R S
Registered User
- Sep 18, 2006
- 25,468
- 10
It’s no secret that NHL teams still prefer “big” prospects when making selections at the NHL Draft.
The success of “big” players vs. “small” has been well documented, including in this recent piece by MoneyPuck over at CanucksArmy.com. That piece concludes that big players do tend to have a better chance at succeeding at the NHL level. Are they given better opportunities due to their size? Does their size provide them with more versatility up and down the lineup? It’s hard to say, but it is important to note that the bias towards big vs. small does still exist in a big way.
You only have to look back to last year’s NHL Draft to see that first-hand.
It’s pretty clear how much size is a priority when 94 of the first 120 selections (78.3%) are used on players listed at 6’0 or taller.
The first 5’9 or shorter player (Brayden Point) wasn’t taken until the 79th overall selection. A few months later Point was a strong performer on Canada’s World Junior Team and the selection by the Tampa Bay Lightning looks better and better every day.
Here’s a full breakdown of players taken in 2014 who were 5’9 or shorter, like Point.
With that type of information in mind, I’ve decided to outline a few “big” WHL forwards who are attracting some attention for the 2015 NHL Draft. Here is a brief rundown on 9 forwards who offer an interesting combination of size and skill.
Paul Bittner – LW – Portland Winterhawks – 6’4 – 202
Games: 53
Goals: 26
Assists: 26
Points: 52
Pts/Game: 0.98
PIM: 52
Bittner is a no-brainer for this list due to his combination of length and immense skill level. While his lack of consistent physicality would keep me from calling him a “power forward” there is no doubt that he is trending towards becoming a 1st round pick in 2015. Bittner doesn’t usually go out of his way to throw his weight around on an overly frequent basis and only has 3 career WHL fights on his resume. But, that’s not to say he doesn’t play physical when he needs to or use his size effectively. He’s extremely long and tall and that automatically makes him a tough guy to defend both on the rush and once the Winterhawks gain the zone and set up offensively. His long reach allows him to protect the puck while also giving him a major advantage on the defensive side of the puck. His long and powerful skating stride continues to improve and he owns one of the best shots among the entire 2015 NHL Draft class (which has allowed him to pot 26 goals through 53 games so far this year). While his overall intensity from shift to shift has been a bit of a knock at times this season, there is no doubt that he has an enormously high ceiling. Expect him to be drafted within the first 20 or 25 selections come draft day in June.
Ryan Gropp – LW – Seattle Thunderbirds – 6’2 – 183
Games: 54
Goals: 23
Assists: 23
Points: 46
Pts/Game: 0.85
PIM: 30
Like with Bittner, I don’t think Gropp will ever get confused for a true “power forward”. At the end of the day he only has 52 PIMs in 122 career WHL games with no fights on record. But that’s not necessarily what this list is. Gropp is an impressive combination of size and skill, which obviously intrigues teams when looking back at draft history. The product of Kamloops is a smooth and powerful skater and a guy that I consider to be very much a north-south player. He owns a good set of hands and one of the best shots in the draft. He can wire the puck, has an elite-level release and is a definite threat to score from anywhere within the top of the circles. And while his game maybe lack a bit of overall toughness, that’s not me saying he’s soft because he isn’t. He will go into the corners, play in tough areas and finish his checks. At this stage of the season I have him ranked as the 10th best WHL player the draft has to offer and I think he will come off the board sometime in the back half of the 2nd round or early in the 3rd.
Adam Musil – RW/C – Red Deer Rebels – 6’3 – 208
Games: 53
Goals: 11
Assists: 20
Points: 31
Pts/Game: 0.58
PIM: 55
Rugged and heavy are just two words you can use to describe Musil’s game. The son of former NHLer Frantisek Musil continues to show nice progression in his second WHL season. While listed as a centre, the product of Delta, BC has mostly spent time on the Rebels 3rd line as a right-winger this year, patrolling the boards and being extremely tough to play against. The big winger has really improved his skating over the past 18 months and his constantly-improving speed provides a great compliment to his strong play in the cycle game. He wins a massive amount of board battles due to being extremely strong on his stick and having a mature understanding of stick and body positioning. While his offensive production hasn’t shown a massive increase from last year (he has 31 points in 53 games after 29 in 60 last year) he has some tools including a surprisingly soft set of hands. I think Musil plays an extremely mature and pro-style game and I expect him to be a guy who comes off the board somewhere in the 45-60 range come draft day.
