JetsOilersfan
Registered User
- Feb 4, 2012
- 304
- 56
#1 ranked goalie in NA.
Bunch of curmudgeons in here.
I think the scouting staff has earned a bit of leeway.
Definitely had a rough start after being sent to junior, but I think you're overrating how bad it actually was.
He played 12 games before the world juniors, and then struggled throughout the tournament.
When he came back, he was locked in and continued it for over two months.
Not sure how a two month span of quality play is worth less than a month of struggles.
He was pretty much non existent in the World Juniors - and he was locked in for about 5 weeks shortly thereafter, then his point production diminished. To but another way, the World Junior tournament is about 3 levels below the AHL - so my opinion still stands. He's not an NHL player yet, and I saw nothing last year that had me thinking 'yeah, he's ready to play here'. Not sure what you or others are seeing. Now if he was top 5 in ppg, if he had a great playoff, if he was solid at the WJ, then you'd have something.
But like I said, I hope I'm wrong. I do know this, given his size, he has to be brilliant. He's bumped off the puck way to easily at this level. He has to dazzle. If he's ready, then great. Most people tend to forget little Johnny Hockey had three years of Uni hockey to hone his craft and he started in the NHL at 21 years of age.
I'm not suggesting he won't be an NHL player, but I did not see anything last year from him whether it was here, at the WJ, or in the WHL, that had me thinking he was a step away.