Prospect Info: JT Compher, RC – 35th Overall, 2013

[Samsonite23]

I mentioned this in the prospects thread. The hat tricks are nice and all, but this kid is a sensational hockey player having nothing to do with scoring. Like last year, I got to watch him in person back-to-back and you can't really appreciate what he does on the ice, in all phases of the game, unless you see him live. He does it all on the ice and does it well. He is an outstanding hockey player, and the stats will rarely show it. He'll get the attention now because of the tricks, but that's a small fraction of the story. Not to get too effusive with the praise, but he brings so much more than that.

I've only seen him play 3-4 times this year. Wasn't as impressed as last year. I thought he was unreal in his all around game last year. Did I just catch some less impressive games, or has he been worse this year as compared to last?

 

[Digable5]

I think he is more likely to be like Torrey Mitchell then Joe Pavelski, a guy who scores 10-15 goals and is hard to play against.

I don't think that's giving him enough credit. As a freshman he lead a pretty big hockey program in scoring. His scoring is down this season, but the hat tricks are not flukes. The kid can play at both ends and given the opportunity can certainly have a Pavelski like career. Like Girgensons, I think Compher has the talent to be a regular offensive contributor, but he just wants to do whatever it takes to win. That means he'll do all of the dirty work and let someone else take the glory of scoring goals/getting points.

 

[Ethan Edwards]

I've only seen him play 3-4 times this year. Wasn't as impressed as last year. I thought he was unreal in his all around game last year. Did I just catch some less impressive games, or has he been worse this year as compared to last?

I watched him in the WJCs and I've seen him on video. IMO, it's hard to appreciate his game on TV unless he's making a big impact (physically, scoring goals, blocking shots, etc.). But I've seen him live about ten times, four of those up close and personal, and he's a master of all the little things that don't translate well on TV, if you understand what I mean. People talk about his work ethic, and they're absolutely right, but Matt Ellis has a tremendous work ethic. Compher combines that with the ability to do just about everything well on the ice from the forward position. He's also very smart, a vocal leader at times, and leads by example. You really have to see him live to appreciate it, and I know that's a little unfair to say. I will say, though, that if the games you saw were ones where he wasn't working his tail off, then that would explain everything. His whole game and the mark he makes on the ice is predicated on hard work. Take that away and the whole thing falls apart, but I've never seen this. With hard work, he can be a 2-way force in the NHL if he continues to develop. If you've ever played and/or coached hockey, and you watch how he brings it on the ice, and how well he brings it, you can get a little giddy talking about it. Some aren't wowed by him, and I get that, but I love this kid.

 

[scooch151]

Just to add on to the points here, since as a Michigan hockey season ticket holder I've seen him a lot, obviously.

He's definitely not the type of guy where he'll consistently be making an impact that can be seen on the score sheet, and I think Ethan's got it spot on. He's a hard working player who I'd imagine would a "first touch" guy.... and by that I mean that he's the guy getting the puck off the boards to your playmakers, winning battles, and flustering the other team. He can do the other things too, such as passing, and finishing, but I think the a high-level grinder type game suits him best.

As for last year to this year... he did lead the team in scoring last year, but that was also a much, much different team offensively. This year's Michigan team as seen the emergence of one scoring line that's doing the majority of the even strength scoring. That line is made up of Zach Hyman (Fla, 2010 5th), Dylan Larkin (Det, 2014 1st), and lately, Justin Selman (undrafted). So, my thoughts are that the scoring is there if needed, but his strengths lie in the battling game, the role where he's mostly been playing this year.

 

[Ethan Edwards]

Just to add on to the points here, since as a Michigan hockey season ticket holder I've seen him a lot, obviously.

He's definitely not the type of guy where he'll consistently be making an impact that can be seen on the score sheet, and I think Ethan's got it spot on. He's a hard working player who I'd imagine would a "first touch" guy.... and by that I mean that he's the guy getting the puck off the boards to your playmakers, winning battles, and flustering the other team. He can do the other things too, such as passing, and finishing, but I think the a high-level grinder type game suits him best.

As for last year to this year... he did lead the team in scoring last year, but that was also a much, much different team offensively. This year's Michigan team as seen the emergence of one scoring line that's doing the majority of the even strength scoring. That line is made up of Zach Hyman (Fla, 2010 5th), Dylan Larkin (Det, 2014 1st), and lately, Justin Selman (undrafted). So, my thoughts are that the scoring is there if needed, but his strengths lie in the battling game, the role where he's mostly been playing this year.

Very well put, particularly the part in bold. In 5-8 years Compher is going to be one of those guys who, if you're on the opposing team, you absolutely hate playing against, but you also desperately wish was on your team.

Put another way, long ago I used to play a little pick-up basketball. There was this other kid who was always around and always seemed to be on the other team and guarding me (we were the same height). I hated that guy. Nobody else hounded you like he did, all over the court, even when you didn't have the ball. I still have nightmares. He drove me nuts. One day we were on the same team. It was not only pure relief filled with glorious freedom, almost like a day off, I could see the frustration in the guys he was guarding. He was hardly the best player, but nobody tried as hard as he did, making life utterly miserable for the opponent and helping his team in the process. That's JT Compher.