11 Reasons Why Your Favourite Team Should Draft Lawson Crouse
By Josh W
9 years agoWe know
that most NHL teams aren’t going to have a chance to win the Stanley Cup this year; 22 will either be eliminated in the first round, or not make the playoffs at all. This means that your favourite hockey team is most likely going to have a 1st round draft pick in the top-20 picks.
that most NHL teams aren’t going to have a chance to win the Stanley Cup this year; 22 will either be eliminated in the first round, or not make the playoffs at all. This means that your favourite hockey team is most likely going to have a 1st round draft pick in the top-20 picks.
With that
being said, unlike both MoneyPuck and Rhys on this blog, I do not have a negative
view of life and I have identified the perfect pick for not only the Canucks, but for any other of your favourite teams: Lawson
Crouse. Crouse is the ideal meat and
potatoes type of player than every NHL team desperately needs for the future success of their franchise and with a little luck and those statsmilts getting their way, he could slip far enough in the draft for your favourite team to grab him!
being said, unlike both MoneyPuck and Rhys on this blog, I do not have a negative
view of life and I have identified the perfect pick for not only the Canucks, but for any other of your favourite teams: Lawson
Crouse. Crouse is the ideal meat and
potatoes type of player than every NHL team desperately needs for the future success of their franchise and with a little luck and those statsmilts getting their way, he could slip far enough in the draft for your favourite team to grab him!
Here are 11 reasons why your favourite hockey team should draft Lawson Crouse over any other of those short, soft Euros and French Canadians available. Read past the jump!
1. Size
As you all know, no one under 6’2″ and 200 lbs has ever scored a goal in the Western Conference. Crouse is
big player, and currently listed at 6’4″, he is the perfect type of power forward
that any team needs in their system instead of a pipsqueak like Nick Merkley.
You know he is going to scare opponents into letting him score, just like in the OHL!
big player, and currently listed at 6’4″, he is the perfect type of power forward
that any team needs in their system instead of a pipsqueak like Nick Merkley.
You know he is going to scare opponents into letting him score, just like in the OHL!
2. Compete
Crouse has
compete. I’ve seen him play a handful of
times on Youtube and boy does he drive to the net hard. He has grit and
determination that all soft non-playoff and bubble teams lack which makes him the perfect complete
player. If you were to measure his
compete per 60, it would easily lead the league. Which league? All of them.
compete. I’ve seen him play a handful of
times on Youtube and boy does he drive to the net hard. He has grit and
determination that all soft non-playoff and bubble teams lack which makes him the perfect complete
player. If you were to measure his
compete per 60, it would easily lead the league. Which league? All of them.
3. Scoring
Currently,
Crouse has 23 points in 30 games with the Kingston Frontenacs. At 0.77 points/game, this is a very elite
scoring level–nevermind the fact that the Marner shrimp has that many points in his last seven games. Translating that to the
NHL that’s 61 points in a full season which would rank him in the top 40
players. Plus, he doesn’t score every
game so he is very elusive like a ninja. It’s genius.
Crouse has 23 points in 30 games with the Kingston Frontenacs. At 0.77 points/game, this is a very elite
scoring level–nevermind the fact that the Marner shrimp has that many points in his last seven games. Translating that to the
NHL that’s 61 points in a full season which would rank him in the top 40
players. Plus, he doesn’t score every
game so he is very elusive like a ninja. It’s genius.
4. Sam
Bennett
Do you know who Crouse played with in Kingston? Sam
Bennett. You might have heard of him since all the analytics guys and scouts were raving about him last year. If Bennett is so good and Course spent a year
with him, you know Crouse was mentored by the best.
Plus, I bet Crouse can do a pull up which automatically makes him better than Bennett ever will be.
Bennett. You might have heard of him since all the analytics guys and scouts were raving about him last year. If Bennett is so good and Course spent a year
with him, you know Crouse was mentored by the best.
Plus, I bet Crouse can do a pull up which automatically makes him better than Bennett ever will be.
5. Winning
I can
confirm that the Kingston Frontenacs have never gone without a single win over
the time that Crouse was playing for them.
If he’s won a game it’s clear that Crouse has already learned how to
win. He’s a proven winner, and only winners win games.
confirm that the Kingston Frontenacs have never gone without a single win over
the time that Crouse was playing for them.
