Prospect Info: Tom Willander: 11th Overall 2023 Draft (Rogle BK J20) - Part 02

[Breakers]

One of the NCAA experts should talk us through what's upcoming for Willander as the NCAA heads into post season.

This is just the hockey east tournament so not the actual NCAA tournament
everyone is doing their respective conference tournaments right now. NCHC, B1G10 etc etc

winner of this tournament gets an automatic spot in the NCAA tournament
if BU doesnt win they are still in, they are currently ranked 2nd in the nation.
If they win today, they play next friday, then if they win that, then they play in the hockey east championship the next day on saturday.

The day after that...........Next Sunday in the selection show
The official NCAA Tournament starts 4 days later on March 28th


Northeastern who they play today is weird, you know when you are a good team, but there is just that lesser team that always gives you trouble and seems to win despite being severly outplayed?

Well that’s northeastern

Lost to them twice in row, they outplay them, like last game shots were 40-16, but Northeastern just scores on rush after spending like 4 minutes straight in their own zone.

 

[Lindgren]

This is just the hockey east tournament so not the actual NCAA tournament
everyone is doing their respective conference tournaments right now. NCHC, B1G10 etc etc

winner of the tournament gets an automatic spot in the tournament
if BU doesnt win they are still in
If they win today, they play next friday, then if they win that, then they play in the hockey east championship the next day.

Next Sunday in the selection show


Northeastern who they play today is weird, you know when you are a good team, but there is just that lesser team that always gives you trouble and seems to win despite being severly outplayed?

Well that’s northeastern

Lost to them twice in row, they outpla them, like last game shots were 40-16, but Northeastern just scores on rush after spending like 4 minutes straight in their own zone.

You'll have a report on the game, right?

 

[Breakers]

Game is shaping up exactly like it usually does.
BU has missed the net on wide open looks a ton

End of the period announcers said shot attempts at 22-7, but shots on goal are 12-4 for BU

Playing right into Northeastern hands.
They ideally want to get through period 2 scoreless as well

 

[Breakers]

Willander picks up an assist on the 2nd unit PP

1st unit is doing wild sh)t trying between the leg passes, and backhand sauces

It’s got be a good feeling to get that 2 goal lead.

 

[Breakers]

Willander with the unluckiest play I’ve ever seen

Good stick by Willander stick in lane from a NE player beneath the goal-line
Puck tips up, hits his shoulder, then hits Caron in the head, then off caron’s shoulder and in the goal.

Game is suddenly close


Edit: Celebrini bails out the boys after it was 3-2 and pressing
Now 4-2

Bu moves onto next weekend.

 

[Lindgren]

Willander with the unluckiest play I’ve ever seen

Good stick by Willander stick in lane
Puck tips up, hits his shoulder, then hits Caron in the head, then off his shoulder and in
Game is suddenly close


Edit: Celebrini bails out the boys after it was 3-2.
Now 4-2

Bu moved onto next weekend.

Any thoughts on W's game today overall?

PK time?

PP time?

Deployment at even strength?

Paired with ...?

 

[Breakers]

Any thoughts on W's game today overall?

PK time?

PP time?

Deployment at even strength?

Paired with ...?

Still paired Webber who was awarded best defensive defenceman a couple days ago.

Once they had the lead that pairing was played more to close it. More trustworthy, blocks shots, and keeps everything to the outside

Still 2nd unit PP.
Pandolfo got angry at 1st unit which lead to him getting more time and an assist.

2nd jnit PK

Can’t ask for much more from your 2nd pairing.
Except for an extremely unlucky bounce

 

[Breakers]

Finally saw this goal on replay as I couldn’t rewind.
I was wrong in my description from seeing it live

Still a weird bounce, this is when things got spicy

 

[Jay26]

TSN is showing too NCAA games on the 22nd and neither are Boston U. Bummer. Any other way to watch the semifinal game?

 

[M2Beezy]

TSN is showing too NCAA games on the 22nd and neither are Boston U. Bummer. Any other way to watch the semifinal game?

Im not sure

 

[Bleach Clean]

#3 are guys like Hronek who play 1st paring with a true #1 but not good enough to hold a 1st pair alone.

The fact you list a bunch of 3rd paring guys playing big min shows the lack of RHd in the league. I mean with the way how you define it, Kyle Burroughs is a f***ing 1st paring D.

It's just a snapshot. TOI should be the first marker.

If we widen the lens to a 3 year data set to eliminate noise like Burroughs, here are the names:

Alexandre Romanov
Ben Chiarot
Tyler Myers
Sean Durzi
Henri Jokiharju
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Connor Murphy
Cody Ceci
Matt Roy
Chris Tanev
Dylan DeMelo
Torey Krug

Benson doesn't have to be Marchand/Marner to beat those options for value.

 

[Breakers]

BU vs BC like everyone expected

Should be a good one tomorrow

BC dominated today

 

[Lindgren]

BU vs BC like everyone expected

Should be a good one tomorrow

Both dominated today

How'd Willander do?

 

[Breakers]

How'd Willander do?

quiet

Up against the nadeau line, who in my opinion carried the play against them the entire game

They won, but i wouldnt be confident going up against BC tomorrow with todays effort

too dependant on skill

like they got a the lead and just sat back back
they got outshot essentially 2-1 in the game.

they scored 2 goals on 9 shots through the first 40 minutes against Maine.

