MATHEW WOOD IS THE BEST PLAYER TO TAKE

[-Vintage Canuck-]

5 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

A Vancouver Island player and hockeygod77. Name a more iconic duo.

hockeygod76 and hockeygod77?

[King Heffy]

1 hour ago, DeepV said:

We need prospects who are hungry, not guys with a pattern of being aloof

Have you ever seen Wood play?  The guy lived with Bedard for a year and all scouting reports list work ethic and hockey sense as strengths of his.

[Coconuts]

1 hour ago, -AJ- said:

A Vancouver Island player and hockeygod77. Name a more iconic duo.

A Vancouver Island player and Coconuts, who like Wood was also born in Nanaimo 

 

Coconuts are literally wooden 

[timberz21]

1 hour ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Thanks for the article.  Wood is the classic case of a big man who is still growing into his body and is not fully mature yet.  Once he gets to that next level and fully matures he will pass most of the players in this draft.  Those who prefer Barlow to Wood aren't quite understanding that Barlow has already peaked, while Wood is only at like 75% of his potential.  Wood got 13 points at the U18's, Barlow only had 4.  Any team taking Barlow over Wood is going to seriously regret it.  It will be like taking Juolevi over Sergachev or McAvoy.  I hope the Canucks don't make that mistake.  If Wood is there at 11 he is the guy.  You run to the podium and get him...

Based on Bobby Mac's ranking which is based on NHL scout survey's says Barlow is one rank ahead.  I guess there a lot of NHL scout who have no clue.

 

Honestly, I haven't seen either play, so I won't pretend to know which one is better.  However, there is a tendency when a player like Milan Lucic comes out of nowhere and suddenly becomes a dominant power forward or a Zdeno Chara becomes a top pair D, everyone is looking for the next one.  Guys like Kassian, Crouse, Greenway, Sustr, Tryamkin, OIeksiak, Hayes are hyped up thinking they are the next one.  I can see the same thing happening in the next few years after the immergence of Tage Thompson.  Usually, lead to a lot of disappointment...

 

If he's the best player, fine with me, but if we are banking that he's going to grow into his body to reach his potential, that's a stretch IMO.  Sometimes that hides the fact that his big body is compensating for his lack of skills against smaller/underdeveloped juniors and when he starts playing against men, the lack of skills catches up.  Not saying that the case for Wood, as I have said, I haven't seen him play.   Just hope that's not the case with him.

[DeepV]

2 hours ago, Dazzle said:

Could you elaborate on what this means for Matthew Wood?

It comes from the comment in the Athletic article: “I think sometimes people think he can just look a little aloof in games" 

[Bure_Pavel]

1 hour ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Thanks for the article.  Wood is the classic case of a big man who is still growing into his body and is not fully mature yet.  Once he gets to that next level and fully matures he will pass most of the players in this draft.  Those who prefer Barlow to Wood aren't quite understanding that Barlow has already peaked, while Wood is only at like 75% of his potential.  Wood got 13 points at the U18's, Barlow only had 4.  Any team taking Barlow over Wood is going to seriously regret it.  It will be like taking Juolevi over Sergachev or McAvoy.  I hope the Canucks don't make that mistake.  If Wood is there at 11 he is the guy.  You run to the podium and get him...

I have also been very high on Wood for a long time, he was criminally underrated at the start of the year. Barlow will still be a valuable player on an NHL team as a swiss army knife guy but his playmaking leaves some to be desired. Wood just seems like the type of guy who will become a star player, he know exactly whats his strengths and weaknesses are, has high end hockey IQ, and a deep passion for the game above all else.    

Edited May 17, 2023 by Bure_Pavel

[Seannnp]

After watching a few more videos and doing some light reading, its become quite evident that the top two players for the Canucks should be Wood or Reinbacher. Just imagine the 2nd coming of Todd Bertuzzi playing with Petey and Kuzmenko...West Coast Express v2

Edited May 17, 2023 by Seannnp

[MattWN.]

