21st overall - Frederik Gauthier

[Leafaholic99]

TSN Scout Craig Button:
An imposing centre who can play any situation in the game. Very smart and his awareness is excellent both with and without the puck. Can control the game from the centre ice position in multiple ways. He is very difficult to handle offensively and equally difficult to break down defensively. Has very good skating and puck skills and really understands how to play to his strengths for the benefit of the team. Has shown the ability to raise his level of play at critical times and is a very competitive player.

Stats: Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL) | 62 GP | 22 G | 38 A | 60 P | +22 | 26 PIM

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/nhl-draft-prospects-no-23-frederik-gauthier/

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mIvlhucOESI[/youtube]

 

[KW Sluggo]

Nothing against Gauthier but it would have been sweet to have drafted Fucale just to be able to say that we had sweet Fucale in goal.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Well, we're sticking to the draft big people strategy.

 

[LittleHockeyFan]

Nothing against Gauthier but it would have been sweet to have drafted Fucale just to be able to say that we had sweet Fucale in goal.

;D

 

[Stickytape]

Some highlights from the 2013 U-18:

[youtube]aIXVYlIAraA[/youtube]

I like the look of his work on the PK; having that big size and reach with good mobility could be really handy in cutting off the point.  Looks like he buys his sticks in the same place as Chara.

 

[93forever]

A good pick with what was available.  Nonis is doing a decent job so far, hopefully he can complement his picks with a decent ufa or two or via trade that doesn't destroy the core of the team.

 

[Rebel_1812]

it doesn't sound like he has much offensive upside.  Did we waste our first round pick in a deep draft?

 

[Stickytape]

it doesn't sound like he has much offensive upside.  Did we waste our first round pick in a deep draft?

This is my only concern.  Most of his shots are wristers under next to no pressure; that won't cut it in the NHL.  But he has some time to develop, so we'll see.

 

[drummond]

A good pick with what was available.  Nonis is doing a decent job so far, hopefully he can complement his picks with a decent ufa or two or via trade that doesn't destroy the core of the team.

Hunter Shinkaruk?

 

[L K]

66th in QMJHL scoring

He started the season hot with 8G 15P in his first 9 games
He finished the season pretty weak with 6G 9P in 19 games and then had 2 assists in 6 playoff games

You have to like the size, but that's a pretty big tail off in production.  Maybe it's just a lack of conditioning as it was his first year in the QMJHL.  However he just turned 18 and has played one year of Major Junior hockey.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Sounds like a speedster with good puck-handling abilities in more ways than one.  Needs to develop his shot a little, but,.overall good pick.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

A good pick with what was available.  Nonis is doing a decent job so far, hopefully he can complement his picks with a decent ufa or two or via trade that doesn't destroy the core of the team.

Hunter Shinkaruk?

I figured I wouldn't really like our pick unless somebody fell to us. Shinkaruk would have definitely been that guy. Gauthier and Rychel were the two most common names at 21 in mock drafts and neither of them really wow'ed me. Neither did anybody else in the area. Gauthier in particular. I'm not sure how he'll perform once he's playing in a league where he's not the biggest guy on the ice. Granted, I'm sure he'll still end up being a pretty good third line player, I'd just like a guy with a higher ceiling in the first round. It's the same reason I wasn't a huge fan of the Biggs pick.

 

[moon111]

66th in QMJHL scoring

He started the season hot with 8G 15P in his first 9 games
He finished the season pretty weak with 6G 9P in 19 games and then had 2 assists in 6 playoff games

You have to like the size, but that's a pretty big tail off in production.  Maybe it's just a lack of conditioning as it was his first year in the QMJHL.  However he just turned 18 and has played one year of Major Junior hockey.

Pretty sure the broken jaw had something to do with it.  Think Kadri also suffered one and stated it hurt his game for awhile.

 

[maplesyrup]

I figured I wouldn't really like our pick unless somebody fell to us. Shinkaruk would have definitely been that guy. Gauthier and Rychel were the two most common names at 21 in mock drafts and neither of them really wow'ed me. Neither did anybody else in the area. Gauthier in particular. I'm not sure how he'll perform once he's playing in a league where he's not the biggest guy on the ice. Granted, I'm sure he'll still end up being a pretty good third line player, I'd just like a guy with a higher ceiling in the first round. It's the same reason I wasn't a huge fan of the Biggs pick.

@NHL 15h
"In 20 years, I've never seen a kid get back and play defense like he does.? @NHLCentralScout Chris Bordeleau on Frederik Gauthier #NHLDraft

Feel any better?

 

[Zee]

I figured I wouldn't really like our pick unless somebody fell to us. Shinkaruk would have definitely been that guy. Gauthier and Rychel were the two most common names at 21 in mock drafts and neither of them really wow'ed me. Neither did anybody else in the area. Gauthier in particular. I'm not sure how he'll perform once he's playing in a league where he's not the biggest guy on the ice. Granted, I'm sure he'll still end up being a pretty good third line player, I'd just like a guy with a higher ceiling in the first round. It's the same reason I wasn't a huge fan of the Biggs pick.

@NHL 15h
"In 20 years, I've never seen a kid get back and play defense like he does.? @NHLCentralScout Chris Bordeleau on Frederik Gauthier #NHLDraft

Feel any better?

Apparently the Habs wanted him. Anything to screw them over is good with me.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

66th in QMJHL scoring

Not that it's a big difference, but it was actually 55th, and 4th among rookies.

 

[Redleaf]

A player that should provide more defensive mindedness up front. The offense the Leafs have now is pretty good,but they're lacking in the two-way play department. I expect Gauthier to help down the road, and Bolland, and hopefully Horton to provide some of that next season. I think it was a good pick at 21.

 

[moon111]

66th in QMJHL scoring

Not that it's a big difference, but it was actually 55th, and 4th among rookies.

Well in the NHL, it's the difference between Brad Richards and Tyler Sequin.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I figured I wouldn't really like our pick unless somebody fell to us. Shinkaruk would have definitely been that guy. Gauthier and Rychel were the two most common names at 21 in mock drafts and neither of them really wow'ed me. Neither did anybody else in the area. Gauthier in particular. I'm not sure how he'll perform once he's playing in a league where he's not the biggest guy on the ice. Granted, I'm sure he'll still end up being a pretty good third line player, I'd just like a guy with a higher ceiling in the first round. It's the same reason I wasn't a huge fan of the Biggs pick.

@NHL 15h
"In 20 years, I've never seen a kid get back and play defense like he does.? @NHLCentralScout Chris Bordeleau on Frederik Gauthier #NHLDraft

Feel any better?

No, I read all about him prior to the draft. Including that quote. Although I think it's safe to assume that there's a bit of hyperbole involved there.

Let me put it this way. Gauthier is a 6'5'', 210lbs centre who is dynamite on the draw. He's got size, he can skate. He's apparently one of the best defensive forward prospects to come around in years. He's also shown the ability to score in junior among his peers. So why was he never in the conversation to be a top-15 draft pick? There's obviously some warts in his game, and the  big one is his limited upside.

I certainly don't hate the pick. I've said the past couple of days that the reason I don't want Clarkson is because I don't think good teams overpay for their 3rd liners. And the best way to not overpay for them is to develop them yourself. Gauthier could be that guy we develop. I'm just not crazy about using a 1st round pick on a guy like that.

 

[Kin]

No, I read all about him prior to the draft. Including that quote. Although I think it's safe to assume that there's a bit of hyperbole involved there.

Yeah, I think some people tend to forget that the draft is when people make crazy statements like that. Schenn got a lot of that "best defensive prospect in 20 years" stuff too.