Prospect Info: With the 87th selection in the 2013 entry draft, the Ducks select Keaton Thompson

[Ducks DVM]

Welcome to the Ducks!

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[Doothpick]

Scouting report on The Hockey Writers -> Link

 

[duckaroosky]

Looks like Matt Beleskey

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

He seems to have dropped a bit. Strong skating seems to be the theme. That, and swinging for the fences with these risk/reward guys.

 

[Exit Dose]

"Consensus aggregate of several services (NHL Numbers): 36"

 

[Vipers31]

Scouting report on The Hockey Writers -> Link

From that link:

Consensus aggregate of several services (NHL Numbers): 36 [...]

[Thompson] is looked to as a steady two-way defenseman with excellent skating and hockey sense.

Thompson knows where to be at all times in all three zones and doesn’t seem to get caught out of position. His quickness and agility help him get back into the play and close down gaps in the defensive zone. He’s a prolific skater and willingly takes the puck up the ice if he does not see any passes available. [...]

NHL Player Comparison:
- Thompson has described himself to play a similar style to Nick Leddy. Like Leddy, he’s very composed with the puck on his stick, can lead a rush, but also is defensively responsible.

From Future Considerations:

“Thompson is a smooth, two-way defenseman who plays a virtually mistake-free game. He’s a graceful, fluid skater who isn’t shy to jump in the rush. Seeing the ice well, he makes a good first pass and makes smart, composed play to relieve pressure.”

From United States of Hockey:

Thompson has tools as he skates well and has shown a willingness to be physical. He also has some solid offensive upside, but he didn’t have ample opportunity to display it at the World Under-18s. [...] Earlier in the year he was beginning to project as a potential first-rounder and was one of my favorites early on. The tools are all still there.

From DraftSite:

Joined Fargo as a 15 year old. Excellent all-around reliable defenseman with size, skill and some snarl. Shows the makings of good all-around defenseman, due to his natural poise and balance. Excellent competitor who can handle all situations. The team that drafts him knows from the get-go that his understanding and poise and abilities, with no long-term development to fix areas of concern.

Sounds more than fine.

 

[Static]

This kid sounds like Lindholm

 

[Vipers31]

"Consensus aggregate of several services (NHL Numbers): 36"

Beat me to it.

 

[bumperkisser]

why did this guy drop? does not have good upside?

 

[Vipers31]

why did this guy drop? does not have good upside?

There were a lot of different players available that were in their way intruiging. In addition to that, some teams went entirely off the board, for agitators and goons, so there were a lot of really talented kids still there at the end of the 3rd in Lodge, Thompson, Bjorkstrand, Cehlarik and probably more. It was a weird day.

 

[ShadowDuck]

Looks like Matt Beleskey

Holy ****

 

[HanSolo]

I like this pick as a 3rd round selection. Maybe not the sexiest name we could've grabbed, but we easily could've done worse.

 

[snarktacular]

He compares himself to Nick Leddy? Way to shoot high, kid.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Those write ups sound better than our first round pick. So how does he go from potential first rounder to 87th? There couldn't be 57 off the board picks in such a "deep" draft.

 

[Exit Dose]

Those write ups sound better than our first round pick. So how does he go from potential first rounder to 87th? There couldn't be 57 off the board picks in such a "deep" draft.

Everyone doesn't share the same draft rankings. Note, even we didn't take him at 45.

 

[bumperkisser]

He compares himself to Nick Leddy? Way to shoot high, kid.

sarcasm? or no? i can't tell but he only said style of play lol. he didn't say thats who he aspires to be, nor did he say he models his game after him. they just have similar styles of play

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Everyone doesn't share the same draft rankings. Note, even we didn't take him at 45.

Sure. But the write ups quoted all sound like much more than a 3rd round pick. They truly sound like what you read about 1st rounders.

 

[Vipers31]

Sure. But the write ups quoted all sound like much more than a 3rd round pick. They truly sound like what you read about 1st rounders.

True. It does seem to be a bit of an anomaly with him, but generally, these publicly available scouting reports tend to be very friendly and optimistic. Those comments were collected for his profile in one spot, so the selection of those quotes themselves was probably a bit friendly on its own. To further help that impression, my very own selection of which parts of the quotes I'd leave out ("[...]") probably play a bit of a role, as well. I do see and agree with your point, though - it still does sound incredibly well for a 3rd round pick. Those reports most likely do not reflect the opinions of the majority of NHL scouts.

