RD Aaron Ekblad (2014, 1st overall, Florida)

Status
Not open for further replies.

JL17

Registered User
Mar 12, 2009
3,730
209
London
Tyler Myers is my guess from what I've seen. Good at everything. Big physical good skater.
 

HabLover

Registered User
Mar 2, 2002
2,482
0
Sandspit
Visit site
I've heard a lot of Chris Pronger comparissons about his game but can you guys tell me anything more?

I have never seen the kid play, but from numerous videos posted online, I dont really see what the big deal is??

He obviously has good size for his age but others will catch up. He seems to skate well, but his offensive and defensive game must really be high end to be accpeted into the OHL at 15? But most of what I have heard is how big and well he skates, which I didnt really get seeing him skate online.

Can anyone elaborate?
 
Jul 10, 2010
5,670
560
i always thought the reason he went #1 wasnt because he was farther ahead then the 95s but rather the team that picked him was guarnteed 3 years instead of 2
 

Pick Six

@Lafortune_FC
Jan 1, 2009
1,813
1
Mississauga
i always thought the reason he went #1 wasnt because he was farther ahead then the 95s but rather the team that picked him was guarnteed 3 years instead of 2

If that were the case then the Nicholas Ritchie (the player who went 2nd), because he also is guaranteed 3 years as he has a late birthday.

The kid is a great talent. He skates really well, has a great hockey IQ, an incredibly solid two-way game, was the best defencemen in the draft regardless of age and has insane size for a 15 year old (6'3 195-ish).

For all those stat junkies, despite being younger than his competition, only two defencemen in Ontario tallied more points than Ekblad this season (accroding to the stats provided by the 2011 OHL Priority Selection Preview and Media Guide).
 

Breakfast of Champs

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
2,951
2,904
Does anyone know how much better he is than say the next 96 ontario prospect? Or how much better he is than someone like Darnell Nurse was a year ago? Or how does he compare to Tavares at this age, being the only 2 players to get this special exemption to play a year early.
 

Tigers1992

Registered User
Dec 13, 2009
4,062
0
I have never seen the kid play, but from numerous videos posted online, I dont really see what the big deal is??

He obviously has good size for his age but others will catch up. He seems to skate well, but his offensive and defensive game must really be high end to be accpeted into the OHL at 15? But most of what I have heard is how big and well he skates, which I didnt really get seeing him skate online.

Can anyone elaborate?

You need to see him play in person to understand how he can control a game. I had the pleasure of seing him 15 times this season, and every game he was the best prospect on the ice.

I think he was the best defenceman in Ontario this year, regardless of his age.

I would caution that he is not going to put up elite numbers this season. He will play a same game, have the same struggles that rookie defenceman have. What he will do better is learn and develop.

To the other posters who suggest that he was drafted #1 due to his 3 year eligiblity, Ritchie, the top 96 is a late birth, so he has 3 years left as well. They both are 2014's.
 

Vincent_TheGreat

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
6,128
1
Ontario
Visit site
Does anyone know how much better he is than say the next 96 ontario prospect? Or how much better he is than someone like Darnell Nurse was a year ago? Or how does he compare to Tavares at this age, being the only 2 players to get this special exemption to play a year early.

He doesn't compare. Tavares was a Freak, a phenom... I still don't understand why Ekblad got the status, but good for him... he has a lot more to live up to now
 

Tigers1992

Registered User
Dec 13, 2009
4,062
0
Does anyone know how much better he is than say the next 96 ontario prospect? Or how much better he is than someone like Darnell Nurse was a year ago? Or how does he compare to Tavares at this age, being the only 2 players to get this special exemption to play a year early.

He is much better then Nurse at the same age. Nurse played Bantom, and was good, but not the best 95 at the time.

Ekblad is the best 96 in ontario, and better then all other 95 defenceman. He is better then every other player that I have seen this year.

Its unfortunate, but he will be compared to Tavares. He is not the same type of player, and as I mentioned in my post above, as a defenceman he will come in and struggle like every rookie defenceman does.

I think when its said and done he will be a strong two way defenceman in an Alex Pietrangelo mould, perhaps a level above.
 

Pick Six

@Lafortune_FC
Jan 1, 2009
1,813
1
Mississauga
He is much better then Nurse at the same age. Nurse played Bantom, and was good, but not the best 95 at the time.

Ekblad is the best 96 in ontario, and better then all other 95 defenceman. He is better then every other player that I have seen this year.

Its unfortunate, but he will be compared to Tavares. He is not the same type of player, and as I mentioned in my post above, as a defenceman he will come in and struggle like every rookie defenceman does.

I think when its said and done he will be a strong two way defenceman in an Alex Pietrangelo mould, perhaps a level above.

Good post. I definitely like the Pietrangelo comparison, Ekblad probably even sees the ice better at the same age.

The inevitable Tavares comparisons are too bad. The kid had one of the best CHL careers in recent memory, and to expect Ekblad to live up to anything close to that isn't fair.
 

JL17

Registered User
Mar 12, 2009
3,730
209
London
Good post. I definitely like the Pietrangelo comparison, Ekblad probably even sees the ice better at the same age.

