- Feb 24, 2012
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You probably know this, but Iguchi isn't going to stop at 5'3". Someone who's close to the team in the prospect forum said that Japanese teens are genetically late bloomers. Of course he isn't going to be 6'3", but don't be surprised if next year he's 5'7" which is considerable. Whatever the case is, I am quite interested in them because the 2021 draft is looking to be super weak at this current point in time. Teams might give them more of a chance regardless if it's not in the first round.
I won't pretend to know genetics of Asians and how they grow... the average in Japan tends to be around 5'7" though, and he's short based on his Japanese peer group by 2-3". And I'm already giving him some leeway, he measured under 5'2" this spring and I don't know if he has made his way to Waterloo yet, but they are expecting him to measure right around 5'2". Any taller would be a surprise to them. Even if he grows to 5'5" or 5'6"... the list is very small of successful players at that height in the modern era. Teams will look and say the ceiling is likely Gerbe or Grimaldi level and that is pretty unlikely by itself. If 5'9" or 5'10" was likely, he'd get on the radar real quickly.
Before any of that though, Iguchi has to start playing against some good competition consistently. USHL/Europe/Canada... don't care where, but has to happen so he can be compared to his peers in more developed hockey countries.