RD David Quenneville (2016, 200th, NYI; traded to NJD)
- Thread starter Mikeaveli
- Start date
He was just alright at the U17 Camp, took a lot of shifts with Sean Day. Plays with a ton of energy. I'll see him tonight (if he's in the lineup) as Med Hat is in town.
Mikeaveli
Registered User
6 games into the season (including an 8-1 win over Saskatoon tonight) and he still hasn't registered a point.
Med Hat has quite a veteran D core it will be hard for him to find ice consistently this year, wouldn't look too much into it. Probably matters moreso that he is having a progression in his game whenever you view him - in regards to adjusting to the pace of the game/decision making and learning to defend smartly at his size.
bobermay
Registered User
1) Is this guy really 5'08" (His brothers are 5'11" and 6'01")
2) 55 points in 64 games are really impressive for a D man which accounts for 25% of Medincin Hat's goals.
Doesn't seem to be much talk about this player.
2) 55 points in 64 games are really impressive for a D man which accounts for 25% of Medincin Hat's goals.
Doesn't seem to be much talk about this player.
snipes
How cold? I’m ice cold.
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HeavyHitter99
Registered User
- Jun 18, 2013
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Extremely underrated player. Offensively dynamic with an excellent point shot. He is about 5'8" but he is capable of laying punishing checks as most of you have probably seen at the U18. But he also threw big hits consistently in the dub as well. I've seen him layout some of the toughest players in that league without fear.
His defensive play could improve as he does lack strength during board battles (though he isn't afraid to battle and go to the dirty areas) and at times he gets caught flat footed around the net. But overall I think he is definitely capable of contributing his team's end.
One of my favorite players in this draft and I'm glad the U18 is getting him more exposure.
bobermay
Registered User
Thanks for the info! I haven't been able to watch the U18s, but am stat watching. Could he be a 3rd-4th round option?
He's a hell of a player. He plays the game hard, great offensively and plays with his head up. I think he is a top 7-8 defenceman in the draft, obviously size concerns, but I just think he has so much talent that you can risk a 2nd rounder.
How is he going to defend against a Getzlaf, Perry, Kopitar, Lucic at the NHL level? He looks great with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone but it's hard to imagine how he can excel at the defense position at the NHL level and all the big, strong forwards that would physically overpower and dominate him. He's nowhere near a top 10 defenseman in this draft. You can't ignore his lack of his size and pretend it isn't a huge issue going forward.
The same way Krug and Tyson Barrie defend. Good stickwork and being strong on the puck, he's a smart defensive hockey player as well, good positionally, plays tough along the boards, and he's got a mean streak. He isn't going to let Getzlaf walk all over him, he'll try to use his stick, cross-check, etc. His genes are pretty good so I'm surprised he isn't 5'11 or 6'0, maybe one more growth spurt left in him?
There's a couple good reasons to believe his size won't affect him from playing against bigger and tougher players. Besides, if I am a coach, I'm not going to try and match up Quenneville and Getzlaf and Perry.
John Pedro
Registered User
He would be a smart pick in the late rounds for NJ. We really need a PPQB and Hynes likes guys who can really skate running the PP (Schlemko, Warsofsky). Only 'problem' is he's a righty. We have Larsson, Severson, and Santini on the right side.
Joe Hicketts made a lot of NHL teams look really stupid. I expect they'll have learned from that and Quenneville will go in the 3rd-4th round.
If he was 3 inches taller, he'd be the top defender selected from the WHL.
If he was 3 inches taller, he'd be the top defender selected from the WHL.
Steve Kournianos
@thedraftanalyst
Should convert to forward TBH. He may be able to outmuscle bigger 18 and 19 year olds, but the big guys in the NHL will eat him alive. I know how freakish his upper-body strength is, but his issue will be more on breaking outs since he literally won't be able to see over the forecheckers -- a problem he's had with Medicine Hat (as well as making bad reads). It's the same thing that plagued Greg Hawgood, who actually had a decent NHL career.
He's been excellent in Grand Forks. Beyond.
Very good player worth a 4th of 5th round pick. Krug is a good comparison but meaner. Still a risk.
He's been excellent in Grand Forks. Beyond.
Very good player worth a 4th of 5th round pick. Krug is a good comparison but meaner. Still a risk.
Except the fact is he isn't 3 inches taller, so his size becomes a hindrance whether you like it or not. Put skill aside, having size in hockey is an advantage. Your skill has to be so elite that it overcomes your size if you are undersized. Joe Hicketts has not made the NHL either yet, FYI.
Quenneville's performance at U18's has certainly earned him a second look/discussion in NHL draft meetings, but do not go writing off size when it comes to D, it's not the end all be-all, but it matters. Your skills have to be truly ELITE to excel as a small D. Jared Spurgeon has probably the best stick in the league, body position in the league while defending and elusiveness retrieving pucks, Krug's pure skating ability from the back-end is unrivalled. The vision and competitiveness of Ryan Ellis is elite. You have to ask yourself what does Quenneville bring that is elite? Clague is probably a better skater than him just from the WHL. If Quenneville played in the NHL regularly he would be the smallest defenseman in the league, you have to ask yourself if he is really capable of bringing such a package that he could survive as THE smallest d-man in the league.
Not writing him off, but look at those small d-men. I love Quenneville's competitiveness and on-ice character, great spirit and you can tell he absolutely loves the game and wants to make a difference, but he has common lapses holding the puck for too long or getting caught on the wrong side of guys defensively at times throughout the year. Honestly, some of the mistakes are probably just fine if he is even 5'11, but when you are 5'8 you have to play an absolutely flawless game, it's not fair but that's the way it is, every inch you lose the higher the rate of execution has to be in your game because recovering from them is that much harder. He is a prospect for sure, but a late-round one probably in reality.
Just curious, how has Joe Hickets made NHL teams look stupid if he hasn't played a minute of professional hockey yet?
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Devils Dominion
Now we Plummet
Not sure why NJD didn't take him in the 7th with his brother already in the organization.
Is Davies really that much brighter prospect?
Is Davies really that much brighter prospect?
