Ask any Leafs fan that pays attention to the offseason about the 2011 NHL Draft, and I guarentee you they'll cringe. This is because then-Leafs GM Brian Burke traded up to the 22nd overall pick and used it so select big winger Tyler Biggs. Biggs has since been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a part of the Kessel trade, and has been widely regarded as a bust. Not to mention the picks that the Leafs traded to obtain Biggs turned out to be Rickard Rakell and John Gibson, whom are both solid young NHLers on the Anaheim Ducks.
However, the next Leafs pick wasn't so bad. They used their second 1st round pick at 25th overall to select defenseman Stuart Percy from the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL. Why was Percy placed at #5 on my list? Let's take a look.By Alex Hobson
You may be wondering right now, why did I put Percy at 5 when players such as Jeremy Bracco, Travis Dermott, and Andreas Johnson all possess more skill than him? The reasoning behind this is simple. Percy has no weaknesses in his game. The Oakville, Ontario native is solid offensively, solid defenseively, and can be trusted in all zones of the ice. He's still considered a prospect given that he's only appeared in 9 games for the Leafs. He plays the style of game that coaches and teams as a whole love. He's reliable, doesn't make too many mistakes, and can be counted on in the offensive zone as well as the defensive. He plays a very smooth game and if developed right, should blossom into a top four defenseman for the Leafs.
POSSIBLE NHL CEILING: TOP FOUR DEFENSEMAN
Stuart Percy is the exact type of player that would be a great fit on a future Leafs top four. He can pitch in a decent amount of points, and he's very good defensively. His game isn't revolved around being physical, but he can still throw the body when he needs to and again, if developed right, should pan out as a solid top four d-man.
PROSPECT GRADE: B
Percy may not carry a skill set like the other prospects on this list, but the reason he ranks so high is because each year since being drafted, he's played a consistent game and has shown no signs of slowing down. For these reasons, this grade is appropriate for Percy.
What do you think of Percy, Leafs fans? Should he be ranked higher or lower, or is #5 appropriate for him? Weigh in below.
No comments:
Post a Comment