 

[Breakers]

BU has ZERO answer for the BC powerplay

It’s not even close
It’s like the Harlem globe trotters

3 Powerplays
3 goals

 

[Lindgren]

BU has ZERO answer for the BC powerplay

It’s not even close
It’s like the Harlem globe trotters

3 Powerplays
3 goals

Interesting news! But ... we're all Willander fans here! Can you update us on his play? Victimized on those power play goals? Took the penalties that led to them? How's he doing at 5 on 5?

 

[Breakers]

Interesting news! But ... we're all Willander fans here! Can you update us on his play? Victimized on those power play goals? Took the penalties that led to them? How's he doing at 5 on 5?

He’s been great 5v5
Willander hasn’t taken a penalty

Willander is not great when he is the puck carrier into the offensive zone
He is just missing that part of his game
Reminds me of Tanev when he was the puck carrier early in his career
Just isn’t comfortable setting up a play off the rush

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Will Smith is a boss.

Player I wanted Nucks to draft last year but needed a full tank.

Good for the Jose Cuervos.

They got a good one.

 

[Breakers]

Their first 5 goals were essentially all PP goals

1 was even strength, but the Powerplay had just ended

It’s just too powerful of a PP to defend

 

[docbenton]

I thought this was not one of his best games, no big mistakes and was physical but could have made better efforts in transition of few times instead of lazy chips up the boards to a winger against a pinching D. His outlets are usually one of his strongest assets. Did reasonably well jumping into the play a few times. Maybe some nerves but overall just didn't feel like he was giving 100% for whatever reason.

 

[Breakers]

He’s been great 5v5
Willander hasn’t taken a penalty

Willander is not great when he is the puck carrier into the offensive zone
He is just missing that part of his game
Reminds me of Tanev when he was the puck carrier early in his career
Just isn’t comfortable setting up a play off the rush

So this wasnt the play i was talking about, as I couldn't clip video's on NESN
but it is identical to what I talking about
flawless activation, and flawless skating ability

but he did this 2 or 3 times. He skates himself into trouble against the boards. If he doesnt have a play, just simply flip the puck into the corner, and let the forwards finish their check on the BC d-man and you have offensive zone time.
But throwin it to the middle, which he did the other time led to an odd man rush, and alsmot did here.

Ideally???
He skates toward the “rapid” sign and draws the defender in then dumps it in
Or just skate the puck into the corner, he could have easy beaten that defender on the outside

But skating into no man’s land is what this and what he has been doing off the rush too much.

 

[lawrence]

So this wasnt the play i was talking about, as I couldn't clip video's on NESN
but it is identical to what I talking about
flawless activation, and flawless skating ability

but he did this 2 or 3 times. He skates himself into trouble against the boards. If he doesnt have a play, just simply flip the puck into the corner, and let the forwards finish their check on the BC d-man and you have offensive zone time.
But throwin it to the middle, which he did the other time led to an odd man rush, and alsmot did here.

Ideally???
He skates toward the “rapid” sign and draws the defender in then dumps it in
Or just skate the puck into the corner, he could have easy beaten that defender on the outside

But skating into no man’s land is what this and what he has been doing off the rush too much.

Well that’s not a good sign at all.

 

[Breakers]

BC on upset alert in my opinion in the 2nd round

Quinny and Wisconsin are literally 1,2 as the stingiest teams in the league.
But BC is a powerhouse so who knows

RIT could be a tough first bracket.

 

[MS]

So this wasnt the play i was talking about, as I couldn't clip video's on NESN
but it is identical to what I talking about
flawless activation, and flawless skating ability

but he did this 2 or 3 times. He skates himself into trouble against the boards. If he doesnt have a play, just simply flip the puck into the corner, and let the forwards finish their check on the BC d-man and you have offensive zone time.
But throwin it to the middle, which he did the other time led to an odd man rush, and alsmot did here.

Ideally???
He skates toward the “rapid” sign and draws the defender in then dumps it in
Or just skate the puck into the corner, he could have easy beaten that defender on the outside

But skating into no man’s land is what this and what he has been doing off the rush too much.

I'm of the exact opposite mentality.

At this age and this level and this stage of his development, I *want* him to be taking chances with the puck, making high-risk plays, making mistakes, learning what he can get away with and what he can't.

He's a smart player and it's easy to 'coach down' at higher levels and get him to make safer plays with the puck. But this is probably the weakest part of his game right now and if you coach any risk-taking out of him and just get him to make safe plays, his puck skills/offensive IQ probably won't develop in the same way and it's a hell of a lot harder to 'coach up' his skill level at higher levels.

 

[arttk]

I'm of the exact opposite mentality.

At this age and this level and this stage of his development, I *want* him to be taking chances with the puck, making high-risk plays, making mistakes, learning what he can get away with and what he can't.

He's a smart player and it's easy to 'coach down' at higher levels and get him to make safer plays with the puck. But this is probably the weakest part of his game right now and if you coach any risk-taking out of him and just get him to make safe plays, his puck skills/offensive IQ probably won't develop in the same way and it's a hell of a lot harder to 'coach up' his skill level at higher levels.

That’s why he should spend another year there. Be the guy, try stuff and learn. He’s good enough defensively but he needs the opportunity to be the main offensive guy and develop.