Prospect Info: Jacob Bernard-Docker (D) 3 year ELC signed

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

A year ago I said to be a top 4 d man he needs to improve on 2 things:

1) Footspeed
2) Physical play

Both still apply. Smart defender, just needs to work on those two above to be bonafide top 4.

I feel as though the physical maturity will come, but his skating is what will define him as a top 4 tweener, in the mold of Holden, or a legit top 4 like Oduya in his prime.

 

[bert]

Both look good with Chabot, but on another pairing not that good. MDZ and Mete look good too with Chabot little time play with him

Mete was actually atrocious with Chabot that game and they moved JBD up into his spot. Look at the icetime dispersal by period.

JBD looked better to me than what I'm reading here. Very smart cerebral player, handles pressure well. Like Thomson he is better than all the D currently on the team not named Chabot, Zub or Holden. However that isnt really saying much. That also doesn't mean he shouldn't go back to the AHL, he should. He needs more development time, the posters that said he needs to get faster and stronger aren't wrong either. If he does he is going to be a solid second pair D man his hockey IQ is very strong. However he still needs to develop physically.

 

[GCK]

Mete was actually atrocious with Chabot that game and they moved JBD up into his spot. Look at the icetime dispersal by period.

JBD looked better to me than what I'm reading here. Very smart cerebral player, handles pressure well. Like Thomson he is better than all the D currently on the team not named Chabot, Zub or Holden. However that isnt really saying much. That also doesn't mean he shouldn't go back to the AHL, he should. He needs more development time, the posters that said he needs to get faster and stronger aren't wrong either. If he does he is going to be a solid second pair D man his hockey IQ is very strong. However he still needs to develop physically.

I honestly see him as a Redden without the same offence once he develops his frame a little more.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I honestly see him as a Redden without the same offence once he develops his frame a little more.

I think Zub is a good comparable. I think he should watch Zub and work towards patterning his game after him.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Mann: JBD is the type of player where less is more
starts at 6:03

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[Dionysus]

He is very smart out there. Once he understands exactly where guys will be in the system I think he can be steady NHL Dman

 

[dumbdick]

JBD is confusing to me. I occasionally have seen a reliance on the stick and rushed decision making from him kind of like we used to see from Cowen. But he's usually very solid and was pretty beloved on a stacked UND team.

He needs to be making smart plays because he's more a sum of the parts kind of guy.

I would like him to use the body more when battling and work hard on developing a monster shot. He looks like he could play that style.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Shaky. But fine. Still trying to figure out what he is at the NHL level

 

[Micklebot]

Shaky. But fine. Still trying to figure out what he is at the NHL level

He looked a bit nervous early in the first but I thought he cleaned up things after that. Maybe playing in front of family and friends had him thinking a bit too much.
As for what he'll be at this level, I think something similar to what we got out of DeMelo.

 

[edguy]

He looked a bit nervous early in the first but I thought he cleaned up things after that. Maybe playing in front of family and friends had him thinking a bit too much.
As for what he'll be at this level, I think something similar to what we got out of DeMelo.

What do you think of a Methot comparison? Seems like thats what we are trying to groom him to be

 

[Burrowsaurus]

He looked a bit nervous early in the first but I thought he cleaned up things after that. Maybe playing in front of family and friends had him thinking a bit too much.
As for what he'll be at this level, I think something similar to what we got out of DeMelo.

Yeah that’s fair he did improve after the first.
I meant maybe he’s still trying to figure out what he is at the nhl level. What’s the ideal partner for him? Questions that will be answered.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[Micklebot]

What do you think of a Methot comparison? Seems like thats what we are trying to groom him to be

He's never going to be 6'4, 230 lbs throwing massive hipchecks, clearing the net and dominating board battles the way Methot did. He can maybe skate like Methot, and read plays like him, be a defense first guy that can move the puck, but unlike Methot I expect him to do more in the OZ than pound it into the corner the second he crosses the blue line.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

What do you think of a Methot comparison? Seems like thats what we are trying to groom him to be

Too much size and physicality difference ... I think more Demelo or Zub. I think he plays very similar to Zub.. Zub is really smart and he has more strength but as JBD gains strength I think its more in that mold. Neither Demelo nor Zub are very physical. The do it with their brains to be in good position and to gain body position vs out muscle or use their size to dominate the other player. JBD in his past 2 games has also jumped up offensively when he could pick his spots. I think that aspect is more like Zub than Demelo.

 

[aragorn]

I think Zub is a good comparable. I think he should watch Zub and work towards patterning his game after him.

Zub is a good comparable & I like the Ryan McDonagh comparisons too once he gets bigger & stronger.

 

[Johnny Hanson]

I wonder if those are mostly the Bernard’s, the Dockers or the Bernard-dockers? Or a combo of the 3

 

[Big Muddy]

Both JBD and Thomson look like they can be NHL defenders, but ideally we don't rush them and give them time to develop and hone their skills. Thomson is little closer to making the transition I think and probably has a little better tool kit. I think minimally JBD needs another year of growth and development with Thomson probably a bit under that.

 

[NHL Dude 120]

Do you guys see him moreso with Sanderson or with Chabot long term?

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Do you guys see him moreso with Sanderson or with Chabot long term?

No idea. I thought thomson and zub both looked better with chabot. Small sample size with jbd.

 

[GCK]

No idea. I thought thomson and zub both looked better with chabot. Small sample size with jbd.

Zub for sure but JBD looked far better with Chabot than Thomson IMO. I like them both.

 

[GCK]

Do you guys see him moreso with Sanderson or with Chabot long term?

Depends on what Sanderson is in the NHL.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

No idea. I thought thomson and zub both looked better with chabot. Small sample size with jbd.

Zub should look better . He's without question the better player. I like JBD with Chabot. I think Thomson's skating is better and II think he is a little further along. I guess from a pure athleticism pov I like Thomson but from an IQ pov I like JBD.

 

[aragorn]

I think Thomson might be a more physical player defensively & JBD is a little better offensively reading plays & reacting. I see Thomson as a potential 3rd pairing player while I think JBD could play a 2nd line role just based on how they play & where they would fit best.

Right now Zub is the best RD on the team, but at some point they might want a little more offence with Chabot. This is how I see the defence play out at some point unless someone is traded or they draft a better RD.

Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - JBD
Kleven - Thomson/Guennette

 

[bert]

Shaky. But fine. Still trying to figure out what he is at the NHL level

Ya dont say? 21 year old rookie in his 10th NHL game.

He looked a bit nervous early in the first but I thought he cleaned up things after that. Maybe playing in front of family and friends had him thinking a bit too much.
As for what he'll be at this level, I think something similar to what we got out of DeMelo.

He is much more mobile than Melo, I think people really need to be more patient with these players before they decide what they are going to be.