Joey Hishon v Austin Watson?

mckly

go leafs go
Aug 9, 2007
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Both drafted mid 1st round last year. Hishon went to the lowly Avalanche and Watson went to the preds. Both are centres. Who is more likely to succeed at the next level. does Hishon has a better chance looking at the preds centre depth. thoughts?
 

Granlund2Pulkkinen*

Guest
And beyond that Hishon was one of the most dominant forwards in the OHL this year, he really proved he was worth the surprise pick at #17
 

arsmaster*

Guest
Havent seen a ton, but Watson looks to be more of a sure thing.

Hishon has the skill level to put up better numbers, but Watson has the drive and two-way game + intangibles to be a player for a long time.

Not really a good comparison, sort of apples and oranges.
 

Rabid Ranger

2 is better than one
Feb 27, 2002
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And beyond that Hishon was one of the most dominant forwards in the OHL this year, he really proved he was worth the surprise pick at #17

I'm not sure that means all that much in this discussion. Two completely differant types of players. IMO, Watson has a much greater chance of being a contributor at the NHL level. If things work out well, he can be a Jordan Staal type player. Hishon has more flash, and has a greater overall skill level but is much smaller and weaker. It will be more of a stretch to seem him carve out a place on the top two lines which is where he'll have to play to make an impact.
 

RoyIsALegend

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Oct 24, 2008
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Both drafted mid 1st round last year. Hishon went to the lowly Avalanche and Watson went to the preds. Both are centres. Who is more likely to succeed at the next level. does Hishon has a better chance looking at the preds centre depth. thoughts?

Yeah, because having Stastny/Duchene/O'Reilly down the middle makes it so easy for Hishon.
 

member 30781

Guest
I'm not sure that means all that much in this discussion. Two completely differant types of players. IMO, Watson has a much greater chance of being a contributor at the NHL level. If things work out well, he can be a Jordan Staal type player. Hishon has more flash, and has a greater overall skill level but is much smaller and weaker. It will be more of a stretch to seem him carve out a place on the top two lines which is where he'll have to play to make an impact.

Agreed. But I dont think he is the Jordan Staal type. I'd say something closer to Franzen or Lehtinen lite.
 

maple8

Registered User
Dec 28, 2009
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Both drafted mid 1st round last year. Hishon went to the lowly Avalanche and Watson went to the preds. Both are centres. Who is more likely to succeed at the next level. does Hishon has a better chance looking at the preds centre depth. thoughts?

The Avs have much better depth at center than Nashville...
 

Jayevs

Formerly avsman
Jul 29, 2010
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Hishon will move to wing, i like a patrick kane comparison for hishon
 

R S

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Sep 18, 2006
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In my mind Hishon translates to a winger in the future. Small, shifty, but has a ton of compete level and great finish around the net.

Utlimately I would like to see him play on Duchene's left side with a big winger on the right side.
 

member 30781

Guest
Jere Lehtinen? Not sure I buy that...

Watson's two-way game is WAY up there. Not Lehtinen level on the defensive aspect, but quite admirable nonetheless. He will not be the best offensive force on the ice night in and night out, but Watson will play both sides of the puck and play well in all 3 zones. Preds picked an all-around gem.
 

ponder

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Jul 11, 2007
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Hishon is definitely gonna have to move to the wing on the Avs, Duchene and Stastny are locked in as the top 2 centers and he's a top 6 kind of guy, plus O'Rielly is not short on potential himself at the #3 slot.

I don't know much about Watson, but Hishon has impressed me. At first he seemed like a reach at 17th overall in the 2010 draft, but he was actually a very hyped/promising prospect who had a great season in 08/09, considered a top 10 talent for 2010 at the end of 2009, only to see his stock drop in 09/10 due to injuries. I still don't understand why he was cut from Canada's 2011 WJC squad, they went way overboard with size over skill. From the couple Owen Sound games I've seen over the past few years he's a high energy, highly skilled player, good hands and great vision, and very strong on the puck for his size. Definitely a guy with top 6 upside, assuming he can make the transition to the wing. I like avsman's Patrick Kane comparison, probably a poor man's version offensively, but possibly better defensively, Hishon seems to play a fairly 2 way game.
 

PeterTheGreat

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Jan 4, 2009
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Hishon is definitely gonna have to move to the wing on the Avs, Duchene and Stastny are locked in as the top 2 centers and he's a top 6 kind of guy, plus O'Rielly is not short on potential himself at the #3 slot.

