LD Ronan Seeley - Everett Silvertips, WHL (2020, 208th, CAR)

[FrankGallagher]

Seeley is a defensemen on the Everett Silvertips who could be a very good value play in the draft this year. He is an excellent skater with a high hockey IQ, which is a great foundation for a defence man in the modern game. Seeley is great on breakouts consistently making really good decisions that give teammates exits with control. He has the ability to quickly diagnose the right play, and almost never looks rushed with the puck. His passes are always in the right spot (leading the skater), which makes a huge difference as you move up levels. Offensively he moves very well without the puck, fitting well into the team offence but has a weaker shot that is an area to improve on. With his excellent skating he has great gap control and aggressively pressures through the neutral zone giving up very little space. He is consistently engaged defensively but his strength needs to improve as board battles are his biggest weakness. Currently he is in a very good developmental situation in Everett who is consistently a top team, but his role is not what it would be on many other teams. He is behind some older draft picks and does not get much power play opportunity. This is the kind of player who could be available later than he should be and will seem like a huge steal a couple years down the road.

Ronan Seeley at eliteprospects.com

Click to read more...

 

[Alex Taxman]

Full report on Seeley:

https://www.futurescopehockey.com/post/prospect-report-ronan-seeley

 

[LastWordArmy]

With an August 2002 birthdate, Ronan Seeley is one of the younger prospects in this NHL Draft. A first-round pick (20th overall) of the Everett Silvertips in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft, this later birthdate helps to explain why it took him a little longer to break out and also indicates that he’s a bit further from his ceiling than other prospects in this draft. In 2018-19 he put up just one goal and eight assists for nine points in 52 games with the Everett Silvertips. He also added one goal in 10 playoff games. Things took a definite uptick this past season. Seeley scored three goals and 29 assists for 32 points in 63 games with Everett. He was given more ice-time and responsibility and thrived in the role.

Seeley has also represented Canada on the international level. He was part of Team Canada White at the 2018 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. In midget, Seeley led the Lethbridge Hurricanes Midget AAA squad to an AMHL Championship. He put up seven points in seven games at the Telus Cup and was named tournament MVP. Seeley also helped Team Alberta to a second-place finish in the WHL Cup.

Our Report on Seeley
https://lastwordonhockey.com/2020/05/14/ronan-seeley-scouting-report/

 

[emptyNedder]

With an August 2002 birthdate, Ronan Seeley is one of the younger prospects in this NHL Draft.

Nice write up. Glad to see Seeley starting to get ranked in the top 60, one of my favorites for NHL success after the top 20. I think an even better NHL-player comparison is Nate Schmidt—solid two-way player who contributes offensively and doesn't take penalties.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

I really like what I've seen of Seeley. With his skating and poise I could see him transitioning to the NHL nicely as a modern-style transition defenseman. Not a bad bet to take in the late 2nd/early 3rd.

 

[Zaddy]

I've never watched him play but everything I read on him is really positive so I'm surprised he's not ranked higher.

 

[Goldenhands]

Seeley is a defensemen on the Everett Silvertips who could be a very good value play in the draft this year. He is an excellent skater with a high hockey IQ, which is a great foundation for a defence man in the modern game. Seeley is great on breakouts consistently making really good decisions that give teammates exits with control. He has the ability to quickly diagnose the right play, and almost never looks rushed with the puck. His passes are always in the right spot (leading the skater), which makes a huge difference as you move up levels. Offensively he moves very well without the puck, fitting well into the team offence but has a weaker shot that is an area to improve on. With his excellent skating he has great gap control and aggressively pressures through the neutral zone giving up very little space. He is consistently engaged defensively but his strength needs to improve as board battles are his biggest weakness. Currently he is in a very good developmental situation in Everett who is consistently a top team, but his role is not what it would be on many other teams. He is behind some older draft picks and does not get much power play opportunity. This is the kind of player who could be available later than he should be and will seem like a huge steal a couple years down the road.

