LD Quinton Hughes - U of Michigan, Big Ten (2018, 7th, VAN)
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Kevin Musto
Hard for Bedard
- Feb 16, 2018
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Hughes is all the way up at #3 for me. Most talented D in the draft after Dahlin.
Whalers Fan
Go Habs!
Yeah, why draft a guy with talent who fits a big need when they can take some grinder with character? The Habs need centers and defensemen desperately in their prospect pool. This draft has no #1 centers, so if they don't win the lottery to get Dahlin then Quinn Hughes is a much better choice for them than someone like Tkachuk.
no way habs take hughes
lucky if they draw svech or zadina
but if they do take a D , bouchard over hughes
cant see mete hughes alzner julson weber schlemko
smallest and slowest D in league
le_sean
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- Oct 21, 2006
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I hope you realize a defence with Bouchard and the ones you listed as being far slower than Hughes and the others, right?
And you can’t say a team with Hughes and Mete would be the slowest in the league. They’d be both in the Top 5 skaters for defenceman.
The Great Weal
Phil's Pizza
- Jan 15, 2015
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Add in Juulsen, Reilly and Petry who are great skaters as well.
Whalers Fan
Go Habs!
As others have already stated, a defense with Hughes, Mete, Juulsen, Reilly and Petry would be anything but slow - - it would be one of the most mobile in the league.
Obviously I'm biased but I think that this kid is going to be a special, special player. Hopefully some of the highlights on this thread reassure the people who don't believe that Quinn Hughes can become a great two-way d-man due to his size:
He is competing against players that are already really close to NHL talent in Tkachuk and Greenway (and huge). How many 6'6" players is he going to face in the NHL?
On the thread you can see that he is using his skating to position his body to close gaps, isn't afraid to stand up and poke check and he protects the puck extremely well (skating and smarts on display again). When he has the puck on his stick he dictates the play and is really dynamic. He doesn't shy away from physical contact either.
He needs to bulk up and work on his shot though.
It's easy to forget that he is the youngest player in the NCAA and he is bound to make mistakes. But they are very rarely due to his height. He has shown consistency (especially after the WJC) and he is continuously improving on the defensive side of the game which should bode well for his progression at the next level. Watch a game from November and you wouldn't recognize him.
His coach is playing him on the first pairing, on the PK, in the closing minutes of tight games and to protect the lead in empty nets situations. You don't do that with a PP specialist and defensive liability. Not when a spot in the Frozen Four is on the line.
I believe he can play in the NHL next year if he is put in the position to succeed – he could be used like Will Butcher has been used this year for example – and be a top pair NHL d-man in the next 3 years.
In my opinion on talent alone he should go Top-3.
He is competing against players that are already really close to NHL talent in Tkachuk and Greenway (and huge). How many 6'6" players is he going to face in the NHL?
On the thread you can see that he is using his skating to position his body to close gaps, isn't afraid to stand up and poke check and he protects the puck extremely well (skating and smarts on display again). When he has the puck on his stick he dictates the play and is really dynamic. He doesn't shy away from physical contact either.
He needs to bulk up and work on his shot though.
It's easy to forget that he is the youngest player in the NCAA and he is bound to make mistakes. But they are very rarely due to his height. He has shown consistency (especially after the WJC) and he is continuously improving on the defensive side of the game which should bode well for his progression at the next level. Watch a game from November and you wouldn't recognize him.
His coach is playing him on the first pairing, on the PK, in the closing minutes of tight games and to protect the lead in empty nets situations. You don't do that with a PP specialist and defensive liability. Not when a spot in the Frozen Four is on the line.
I believe he can play in the NHL next year if he is put in the position to succeed – he could be used like Will Butcher has been used this year for example – and be a top pair NHL d-man in the next 3 years.
In my opinion on talent alone he should go Top-3.
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sergejean
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- Dec 11, 2007
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I'm no expert but I do follow most of the highly ranked prospects and I would absolutely be thrilled if the Habs were to draft him. He is imo the best defenseman after Dahlin in this draft.
MichaelFarrell
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DanCloutiers5hole
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I'd throw us Canucks in there as well. We don't have the most mobile d-core and we're definitely lacking in production from the defense. We've had a lot of success lately out of the NCAA as well . He'd be second on my list for draft eligible dman this year and would gladly take him in the 4th or 5th slot if that's where we pick
The Winter Soldier
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Kevin Musto
Hard for Bedard
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I wouldn't say we need him the most, but I'd toss the Hawks into the mix. Keith ain't gonna be around forever. And with Mitchell and Jokiharju, we're fine in the RHD prospect department.
Castle8130
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- May 9, 2017
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AmericanDream
Thank you Elon!
agreed, but damn you can never have enough RD's...especially a kid like this. I have Bouchard ahead of him still, another RD, but either way I would be dancing up and down the streets if the Hawks landed either kid,
He should've always been in the top 8 for this draft, anyone who doesn't have him there (IE Craig Button and Sportsnet) haven't seen him play.
Agent Zub
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- Jan 2, 2015
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agility might be close but i think Hughes has better acceleration and top speed.
AmericanDream
Thank you Elon!
Button was at the Olympics, missed out on some great Hughes games....also his below average WJC hurts his stock with Button as we all know how much he really weighs his rankings off of international tournaments.
I like Hughes but the size thing is really starting to scare me off... you can count on one hand the number of top 4 dmen in the NHL that are 5’10 or smaller. It doesn’t bode well for him, I can easily see him being one of the ones that is a top 4 guy but really makes you wonder.
To be fair I still think he’s a top 10 prospect for the draft, I’m just a little worried about how it translates.
He is a match for what they need and should certainly be on their list since defensive transition is their biggest hole.
The Winter Soldier
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I know it may not seem like it. But if Buffalo gets one of Dahlin, Boqvist, or Hughes this draft. Their transition game goes up 10 fold. I am still a believer in Housley and Botterill. This is a bottom out year like Edmonton. Toronto, and Columbus bottomed out prior to their up ticks. Edmonton took a step back this season. But with a Hughes, Middlestadt, to an Eichel. The talent base is significantly upgraded. Hughes fits a huge need for the Sabres. Right beside Risto. And a puck mover for Jack.
The Winter Soldier
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A lack of size does not concern me. Not for a player that uses skating, vision, IQ and stick skills. Hockey is evolving. The days of hack and slash defending, boxing out seem to passed. Refs are far more apt to call PIMS these days. The number 1 thing I look from elite D is Intelligence and skating. The game is really predicated on these 2 things now. This game is taylormade for a player of Hughes skills. Whomever drafts him will get an impact defender.
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