Meet Your New Ducks: Max Jones And Sam Steel

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

Max Jones:

Player Profile: 6'2-6'3, 205lbs, Left Wing

 

 

With the 24th overall pick, Bob Murray and the Scouting Department selected Max Jones from the London Knights. Jones is a hard nosed, edgy, physical player that is at his best when he plays with a chip on his shoulder and keeps his emotions in control. The good news for Ducks fans is that Jones was a consensus 1st round pick across practically every scouting department, ranging from as high as 14 to as low as 20. His skating combined with his strength will make him noticeable in almost every game, even if he isn't lighting up the score sheet. Out of all the available prospects that were at 24, Jones was probably one of the most likely to make it to the NHL.

 

Strengths:

 

Skating: As most have already mentioned, Jones is one of the best skaters in this draft. Jones skating style is a combination of smoothness with above average speed.He won't be in any fastest skating competitions, but Jones as the ability to turn on the jets in a rush situation that separates him from other defenders if necessary. 

 

Strength: Jones's muscular frame makes him very hard to knock off the puck when in the offensive zone. As a result, he is a great forechecker and cycler. He's also not afraid to provide a net front presence and work dirty areas.

 

Edge: Jones's game is at his best when he is playing with swagger. He's not afraid to play chippy or drop the gloves when necessary. Jones also loves to hit anything that moves, and forechecks in a forceful manner that makes defenders scared when they here him coming. His edge can get him in trouble at times (see below), but when he keeps his emotions in a balanced manner, Jones can be one of the most impactful players on the ice.

 

Weaknesses:

 

Edge: As mentioned, Jones edge can get him in trouble at times. He had to serve 2 suspensions last year; a 2 game suspension for slewfoot, and a 12(!) game suspension for an elbow. One of the easiest ways a prospect/young player can get in a coach's doghouse is by committing stupid penalties. In 63 games for London last year, Jones managed to amount 106 PIM's. Jones is a prime target for lazy penalties, and refs will sometimes not give him the benefit on calls because of the well known persona he plays with. In other words, he fits perfectly with the Ducks.

 

Offensive Upside: Jones is not going to be Corey Perry. Let's get that out of the way. Most of the top prospects are able to score well over a PPG pace in juniors, even if their offensive ceiling isn't PPG. On a stacked London Knights team, managed to put 52pts in 63. Nothing to be ashamed of, but it's a pretty clear indication on where his ceiling is.

 

Consistency: Going hand in hand with the offensive upside has been Jones consistency. Jones will sometimes sacrifice his offensive game for physicality, limiting his effectiveness for his linemates and team. Jones will always have confidence so bouncing back has not been an issue for him yet, but where he ends up in the lineup from the top line to the 4th line will depend on how much he is able to focus himself on his game, rather than trying to start theatrics.

 

 

ETA: 2018, could be as early as late 2017

Player Comparison: Justin Abdelkader

BE's Not So Expert: B-

 

 

If you want to read up more about Jones and not listen to some stupid blogger who has a weird obsession with Emerson Etem, here are some additional sites:

 

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=233448

 

http://www.thedraftanalyst.com/prospects/max-jones/

 

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/player/max-jones/22601/

 

 

 

 

 

Sam Steel to follow...

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

Forgot to add final thoughts. Will also do so with Steel.

 

Final Thoughts: Jones pretty much fits in with your stereotypical Ducks power forward. Only difference is this one has some wheels to his game. I'm guessing management saw more Milan Lucic in him than Tom Wilson. Bob MacKenzie compared him to Tom Wilson once it was announced he was taken. He's not going to be Tom Wilson (hopefully). Despite his offensive short comings as I listed, Jones has a little bit of a higher upside than Wilson, and way better skating than him. He's also not going to be Pat Maroon either. He could probably outskate Maroon with one of his legs broken. 

 

I would say Jones's absolute ceiling for offensive production is 50-60pts, with the ability to rotate and play on any of the Top 6 forward lines. Personally, I would have gone with a skilled pick here, someone like Rasmus Asplund or even Riley Tufte, who has much higher offensive upside than Jones. My guess is Anaheim wanted to go with the safe pick though for their 1st one, and take a little bit more of a risk with their 2nd pick. At the end of the day, the pick, although still landing a nice player, is redundant for a system that already has Nik Ritchie projected to fill the role Jones is predicted to fill, only with higher offensive upside. I don't hate the pick at all. I think Jones is going to be a nightmare for defenders to play against. I just think better options were out there.

[MBeleskey2014 48]

Im loving the picks... I didn't say anything because I didn't want to jinx it but I was sooooooo badly hoping to land Max JONES and I think were very fortunate he fell to us.

 

Ritchie and him can battle it out for the 2nd line LW for the next couple years - nicely done Barstool!

