Prospect Info: With the 26th selection in the 2013 entry draft, the Ducks select Shea Theodore

[RPGrizzly]

Looking at the scouting reports and general feedback here on Shea, regarding the areas he needs to work on, there seems to be a lot of emphasis on adding muscle mass and getting stronger. I really hope these reports aren't suggesting he needs to hit the gym and start lifting every day. That's a pretty dangerous approach for a player like Theodore. He's 6'2 at 17 years old, he has a lot of filling out to do before he should really consider addressing upper body strength. He's already a great skater and as strange as it sounds, that's what he needs to keep working on as he fills into his frame. Strength is going to come naturally as he fills out and gets older, but skating is the area that is going to need the most attention, no matter how well he can skate right now.

 

[Sojourn]

Looking at the scouting reports and general feedback here on Shea, regarding the areas he needs to work on, there seems to be a lot of emphasis on adding muscle mass and getting stronger. I really hope these reports aren't suggesting he needs to hit the gym and start lifting every day. That's a pretty dangerous approach for a player like Theodore. He's 6'2 at 17 years old, he has a lot of filling out to do before he should really consider addressing upper body strength. He's already a great skater and as strange as it sounds, that's what he needs to keep working on as he fills into his frame. Strength is going to come naturally as he fills out and gets older, but skating is the area that is going to need the most attention, no matter how well he can skate right now.

This isn't football. Getting stronger means legs, core, and being strong on your skates.

 

[RPGrizzly]

This isn't football. Getting stronger means legs, core, and being strong on your skates.

That's my point. Most of the stuff I read on him suggests he needs to get bigger, be more physical, and use his size more effectively in the defensive zone. To me, for a defenseman like Theodore, using his size effectively in the defensive zone means working on his stick skills like using his reach to block off lanes. Not crash and bang. With his skill set he doesn't need to be overly physical. He doesn't need the frame of a Ryan Suter to be effective.

 

[Sojourn]

That's my point. Most of the stuff I read on him suggests he needs to get bigger, be more physical, and use his size more effectively in the defensive zone. To me, for a defenseman like Theodore, using his size effectively in the defensive zone means working on his stick skills like using his reach to block off lanes. Not crash and bang. With his skill set he doesn't need to be overly physical. He doesn't need the frame of a Ryan Suter to be effective.

It might be true that positional work and stick will define his defensive game more than a physical one, but that doesn't mean it isn't important he can handle board work and the more physical side of NHL hockey. At 6'2", you definitely want him to add some size and strength, because it could/should make him a better player. Even an undersized defenseman like Rafalski or Visnovsky worked hard to improve their strength level for that purpose. In the NHL, you want as few weaknesses as possible.

 

[RPGrizzly]

It might be true that positional work and stick will define his defensive game more than a physical one, but that doesn't mean it isn't important he can handle board work and the more physical side of NHL hockey. At 6'2", you definitely want him to add some size and strength, because it could/should make him a better player. Even an undersized defenseman like Rafalski or Visnovsky worked hard to improve their strength level for that purpose. In the NHL, you want as few weaknesses as possible.

He definitely needs to get stronger, but that strength will come over time. He needs to fill in to his frame before he considers bulking up. He might not need to. For now he needs to keep skating, making adjustments as he grows or he could take a step back there. I think his ideal NHL playing size/weight should be around where Ekman-Larsson is at. 6'2, 190.

 

[Sojourn]

I'm not really convinced that strength comes over time. Growing stronger because his body matures really isn't really in the same realm as physical strength for a professional athlete.

 

[Markus078]

First of all, he is so young and he will fill out naturally, that's the most important step. He can still grow to 6.03. Once done he will automatically add weight and muscle. With his size he will end up at around 190-200 lbs which is fine.

I'm not too worried about adding muscle.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

It would be pretty short-sighted of them to draft Theodore to replace Schultz. Shea is probably a good two years away, at the minimum, and team needs change. They would have picked Theodore because they felt he was the BPA, and this is certainly consistent with what they've done in the first two rounds in recent years. It's also a big reason our drafting has been so deserving of praise.

similar skillset was my point of reason