Nigel Williams

TSV

Registered User
Aug 6, 2005
546
0
Montreal
This D was taken 51st overall by the Avs.
Height: 6.05
Weight: 220
only 18 :amazed:

He recently made the move to the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit. Since then he seems like a very good prospect for Colorado putting up alot of point in the CHL.
GP G A PTS +/- PIM
19 12 9 21 -1 32

Nigel seems like an offensive D, but with is size I wonder how he's playing on D :
-defensively in his own zone??
-mobility??
-any physical play ??

Thanx
 
Nov 29, 2003
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This D was taken 51st overall by the Avs.
Height: 6.05
Weight: 220
only 18 :amazed:

He recently made the move to the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit. Since then he seems like a very good prospect for Colorado putting up alot of point in the CHL.
GP G A PTS +/- PIM
19 12 9 21 -1 32

Nigel seems like an offensive D, but with is size I wonder how he's playing on D :
-defensively in his own zone??
-mobility??
-any physical play ??

Thanx

From what I've been told he's a very good offensive defenseman, very good mobility for his size but his defensive and physical play leave something to be desired, especially for someone his size.
 

hoppy

EK65
Jun 11, 2006
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St. John's
I thought Wiliams was taken pretty late but was a riskier pick in the draft.
I had him rounding out the first round or maybe dropping out to an early pick in the second.

He's got crazy talent, and size.
You could see this guy turning into this mini mix of Zdeno Chara or Christ Pronger.
He's got the shot, mobility for a big man, strength, pretty big wingspan, and any skills an all around dman would holster except his hockey awareness is a mess.
Many coaches and hockey minds say one thing you can't really learn is in-game awareness is defensive awareness and positioning, and he could be in that boat, a natural skill that's either there or it isn't. If he can pickup that area; put his raw talent to use, he'll be the early round pick of the draft IMO.
He's got a hugeeee range for potential but that's just exactly where he lies now, potential..
It's pretty much the same situation Chara was in and he didn't bloom into the all around dominant dman until a few seasons into his career.
 
Last edited:

CapsWolverinesUSA

Registered User
Jan 3, 2007
5,242
42
His decision to abandon Wisconsin so quickly was really odd. It's not like he had been riding the pine, had been waiting a long time to get primetime minutes, or had reason to be worried about his draft status (since he was already picked). I know the Wisconsin coaches felt he was a project.

I saw him play once he got to Saginaw. Actually was in the house to see him score his first OHL goal in Plymouth. He looked ok, overall. Definitely didn't blow me away. I think he'll continue to improve, but he may take a few years.
 

Bam Beet*

Guest
His decision to abandon Wisconsin so quickly was really odd. It's not like he had been riding the pine, had been waiting a long time to get primetime minutes, or had reason to be worried about his draft status (since he was already picked). I know the Wisconsin coaches felt he was a project.

I saw him play once he got to Saginaw. Actually was in the house to see him score his first OHL goal in Plymouth. He looked ok, overall. Definitely didn't blow me away. I think he'll continue to improve, but he may take a few years.

Umm I'm pretty sure he got benched for a few games and decided to leave. He wasn't playing much if at all at Wisconsin.
 

fitchcj555

Registered User
Dec 13, 2006
43
0
His decision to abandon Wisconsin so quickly was really odd. It's not like he had been riding the pine, had been waiting a long time to get primetime minutes, or had reason to be worried about his draft status (since he was already picked). I know the Wisconsin coaches felt he was a project.

I saw him play once he got to Saginaw. Actually was in the house to see him score his first OHL goal in Plymouth. He looked ok, overall. Definitely didn't blow me away. I think he'll continue to improve, but he may take a few years.

He's averaging a little over a point a game in his 1st season of Major Junior. He looks great offensively, but then again so did Trevor Daley in the O.

The thing about Nigel that I find is that he is very emotional. I have watched him on more than one occasion take very stupid selfish penalties. Slashes usually. Both times his team was losing, basically out of the game. One time he took it out on the penalty box with his stick and walked around swearing after the game. Its possible that he might have some type of anger issues.
 

Bam Beet*

Guest
He's averaging a little over a point a game in his 1st season of Major Junior. He looks great offensively, but then again so did Trevor Daley in the O.