But it would be much coller if we just ignored that, believed in his 1st round talent, declared his fall to us a miracle and started rejecting offers of star players for him.


EDIT: To counter my highly positive selection of sentences from the United States of Hockey piece, here's the entire thing:

Keaton Thompson — Thompson’s been on a slight slide on some draft rankings and his performance in Sochi is unlikely to curtail it. Thompson’s ice time fluctuated over the course of the tournament, as his top-four minutes slowly became closer to that of a fifth or sixth defenseman at times. Thompson has tools as he skates well and has shown a willingness to be physical. He also has some solid offensive upside, but he didn’t have ample opportunity to display it at the World Under-18s. Prone to some poor decision making with the puck, Thompson seemed to lack confidence while carrying it. At times he was overmatched against top lines defensively as well. The fact is, Thompson still has a lot of upside. The tools are there to be a very gifted defenseman, but he’s somewhat in a holding pattern. Earlier in the year he was beginning to project as a potential first-rounder and was one of my favorites early on. The tools are all still there. It’s just a matter of putting them all together with some improved decisions and confidence. He has the ability, but it could take a little time for it all to materialize. 7 GP, 0-1–1, 2 PIM, -2.
Projected Draft Range: Mid-Third Round.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

True. It does seem to be a bit of an anomaly with him, but generally, these publicly available scouting reports tend to be very friendly and optimistic. Those comments were collected for his profile in one spot, so the selection of those quotes themselves was probably a bit friendly on its own. To further help that impression, my very own selection of which parts of the quotes I'd leave out ("[...]") probably play a bit of a role, as well. I do see and agree with your point, though - it still does sound incredibly well for a 3rd round pick. Those reports most likely do not reflect the opinions of the majority of NHL scouts.

But it would be much coller if we just ignored that, believed in his 1st round talent, declared his fall to us a miracle and started rejecting offers of star players for him.


EDIT: To counter my highly positive selection of sentences from the United States of Hockey piece, here's the entire thing:

You mean like some already do with certain of our prospects? Youth movement! Trade the vets!

 

[Vipers31]

You mean like some already do with certain of our prospects? Youth movement! Trade the vets!

No, no, any similarities between that proposal of mine and already existing tendencies of members of our fanbase are entirely coincidental...

 

[Kalv]

True. It does seem to be a bit of an anomaly with him, but generally, these publicly available scouting reports tend to be very friendly and optimistic. Those comments were collected for his profile in one spot, so the selection of those quotes themselves was probably a bit friendly on its own. To further help that impression, my very own selection of which parts of the quotes I'd leave out ("[...]") probably play a bit of a role, as well. I do see and agree with your point, though - it still does sound incredibly well for a 3rd round pick. Those reports most likely do not reflect the opinions of the majority of NHL scouts.

But it would be much coller if we just ignored that, believed in his 1st round talent, declared his fall to us a miracle and started rejecting offers of star players for him.


EDIT: To counter my highly positive selection of sentences from the United States of Hockey piece, here's the entire thing:

Others report that he have great hockey sense but here it states that he makes bad decisions. Who can we trust?

 

[Koffein]

Others report that he have great hockey sense but here it states that he makes bad decisions. Who can we trust?

I read his game reports from HP's black book and they had very mixed opinions on him from game to game, one of the reports even starts with "what a difference a day makes" so it seems he can be wildy inconsistent at this point. It would explain the differences in the reports on him from various sources.

 

[Vipers31]

Others report that he have great hockey sense but here it states that he makes bad decisions. Who can we trust?

I think we can trust all of them, and conclude that it's not a trait that is there consistently with him. If it was, that itself would likely have made him a 2nd rounder. I'd also link it with what the one author mentioned regarding confidence. After all, hockey IQ is never something tangible, it's always something you deduct from what's happening. And between simple execution of the idea you have or different thoughts (not going with the idea you have because you aren't convinced you can pull off the pass / don't want to risk making a mistake) there's quite some influences that can change whether a number of bad plays is a problem of hockey IQ or a matter of lack of execution, confidence, etc...