I've religiously followed UNH hockey for the last 25 years - I love Grayson Downing. I'm not going to make any predictions on a pro-career, but as far as an NCAA free agent signing, I think this is a GREAT one for the Minnesota Wild (zero risk, high reward).
UNH is well known for turning out top-end forwards. Unfortunately, the offensive talent to come through Durham the last four years has been incredibly disappointing. The coaches have not recruited well recently and the top recruits they did land, for the most part, never made it to campus.
Except for Downing. If he plays at UNH 5-10 years ago, with the talent the program is known for producing at forward, he blows away 112 points in 144 games and is likely somewhere in the neighborhood of 150-175. He would have received MUCH more acclaim in terms of conference and national awards and attention and signing him to an NHL free-agent deal would have been an absolute battle...
He is not only the best forward on his own college team this year - he's one of the best in Hockey East and nationally. Over the course of his UNH career he has had to create and generate offense almost by himself. In the last four years, UNH has had very few truly talented forwards and Downing VERY rarely played with any those more talented players. UNH always counted on Downing's ability to balance the scoring, understanding that he could do so much individually and, with the help of lesser skilled forwards give UNH two dependable scoring lines...
The kid has a great stick, a great shot, can carry and handle the puck and is always in the right spot offensively. He works hard, gets to the net and was one of UNH's two-best defensive forwards and the best penalty-killer. He can contribute in so many different ways...
He's not a burner or a guy with super smooth mitts - but when he wants to keep the puck, its awful hard to get it away from him and when he wants to get somewhere on the ice, its awful hard to keep him from doing soo...
UNH is well known for turning out top-end forwards. Unfortunately, the offensive talent to come through Durham the last four years has been incredibly disappointing. The coaches have not recruited well recently and the top recruits they did land, for the most part, never made it to campus.
Except for Downing. If he plays at UNH 5-10 years ago, with the talent the program is known for producing at forward, he blows away 112 points in 144 games and is likely somewhere in the neighborhood of 150-175. He would have received MUCH more acclaim in terms of conference and national awards and attention and signing him to an NHL free-agent deal would have been an absolute battle...
He is not only the best forward on his own college team this year - he's one of the best in Hockey East and nationally. Over the course of his UNH career he has had to create and generate offense almost by himself. In the last four years, UNH has had very few truly talented forwards and Downing VERY rarely played with any those more talented players. UNH always counted on Downing's ability to balance the scoring, understanding that he could do so much individually and, with the help of lesser skilled forwards give UNH two dependable scoring lines...
The kid has a great stick, a great shot, can carry and handle the puck and is always in the right spot offensively. He works hard, gets to the net and was one of UNH's two-best defensive forwards and the best penalty-killer. He can contribute in so many different ways...
He's not a burner or a guy with super smooth mitts - but when he wants to keep the puck, its awful hard to get it away from him and when he wants to get somewhere on the ice, its awful hard to keep him from doing soo...