I don't know much about Watson, but Hishon has impressed me. At first he seemed like a reach at 17th overall in the 2010 draft, but he was actually a very hyped/promising prospect who had a great season in 08/09, considered a top 10 talent for 2010 at the end of 2009, only to see his stock drop in 09/10 due to injuries. I still don't understand why he was cut from Canada's 2011 WJC squad, they went way overboard with size over skill. From the couple Owen Sound games I've seen over the past few years he's a high energy, highly skilled player, good hands and great vision, and very strong on the puck for his size. Definitely a guy with top 6 upside, assuming he can make the transition to the wing. I like avsman's Patrick Kane comparison, probably a poor man's version offensively, but possibly better defensively, Hishon seems to play a fairly 2 way game.

Ya the Kane-lite comparison isnt bad. Hishon himself says he's heard Bryan Little comparisons to him, as well as Derek Roy.

If we can get Landeskog, a future line of Hishon-Duchene-Landeskog would be a perfect mix. Very deadly.
 

jughead42*

Guest
If I were a betting man I'd put my money on the guy with the NHL size, the 2 way game who can play on any line, and the championship experience in Austin Watson. I'll take that over the flashy little guy with an injury history any day of the week. Sure there's a chance Hishon could be a decent NHLer, but the odds are better for Watson to have a lengthy NHL career in my opinion.
 

PeterTheGreat

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Jan 4, 2009
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If I were a betting man I'd put my money on the guy with the NHL size, the 2 way game who can play on any line, and the championship experience in Austin Watson. I'll take that over the flashy little guy with an injury history any day of the week. Sure there's a chance Hishon could be a decent NHLer, but the odds are better for Watson to have a lengthy NHL career in my opinion.

I'd tend to agree if Hishon didn't have that compete level, feistiness, and relentless motor that he does. He has no quit in him.
 

17Kurri

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Apr 10, 2010
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Hishon is an exceptional talent, but if Watson manages to put it all together at the NHL level, he could be a beast - maybe Milan Lucic with better hands type of beast.

But does he have Lucic's motor?
 

Drij

Registered User
Mar 5, 2007
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Hishon is an exceptional talent, but if Watson manages to put it all together at the NHL level, he could be a beast - maybe Milan Lucic with better hands type of beast.

But does he have Lucic's motor?

yeah "IF".
 

R S

Registered User
Sep 18, 2006
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If I were a betting man I'd put my money on the guy with the NHL size, the 2 way game who can play on any line, and the championship experience in Austin Watson. I'll take that over the flashy little guy with an injury history any day of the week. Sure there's a chance Hishon could be a decent NHLer, but the odds are better for Watson to have a lengthy NHL career in my opinion.

I agree that size is one thing, but don't act like Hishon is only an offensive player.

He is a solid two way player, can kill penalties and has been noted for having a never say die attitude.

Add to that the fact that he led the OHL in point per game average and you have a very well rounded player.....
 

Avsfanftw

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Mar 11, 2010
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Colorado Springs
In my mind Hishon translates to a winger in the future. Small, shifty, but has a ton of compete level and great finish around the net.

Utlimately I would like to see him play on Duchene's left side with a big winger on the right side.

I support Renegade he knows his hockey most times :D

Hishon tore up the ohl this year hope to see him somehow next year
 

Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
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Ya the Kane-lite comparison isnt bad. Hishon himself says he's heard Bryan Little comparisons to him, as well as Derek Roy.

If we can get Landeskog, a future line of Hishon-Duchene-Landeskog would be a perfect mix. Very deadly.

I actually like that comparison for Hishon more than the Patrick Kane one, because I think Hishon, like Roy, has a bit more bite in his game and engages physically more than Kane does, while not quite having Kane's unreal dangling ability and elite level puck skills. I think that if Hishon can come anywhere close to matching Derek Roy's NHL impact, the Avs will have another good one.

As for Watson, I don't see the offensive upside to compare him to a Franzen, and do believe the Jordan Staal-lite comparison is best. Which, again, if Watson can come close to Staal's NHL career, Nashville landed themselves a potential 20+ goal, 45+ point defensive ace who can chip in offensively while shutting the opposition down.

Both guys will be huge assets to their teams, just in different ways.
 

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