Josh Shalla

[AwesomePanthers]

Passed over last year, 32 goals that season. 47 goals for Saginaw, 6'2 and 196 (good size). Surprised he was passed over last year. Where will he go this year? Strength? Weaknesses?

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[McYoungGuns]

what does he play...lw,rw or C and hows his skating

 

[AwesomePanthers]

LW.. not sure about his skating and defensive play..

 

[McYoungGuns]

LW.. not sure about his skating and defensive play..

if hes a decent skater and can play Rw I can see the oilers take a chance on him late

 

[Brock]

LW.. not sure about his skating and defensive play..

Those are two parts of his game that need improvement.

Shalla is an excellent opportunistic scorer. He finds open ice well, he anticipates plays and he's very dangerous anywhere close to the net. And while he doesn't have a tremendously hard shot, nor is he the type of scorer who'll come down a wing and just rip a wrister top shelf (like a Tyler Toffoli or Christian Thomas), he gets the puck off his stick and into the back of the net very quickly. A lot of one time goals and garbage goals around the crease.

If he was a small guy, I'd be concerned about him moving up to the next level (like say a Brett Parnham). But he's got good size and is a very strong kid who doesn't get pushed around very easily, nor does he back down from the corners or the front of the net.

But he's a pretty one dimensional player in that he can score goals and that's really about it. All the rest of the parts of his game are either average or below average.

That being said, who wouldn't want to take a chance on a 6'2, 200lbs scorer. Some guys have made some great money doing the things he does well.

 

[AwesomePanthers]

Those are two parts of his game that need improvement.

Shalla is an excellent opportunistic scorer. He finds open ice well, he anticipates plays and he's very dangerous anywhere close to the net. And while he doesn't have a tremendously hard shot, nor is he the type of scorer who'll come down a wing and just rip a wrister top shelf (like a Tyler Toffoli or Christian Thomas), he gets the puck off his stick and into the back of the net very quickly. A lot of one time goals and garbage goals around the crease.

If he was a small guy, I'd be concerned about him moving up to the next level (like say a Brett Parnham). But he's got good size and is a very strong kid who doesn't get pushed around very easily, nor does he back down from the corners or the front of the net.

But he's a pretty one dimensional player in that he can score goals and that's really about it. All the rest of the parts of his game are either average or below average.

That being said, who wouldn't want to take a chance on a 6'2, 200lbs scorer. Some guys have made some great money doing the things he does well.

Thanks Brock, much appreciated!

 

[Vagrant]

Those are two parts of his game that need improvement.

Shalla is an excellent opportunistic scorer. He finds open ice well, he anticipates plays and he's very dangerous anywhere close to the net. And while he doesn't have a tremendously hard shot, nor is he the type of scorer who'll come down a wing and just rip a wrister top shelf (like a Tyler Toffoli or Christian Thomas), he gets the puck off his stick and into the back of the net very quickly. A lot of one time goals and garbage goals around the crease.

If he was a small guy, I'd be concerned about him moving up to the next level (like say a Brett Parnham). But he's got good size and is a very strong kid who doesn't get pushed around very easily, nor does he back down from the corners or the front of the net.

But he's a pretty one dimensional player in that he can score goals and that's really about it. All the rest of the parts of his game are either average or below average.

That being said, who wouldn't want to take a chance on a 6'2, 200lbs scorer. Some guys have made some great money doing the things he does well.

I totally agree with this scouting report. Quite a few of the goals he has scored this year have been of the John Tavares variety in the sense that he's always the guy in the right place at the right time and has that goal scoring instinct that cannot be taught. He broke the Saginaw record for goals in a season this year at 47 and so far in the playoffs has 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points in 6 games. He's really making quite a case for himself being drafted as an overage player, but if not then he'll probably be shown an increased interest from the St. Louis Blues who had him as a UDFA invite to the Traverse City Tournament.

Here is an example of Josh Shalla scoring 4 goals in a game for Saginaw this year. Also, note the horrendous turnover. He's #25 and as you can see, he certainly looks the part of an NHL body.