Adam Helewka – LW – Spokane Chiefs – 6’1 – 202
Games: 55
Goals: 31
Assists: 34
Points: 65
Pts/Game: 1.18
PIM: 55
Helewka is one of two 1995-born players to crack this list and the only one to be going through the NHL Draft for a third time. But, the Chiefs veteran and alternate captain’s progression as a player is just too strong for me to ignore regarding my draft rankings. Like some of the others on this list Helewka isn’t a guy that runs around, smashes into bodies and drops the mitts. He’s just a big and strong kid who does a lot of little things well, showing steady growth in almost every way over the last calendar year or more. His speed isn’t outstanding but he possesses good power in his edges. He has good puck protection skill, 200 foot hockey sense, the ability to dish the puck and an absolute rocket of a shot. That hockey sense and shot have allowed him to score more than 30 goals already this year in 55 games, nearly matching the total of his first two WHL seasons combined (he had 33 goals in 122 regular season WHL games coming into this year). While his ceiling may not be as high as some other players in this draft, I see him as being a player worth drafting. He’s a kid that doesn’t cut any corners out on the ice and really drives play up the ice with his mature and ever-improving skillset. It’s hard to say if he will be drafted this year but I definitely wouldn’t be afraid to call his name in the 6th or 7th round if I were an NHL GM or head scout.
Dryden Hunt – LW – Medicine Hat Tigers – 6’0 – 200
Games: 59
Goals: 28
Assists: 46
Points: 74
Pts/Game: 1.25
PIM: 46
We go from one “overager” in Helewka to another in Dryden Hunt who is tied with Jesse Gabrielle as the shortest player on this list at 6’0. But, despite being only 6’0, he’s built like a fire hydrant as he is thick and powerful. While his top speed is pretty decent for a player of his mass, his footwork and acceleration both could still use some cleaning up. His size and strength definitely help him excel in other areas of the game as he is tough to play against along the walls and in the corners and regularly throws powerful hits. He has the ability to both handle and execute tough passes, giving him a nice complement to his best asset which is his shot. Hunt absolutely rips the puck, including having an extremely dangerous one-timer. His well-rounded and impressive skillset has translated into 28 goals split between Regina and Medicine Hat this year, chalking up an additional 46 assists for 74 points in 59 games. Hunt is my highest-ranked overager for the 2015 NHL Draft as he currently sits well inside my top 20 among all WHL players. I know there is some decent buzz around him among NHL scouts and I would think it’s fairly safe to assume he might come off the board somewhere in the area of the 4th round.
Austin Wagner – RW/LW – Regina Pats – 6’2 – 180
Games: 56
Goals: 19
Assists: 18
Points: 37
Pts/Game: 0.66
PIM: 49
The consistent rise of Austin Wagner has been well-documented throughout the year. When I first caught him in training camp for Regina, he really impressed me. He stood out more than I expected based on his two point performance in 42 games last year. He was physical and generated a few good rushes due to his speed in the pair of games I caught. He finished the exhibition portion of the year with 3 points in 4 games and used that as a big stepping stone and confidence booster for the regular season. Flash forward a few months and he’s considered a potential top 75 pick for the NHL Draft with nearly 20 goals and 40 points under his belt in just under 60 games. His production has been impressive, but the most intriguing part of it is just how raw of a player he continues to be. There is still major untapped potential with him. The biggest thing that separates him from some others in the 2015 draft class is his pure speed. He has high-end acceleration and unique pure speed for someone with a 6’2 frame. He has shown the ability to score off the rush due to a great wrister and isn’t shy about taking it to the net. Mix in some decent defensive instincts and some punishing hits, and you have a kid who is an attractive piece for an NHL scout. He will be extra impressive once he gets up near 200 pounds, as long as he can maintain his speed and quickness. His style of game reminds me a lot of NHL veteran Erik Cole and surely NHL teams will give him a long and hard look inside the top 60 come June.