The thing about Nigel that I find is that he is very emotional. I have watched him on more than one occasion take very stupid selfish penalties. Slashes usually. Both times his team was losing, basically out of the game. One time he took it out on the penalty box with his stick and walked around swearing after the game. Its possible that he might have some type of anger issues.

Hopefully with maturity that will slowly go away. Although it's nice to have passion he just has to know how to use it. Nice to see him doing well in the OHL though.
 

Superfly Jimmy Snuka

Registered User
Aug 12, 2006
757
0
He's averaging a little over a point a game in his 1st season of Major Junior. He looks great offensively, but then again so did Trevor Daley in the O.

The thing about Nigel that I find is that he is very emotional. I have watched him on more than one occasion take very stupid selfish penalties. Slashes usually. Both times his team was losing, basically out of the game. One time he took it out on the penalty box with his stick and walked around swearing after the game. Its possible that he might have some type of anger issues.

i think its normal for someone to be upset with themselves after taking a dumb penalty.

Does Erik Johnson have anger issues did you see hm at the U-18 after he got kicked out of the game he was swearin up a storm and slammed his stick against the walls...
 

fitchcj555

Registered User
Dec 13, 2006
43
0
i think its normal for someone to be upset with themselves after taking a dumb penalty.

Does Erik Johnson have anger issues did you see hm at the U-18 after he got kicked out of the game he was swearin up a storm and slammed his stick against the walls...

I realize that young kids get angry at times but it just seems like more here.

After the game was long over he was slamming doors, swearing left and right and when asked for an autograph he told a kid "are you #$%^ing kidding me". Didn't seem normal to me.
 

MXD

Original #4
Oct 27, 2005
50,672
16,395
So the consensus is that he could be something between Zdeno Chara or Mathieu Biron, which means there's no consensus at all.. Right?
 

hoppy

EK65
Jun 11, 2006
1,885
0
St. John's
He can't read a play or position himself well enough as far as my understanding goes to make the big open ice hit. However, he can play strong like Komisarek or Chara like around the boards and in front of the net
A Dominating force so to speak.

And yes, from what I've heard Williams is hit (lesser all around except mobilty Chara) or miss, Mathieu Biron.

I've never seen this guy play but he was the dman I looked into the most last draft. I Read tons of posts and scouting reports on this potential monster in the making, managing to conclude on the exact player he is.
 

Hunter Gathers

The Crown
Feb 27, 2002
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That +/- stat is actually kind of pathetic in terms of his defensive game. He has been out there for at LEAST 21 goals for his team, probably more, but still has a minus? Sheesh!

Granted, Saginaw is a middle of the road team, but still.
 
Nov 29, 2003
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That +/- stat is actually kind of pathetic in terms of his defensive game. He has been out there for at LEAST 21 goals for his team, probably more, but still has a minus? Sheesh!

Granted, Saginaw is a middle of the road team, but still.

Biggest reason for that is that he gets the majority of his points on the powerplay, which means no +/- boost. Unless of course you already accounted for that.

Either way, I've been rather disappointed by his defensive game, sounds like that side of his game still hasn't developed in the least. Oh well, hopefully he continues to improve, since the Avs really could go with him developing into a good player.
 

Hunter Gathers

The Crown
Feb 27, 2002
106,467
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Either way, I've been rather disappointed by his defensive game, sounds like that side of his game still hasn't developed in the least. Oh well, hopefully he continues to improve, since the Avs really could go with him developing into a good player.

And I think that's the reason that a lot of people dislike him as a prospect. I mean, what good is a defenseman who can't play defense?

At best, he could possibly be a later day Ozolinsh at this point. Ozo, in his prime, actually could play a BIT of defense until he regressed to the point of where he was with the Rangers.

My main question with Nigel is, besides the non-existant mental game, can he convert his game to the NHL level and pick up points there? He's hardly a dominating player at the OHL level, so I really don't know.

It's so hard to project anything for the guy...
 

X-SHARKIE

Registered User
This D was taken 51st overall by the Avs.
Height: 6.05
Weight: 220
only 18 :amazed:

He recently made the move to the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit. Since then he seems like a very good prospect for Colorado putting up alot of point in the CHL.
GP G A PTS +/- PIM
19 12 9 21 -1 32

Nigel seems like an offensive D, but with is size I wonder how he's playing on D :
-defensively in his own zone??
-mobility??
-any physical play ??

Thanx

I've always been impressed with his mobility, espeically considering his size.
 

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