French Toast Mafia Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 http://www.whl.ca/page/prospects-central-whl-graduates-in-the-nhl Quoted from the above website: The Western Hockey League is proud to announce that 20% of all players who have played in the National Hockey League through the first month of the 2012-13 season are graduates of the WHL. Of the 778 players who had played at least one game in the NHL as of February 19, 2013, 156 are graduates of the WHL. In addition to the 156 players, there are 36 WHL graduates currently on the coaching staff of NHL clubs, and another 29 WHL graduates who currently occupy key management positions with NHL clubs. The Calgary Flames and Dallas Stars boast the most WHL graduates to have played this season with nine apiece, while the Phoenix Coyotes and Washington Capitals have seen eight WHL grads suit up for the team this season. All 30 teams in the NHL have at least one WHL grad who have played in the NHL this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustapha Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 ^^ Why would you spend so much time writing that out... Who said I did. It's called Copy & Paste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apple Juice Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Another thing that you seem to be implying is that a player has to be a top scorer to make the NHL. That completely eliminates most defenseman from the conversation. If anything, the WHL has arguably been the best producer of top defenseman over the last 4 years. L.Schenn, Meyers, Sbisa, Boychuk, Cowen, Murray, Reinhart, Rielly, Mueller, Pulock, and Jones. Dion Phaneuf as well. Was a monster when he was with Red Deer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Slot Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 I think the OP had an idea but didn't research much, idea based on instinct/gut feel, which many of us have. But given the list here, I'd disagree, some great names in the NHL who came out of the WHL, this is just present, but there are some great names who are coaching now from the past as well (ie Neidermayer).. So, if this list is any proxy of the talent historically well the WHL has been great...and as many posters have mentioned, perhaps the nucks need to focus here a bit more because of that 'bias' in the league that OHL players are better. This list certainly doesn't support that view, so if you can get a great player in a later round, we should be doing our best to find them in our backyard. http://www.whl.ca/page/prospects-central-whl-graduates-in-the-nhl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Toast Mafia Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 I think another aspect that can be looked at as well is the team that the player got drafted from. I believe that the junior team has a very big role on whether or not players are physically and mentally prepared to make it to the NHL. The personnel on each team take different approaches to players and that is why some junior teams have lots of alumni in the NHL and others do not. As previously mentioned, Kelowna has a pretty good list of former players that have graduated to the NHL. However, Medicine Hat also has a pretty good list of alumni as well and I think that bodes well for Shinkaruk as the Tigers organization knows how to prepare him to succeed in the NHL because they have done well for multiple players before him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkpuncher Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 If you look only at the top 10 scorers stats in the whl in the last 10 years then perhaps the OP has a point. The reason for this is the top 10 scorers are mostly overage juniors playing against boys so the numbers are inflated, so take a look at the players in their draft year putting up those numbers more into account. But you have to look at the larger picture which is more players from the Dub get drafted into the NHL more than any other league in the world. Whether or not they all become Nhl stars is one thing but I am sure in professional leagues all over the world are littered with former Whl players especially dmen and goalies who don't make the top 10 in scoring. While it is true the superstar NHLers like the first overall picks in the last several years have come from the OHL just look at Kane,Stamkos,Tavares,Hall and Yakupov just to name a few. If you probably ask Mike Gillis he would likely agree with you since he has a hard on for OHL players even if players like Gallagher are right in your own backyard. If your scouts are good and your development is even better it really should matter where the prospect is from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Horvat Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Good facts/points but you can't base everything on scoring, if they had 70+ points and not drafted early, they must've had flaws in the other parts of their game. There are many 2 way players that were drafted from the NHL that didn't score that many in the juniors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venom52 Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 The WHL produces great players just like the other 2 leagues. WHL is excellent at developing star defencemen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodyknukles Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 i dont get why the nucks haven't picked more from the WHL, its much easier to scout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaBestPlaceOnEarth Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 I think NHL teams look a little deeper than the top-ten in league scoring when they are scouting for draft day. Heck there is even a chance they might watch some of the games in person, or I don't know, draft a defenceman! Personally I would prefer for the Canucks to draft more WHL players, I watch the league pretty closely and know who a lot of these kids are, seen them play in person, it's always nice to see them get drafted. The Shinkaruk pick was a great pick, he had a terrific year, even though his offensive numbers dropped his all-around game improved and he took on a bigger role on a team that wasn't as good after losing some key guys. If they took some kid from europe of the NCAA I would not have known anything about them! I saw Calgary drafted Kanzig, from the Royals, kind of an odd pick, he's a big, tough guy for sure and not shy about dropping the gloves, but he was maybe the fourth-best blueliner on the team this season and our defence wasn't exactly great. He might play for Calgary now but I gotta give him props for beating the crap out of that guy on Kelowna, whoever it was, he was running around all game and had it coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fincup13 Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Stanley cup finalists were 1st and 3rd in the regular season for lowest Goals against/game and a team will never lose a game it doesn't get scored upon. Maybe the teams in the goal-stingy NHL should be focusing a lot more of their top draft picks on the 3 of 6 guys on the ice that don't play forward. Unless the game dramatically changes, I don't think the NHL will stop scouting the WHL, arguably the best feeder league for defensively skilled players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdgraham Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 my point was merely to compare the exact same information from the two leagues... OHL players who finished top 10 in scoring have a 300% higher chance of making the NHL... that's a fact. I didn't count prospects, simply because I didn't in both leagues. is it really a "fact" that ohl players who finish in the top 10 in scoring have a 300% better chance of making the nhl? thats probably one of the dumber things ive seen on this in a while which is saying a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spliced Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I'm pretty sure Columbus are quite pleased they drafted Ryan Johansen out of the WHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tas Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 draft offensive stars from the ohl, role players and defencemen from the dub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MayRayDown Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 is it really a "fact" that ohl players who finish in the top 10 in scoring have a 300% better chance of making the nhl? thats probably one of the dumber things ive seen on this in a while which is saying a lot Nice of you to bump a year old topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmonberries Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 This guy would disagree with your WHL opinion... That's what they're good at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmonberries Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 draft offensive stars from the ohl, role players and defencemen from the dub. Exactly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saucypass Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 draft offensive stars from the ohl, role players and defencemen from the dub. 100% agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaku Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Simply no. As it has been stated several times in this thread the WHL players are usually much more defensive minded players. There has been a lot of good talent that does come out of the WHL. To say you're wasting a pick on a WHL player is completely ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I definately wouldn't call Eberle, RNH, Etem and Gallagher a "waste of a pick". Just because there are less NHL players to come out of the WHL doesn't mean they're worse, it's all about scouting and how the scouts can compare players amongst leagues. If you see a guy like Eberle in the WHL and a guy with the exact same skill level and points in the OHL, sure you take the OHL guy, but it's not that simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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