If he’s won a game it’s clear that Crouse has already learned how to
win. He’s a proven winner, and only winners win games.
6. Good Ontario Boy
Over half
of the NHL is made up of Canadians.
Why? Because they have a genetic
advantage that makes them good at hockey.
Crouse is Canadian so you know he is going to be good. Plus, he’s from Mt. Brydges, Ontario, so you know he has the Don Cherry seal of approval. And if you’re going to listen to one man’s opinion on hockey, it’s gotta be Don Cherry’s.
of the NHL is made up of Canadians.
Why? Because they have a genetic
advantage that makes them good at hockey.
Crouse is Canadian so you know he is going to be good. Plus, he’s from Mt. Brydges, Ontario, so you know he has the Don Cherry seal of approval. And if you’re going to listen to one man’s opinion on hockey, it’s gotta be Don Cherry’s.
7. Made
Team Canada
Team Canada
doesn’t just hand out positions to whomever at the World Juniors, they have a long tradition of giving their 13 forward spots to the 13 best Canadian forwards, like Anthony Camara, JC Lipon, Curtis Hamilton, and Stefan Della Rovere. Crouse made it at 17 so he is clearly one of
the top 12 Canadians under-20, so just wait until he gets older! At this rate, he’ll probably be the captain of the next Olympic team too!
doesn’t just hand out positions to whomever at the World Juniors, they have a long tradition of giving their 13 forward spots to the 13 best Canadian forwards, like Anthony Camara, JC Lipon, Curtis Hamilton, and Stefan Della Rovere. Crouse made it at 17 so he is clearly one of
the top 12 Canadians under-20, so just wait until he gets older! At this rate, he’ll probably be the captain of the next Olympic team too!
8. Gold
Medal
Crouse won
a gold medal at the World Juniors which just goes to prove he is one of the
best in the world. You know who doesn’t have
a gold medal? William “I’m a soft Euro” Nylander
and Nikolaj “Can’t score without Drouin” Ehlers.
Why? Because they’re bad. For that matter, Jonathan “Can’t score without MacKinnon” Drouin doesn’t have a gold medal either, probably because he’s short and French.
a gold medal at the World Juniors which just goes to prove he is one of the
best in the world. You know who doesn’t have
a gold medal? William “I’m a soft Euro” Nylander
and Nikolaj “Can’t score without Drouin” Ehlers.
Why? Because they’re bad. For that matter, Jonathan “Can’t score without MacKinnon” Drouin doesn’t have a gold medal either, probably because he’s short and French.
9. He Was a 16 Year
Old in the OHL
Crouse
played in the OHL as a 16 year old. You
know how many draft eligible players did that last year? Only 40%.
He is clearly in the elite group.
played in the OHL as a 16 year old. You
know how many draft eligible players did that last year? Only 40%.
He is clearly in the elite group.
10. Scouting
Scouts love
to describe him as “going to the net with an evolving confidence in his shot
and net driving” – you can tell he’s just filled with compete and grit and leadership and truculence and the type of guy that just wins you games from that quote alone.
to describe him as “going to the net with an evolving confidence in his shot
and net driving” – you can tell he’s just filled with compete and grit and leadership and truculence and the type of guy that just wins you games from that quote alone.
11. Midterm Rankings
International Scouting Services, one
of the foremost scouting agencies, ranked Crouse number 3 in their midterm
prospect rankings, and NHL Central Scouting ranked him 4th. He was right behind Connor
McDavid and Jack Eichel. Scouts watch the game, with their eyes, and they are
experts at watching the game and identifying talent. With Crouse at number 3 you know he’s clearly in the same group with these two elite talents.
of the foremost scouting agencies, ranked Crouse number 3 in their midterm
prospect rankings, and NHL Central Scouting ranked him 4th. He was right behind Connor
McDavid and Jack Eichel. Scouts watch the game, with their eyes, and they are
experts at watching the game and identifying talent. With Crouse at number 3 you know he’s clearly in the same group with these two elite talents.
—
If Lawson Crouse played for Medicine Hat, I bet he would be ranked number 1 or 2 on the
ISS list, and the Canucks would trade all their prospects to have the chance to draft this superstar in the making.
ISS list, and the Canucks would trade all their prospects to have the chance to draft this superstar in the making.
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