The National Hockey League season begins tonight and all eyes will be on the top two draft picks, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres. Their offensive potential has been opening eyes over the past couple of years and will be what fans are wanting to see.
The Carolina Hurricanes top draft pick, number five overall, Defenseman Noah Hanifin has made the team as one of seven Defensemen on the roster coming out of training camp and he is only 18 years old. Offensively, not much will be expected of him as he learns the game of professional hockey but he has a very high upside. He is not a big bruiser but he plays positional defense and is a solid passer from the blueline. He will be under the tutelage of veterans James Wisniewski, who was acquired over the summer, and Justin Faulk. I look for some good things from Hanifin this season.
Showing posts with label Connor McDavid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Connor McDavid. Show all posts
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Draft Prospect Noah Hanifin
The chances are that 6-3, 205 pound draft prospect Defenseman Noah Hanifin of Boston College will have already been taken by the time the Hurricanes step to the podium to announce their pick. He is the top rated Defenseman in the draft and he is widely seen as the overall number three prospect behind Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. The Hurricanes could definitely use some help on Defense but they need help now. Hanifin, who recently turned 18, just completed his Freshman year at Boston College and at 17, was the youngest player to ever suit up for BC. He does have the option to return to college for another season or he could finish out his amateur career there.
In an interview with nhl.com Hanifin describes his game as being more "of an offensive defenseman; I like to rely on my skating a lot and rush the puck up the ice." He likes to model his game after Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings and Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks.
His Head Coach at Boston College Jerry York said in an interview with the Boston Herald that he really believed Hanifin's "offense is going to blossom, with his ability to walk the blue line and find open guys. I think his shot will get better." He is seen as a strong skater.
At 6-3 and 205 pounds, Hanifin is not seen as a bruising defender who is going to go out on the ice and lay the opposition to waste. In the same interview with the Boston Herald Colorado Avalanche amateur scout Neil Shea, who coached Hanifin at an early age and is credited by Hanifin with teaching him a lot of how to play defense, believes that Hanifin "defends by angling guys off the puck, using his stick and he's positionally very sound." Hanifin is seen as a player who will make the smart play on defense versus taking unnecessary risks in his own zone.
Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel will be the first two players to go in the draft and Hanifin will more than likely go at number three or four but if he does fall to number five, the Hurricanes would not be taking a risk by drafting Hanifin. I do believe it would be a draft pick that would pay more dividends three or four years down the road much like Justin Faulk.
In an interview with nhl.com Hanifin describes his game as being more "of an offensive defenseman; I like to rely on my skating a lot and rush the puck up the ice." He likes to model his game after Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings and Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks.
His Head Coach at Boston College Jerry York said in an interview with the Boston Herald that he really believed Hanifin's "offense is going to blossom, with his ability to walk the blue line and find open guys. I think his shot will get better." He is seen as a strong skater.
At 6-3 and 205 pounds, Hanifin is not seen as a bruising defender who is going to go out on the ice and lay the opposition to waste. In the same interview with the Boston Herald Colorado Avalanche amateur scout Neil Shea, who coached Hanifin at an early age and is credited by Hanifin with teaching him a lot of how to play defense, believes that Hanifin "defends by angling guys off the puck, using his stick and he's positionally very sound." Hanifin is seen as a player who will make the smart play on defense versus taking unnecessary risks in his own zone.
Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel will be the first two players to go in the draft and Hanifin will more than likely go at number three or four but if he does fall to number five, the Hurricanes would not be taking a risk by drafting Hanifin. I do believe it would be a draft pick that would pay more dividends three or four years down the road much like Justin Faulk.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
2015 NHL Draft
The Carolina Hurricanes needs are too many to be able to fix in one draft but their most glaring need is on offense. Free agency can help address some of those needs as the Hurricanes have $20 million in cap space. The Hurricanes were 27th in the NHL in scoring last season only averaging 2.2 goals per game. Their leading scorer Eric Staal only had 54 points in 77 games. Their second leading scorer was a Defenseman, Justin Faulk, who also led the team in Assists with 34.
The Carolina Hurricanes have the #5 draft pick. The Hurricanes need a player that is NHL ready like Jeff Skinner was in 2010. The Hurricanes need a forward with some size. The Hurricanes got pushed around by the more physical teams last year. I am not saying they need to turn into a reincarnation of the Broad Street Bullies, but someone who can go into the corners with bad intentions would help free up some of the offense.
Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel will go one and two. That is a given. What happens after that is debatable. I think that Left Wing Lawson Crouse will be available when it comes time for the Hurricanes to pick. He is listed at 6-4 and 212 pounds and is seen as the best, if not only, power forward in the draft. He spent the last two seasons with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League. He also played his way onto the Canadian World Cup Junior team where he had one goal and two assists in seven games.
The Hockey News has Lawson Crouse as the number eight prospect. The International Scouting Services has him at number four. Several of the mock drafts I have seen has Crouse going to the Philadelphia Flyers at number seven. He is on the Hurricanes radar. It depends on what happens before the Hurricanes get to pick will dictate who they select. Here is hoping the hockey gods are good to the Hurricanes for a change.
The Carolina Hurricanes have the #5 draft pick. The Hurricanes need a player that is NHL ready like Jeff Skinner was in 2010. The Hurricanes need a forward with some size. The Hurricanes got pushed around by the more physical teams last year. I am not saying they need to turn into a reincarnation of the Broad Street Bullies, but someone who can go into the corners with bad intentions would help free up some of the offense.
Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel will go one and two. That is a given. What happens after that is debatable. I think that Left Wing Lawson Crouse will be available when it comes time for the Hurricanes to pick. He is listed at 6-4 and 212 pounds and is seen as the best, if not only, power forward in the draft. He spent the last two seasons with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League. He also played his way onto the Canadian World Cup Junior team where he had one goal and two assists in seven games.
The Hockey News has Lawson Crouse as the number eight prospect. The International Scouting Services has him at number four. Several of the mock drafts I have seen has Crouse going to the Philadelphia Flyers at number seven. He is on the Hurricanes radar. It depends on what happens before the Hurricanes get to pick will dictate who they select. Here is hoping the hockey gods are good to the Hurricanes for a change.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Tanking It
A good draft can make or break any professional sports team's next season. The higher the draft pick, the better your chances of getting that franchise player that can help you turn the corner or get you into the playoffs the next season. That player can put fans in the stands, jerseys sell, and put some excitement back into the faithful. This is true of just about all of the professional sports.
The idea of deliberately trying to lose or "tanking it" to ensure that high draft pick when it is obvious a team is not going to make the playoffs has been a big issue in just about all of the professional sports over the course of the past several seasons. From some fans perspective, if you are going to be bad you might as well be the worst so you can get that high draft pick. #2 draft pick Marcus Mariota of the Tennessee Titans had the #1 selling NFL jersey in the month of May. From my perspective, I hate losing more than I love the high draft pick and if I am going to spend money on my team, I want to see them doing everything possible to win.
The NBA is the only professional sports league that has a lottery style system, although it is weighted, to determine the draft order of the teams that did not make the playoffs. In the NFL it became the "Jameis Winston Sweepstakes" and in the NBA there is not a clear cut #1 Draft Pick. In the NHL it is thought to be Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel. The Edmonton Oilers have the #1 Draft pick this year. This is the fourth year in six seasons they have had the first draft pick. No one can intentionally stink that bad can they?
The Carolina Hurricanes have the #5 pick in this year's draft so they should be able to draft a player that can help immediately. They were able to do that in the past with Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner.
The idea of deliberately trying to lose or "tanking it" to ensure that high draft pick when it is obvious a team is not going to make the playoffs has been a big issue in just about all of the professional sports over the course of the past several seasons. From some fans perspective, if you are going to be bad you might as well be the worst so you can get that high draft pick. #2 draft pick Marcus Mariota of the Tennessee Titans had the #1 selling NFL jersey in the month of May. From my perspective, I hate losing more than I love the high draft pick and if I am going to spend money on my team, I want to see them doing everything possible to win.
The NBA is the only professional sports league that has a lottery style system, although it is weighted, to determine the draft order of the teams that did not make the playoffs. In the NFL it became the "Jameis Winston Sweepstakes" and in the NBA there is not a clear cut #1 Draft Pick. In the NHL it is thought to be Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel. The Edmonton Oilers have the #1 Draft pick this year. This is the fourth year in six seasons they have had the first draft pick. No one can intentionally stink that bad can they?
The Carolina Hurricanes have the #5 pick in this year's draft so they should be able to draft a player that can help immediately. They were able to do that in the past with Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner.
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