Keegan Kolesar – RW/LW – Seattle Thunderbirds – 6’1.5 – 219
Games: 59
Goals: 18
Assists: 18
Points: 36
Pts/Game: 0.61
PIM: 73
Kolesar is another guy on this list who has started to look more and more like a player as his skating started to catch up to the rest of his development and the development of others. While his overall speed and quickness remain an area in need of improvement, his overall mobility has come leaps and bounds in recent months. His improved ability to get around the ice has allowed to become a far more effective player than he was earlier in his WHL career and that has shown on the stat sheet. Last year he had 8 points in 60 games as a 16 year old rookie. This year he has shown major versatility, playing up and down the lineup in Seattle while posting 18 goals and 36 points in 59 games. But the offence is only one part of Kolesar’s game. He is great example of a 200 foot player, displaying high-end hockey sense and defensive positioning. He’s also similar to Musil in how “heavy” of a game he plays, winning battles, being physical and just being hard to play against. He also leads the 9 players on this list with a total of 7 fights this year. While he may not have elite hands or may not be a top 6 scorer at any of the next levels he plays at, he is the kind of guy that NHL teams target. He’s a major threat to be a strong top 9 player with the size and versatility that every team needs. I think we’ll see him come off the board before the NHL Draft reaches round 5.
Jesse Gabrielle – Regina Pats – LW – 6’0 – 214
Games: 54
Goals: 19
Assists: 17
Points: 36
Pts/Game: 0.66
PIM: 93
While his point totals have taken a hit since his trade from Brandon to Regina, much of Gabrielle’s game has stayed the same. The strong and rugged winger is a major pest, playing an agitating role while displaying an extremely accurate, quick and hard wrist shot. The former 5th round pick of the Wheat Kings has 5 scraps on the year including a major dustup with the above-mentioned Kolesar. As far as his skillset, skating continues to be a bit of a work in progress for the physical forward. I think NHL teams will be attracted to the energy and passion that he plays with and will be hoping that he can continue to refine his offensive game in hopes of him becoming more than a bottom 6 energy guy. His lack of production since he requested a trade and got it, heading to the Pats, has been a bit of a concern for some. He had 25 points in 33 games with the Wheat Kings before the deal but only has 11 in 21 games since. I think despite the fact that he has some issues in his skating and overall offensive potential, there is a lot to like with this player. I think we’ll see him come off the board in the middle of the 2015 NHL Draft, with Gabrielle offering some major value if he falls to the 5th round or later.
Jared Bethune – Prince George Cougars – LW – 6’1 – 185
Games: 51
Goals: 6
Assists: 14
Points: 20
Pts/Game: 0.39
PIM: 33
Many around the WHL were eager to see what Bethune had to offer to the Cougars after he up and left the United States Hockey League this fall and decided to join the New Ice Age in Prince George. While I think many have been a bit surprised by his lack of offence, his rugged nature and compete have been a big part of his game. Bethune is a thick and strong kid, reminding me a lot of Gabriel Landeskog in the way he looks while skating and controlling the puck in the offensive zone. Like the Colorado Avalanche captain, Bethune also has a nice physical aspect to his game. He hits with purpose and you can tell that he will be hitting to hurt once he gets closer to 200 pounds. The big winger also has a smooth and powerful skating stride and is a noted agitator when he wants to be. The product of Minnesota has had a bit of an adjustment period this year as a WHL rookie, posting only 20 points in 51 games. But NHL teams will have watched him plenty considering teammates Jansen Harkins and Brad Morrison are surely drawing NHL interest, so we’ll see if anyone likes him enough to call his name at the draft. Personally I have him ranked in the early 30’s among WHL competition, making him roughly a 7th round player in my books.
Thanks for taking time to read the post and as always, comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.
