2011 Draft Upsides

[dyzfunctioned]

Can someone explain what the real knock on Couturier is? Seriously, I get he's not the greatest skater but there's numerous sources that say it has improved and he's worked on it. He gets knocked because he's got a great defensive game and apparently because of that he can't be an offensive force. Despite this he leads all 2011 draftees in points per game while playing on Drummondville without much support.

He gets compared to Jordan/Eric Staal yet his junior numbers are superior to both.

So let me get this straight - he is comparable to Eric/Jordan staal but has produced at a much higher clip in junior. He gets knocked for his skating but it has and continues to improve. He's defensively responsible yet managed to score at a better pace than any other 2011 draftee.

I just don't get it. Is there something I'm blatantly missing?

[Brady19]

I just don't get it. Is there something I'm blatantly missing?

Yes.

Everyone wants Sean Couturier, so they're playing him down until they can draft him.

Seriously though, I kind of see a bit of Mike Richards in him. Mike Richards scored at a point per game pace in his 4th year in the NHL. He clearly has the upside to be a Top line player. But he's simply better defensively than guys like Carter, JVR, Briere, Giroux (at least a bit) so he gets the defensive jobs, and they get the offensive jobs.

Couturier may end up being on the #1 PP down the road, but if he's a 2nd line center who gets a lot of PK time and defensive faceoffs... It's extremely unlikely he'll ever hit 80 points.

Look at Kesler, he's a beastly #2 center in Vancouver. He gets top PP time, but he also eats up tons of PK time, and defensive faceoffs. In his two best seasons in his career he couldn't crack 80 points... I could see something similar for Couturier.

Both of those players are awesome, and still valuable in fantasy hockey, but they're not going to have the upsides of guys like Huberdeau who won't have as much defensive duties.

At least that's why I would rank Huberdeau over Couturier for fantasy hockey. I think Couturier and Larsson could still very easily be the best hockey players in this year's draft, but not necessairily for fantasy hockey.

[Big Ev]

1) Couturier plays in the Q, which is known to produce many NHL busts. It's a soft league and it is definitely not as good as the WHL and the OHL. If he played in one of those leagues he would get more respect if he produced the same amount, but there's no way of knowing if he would or not, of course. True stars like Crosby who played in the Q don't get as much flack because you just know they are just supremely talented. Couturier does not have the same type of skill level even though the points are there. The bottom tier Q teams are absolutely awful too so they're easy to play against.

2) Big reason he gets so many points is because he plays 30+ minutes a night and plays every second shift, so his points are a little skewed in that regard. Sometimes it's easier to produce when you are the only one on your team who is "elite", as you are given every single opportunity. If he went to Saint John for example, he wouldn't look as good because he would be upstaged by Huberdeau most likely. A guy like Huberdeau has more potential in scouts eyes because not only is he producing so much on a stacked team, he stands out eveyr game, which is hard to do when you're surrounded by so many other good players.

3) If you watch him play, he just doesn't do anything that wows you, much like Jordan Staal. He is playing well but nothing that gets you out of your seat. He doesn't dangle, he doesn't have a rocket shot, he just plays a solid, safe game. It kind of underwhelms you when you watch him, as he is pretty boring. That's why people feel his offensive potential will not be as high at the NHL level. That combined with his skating of course.

4) I do think he will be a solid NHL player and that his year was disrupted by mononucleosis this year, but I can see why people may think he will not produce in the NHL like he did in junior. I just find it odd that some people think he's still worth a 1st overall pick. He really isn't.

Also, he does not get knocked for his defensive play, that's one of the reasons he was always ranked so high in the first place, that combined with his offense. But scouts are seeing that he probably doesn't have NHL calibre skill that will translate into the same level of production.

The biggest reason in my eyes is because of the league he plays in and because of the way he plays.

[dyzfunctioned]

Thanks for the opinions. I still struggle to see how a guy who's so effective at both ends of the ice isn't as valuable as others in the draft.

Guess I'm looking to Huberdeau for 2nd overall then, hopefully he doesn't go to Florida.