[Canucks Curse]

Wood

wood

Wood

Woood

Wood 

[Dazzle]

2 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Thanks for the article.  Wood is the classic case of a big man who is still growing into his body and is not fully mature yet.  Once he gets to that next level and fully matures he will pass most of the players in this draft.  Those who prefer Barlow to Wood aren't quite understanding that Barlow has already peaked, while Wood is only at like 75% of his potential.  Wood got 13 points at the U18's, Barlow only had 4.  Any team taking Barlow over Wood is going to seriously regret it.  It will be like taking Juolevi over Sergachev or McAvoy.  I hope the Canucks don't make that mistake.  If Wood is there at 11 he is the guy.  You run to the podium and get him...

This is some seriously bad historical revisionism. Totally irks me. People are pretending like they knew Juolevi would bust, when really, he was viewed as an excellent defensive prospect. It's just a shame that injuries and some serious coaching mismanagement (Green benched him after Juolevi got his first NHL goal lol) really hurt his development.

 

I've always said that if the Canucks had picked Sergachev, he would've 100 percent been a bust on the Canucks.

 

Sergachev:

Juolevi:

 

Let's not pretend there was a huge difference between the two prospects.

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by Dazzle

[FaninMex]

11 hours ago, hockeygod77 said:

IM PREDICTING THIS KID WILL BE AN MVP IN THE NHL ..IM SAYING THIS IS THE TYPE OF GUY YOU WANT...YOU COACH HIM TO BE TOUGHER  AND FASTER ..HE WILL BE AS GOOD AS JAIME BENN AND I THINK EICHEL MATHEWS TYPE..NOT SOFT LIKE NUGENT HOPKINS NYLANDER FEW OTHERS WITH SKILL BUT SOFT...DONE MY HOMEWORK AND I THINK HE WILL BE AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER THAN BUDDY BEDARD...

Mathews is soft as butter on a warm day

[Elias Pettersson]

15 minutes ago, Dazzle said:

This is some seriously bad historical revisionism. Totally irks me. People are pretending like they knew Juolevi would bust, when really, he was viewed as an excellent defensive prospect. It's just a shame that injuries and some serious coaching mismanagement (Green benched him after Juolevi got his first NHL goal lol) really hurt his development.

 

I've always said that if the Canucks had picked Sergachev, he would've 100 percent been a bust on the Canucks.

 

Sergachev:

Juolevi:

 

Let's not pretend there was a huge difference between the two prospects.

 

The reference was more for the fact that Juolevi was basically a finished product while Sergachev and McAvoy were still growing, specifically McAvoy.  Juolevi was the safe pick, which is the same with Barlow.  Wood is the McAvoy of this draft, his upside is limitless.

 

I'm sorry, but even without the injuries, Juolevi would not have been at McAvoy's level...

[King Heffy]

6 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

The reference was more for the fact that Juolevi was basically a finished product while Sergachev and McAvoy were still growing, specifically McAvoy.  Juolevi was the safe pick, which is the same with Barlow.  Wood is the McAvoy of this draft, his upside is limitless.

 

I'm sorry, but even without the injuries, Juolevi would not have been at McAvoy's level...

Wood has a legit chance to be a top 5 guy in a redraft situation down the road.  Benson is the only other guy in that range who might have that kind of potential, but he's also got a much lower floor.

[Devron]

For sure needed it’s own thread for this 

[Angry Goose]

3 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Thanks for the article.  Wood is the classic case of a big man who is still growing into his body and is not fully mature yet.  Once he gets to that next level and fully matures he will pass most of the players in this draft.  Those who prefer Barlow to Wood aren't quite understanding that Barlow has already peaked, while Wood is only at like 75% of his potential.  Wood got 13 points at the U18's, Barlow only had 4.  Any team taking Barlow over Wood is going to seriously regret it.  It will be like taking Juolevi over Sergachev or McAvoy.  I hope the Canucks don't make that mistake.  If Wood is there at 11 he is the guy.  You run to the podium and get him...

Barlow has peaked? What? He’s 18 years old 

 

 

And FTR I would pick Barlow over Wood.  While Wood has some very desirable traits, he has some real issues to overcome as well.  His D zone play is not something he takes a lot of pride in, unlike Barlow.

 

Barlow is captain of his team for a reason.  Kid has the mental fortitude to become a solid NHL’r

 

[Angry Goose]

That being said, if Canuck scouts have a very good read on this kid and believe in him, Id have no issues if they selected Wood as well

[King Heffy]

24 minutes ago, Angry Goose said:

Barlow has peaked? What? He’s 18 years old 

 

 

And FTR I would pick Barlow over Wood.  While Wood has some very desirable traits, he has some real issues to overcome as well.  His D zone play is not something he takes a lot of pride in, unlike Barlow.