(Heights for all 2014 NHL Draft prospects were taken from the NHL’s website here)
http://whl-from-above.blogspot.ca/2015/02/whl-offers-abundance-of-size-and-skill.html
The success of “big” players vs. “small” has been well documented, including in this recent piece by MoneyPuck over at CanucksArmy.com. That piece concludes that big players do tend to have a better chance at succeeding at the NHL level. Are they given better opportunities due to their size? Does their size provide them with more versatility up and down the lineup? It’s hard to say, but it is important to note that the bias towards big vs. small does still exist in a big way.
You only have to look back to last year’s NHL Draft to see that first-hand.
It’s pretty clear how much size is a priority when 94 of the first 120 selections (78.3%) are used on players listed at 6’0 or taller.
The first 5’9 or shorter player (Brayden Point) wasn’t taken until the 79th overall selection. A few months later Point was a strong performer on Canada’s World Junior Team and the selection by the Tampa Bay Lightning looks better and better every day.
Here’s a full breakdown of players taken in 2014 who were 5’9 or shorter, like Point.
With that type of information in mind, I’ve decided to outline a few “big” WHL forwards who are attracting some attention for the 2015 NHL Draft. Here is a brief rundown on 9 forwards who offer an interesting combination of size and skill.
Paul Bittner – LW – Portland Winterhawks – 6’4 – 202
Games: 53
Goals: 26
Assists: 26
Points: 52
Pts/Game: 0.98
PIM: 52
Bittner is a no-brainer for this list due to his combination of length and immense skill level. While his lack of consistent physicality would keep me from calling him a “power forward” there is no doubt that he is trending towards becoming a 1st round pick in 2015. Bittner doesn’t usually go out of his way to throw his weight around on an overly frequent basis and only has 3 career WHL fights on his resume. But, that’s not to say he doesn’t play physical when he needs to or use his size effectively. He’s extremely long and tall and that automatically makes him a tough guy to defend both on the rush and once the Winterhawks gain the zone and set up offensively. His long reach allows him to protect the puck while also giving him a major advantage on the defensive side of the puck. His long and powerful skating stride continues to improve and he owns one of the best shots among the entire 2015 NHL Draft class (which has allowed him to pot 26 goals through 53 games so far this year). While his overall intensity from shift to shift has been a bit of a knock at times this season, there is no doubt that he has an enormously high ceiling. Expect him to be drafted within the first 20 or 25 selections come draft day in June.
Ryan Gropp – LW – Seattle Thunderbirds – 6’2 – 183
Games: 54
Goals: 23
Assists: 23
Points: 46
Pts/Game: 0.85
PIM: 30
Like with Bittner, I don’t think Gropp will ever get confused for a true “power forward”. At the end of the day he only has 52 PIMs in 122 career WHL games with no fights on record. But that’s not necessarily what this list is. Gropp is an impressive combination of size and skill, which obviously intrigues teams when looking back at draft history. The product of Kamloops is a smooth and powerful skater and a guy that I consider to be very much a north-south player. He owns a good set of hands and one of the best shots in the draft. He can wire the puck, has an elite-level release and is a definite threat to score from anywhere within the top of the circles. And while his game maybe lack a bit of overall toughness, that’s not me saying he’s soft because he isn’t. He will go into the corners, play in tough areas and finish his checks. At this stage of the season I have him ranked as the 10th best WHL player the draft has to offer and I think he will come off the board sometime in the back half of the 2nd round or early in the 3rd.
Adam Musil – RW/C – Red Deer Rebels – 6’3 – 208
Games: 53
Goals: 11
Assists: 20
Points: 31
Pts/Game: 0.58
PIM: 55
Rugged and heavy are just two words you can use to describe Musil’s game. The son of former NHLer Frantisek Musil continues to show nice progression in his second WHL season. While listed as a centre, the product of Delta, BC has mostly spent time on the Rebels 3rd line as a right-winger this year, patrolling the boards and being extremely tough to play against. The big winger has really improved his skating over the past 18 months and his constantly-improving speed provides a great compliment to his strong play in the cycle game. He wins a massive amount of board battles due to being extremely strong on his stick and having a mature understanding of stick and body positioning. While his offensive production hasn’t shown a massive increase from last year (he has 31 points in 53 games after 29 in 60 last year) he has some tools including a surprisingly soft set of hands. I think Musil plays an extremely mature and pro-style game and I expect him to be a guy who comes off the board somewhere in the 45-60 range come draft day.