The inevitable Tavares comparisons are too bad. The kid had one of the best CHL careers in recent memory, and to expect Ekblad to live up to anything close to that isn't fair.

How can we compare the two??? One a forward and one is a D-man... two completely different positions especially for 15 year olds in this league.
 

Tigers1992

Registered User
Dec 13, 2009
4,062
0
How can we compare the two??? One a forward and one is a D-man... two completely different positions especially for 15 year olds in this league.

Its the exceptional status thing.

It already happened above with people who have never seen him play.

Its to bad, but its something that he will have to deal with. I dont understand why the comparison is made from a hockey standpoint, but it will continue to happen.
 

Mustangs

Registered User
Jan 13, 2008
1,219
4
Barrie
It is up to Barrie to develop him properly with the right coaching. It is going to be exciting to see how he does this coming season. I plan on going to see a few games.
 

JL17

Registered User
Mar 12, 2009
3,730
209
London
Its the exceptional status thing.

It already happened above with people who have never seen him play.

Its to bad, but its something that he will have to deal with. I dont understand why the comparison is made from a hockey standpoint, but it will continue to happen.

People need to realize that it's two different positions before you compare him to Tavares... If he doesn't score 42 goals as a 15 year old he sucks???

He's solid all round D-man with great skating at the age of 15. I don't expect him to do alot offensively in his rookie year... I just want him to learn and be effective in his own end.
 

Breakfast of Champs

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
2,951
2,904
Just because they play different positions doesnt mean there are no areas we can compare the two players. When I asked for a Tavares comparison I obviously didn't mean statistically, or on offensive production. I meant things like physical maturity, hockey sense, overall effectiveness in midget as a bantam aged player, skating, stuff like that. Do people think he is as ohl ready as Tavares was when he got the speical exemption?
 

JL17

Registered User
Mar 12, 2009
3,730
209
London
Just because they play different positions doesnt mean there are no areas we can compare the two players. When I asked for a Tavares comparison I obviously didn't mean statistically, or on offensive production. I meant things like physical maturity, hockey sense, overall effectiveness in midget as a bantam aged player, skating, stuff like that. Do people think he is as ohl ready as Tavares was when he got the speical exemption?

One thing Tavares never did well was accepting physical play... he got hit it showed. He was much better at getting back in the play this past year then any year I've seen him. That's my only concern with Ekblad at the moment because of the position he plays.

I've seen Ekblad in videos and he has the physical tools(skating, decision making), physically at 6-2 205lbs he's off to a great start. I'd imagine he'll round out his OHL career at 6-2+ 220lbs.

Point a game in minor midget isn't a bad thing for a 15 year old D-man.
 

Tigers1992

Registered User
Dec 13, 2009
4,062
0
Just because they play different positions doesnt mean there are no areas we can compare the two players. When I asked for a Tavares comparison I obviously didn't mean statistically, or on offensive production. I meant things like physical maturity, hockey sense, overall effectiveness in midget as a bantam aged player, skating, stuff like that. Do people think he is as ohl ready as Tavares was when he got the speical exemption?

He was the best defenceman in the draft. Erase all the birthdates and just judge him based on his potential and play this season, and he is ahead of every other 95 defenceman. That alone makes him worthy.

He has been though a mirad of physical and phycological tests by Hockey Canada, who are looking for reasons not to grant it.
If thats good enough for them, its good enough for me.

They could not find any, therefore, in my opinion, he is ready.
 

Granlund2Pulkkinen*

Guest
I don't think anybody can make any fair comparisons to him until at least his first OHL game.


And I'd wager that 49/50 people here haven't seen him play... Even more.
 

Minister of Offence

Registered User
Oct 2, 2009
24,407
0
www.chadhargrove.com
One thing Tavares never did well was accepting physical play... he got hit it showed. He was much better at getting back in the play this past year then any year I've seen him. That's my only concern with Ekblad at the moment because of the position he plays.

I've seen Ekblad in videos and he has the physical tools(skating, decision making), physically at 6-2 205lbs he's off to a great start. I'd imagine he'll round out his OHL career at 6-2+ 220lbs.

Point a game in minor midget isn't a bad thing for a 15 year old D-man.

I know not many here would have seen Adam Larsson play at 15...but these two sound kinda similar.
 

Tigers1992

Registered User
Dec 13, 2009
4,062
0
I don't think anybody can make any fair comparisons to him until at least his first OHL game.


And I'd wager that 49/50 people here haven't seen him play... Even more.

Just as an FYI, ive seen him play 15 times, at various times throughout the season including tournaments, alliance regular season play and such.
 

leafsfuture

Registered User
Mar 30, 2008
6,134
183
I agree that the Tavares comparison could hurt him. Ive never seen Ekblad play, so I got no actual input, but no matter how solid he is, its going to be tough to live up to Tavares.

JT came into the OHL and scored 45 goals, played in the U-18s, and the scary thing was Tavares was 15 the whole season.

That being said, its better Tavares' exceptional player sucessor is a defenceman,
 

Granlund2Pulkkinen*

Guest
Just as an FYI, ive seen him play 15 times, at various times throughout the season including tournaments, alliance regular season play and such.

No I know you have Tigers, you're very reputable.
You constitute the 2% in my ratio :laugh:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->