2. kierros, 48. varaus, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, CAN, C/RW, Val-d’Or Foreus, 5'11", 187 lbs, s. 10-May-1996, R
Aube-Kubelista tuli kirjoitettua draft-ketjuun jakamassani QMJHL-ennakossa seuraavaa:
Aube-Kubel on mukavan monipuolinen ja tasainen suoritta, jolta ei suurempia heikkouksia löydy, mutta samalla ne selvät vahvuudetkin puuttuvat. Taitoa ja pelikäsitystä löytyy, mutta ei tarvitse puhua mitenkään poikkeuksellisesta lahjakkuudesta, enkä usko tämän nousevan koskaan merkittäväksi tehopelaajaksi NHL:ssä. Tämän vuoksi onkin tärkeää, että pelaa tunnollisesti ja ahkerasti myös puolustussuuntaan, vaikka mistään shutdown-expertistä ei tarvitse puhua. Fyysinen peli onnistuu myös, mutta raamiensa vuoksi tästä on vaikea löytää sitä asetta. Kokonaisuutena on vähän liian tasapaksu tapaus, jotta innostuisin enempää, mutta monipuolisuuden vuoksi luulisi varauksen kuuluvan kolmannella ja viimeistään neljännellä kierroksella.
Muut:
Hockey’s Future:
"With great wheels and a motor that doesn't quit, Aube-Kubel's hard-working and high-energy style of play makes him a versatile addition to any lineup. Whether it is driving the net to create scoring chances or back-checking to prevent them, Aube-Kubel fits the blueprint of a player who can slot into many roles and situations at the next level. With his offensive talents still blossoming, it is hard to say what sort of player he will finally develop into, but he is sure to be the type of player that coaches love."
McKeen's hockey:
"Helped Val d’or capture their third franchise President Cup en route to a heartbreaking triple OT Memorial Cup semi final loss to Edmonton .. stock has climbed considerably since the onset of the playoffs where Aube-Kubel flourished as a complementary secondary scorer contributing 13 points in 24 games (24-4-9-13) .. an elite skater, shifty, using his inside edges well to dangle past players and cut into open ice .. relatively lean he should only improve with added size and strength bringing forth a solid work ethic and strong compete level .. not afraid to get his nose dirty playing with intensity all season willingly hurling his body into traffic areas and high contact zones .. not blessed with an abundance of creativity, he understands the importance of making quick and effective plays which aids in his ability to produce points but does not always utilize his time and space well .. Aube-Kubel was the leading scorer for Team Quebec at the World U17 Challenge in 2012-13 and nearly doubled each offensive statistic this season over his rookie year .. given his work ethic and offensive fortitude he has the attributes to develop into a top nine NHL’er if he grows physically."
Hockey Prospects:
"He is a great explosive skater, possessing blazing top-speed and tremendous agility on his skates. He can turn on a dime pretty easily and get rid of opponents with quick changes in direction. He creates a lot of space for himself that way. He is also a tremendous dangler and he uses his body properly to protect his puck while being in the offensive zone. It's pretty tough for defenders to get the puck away from him. He can dangle through sticks and opponents without much difficulty. He has great balance as well. One of his main qualities is his ability to always get open for his teammates. He works hard on both ends and he is not prone to turnovers at all when he needs to clear the puck out of his zone. He makes the right decisions in the neutral zone and he cuts through the ice pretty well while on the forecheck. His positioning without the puck is great and he will use an active stick to block the passing lanes. Although he adjusted nicely his play on the wings as the season progressed, it won't be a surprise for us to see him moving back at his natural position (center) next year. We would have liked him to be a tad more involved physically, but we see him as a complete player with great vision."
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Sanotaanko näin, etten nyt riemusta ilmaan pompannut ja toivoin hieman eri pelaajia, mutta ihan mielenkiintoinen ja monipuolinen kokonaisuushan kaveri on. Lisäksi tuo paljon niitä elementtejä, mitä Hextall tuntuisi hakevan mm. nopeutta, kaksinkamppailuvoimaa ja kykyä vahvaan kahdensuunnan kiekkoon riittävällä taitotasolla, vielä kun kokoa olisi hitusen enemmän, niin olisi tyyppinä kuin Kingsien hyökkäyksestä.
Voi pelata ensi kaudella vahvasti ja tehokkaasti Q:ssa, mutten usko tästä kasvavan varsinaista tehopelaajaa kärkikenttiin vaan rooli löytynee enemmän liukkaasti liikkuvana kahdensuunnan duunarityyppinä, joka pystyy pelaamaan eri ketjuissa. Kaverin puolustuspelaamista en mitenkään erikseen kehunut osin varmasti siitäkin syystä, että tuota on vaikeampi arvioida satunnaisella otannalla kun on samanaikaisesti läjä pelaajia seurannassa. Hyökkäyspään ratkaisut ja kyvyt on nopeammin bongattavissa. Sanotaanko, että pelasi hyvin ja tunnollisesti puolustussuuntaan, mutten nähnyt tarvetta ylistysoodeille. Kuitenkin liikettä, kohtuudella taitoa ja työteliästä kahdensuunnan kiekkoa, joten palaset olisivat olemassa. Katsellaan miten ura etenee.
3. kierros, 86. varaus, Mark Friedman, USA, D, Waterloo Black Hawks, USHL, 5'10", 185 lbs, s. 25-Dec-1995, R
Pelaaja, jolta en ole otteluakaan nähnyt, enkä mainittavia tiedä. Tilastojen perustella olisi pienikokoinen kovia tehoja tehnyt kiekollinen puolustaja, joka aloittaisi NCAA:ssa ensi syksynä, eli hakevatko tässä uutta Gostisbehereä? No kun ei tiedä, niin paha kommentoida.
Hockey Prospects:
"Excellent speed and highly mobile, Friedman is a superb puck mover. Great stride, low, wide base, he packs a ton of power with each stride and has an explosive burst. Moves the puck up ice through the neutral zone extremely well and is well suited for the power play. Solid slap shot and a very quick, efficient wrist shot. Pucks find the net off of his stick. Very calm and comfortable with the puck. Great passer, especially on the stretch pass. Always tape to tape. High end offensive weapon on defense. Mark is much more reliable defensively than the average offensive defenseman. Good hockey sense, smart, reads the play really well. Excellent anticipation. A cross ice pass in the neutral zone is virtually impossible when Friedman's on the ice. Shot blocking machine. All around, just a great influence to have in your defensive zone. He has the ability to slow the game down and calm things down, never panicked or looking rushed."
Suuresti arvostamani Corey Pronman twiittasi seuraavaa:
"USHL people I talked to earlier in year told me Mark Friedman was a guy to watch. Goes 3rd round to PHI. Very smart, and competes."
Friedman Philly-median tentattavana:
"I didn't think my maturity on and off the ice were ready for college yet," said Friedman, who models his game after Chicago's Johnny Oduya. "The extra year really helped me out."
"All my buddies in minor-midget were going to the (Ontario Hockey League) and I thought it was the cooler thing to go to school. You can't play hockey your whole life. You need something to fall back on. I think the school and college route is the best route for me."
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Tiedä sitten paljonko arvioissa on kermaa kakun päällä, mutta eihän tässä olisi kuvausten perusteella muuta vikaa kuin pieni koko, mikä ei liikkeen ollessa kunnossa ole ylitsepääsemätön ongelma. No, kassellaan.