Clayton Keller potential

[finnys_fanatsy]

Unspecified. Perhaps just the writer's opinion. Those are indeed quite high expectations for a guy only months after being a 7th overall pick.

..i dont really care what his projections / expectations are..i just need him to play a game!!

[BreadManPanarin]

..i dont really care what his projections / expectations are..i just need him to play a game!!

You've made that abundantly clear

[Jouko-Pouko]

That's quite the expectation.
Expected by whom? The Coyotes management?

Sounds like a comment from someone who doesn't know any prospects outside Matthews and Eichel. Expecting similar production right away is a bit foolish. Maybe 10% of top prospects can have that kind of impact right away. Of course it's possible Keller is part of that 10% but the odds are definitely against that. "He could possibly contribute like Eichel in his rookie season" would be way more accurate. A 55 point rookie season would be great for Keller. Expecting Matthews like impact right away (on pace for 67 points) is just crazy.

[finnys_fanatsy]

You've made that abundantly clear

this is part of my "Will it to happen and it will do so" philosophy...

[Fighting_Emu]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2017/03/12/clayton-keller-arizona-coyotes/99099526/

Excerpts:

The Coyotes hope to sign prize prospect Clayton Keller as soon as his season at Boston University is over, Chayka told USA TODAY Sports.

?I think (Keller's) ready to take that next step for sure,? Chayka told USA TODAY Sports. ?He?s been a dominant player at that level and the world junior championships. We think he?s a special player who can make an impact on a team.?

He?s expected to be able to contribute like fellow Americans Jack Eichel (Buffalo Sabres) and Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs).

Awwww geeez- I think I need to sit down- feeling faint :P

Thanks for posting though- definitely bodes well anyways. So shocked/stoked I got him for free after Button posted that list. Seriously he was nowhere on my radar- lol!

[agentzero]

There's a biiiiiiiig difference between the NHL and any other league. He's a top end prospect for sure, but how anyone adapts to the NHL is their own thing. For every Jack Eichel there's a Nail Yakupov. He figures to show well, but I'd temper my expectations. Look at how long it took Blake Wheeler... If he scores over 40, it has to be considered a success.

[Nehithaw]

I get the feeling that he will be overwhelmed in some games due to his size and guys going after him because of it. I have been on the Keller wagon for quite awhile now but it's good to be realistic about things.

I think that he will take some time to acclimate himself to the speed of the NHL and the physicality of the game. Once this happens and he gets acquainted to his teammates, the sky is the limit for this guy. I like to call him a creative sniper - because he can create plays but he can still snipe the puck. There are some that create plays but can't/don't shoot as well (Barzal comes to mind) and then there are snipers that wait for others to get them the puck (Laine maybe?) - Keller does both, which is why others have difficulty reading him.

[agentzero]

Might compare favourably to Marner in style then... Laine waits for nobody..but I definitely see what you mean in terms of style. Like the Cheechoo's of this world. Trigger men. Yeah, he doesn't play that way at all. Keller is definitely a playmaker. Fun to watch. I also have concerns over his size, but some guys get right past that, like Marner.. Doug Gilour.. Saku Koivu.. this year's Mikael Granlund.. smaller playmakers that don't quit.

[Mr. Guru]

I haven't seen much of him besides the WJC but if he's shifty and good on his edges (which he was in the WJC) I don't see size being an issue.

[fantasyhockeygeek]

I still don't know how Keller slipped to 7th... maybe the league he played in? The Marner style comparison is a good one.

[BreadManPanarin]

I still don't know how Keller slipped to 7th... maybe the league he played in? The Marner style comparison is a good one.

If I remember correctly, Coyotes taking him at 7th was viewed as a bit of a surprise/reach at that point.

[Jouko-Pouko]

I still don't know how Keller slipped to 7th... maybe the league he played in? The Marner style comparison is a good one.

Because Vancouver needed a D-man and Calgary wanted a player who is NHL ready straight from the draft. He definitely could have gone 5th but I don't think he could have gone higher than that. The top-4 was pretty much set in stone, especially after Columbus took Dubois 3rd overall. Keller definitely has offensive skills but let's wait a few years before we start bashing Columbus or Edmonton about their draft choices. Not everyone can make the jump to the NHL smoothly, no matter how much skills they've shown at lower levels. But we can definitely make fun of Vancouver because Juolevi just wasn't a very good choice at #5.

I just looked back at some draft rankings. Craig Button had Keller at #6 but ISS, CSS, McKeen's, Hockey Prospects and Future Considerations had him ranked lower (from #7 to #12), so it's not like he slipped at the draft.

[The Iron Sheik]

the annual "slipped at the draft" comment for a guy who didn't even slip and hasn't even played an NHL game yet...

[BreadManPanarin]

I just looked back at some draft rankings. Craig Button had Keller at #6 but ISS, CSS, McKeen's, Hockey Prospects and Future Considerations had him ranked lower (from #7 to #12), so it's not like he slipped at the draft.

That is what I felt like I was remembering.... Late single digits or early double digits projection from most experts.

[Crazy Joe Davola]

I had him at 4 in my rankings before the draft.

He's going to be so good. Very much like Mitch Marner - but dare I say, slightly better?

I dare!

55-60 point pace as a rookie is definitely within reach for him and getting some games in this season will only help that out by getting a taste of what it takes to succeed in the NHL. Sets him up for a great offseason of work.