack]

My God Zacha.

 

[calnuck]

Have you watched Hughes recently? Marked improvement from the first half.

Honestly, can't say I have. If he's improving that's great as he has a lot of potential and the more high skill guys in the league the better. I'll have to watch him a little more.
Those who are saying he's heading for Stefan territory are bonkers though. From a numbers perspective he blows him out of the water at every level. 1999 was an ugly draft year

 

[Los Patos de Anaheim]

Whether Hughes becomes a 60 point two way star or blossoms into a Johnny Gaudreau/Patrick Kane style player, I think he has a good ceiling and will have a good career.

 

[Jack Flask]

Yes. Hes an exceptional skater with great skillsets. He came in a little early and should have developed in the minors or whatever.
Give him 2 years and 30 pounds, he’ll be good

 

[illpucks]

Joe Thornton had 7 points in his first season, and then at his peak had 125 points LOL

 

[Favin]

Somebody please lock this thread.

 

[BlueDream]

In his 2 games against the Flyers, he was the only Devil that stood out. He’ll be fine.

I guess you stopped at 99, because Lecavalier and Thornton were in 98 and 97. They didn’t get off to hot starts.

He stopped at 99 because of Stefan. That’s how stats work.

 

[Frank Drebin]

People will say it's a weak draft for a few years until these guys take off and then those same people will tell us how they knew all along these kids just needed some time to grow into players they were drafted.

a general rule of thumb for HF

Last years draft - weak
This years draft - deepest in years

 

[Ainec]

I've been catching devils games

He has no confidence. Totally different than his brother Quinn

Looks like David Desharnais/rookie Pastrnak out there. That being said, he will be an elite player. His hockey iq and skating will prrvent him from being a stefan or yakupov

 

[solidaritypucks]

The thing that screwed him was coming onto the dysfunctional Hynes Devils. Next year will be better.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Going from the USNDT to the NHL was an enormous jump, bigger than juniors to the NHL for sure. He's super immature physically and this is likely the first adversity he's ever face in his career.

His skill and vision is obvious but he's still adjusting to the lack of time and space at the NHL level

 

[EroCaps]

He looks like a 12 year old playing in a Men's league. Waaaaayy too early to bring him in.

 

[QJL]

Whether Hughes becomes a 60 point two way star or blossoms into a Johnny Gaudreau/Patrick Kane style player, I think he has a good ceiling and will have a good career.

On what planet will Hughes become a two way star? I don’t think anyone is projecting that right now. His potential stardom is as a playmaking center, not a two way player. He’s simply not built for that.

 

[BruinLVGA]

On what planet will Hughes become a two way star? I don’t think anyone is projecting that right now. His potential stardom is as a playmaking center, not a two way player. He’s simply not built for that.

It's not a matter of being built for two way play (Marchand is a great two way player and he's 5"9), it's a matter of having the will and desire. I don't think that he has those: two way play is way less fun than playing offense.

 

[Satire]

Draisaitl had 9 points in 37 games his first year in the league and started the following year in the AHL...

Development is not linear. His underlying stats don't look too bad. He will continue to improve.

 

[HugginThePost]

Going from the USNDT to the NHL was an enormous jump, bigger than juniors to the NHL for sure. He's super immature physically and this is likely the first adversity he's ever face in his career.

His skill and vision is obvious but he's still adjusting to the lack of time and space at the NHL level

That's my take as well.

Could it be that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts when looking how good those guys were coming into the draft?

 

[BlueOil]

It's probably most him being undersized but the bust potential is certainly there. IF you are the worst top draft pick in over 20 years that's saying something

if only anyone knew what it was saying...

kid could easily have a great career still