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

Sam Steel:

Player Profile: 5'11, 175lbs, Center

 

With the final pick in the 1st round of the 2016 NHL draft, Bob Murray and the scouting department selected Sam Steel from the Regina Pats. Steel is classified as a two way player with exceptional skating ability. Taken 2nd overall in the 2013 WHL draft, Steel put 70pts in 72 games for the Pats last year. He actually elevated his game in the playoffs for the Pats producing 16pts in 12 games. Steel's projections for the most part ranged from early to mid 2nd round (high as 30, low as 55) so he may be considered a little bit of a reach for experts. Steel will need time to mature and grow in his game, so he is more of a long term prospect when compared to Jones.

 

Strengths:

 

Skating: Theme of the draft this year for the Ducks perhaps? As good as a skater Jones is, Steel is much better. Steel combines great speed and acceleration with smooth cuts. This lets him cause problems for the defenders, as Steel loves to go inside outside on defenders in front of him. Even though Steel is already a plus skater, even could become even better in later years as he grows stronger and learns to fight checks.

 

Playmaking Abilities: Steel uses his fantastic vision to make himself a great passer. There are actually some scouts and experts that rank his playmaking skills higher than his skating (I don't, but to each their own). 47 assists in 72 games and 37 assists in 61 games as a WHL rookie is not too shabby at all. Steel is basically the anti Kesler, in that he loves the puck and drawing defenders in, but loves to pass the puck instead of shooting it all the time. Steel's playmaking goes hand in hand with his exceptional skating, and will most likely continue to carry the success he has already had as a playmaker to wherever the Ducks want him to go.

 

Leadership: Steel is a player who leads by example, and has earned nothing but praise from his coaches about his ability to lead his team, whether by play or on the bench. He was alternate captain for Regina last year, and was also an alternate captain for Canada's 2015 U17's that went to the Ivan Hlinka Tournament (and won). It is not out of the question at all, that he might have a similar role one day as a member of the Ducks.

 

Weaknesses:

 

Strength: Steel has had some trouble in the past with defenders that are bigger and heavier than him. While great when given space or on rushes, Steel has trouble getting knocked off the puck at times. Though their is a little edge in his game, he's not the most physical player in the world, and does not enjoy going in dirty areas, unlike Jones. If Steel wants to become an effective two way player and line up against Top 6 lines in the NHL, he needs to bulk up a little bit so that he can attack and defend against the other big centers of the NHL, especially in the Pacific Division.

 

Consistency: Like most prospects trying to make a name for themselves, Steel can be fantastic one game and then off the next, or have an incredible weak followed by a scoreless weak. Steel needs to build up confidence to push himself out and limit these slumps. 

 

Pedigree: To be quite honest, I did not expect Steel to go here at 30. You could have given me 8-10 tries to guess who the Ducks would take at 30 with the available options and I probably still would not have guessed him. Steel could very well turn out to be a steal, but the fact of the matter is that in terms of numbers, this was not a value pick, and there were several prospects projected to have better careers than Steel. Of course the draft is a crapshoot at this point, but if one of the bigger names like Rasmus Asplund, Kale Clague, Alex DeBrincat, or Pascal Laberge turn out to be a star, the Ducks will be left saying what if?

 

Final Thoughts: I'm sure most of your guys' reaction was "huh?" when the pick was made and several times were available. With that said, if there is one thing I have learned, it is that the Ducks are great at finding talent with their late 1st, early 2nd round picks. Shea Theodore, Rickard Rakell, and Jakob Larsson were all projected to go later than they were drafted by the Ducks, and I don't think any fan is regretting any one of those picks. Was Sam Steel a reach with the 30th overall pick? Yes he was. But like Henrik Borgstrom with Florida, and like PLD with Columbus, if a guy you like is projected to go later in the draft, but you know he's not going to be there by the next time you pick, you draft the player you like, then laugh in the face of the naysayers when the pick turns out to be great. With this pick, I would have liked Rasmus Asplund, Pascal Laberge, Kale Clague, or even Filip Gustavsson. But Steel fits exactly what I wanted the Ducks to draft at least once today: A Two Way Center with Offensive Upside.

 

ETA: 2018-2019

Player Comparison: Mikael Backlund

BE's Not So Expert Grade: Solid B

 

For more on Sam Steel, here is links below:

 

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/player/sam-steel/22469/

 

http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/04/28/sam-steel-scouting-report-2016-nhl-draft-30/

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

I don't mind that this is a reach.  The Ducks weren't going to pick again for another round and they might not have gotten a team to bite on giving them an extra pick to move down a few spots.

 

Exactly. If your scouts like a player that much, even if he is projected to go later, then who cares what they say? You go by talent evaluation, not what tickles Craig Button's into glee.

[liquid13 2,249]

The more I read about Jobes the more I like the kid. He was a first year player in the OHL this season and was a finalist for OHL rookie of the year. His point totals weren't eye pooping, but being a 17 year old and being a little buried on the depth charts on a stacked knights team means he wasn't getting top pp time. Remember Rakell didn't put up eye popping numbers his rookie season in juniors either. The people I've talked to today say his shot and hands are both top notch, but question his vision a bit. See him as more of a finisher that goes to the net and can also snipe.