Ronan Seeley at eliteprospects.com

Great report, agree on everything, I really like this player, have him ranked late first personally... I expect him to go much higher than where projected on most scouting services lists... I know hockeyprospect.com are high on him too... At worst, Seeley will be drafted mid 2nd round, unless alot of teams are sleeping deeply on him...

 

[MMC]

Welcome to Carolina!

 

[m0pe]

Carolina just destroyed this draft. Nice way to end it.

 

[Richard88]

Carolina are getting a steal with Seeley. Crazy that they got Pashin and Seeley in the 7th

 

[FrankGallagher]

Draft day is way too early to call a pick a steal, but I think this was probably the best value pick in the draft. Awesome player

 

[emptyNedder]

Draft day is way too early to call a pick a steal, but I think this was probably the best value pick in the draft. Awesome player

Big Carolina fan here (you probably guessed as much from the name). I have tried to understand if there is something about Slavin (4th rounder) and Pesce (3rd rounder) that can be identified by analytics.
Based on my very rudimentary model, of all the D-men outside the consensus top 50 Seeley is most likely to make it to the NHL.
Can't really believe the Canes got him at 208.

 

[Richard88]

Big Carolina fan here (you probably guessed as much from the name). I have tried to understand if there is something about Slavin (4th rounder) and Pesce (3rd rounder) that can be identified by analytics.
Based on my very rudimentary model, of all the D-men outside the consensus top 50 Seeley is most likely to make it to the NHL.
Can't really believe the Canes got him at 208.

It's a real head-scratcher as to why Seeley fell that far. Carolina got a couple of steals in the 7th in Seeley and Pashin.

 

[TK 421]

Great job Canes, really love this player and can't believe he fell this far.

 

[TK 421]

Can someone explain to me why Ronan was drafted so late? I'm trying to wrap my head around this and I'd appreciate some enlightenment here.

 

[IronMarshal]

Can someone explain to me why Ronan was drafted so late? I'm trying to wrap my head around this and I'd appreciate some enlightenment here.

I don't understand it. I thought for sure top 3 at worse top 4 rounds.

 

[w e l o s t b o y s]

made Canada's WJC team

 

[wings5]

made Canada's WJC team

With Zelwegger too. It’s not often you see two defenders on the same junior team make Team Canada

 

[Goldenhands]

Can someone explain to me why Ronan was drafted so late? I'm trying to wrap my head around this and I'd appreciate some enlightenment here.

No clue. I had him mid 2nd round. He was great everytime I watched him in his draft year.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

I had him mid 2nd as well. Dropping as far as he did was a bit shocking to me, and to this day still confused.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Regarding the fall it's important to note that every single team in the league mostly felt the same way about him for whatever reason(s). Yes Canes drafted him but if they had a high grade on him they passed him up in multiple rounds where it would've been great value and didn't actually nab him until the 7th. Things like this are why the draft is not an exact science at all and nobody really can predict it well. Of course Seeley could still amount to nothing in the NHL but he's already looking like he can at least be a fringe 7th D-man/AHLer which is more than can be said for most 7th round picks.

 

[CraigBillington]

Regarding the fall it's important to note that every single team in the league mostly felt the same way about him for whatever reason(s). Yes Canes drafted him but if they had a high grade on him they passed him up in multiple rounds where it would've been great value and didn't actually nab him until the 7th. Things like this are why the draft is not an exact science at all and nobody really can predict it well. Of course Seeley could still amount to nothing in the NHL but he's already looking like he can at least be a fringe 7th D-man/AHLer which is more than can be said for most 7th round picks.

And couple that with how most teams' lists are about 100 players I believe. Depending on the teams, that likely makes it seem that the hurricanes may have had him ranked as a third rounder

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[CandyCanes]

Didn’t get to watch the WJC. What’s the thoughts on Seeley?

 

[Dominance]

Didn’t get to watch the WJC. What’s the thoughts on Seeley?

Very smooth and effective player with adequate size and good skating, to the extent that it seems inevitable he becomes at least a regular NHL player, but who lacks stand-out tools that would allow him a high ceiling.