LD Quinton Hughes - U of Michigan, Big Ten (2018, 7th, VAN)
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Frk It
Mo Seider Less Problems
- Jul 27, 2010
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Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
I don't think this is a good comparison.
Brannstrom is more of a puck-moving defenseman. He can carry the puck, he can pass it, and he can defend. He makes very good decisions with the puck, as well. Hughes is more of an offensive defenseman. There is similar ability to carry the puck, and I think Hughes does it a little better. Hughes is probably a little more offensively skilled, but I think there's a big difference in their hockey IQ's and defense. For smaller defenseman to make it as anything more than Ryan Murphy's in the NHL, they need to be able to defend competently and make quick, smart decisions. I think Brannstrom does both of those things very well. I'm not sure that Hughes decision making or defense is good enough yet to say he's definitely going to make it as an impact NHL'er.
They both played at the WJC, and Brannstrom was significantly better. He was one of the tournament's best defensemen, Hughes was pretty bad. I think WJC performances tend to get overrated, but I think you'd find that if they played in the same league, Brannstrom would put up better performances. I think he's a better hockey player right now and he's more reliable as an NHL prospect. Hughes might have slightly more offensive upside, but I don't think its that much more. Also, they are less than two months apart in age, so while they are in different drafts, the age factor is negligible in the grand scheme of things.
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Mo Seider Less Problems
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I don’t think they play the exact same way, I just think Brannstrom got way overhyped and now Hughes is getting underhyped (in terms of amount of discussion). And yeah maybe Hughes wasn’t that great in the U20, but he was great for USA last year every time before that.
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jnk96
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In terms of discussion maybe, but Hughes is consistently ranked higher by all scouting services than Brännström ever was. I've also seen quite a bit of debate on Twitter after the WJC, though. Mostly with people arguing Hughes' offensive abilities easily make him a top-five pick but at the same time his defensive struggles in the tournament should push him down.
I guess it depends on where you go for discussion.
JD Burke also had an article on Dahlin and Hughes at The Athletic after the world juniors: The draft-eligible defencemen of the world juniors that...
I was probably the one hyping Brännström the most and i stand by it, i'm also very high on Hughes and said multiple times that i think they're similar just that Hughes is better. If Hughes was a few weeks older he would have been my clear #1 for the 2017 draft.
I see Hughes as someone similar to Gostisbehere. Who isn't really great defensively, but has carved out a career as an excellent powerplay player, who can be sheltered at 5v5 with heavy O-zone starts. Last year he was basically a bottom pairing defender in usage at ES, this year he's around a middle pairing guy.
Now, is a player you project as a Gostisbehere type player worth a top 6 pick? Its debatable, while limited he brings a lot of positives. If you want a guy who can eat all-situation minutes you should probably be eyeing Dobson in that range.
HisNoodliness
The Karate Kid and ASP Kai
I love the skill and confidence, but those could be ugly odd-man rushes in the making.
HockeyRobinson
Registered User
I broke down the battle between Adam Boqvist and Quinn Hughes in a DobberProspects' Ramblings last night.. check it out!
Prospect Ramblings: Adam Boqvist vs Quinn Hughes
Prospect Ramblings: Adam Boqvist vs Quinn Hughes
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AmericanDream
Thank you Elon!
Unfriendly Ghost
Kasper
Hes young, very few sound defensive prospects also put up points and have high end offensive skills (the complete package). Like most kids at 17-18 he has alot to learn yet.
Unfriendly Ghost
Kasper
I don't mean that he's bad defensively, and I'm upset by it. It's more like he reads plays like a forward covering for someone, and not as a defenseman.
When he's facing an oncoming rush, he's usually not even positioned like a defenseman, but more like a backchecking forward. His positioning has been aggressive almost all the time when I've seen him, and he's pinched basically every time it was even an option. I don't know if it's that he can't pick his spots or just that he won't, but it's a little scary for me.
Some pundit said that Hughes is more a rover than a defenseman, and I think that's accurate. I worry that playing as a rover with the NTDP, and at Michigan, and at the WJC is not teaching him an awful lot about being a defenseman in the NHL—even an offensive one.
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Mo Seider Less Problems
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It all comes down to what you’re expecting to get. If you’re good with getting a guy like Ghost or Krug, that can be top 10 pt producers at their position, but only play ~20 minutes or so, he’s a great bet to give you that.
If you’re looking for a guy to play 22-24+ minutes, you should probably just be looking at someone else.
But these kids all grew up watching a PPG defenseman who positions himself aggressively, I’m sure we will see more of this.
Unfriendly Ghost
Kasper
I don't think I'm really getting myself across properly. Hmm. I'd much rather have Gostisbehere or Krug, because I see them as having a better understanding of the position. It's not that they're great defensively, but they have better decisionmaking in that role. They generate oftentimes from being defensemen; they're still in some kind of defensive posture, they're still at the blue line, and they know they're only allowed to pinch if certain things happen. Hughes to me frequently stops playing defense, plays like a forward past the circles and behind the net for most of the shift, and never goes back or resets back to defense. I know these guys are supposed to be copying Karlsson, but Karlsson doesn't do it like that very often.
Now, maybe that's how Gostisbehere and Krug used to be. I didn't watch them play when they were Hughes' age, so I can't say. Also, to be fair, maybe Hughes only played like this the couple of times I've seen him with Team USA. Maybe his coach at Michigan is tougher on him about this stuff. I don't know.
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ConnorMcMullet
#12 Colby Cave
- Jun 10, 2017
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WOW. I just realized that Hughes has the same amount of points as Brady Tkachuk does in one less game.
That's really impressive.
That's really impressive.
Addison Rae
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It also shows that Tkachuk is a highly overrated prospect and shouldn’t be near the top 5 of this draft.
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Lebowski
El Duderino
- Dec 5, 2010
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A scout's job is to project a player's skillset to the NHL... There's plenty of junior aged players with mediocre numbers that ended up having very successful careers at the NHL level, and vice-versa.
I'm not aiming this at Hughes or Tkachuk specifically, but I think people are putting too much stock in numbers when it comes to Tkachuk.
Tkachuk's numbers are already very impressive for an 18-yo in college, but taking him at 3 over one of the other dmen will depend on the drafting team's needs - "best player available" will be seen through a tinted lens. Quinn Hughes could be a riser - he's at least as good as Makar was last year imo, and his younger brother's pedigree insinuates some genetic disposition for hockey.
tooji
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I know this may sound like a joke, but I heard that USNTDP actually frowned upon d-men backward skating when defending... May explain why he looks like a forward back checking most times
He's #2 in this draft IMO. No one else dominates the game like he does; all that separates him from Dahlin is 4 inches and he skates better.
Boqvist has that potential but why not take the guy who is all-world already?
Boqvist has that potential but why not take the guy who is all-world already?
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