Adam Helewka – LW – Spokane Chiefs – 6’1 – 202
Games: 55
Goals: 31
Assists: 34
Points: 65
Pts/Game: 1.18
PIM: 55
Helewka is one of two 1995-born players to crack this list and the only one to be going through the NHL Draft for a third time. But, the Chiefs veteran and alternate captain’s progression as a player is just too strong for me to ignore regarding my draft rankings. Like some of the others on this list Helewka isn’t a guy that runs around, smashes into bodies and drops the mitts. He’s just a big and strong kid who does a lot of little things well, showing steady growth in almost every way over the last calendar year or more. His speed isn’t outstanding but he possesses good power in his edges. He has good puck protection skill, 200 foot hockey sense, the ability to dish the puck and an absolute rocket of a shot. That hockey sense and shot have allowed him to score more than 30 goals already this year in 55 games, nearly matching the total of his first two WHL seasons combined (he had 33 goals in 122 regular season WHL games coming into this year). While his ceiling may not be as high as some other players in this draft, I see him as being a player worth drafting. He’s a kid that doesn’t cut any corners out on the ice and really drives play up the ice with his mature and ever-improving skillset. It’s hard to say if he will be drafted this year but I definitely wouldn’t be afraid to call his name in the 6th or 7th round if I were an NHL GM or head scout.
Dryden Hunt – LW – Medicine Hat Tigers – 6’0 – 200
Games: 59
Goals: 28
Assists: 46
Points: 74
Pts/Game: 1.25
PIM: 46
We go from one “overager” in Helewka to another in Dryden Hunt who is tied with Jesse Gabrielle as the shortest player on this list at 6’0. But, despite being only 6’0, he’s built like a fire hydrant as he is thick and powerful. While his top speed is pretty decent for a player of his mass, his footwork and acceleration both could still use some cleaning up. His size and strength definitely help him excel in other areas of the game as he is tough to play against along the walls and in the corners and regularly throws powerful hits. He has the ability to both handle and execute tough passes, giving him a nice complement to his best asset which is his shot. Hunt absolutely rips the puck, including having an extremely dangerous one-timer. His well-rounded and impressive skillset has translated into 28 goals split between Regina and Medicine Hat this year, chalking up an additional 46 assists for 74 points in 59 games. Hunt is my highest-ranked overager for the 2015 NHL Draft as he currently sits well inside my top 20 among all WHL players. I know there is some decent buzz around him among NHL scouts and I would think it’s fairly safe to assume he might come off the board somewhere in the area of the 4th round.
Austin Wagner – RW/LW – Regina Pats – 6’2 – 180
Games: 56
Goals: 19
Assists: 18
Points: 37
Pts/Game: 0.66
PIM: 49
The consistent rise of Austin Wagner has been well-documented throughout the year. When I first caught him in training camp for Regina, he really impressed me. He stood out more than I expected based on his two point performance in 42 games last year. He was physical and generated a few good rushes due to his speed in the pair of games I caught. He finished the exhibition portion of the year with 3 points in 4 games and used that as a big stepping stone and confidence booster for the regular season. Flash forward a few months and he’s considered a potential top 75 pick for the NHL Draft with nearly 20 goals and 40 points under his belt in just under 60 games. His production has been impressive, but the most intriguing part of it is just how raw of a player he continues to be. There is still major untapped potential with him. The biggest thing that separates him from some others in the 2015 draft class is his pure speed. He has high-end acceleration and unique pure speed for someone with a 6’2 frame. He has shown the ability to score off the rush due to a great wrister and isn’t shy about taking it to the net. Mix in some decent defensive instincts and some punishing hits, and you have a kid who is an attractive piece for an NHL scout. He will be extra impressive once he gets up near 200 pounds, as long as he can maintain his speed and quickness. His style of game reminds me a lot of NHL veteran Erik Cole and surely NHL teams will give him a long and hard look inside the top 60 come June.
