Why was Jordan Weal drafted in the 3rd round?

[oilsands]

In my quest to examine prolific scorers drafted in the WHL I have come upon this kid.

72gp
35g
67a
102p

playing for the Regina Pats, in his draft year, he goes 3rd round to the Kings. The Pats are not a great team by any stretch. 100 points draft year in the dub and he goes 3rd round, not much success after.

Yet a similarly sized player in RNH, with similar stats is slotted to go #1 overall. I've only ever seen clips, so I can't evaluate the qualitative factors. Can someone explain?

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[Bjorn Le]

Eberle helped his stats a lot last year and his game really isn't suited to the pro game. People whove seen him more than me can answer exactly what about his game though.

Had a good year this year though, but he really isn't a great prospect, great Junior , but not a great prospect.

 

[17Kurri]

There's definitely a size issue at play, but I think he's proved now that the previous season wasn't all to do with playing with Eberle.

 

[gifted88]

Eberle helped his stats a lot last year and his game really isn't suited to the pro game. People whove seen him more than me can answer exactly what about his game though.

Had a good year this year though, but he really isn't a great prospect, great Junior , but not a great prospect.

This is the reason I think, scouts didn't think he'd translate to the pro game too well. He's done wonders this year to prove otherwise.

 

[ocarina]

This is the reason I think, scouts didn't think he'd translate to the pro game too well. He's done wonders this year to prove otherwise.

How so exactly? Not doubting you, but the size issue, as much as I hate to say it, is still there. Is he quick, strong and smart enough to play in the NHL?

 

[leoleo3535]

In my quest to examine prolific scorers drafted in the WHL I have come upon this kid.

72gp
35g
67a
102p

playing for the Regina Pats, in his draft year, he goes 3rd round to the Kings. The Pats are not a great team by any stretch. 100 points draft year in the dub and he goes 3rd round, not much success after.

Yet a similarly sized player in RNH, with similar stats is slotted to go #1 overall. I've only ever seen clips, so I can't evaluate the qualitative factors. Can someone explain?

Weal was 5'8" .........RNH is pushing 6'1"

 

[I am the Liquor]

Because he is four feet tall.

 

[Eytinge]

Because he had the CHL player of the year boosting his stats.

 

[Parise09*]

I highly doubt he plays in the NHL. He's tiny, yet he's also not very fast. There's only one Martin St. Louis (because I know people like to bring him up for EVERY small player).

 

[oilsands]

I understand that RNH is a much better, possibly astronomically better prospect. But I am just trying to understand what separates a player going #1 from a player who goes #70 in the entry draft. Essentially they had the same stats, but Weal, by accounts, is smaller, slower and had some better players to work with.

 

[Parise09*]

I understand that RNH is a much better, possibly astronomically better prospect. But I am just trying to understand what separates a player going #1 from a player who goes #70 in the entry draft. Essentially they had the same stats, but Weal, by accounts, is smaller, slower and had some better players to work with.

Exactly this. Plus RNH has a better shot, better passing ability, better vision etc.

 

[leoleo3535]

Exactly this. Plus RNH has a better shot, better passing ability, better vision etc.

If you have watched RNH you would know why he is ranked as high as he is.
Elite at this level....even put aside the points.

 

[leoleo3535]

Kings signed him today.

 

[Coco the Monkey*]

2 words: Corey Locke.

Exact same thing.

 

[FroshaugFan2]

He is small, same reason Gallagher wasn't drafted till the 5th round.

 

[King'sPawn]

I've only seen a little bit of him, and that's at developmental camp. But from what I've seen, he is an incredibly fast player who has the gift of maintaining that speed even while carrying the puck.

He is, however, very slight at 5'8 and 160ish lbs.

He won't win many battles along the boards, but he is very slick in that he can sneak up on the opposition, lift the stick, and steal the puck away. Unfortunately, that type of defensive play won't translate to the NHL level where the players are a lot more aware, there's a lot more communication, and they're a lot faster.

So, I'd love to see him make the NHL (especially on the Kings), but I just don't think he will make a smooth transition into the NHL from the game he can get away with in juniors.

 

[Konnan511]

Stats aren't everything. Kirk Maltby put 50 goals in a season before in juniors and he was slightly better than a bender while being a great agitator.

 

[Wheatking]

He may have finished with 100+ points but I'm pretty sure he was slightly under a point per game in the 15(give or take) games Eberle wasn't in the line up.

 

[ponder]

In my quest to examine prolific scorers drafted in the WHL I have come upon this kid.

72gp
35g
67a
102p

playing for the Regina Pats, in his draft year, he goes 3rd round to the Kings. The Pats are not a great team by any stretch. 100 points draft year in the dub and he goes 3rd round, not much success after.

Yet a similarly sized player in RNH, with similar stats is slotted to go #1 overall. I've only ever seen clips, so I can't evaluate the qualitative factors. Can someone explain?

How many 5'8" centers are there in the NHL? Answer this question and the answer to your question should be obvious. Tiny guys rarely make it in the NHL, and when they do they're generally wingers, I guess Weal could convert to the wing but that's just one more obstacle. On top of the size issue, scouts could further convince themselves to stay away because his stats might have been inflated by playing with a CHL superstar in Eberle.

 

[leoleo3535]

How many 5'8" centers are there in the NHL? Answer this question and the answer to your question should be obvious. Tiny guys rarely make it in the NHL, and when they do they're generally wingers, I guess Weal could convert to the wing but that's just one more obstacle. On top of the size issue, scouts could further convince themselves to stay away because his stats might have been inflated by played with a CHL superstar in Eberle.

yet they didn't ....he was drafted and he is now signed.

 

[ponder]

yet they didn't ....he was drafted and he is now signed.

The point is that those stats are awesome for a player in his draft year in the WHL, but he still dropped to the 3rd round, because of his size/playing with Eberle. Obviously there's way more to every prospect than stats, but recently most guys who put up 100+ points in the WHL in their draft year go a lot higher than the 3rd round if they have at least average size and no truly exceptional linemates.

 

[pmorris]

Because the dude is going to become the next Keith Aucoin, and nobody really wants to draft the next Keith Aucoin.

 

[deano]

Eberle helped his stats a lot last year and his game really isn't suited to the pro game. People whove seen him more than me can answer exactly what about his game though.

Had a good year this year though, but he really isn't a great prospect, great Junior , but not a great prospect.

Lol, okay, sure thing scout. Weal was drafted because he has pro potential. Teams don't draft you otherwise. Especially the LA Kings, who've been drafting some very promising players. He's tenacious, which is something you have to be if you're a player his size. He's a smart player, works his butt off, and puts up more points than most in junior. Work ethic, skill and smarts will get you to the NHL more times than a junior kid with sick skills and no heart. Not saying he's going to make it, but he has as good a shot as anybody

 

[R S]

Because the dude is going to become the next Keith Aucoin, and nobody really wants to draft the next Keith Aucoin.

And how much of Weal have you even seen live while living in NYC?

 

[R S]

Eberle helped his stats a lot last year and his game really isn't suited to the pro game. People whove seen him more than me can answer exactly what about his game though.

Had a good year this year though, but he really isn't a great prospect, great Junior , but not a great prospect.

Oh jeeze......

The Kings wouldn't have committed to the kid for 3 years if they didn't think he was going to be a solid player........