The "Blake Wheeler" of 2007

[Hunter Gathers]

Billy Sweatt COULD end up going top 5.

 

[rt]

Everything I read about Sweatt makes me think of Freddie Sjostrom.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Everything I read about Sweatt makes me think of Freddie Sjostrom.

He's 10x the player as Sjostrom is. Smarter, more physical, better offensive skills, etc.

 

[FTowwn]

Akim Aliu?? maybe?

wasnt really expected to go first round but has turned some heads of late. Similar size to Wheeler and similar skill set as well. The only difference between the 2 i woiuld say is that Wheeler has a good head on his shoulders, disciplined, smart with puck. Meanwhile, Aliu is a loose cannon, short temper, and his head isnt there

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

He's 10x the player as Sjostrom is. Smarter, more physical, better offensive skills, etc.

I'm guessing RT is referring to both being blazingly fast and heart/n/soul players.

FYI, only Shane Doan is more physical than Sjostrom on the Coyotes who is also top 10 in the NHL for blocked shots. If Sweatt is 10x the player then I guess he looks like this....

http://www.moviemaze-wallpaper.de/t...f7edc7aef7546d/fantastic-four-wallpaper-1.jpg

 

[Legionnaire]

Colton Gillies ??

That would be my guess as well. If anyone goes off the board(like there really is one set in stone for this draft ) I think that a guy like Gilles who has the physical tools, and not quite the game yet(like Wheeler when drafted) he would be it.

 

[PhoPhan]

The difference between Gillies and Wheeler is that, while Gillies was ranked highly early on and fell due to a lack of offensive output, Wheeler put up huge numbers (albeit in high school as opposed to the CHL) but steadily rose through the course of the year.

 

[Legionnaire]

The difference between Gillies and Wheeler is that, while Gillies was ranked highly early on and fell due to a lack of offensive output, Wheeler put up huge numbers (albeit in high school as opposed to the CHL) but steadily rose through the course of the year.

Correct. However, both will be drafted on the physical attributes more than their hockey skills

 

[Pusher]

Wheeler is a slug. You can keep him with Gophs as long as you want.

Sorry to interrupt another tired thread bashing Blake Wheeler, but the so called "slug" scored a hat trick on friday night to lead his team into the WCHA finals.

Not bad for a sophomore who's already being labeled by some a bust. Why the rush to condemn this kid?

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/colleges/16922953.htm

 

[krabby]

you may still want him, but I am sure given a do-over, the yotes would take about a dozen players ahead of him.... no GM is that stupid.... twice

 

[PhoPhan]

There might be 3 or 4 you'd take over Wheeler, but you can't name for me a dozen guys. Wheeler was drafted as a project, and he has met expectations at every level so far. You're holding on to old suppositions if you think he's a bust.

 

[XX]

Wheeler just won the WCHA game in OT, and was named tournament MVP. Definitely not a bust.

 

[Brandinho]

Akim Aliu?? maybe?

wasnt really expected to go first round but has turned some heads of late. Similar size to Wheeler and similar skill set as well. The only difference between the 2 i woiuld say is that Wheeler has a good head on his shoulders, disciplined, smart with puck. Meanwhile, Aliu is a loose cannon, short temper, and his head isnt there

Aliu just got dismissed from his team, didn't he? You're right that he's turning heads, but he's turning them off. Obviously Aliu has a tremendous skillset but there's no chance in hell he's a first rounder, let alone top 10.

 

[Brandinho]

Wheeler just won the WCHA game in OT, and was named tournament MVP. Definitely not a bust.

Definitely too early to tell. Last I checked, players were judged to be busts or not based on their NHL performance, not their WCHA performance.

 

[Sinurgy]

Definitely too early to tell. Last I checked, players were judged to be busts or not based on their NHL performance, not their WCHA performance.

I agree but doesn't seem to stop so many from labeling the kid a bust at every corner. At the least, his performance in the WCHA Tournament shows he's still tracking fairly well. Only time will tell but that goes for the nay sayers just as much as the homers!!!!

btw...I have to add that it was one sweet, sweet goal! It's not like he just scored an OT winner. It was a freakin great goal. Definitely sealed him the tournament MVP, though I suppose a hat trick the night before didn't hurt either.

 

[Gopher_Nut]

I agree but doesn't seem to stop so many from labeling the kid a bust at every corner. At the least, his performance in the WCHA Tournament shows he's still tracking fairly well. Only time will tell but that goes for the nay sayers just as much as the homers!!!!

btw...I have to add that it was one sweet, sweet goal! It's not like he just scored an OT winner. It was a freakin great goal. Definitely sealed him the tournament MVP, though I suppose a hat trick the night before didn't hurt either.

I agree, it's been hard to judge him. First 1/2 season looked like he improved leaps and bounds from last yr, real dominating. Second 1/2 pretty non-existent.

Now in the last 2 games of the WCHA playoffs he looks like what I saw in the 1st half. His goal is #2 on the ESPN daily top ten.

Also, anyone that saw the ND-UM game last night really saw some great NCAA playoff hockey!!

 

[Amadeus]

Goalie Jeremy Smith of the Plymouth Whalers could crack in the top 30.

He'll definitely be a reach there, but he's the best goalie in this draft.

 

[PhoPhan]

Definitely too early to tell. Last I checked, players were judged to be busts or not based on their NHL performance, not their WCHA performance.

It's too early to say he'll be a good player, but there's absolutely no reason to call him a bust yet, which is what I think XavierX was saying.

 

[Gopher_Nut]

I agree, it's been hard to judge him. First 1/2 season looked like he improved leaps and bounds from last yr, real dominating. Second 1/2 pretty non-existent.

Now in the last 2 games of the WCHA playoffs he looks like what I saw in the 1st half. His goal is #2 on the ESPN daily top ten.

Also, anyone that saw the ND-UM game last night really saw some great NCAA playoff hockey!!

For those that haven't seen it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EuepVP-NBrs

 

[Bookman]

For those that haven't seen it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EuepVP-NBrs

Thanks for posting that - incredible goal.

 

[Traktor*]

Maybe Sutter because of his bloodlines.