Keegan Kolesar – RW/LW – Seattle Thunderbirds – 6’1.5 – 219
Games: 59
Goals: 18
Assists: 18
Points: 36
Pts/Game: 0.61
PIM: 73
Kolesar is another guy on this list who has started to look more and more like a player as his skating started to catch up to the rest of his development and the development of others. While his overall speed and quickness remain an area in need of improvement, his overall mobility has come leaps and bounds in recent months. His improved ability to get around the ice has allowed to become a far more effective player than he was earlier in his WHL career and that has shown on the stat sheet. Last year he had 8 points in 60 games as a 16 year old rookie. This year he has shown major versatility, playing up and down the lineup in Seattle while posting 18 goals and 36 points in 59 games. But the offence is only one part of Kolesar’s game. He is great example of a 200 foot player, displaying high-end hockey sense and defensive positioning. He’s also similar to Musil in how “heavy” of a game he plays, winning battles, being physical and just being hard to play against. He also leads the 9 players on this list with a total of 7 fights this year. While he may not have elite hands or may not be a top 6 scorer at any of the next levels he plays at, he is the kind of guy that NHL teams target. He’s a major threat to be a strong top 9 player with the size and versatility that every team needs. I think we’ll see him come off the board before the NHL Draft reaches round 5.
Jesse Gabrielle – Regina Pats – LW – 6’0 – 214
Games: 54
Goals: 19
Assists: 17
Points: 36
Pts/Game: 0.66
PIM: 93
While his point totals have taken a hit since his trade from Brandon to Regina, much of Gabrielle’s game has stayed the same. The strong and rugged winger is a major pest, playing an agitating role while displaying an extremely accurate, quick and hard wrist shot. The former 5th round pick of the Wheat Kings has 5 scraps on the year including a major dustup with the above-mentioned Kolesar. As far as his skillset, skating continues to be a bit of a work in progress for the physical forward. I think NHL teams will be attracted to the energy and passion that he plays with and will be hoping that he can continue to refine his offensive game in hopes of him becoming more than a bottom 6 energy guy. His lack of production since he requested a trade and got it, heading to the Pats, has been a bit of a concern for some. He had 25 points in 33 games with the Wheat Kings before the deal but only has 11 in 21 games since. I think despite the fact that he has some issues in his skating and overall offensive potential, there is a lot to like with this player. I think we’ll see him come off the board in the middle of the 2015 NHL Draft, with Gabrielle offering some major value if he falls to the 5th round or later.
Jared Bethune – Prince George Cougars – LW – 6’1 – 185
Games: 51
Goals: 6
Assists: 14
Points: 20
Pts/Game: 0.39
PIM: 33
Many around the WHL were eager to see what Bethune had to offer to the Cougars after he up and left the United States Hockey League this fall and decided to join the New Ice Age in Prince George. While I think many have been a bit surprised by his lack of offence, his rugged nature and compete have been a big part of his game. Bethune is a thick and strong kid, reminding me a lot of Gabriel Landeskog in the way he looks while skating and controlling the puck in the offensive zone. Like the Colorado Avalanche captain, Bethune also has a nice physical aspect to his game. He hits with purpose and you can tell that he will be hitting to hurt once he gets closer to 200 pounds. The big winger also has a smooth and powerful skating stride and is a noted agitator when he wants to be. The product of Minnesota has had a bit of an adjustment period this year as a WHL rookie, posting only 20 points in 51 games. But NHL teams will have watched him plenty considering teammates Jansen Harkins and Brad Morrison are surely drawing NHL interest, so we’ll see if anyone likes him enough to call his name at the draft. Personally I have him ranked in the early 30’s among WHL competition, making him roughly a 7th round player in my books.
Thanks for taking time to read the post and as always, comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.
(Heights for all 2014 NHL Draft prospects were taken from the NHL’s website here)
http://whl-from-above.blogspot.ca/2015/02/whl-offers-abundance-of-size-and-skill.html
