Prospect Info: Mark Kastelic - Center - 125th

[Hale The Villain]

I agree he’s likely to be a career 4th liner although he will be extremely valuable.

- Exceptional faceoff guy
- Very good defensively
- Has enough skill to move up the lineup when needed
- Physical forechecker
- Willing fighter.

This is the kind of 4th liner you wind up overpaying to keep down the road.

I agree with all of that except I don't think there's much skill to be found with him. Not a gifted puck handler or playmaker.

Has a good shot which should allow him to score some goals, and more importantly he's willing to get dirty and crash the net looking for rebounds, so he should be able to score enough goals a year to make up for weaknesses elsewhere.

 

[GCK]

I agree with all of that except I don't think there's much skill to be found with him. Not a gifted puck handler or playmaker.

Has a good shot which should allow him to score some goals, and more importantly he's willing to get dirty and crash the net looking for rebounds, so he should be able to score enough goals a year to make up for weaknesses elsewhere.

He looked like he could handle the puck and make a pass at the AHL level but it’s not his strongest attribute. When I reference his skills it’s in comparison to other 4th line centres. I could easily see him centring the 3rd line for 3-4 games if one of our top 3 centres is out.

 

[Xspyrit]

Was curious to see what my first assessment on Kastelic was, I was comparing him with Derek Grant on Nov 22, 2019

I don't see why Kastelic couldn't become a similar player to Derek Grant. Actually I find them a bit similar. I haven't seen Kastelic as much but I see similarities, Kastelic seem like a better goal scorer though and just because he's "already" 20 y/o doesn't mean his development is over. They pretty much have an identical physique, both pretty good on face-offs, strong defensively and gritty in general

Gambrel watching from the press box thinking his NHL career is probably over.

He was extremely lucky to get a 1-way contract. He must have had pictures on Dorion seriously

I mean they are redrafting, I’m sure if someone had a redo they’d take him in the 4th-7th in his first draft eligible year.

He would still be taken much higher even in his draft year as there isn't that many NHL players coming out of each draft

Kastelic has played 19 NHL games so far

2017 : 67 players have played 20 games or more
2018 : 38 players have played 20 games or more

So in both these drafts he'd be a 2nd or 3rd rounder worst case?

I always felt he was a 7/10ths version of Mark Stone

I love Kastelic but 70% of Mark Stone is still a Top-6 forward... We can be happy if he's 30%

 

[aragorn]

I agree with all of that except I don't think there's much skill to be found with him. Not a gifted puck handler or playmaker.

Has a good shot which should allow him to score some goals, and more importantly he's willing to get dirty and crash the net looking for rebounds, so he should be able to score enough goals a year to make up for weaknesses elsewhere.

Kastelic is a 4th liner not a top nine player, he probably has more skill than most of the players this team has had play on their 4th line in the past with the exception of Neiler.

 

[Bileur]

Was curious to see what my first assessment on Kastelic was, I was comparing him with Derek Grant on Nov 22, 2019

I don't see why Kastelic couldn't become a similar player to Derek Grant. Actually I find them a bit similar. I haven't seen Kastelic as much but I see similarities, Kastelic seem like a better goal scorer though and just because he's "already" 20 y/o doesn't mean his development is over. They pretty much have an identical physique, both pretty good on face-offs, strong defensively and gritty in general




He was extremely lucky to get a 1-way contract. He must have had pictures on Dorion seriously



He would still be taken much higher even in his draft year as there isn't that many NHL players coming out of each draft

Kastelic has played 19 NHL games so far

2017 : 67 players have played 20 games or more
2018 : 38 players have played 20 games or more

So in both these drafts he'd be a 2nd or 3rd rounder worst case?



I love Kastelic but 70% of Mark Stone is still a Top-6 forward... We can be happy if he's 30%

Derek Grant is a good comp. I saw him as a slightly lesser Paul Gaustad.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Derek Grant is a good comp. I saw him as a slightly lesser Paul Gaustad.

Kastelic is lightyears ahead of where Grant was at the same age & is also way, way, way more physical.

 

[PatrickEaves]

Kastelic a 4th liner not a top nine player, he probably has more skill than most of the players this team has had play on their 4th line in the past with the exception of Neiler.

There was a time when our 4th line was Vermette-Kelly-Eaves

 

[Bileur]

Kastelic is lightyears ahead of where Grant was at the same age & is also way, way, way more physical.

All true. The finished product of Grant was a good comp though.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

All true. The finished product of Grant was a good comp though.

Not a perfect comparison in its own right but I see his upside as similar to Goodrow

 

[RAFI BOMB]

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

29-8 in the dot lol. Insane.

 

[Bileur]

29-8 in the dot lol. Insane.

That % is good enough to have a roster spot even if that’s all he could do lol.

 

[aragorn]

Kastelic brings that element of physicality that this team needs in future given that Watson is a UFA this yr. He has had a number of good yrs in junior where he scored plenty of goals. He is another net crasher that can pick up garbage goals, but he also makes those big physical hits & he drops the gloves so Tkachuk doesn't need to.

Can't wait until they have Kastelic, Boucher, Ostapchuk & Kleven on this team that all bring a physical element & all are mobile that can add some offence.

 

[ChurchOfAlfie]

 

[Senscore]

I assume the NHL will be creating some rule to stop this like they did with Konopka

 

[Dionysus]

Has been awesome as a big bodied physical centre on the 4th line. Really fills the role beautifully.

 

[Samsquanch]

Has been awesome as a big bodied physical centre on the 4th line. Really fills the role beautifully.

Literally the perfect 4th liner if he keeps it up.

Easy to forget this guy scored 50 goals in junior as well...If he can keep developing this side of his defensive game, he could easily be another Nick Paul or Zack Smith type of high end 3rd liner at his peak.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Kastelic is perfect for our fourth line. Sign him for 1M X 1 billion years.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Perfect 4th line C.

Will be loved in playoffs. He's like a 4th line version of Brady.

 

[Icelevel]

This guy is fing incredible.

 

[Tuna99]

Kastelic is lightyears ahead of where Grant was at the same age & is also way, way, way more physical.

Agree, Kastelic is mean - he bullies people and he enjoys it.

Closest comparison for former Sens in style is Mike Fisher with his physicality and hunger for goals or Jarkon Ruutu with his chase you around and bully you into taking it easy that night.

 

[dumbdick]

Pinto and Sandy have been overshadowing how much Mark Kastelic seems to be emerging as an elite role player for us this year.

If he can develop his scoring at this level I think we might have something quite a bit more in him. Not sure if he'll ever have the hands or hockey sense to crack a top-6 Kassian-like complementary role, but I don't think it's impossible.

 

[armani]

From Chris Tierney to Jesus. Love it!

Jesus Kastelic has been a revelation thus far, playing exactly the way @aragorn had been predicting. He is doing it without taking any dumb penalties, but beyond size and girth he is also setting himself apart with his face-off win percentage. There will be wrinkles, but Kastelic appears to be a value-add on this roster already.

 

[Cosmix]

We need another big physical winger on the 4th line who can fight.

 

[aragorn]

Ostapchuk along with Kastelic on that 4th line are going to be awesome some day, both can hit, both can fight, both can score goals & both can make life miserable for the opposition. Ottawa is becoming a team that can roll 4 lines & is very difficult to play against something I have wanted to see here for yrs. They are becoming what I would call a playoff team.