 

Barlow is captain of his team for a reason.  Kid has the mental fortitude to become a solid NHL’r

 

Defensive responsibility for forwards can be taught, especially when the forward in question is praised for his hockey sense and work ethic.  What makes Wood so appealing for me is the fact that his flaws are all fixable.

Edited May 17, 2023 by King Heffy

[Elias Pettersson]

14 minutes ago, Angry Goose said:

Barlow has peaked? What? He’s 18 years old 

 

 

And FTR I would pick Barlow over Wood.  While Wood has some very desirable traits, he has some real issues to overcome as well.  His D zone play is not something he takes a lot of pride in, unlike Barlow.

 

Barlow is captain of his team for a reason.  Kid has the mental fortitude to become a solid NHL’r

 

Barlow isn't a play driver.  They are comparing him to Tyler Toffoli.  Wood is being compared to Tage Thompson.

 

Tony Ferrari - The Hockey News - Dec. 19th: "He is the definition of a meat and potatoes player who can play up and down a lineup, drive the center lane and finish plays on his stick. Barlow is a garbage man of sorts, cleaning up around the net with good hands in tight."

Sam Cosentino - Sportsnet - Dec. 14th: "Plays with details in his game. Is a threat to score from distance and off the rush."

Colby Barlow - Smaht Scouting - Nov. 25th: "This is a player that I don’t see being able to drive his own line. He has great hands in tight areas, and can unleash a bomb of a wrister, but to see him reach his potential, he’d benefit immensely from a centerman with vision and distribution skills."
 

At the U18's he was greatly surpassed by Wood, who is an elite goal scorer and playmaker.  Wood can do it all, including playing centre.  Once he gets comfortable in his bigger body, he will be a force of nature.  Wood is easily the better long term prospect, and it's not even close really..

[Angry Goose]

5 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Barlow isn't a play driver.  They are comparing him to Tyler Toffoli.  Wood is being compared to Tage Thompson.

 

Tony Ferrari - The Hockey News - Dec. 19th: "He is the definition of a meat and potatoes player who can play up and down a lineup, drive the center lane and finish plays on his stick. Barlow is a garbage man of sorts, cleaning up around the net with good hands in tight."

Sam Cosentino - Sportsnet - Dec. 14th: "Plays with details in his game. Is a threat to score from distance and off the rush."

Colby Barlow - Smaht Scouting - Nov. 25th: "This is a player that I don’t see being able to drive his own line. He has great hands in tight areas, and can unleash a bomb of a wrister, but to see him reach his potential, he’d benefit immensely from a centerman with vision and distribution skills."
 

At the U18's he was greatly surpassed by Wood, who is an elite goal scorer and playmaker.  Wood can do it all, including playing centre.  Once he gets comfortable in his bigger body, he will be a force of nature.  Wood is easily the better long term prospect, and it's not even close really..

Barlow isnt a play driver? That’s a vague definition you rely on.

 

He forechecks very hard, can get to areas along the wall very quickly.  He takes a ton of pride in his D zone play.  He is essentially a very Tocchett like player.  Like Wood, with a good development staff working with him he is going to be a player you absolutely want on your team.

 

It’s funny tho how you compared Juolevi/Sergachev/McAvoy-Olli J being the far worst skater at the time.  Probably not the best analogy to rely on lol.

 

Its all about projection and risk.  I know mentally and athletically what you are getting with Barlow.  I love the traits he has.  With Wood (imo) there is far more risk, but that also comes w incredible upside if he hits.

[Angry Goose]

14 minutes ago, King Heffy said:

Defensive responsibility for forwards can be taught, especially when the forward in question is praised for his hockey sense and work ethic.  What makes Wood so appealing for me is the fact that his flaws are all fixable.

Good defenders have to be great athletes imo.  Hockey sense obviously matters too. Wood (right now) reminds me too much of Boeser.  He is not very agile/quick.  That is something he will have to work very hard at to overcome.  Not saying he cant, and he is only 17, but he is 100% the type of player Id want my scouting staff to know inside and out, on and off the ice.