The kid can also definitely skate, especially for his size. You see videos of his highlights and he's blowing past defenders wide, and has a great first step. Yes, it's juniors but again the kid is only 17 years old.

He also, was playing on the second PK unit too, the kid seems to have a nice two way element to his game.

Honestly this kid sounds like he has pretty damn good upside. Could be a 25/25 guy who strong on the forcheck and plays a nasty, two way game.

Love the pick.

[liquid13 2,249]

Also, on Steel. It's hard to complain with a kid who can really skate and is noted for having a very high hockey IQ. If I had to pick two tools for a late first round pick, those would be the ones.

I see him projecting as more of a third liner, but may have some upside there.

Definitely don't mind taking a flyer on him, and obviously the scouting group saw something they liked becuase I'm sure it would have been pretty tempting to just simply move down in the draft otherwise.

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

The more I read about Jobes the more I like the kid. He was a first year player in the OHL this season and was a finalist for OHL rookie of the year. His point totals weren't eye pooping, but being a 17 year old and being a little buried on the depth charts on a stacked knights team means he wasn't getting top pp time. Remember Rakell didn't put up eye popping numbers his rookie season in juniors either. The people I've talked to today say his shot and hands are both top notch, but question his vision a bit. See him as more of a finisher that goes to the net and can also snipe.

The kid can also definitely skate, especially for his size. You see videos of his highlights and he's blowing past defenders wide, and has a great first step. Yes, it's juniors but again the kid is only 17 years old.

He also, was playing on the second PK unit too, the kid seems to have a nice two way element to his game.

Honestly this kid sounds like he has pretty damn good upside. Could be a 25/25 guy who strong on the forcheck and plays a nasty, two way game.

Love the pick.

 

If he turns out exactly like this, then Bob Murray and company deserve an A. There is a guy that you just described who played on the Kings last year, and he's about to land a massive contract. I think Lucic is the best case scenario for him, but even if he turns into an Abdelkader (35-40pt nasty power forward who rotates, then I think it's still an ok pick. Hence, the low B.

 

Worst case scenario is Ducks just wanted a high energy guy and drafted a 4th line checking forward who can score every blue moon and provide a spark. You don't use your 1st rounders on that.

 

Granted, I hate Abdelkader, but that is because I hate playing against him. #RIP Lydman's career

[poum 9,978]

With Steel, I'm getting a play making Andy Mac vibe. I may be totally off and reaching at this point. Never heard of the kid till today when BM gave me the obligatory "Huh? Who?"

Just realized my comparison may solely be based on height and weight. Andy was an inch smaller.

[liquid13 2,249]

With Steel, I'm getting a play making Andy Mac vibe. I may be totally off and reaching at this point. Never heard of the kid till today when BM gave me the obligatory "Huh? Who?"

Just realized my comparison may solely be based on height and weight. Andy was an inch smaller.

I actually think that's a fair comparison. Obviously we'd all be stoked if he became 3/4 the player McDonald was.

[liquid13 2,249]

If he turns out exactly like this, then Bob Murray and company deserve an A. There is a guy that you just described who played on the Kings last year, and he's about to land a massive contract. I think Lucic is the best case scenario for him, but even if he turns into an Abdelkader (35-40pt nasty power forward who rotates, then I think it's still an ok pick. Hence, the low B.

Worst case scenario is Ducks just wanted a high energy guy and drafted a 4th line checking forward who can score every blue moon and provide a spark. You don't use your 1st rounders on that.

Granted, I hate Abdelkader, but that is because I hate playing against him. #RIP Lydman's career

Obviously they aren't projecting him to be a 4th liner if they selected him in the 1st round. That would be disappointing, bordering on bust.

ive been reading various scouting reports and the general consensus seems to be that he is actually farther along than Lucic at the same age, but power forwards are harder to project. Either Lucic or Benn seem to be the guys that all power forwards are compared to now a days. I'll be interested to see this kid up close in a few weeks during rookie camp.

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

Obviously they aren't projecting him to be a 4th liner if they selected him in the 1st round. That would be disappointing, bordering on bust.

ive been reading various scouting reports and the general consensus seems to be that he is actually farther along than Lucic at the same age, but power forwards are harder to project. Either Lucic or Benn seem to be the guys that all power forwards are compared to now a days. I'll be interested to see this kid up close in a few weeks during rookie camp.

 

Agreed, but you never know. It was pretty obvious the Caps knew what they were getting in Wilson when they took him. Heck I remember his highlight reel was 1 goal sandwiched in between a bunch of hits and fights.

 

I trust our scouting staff though. Like I outlined in Steel's write up, they have been money with their recent late 1st round draft picks.

[AustinDuck27 14,084]

Nice job, Blazing, solid summary of both picks. 

 

Abdelkador, eh?    Ok, I'll give it to you, that's a really good comparable, though I think Jones has a much better shot from what I've gathered.

 

Along with Backlund, I've also seen Steel compared to guys like Killorn and Cody Eakin, though as poum mentioned, I suspect he's like those guys if you threw a splash of Andy Mac in there. I don't think he was a very big reach at all, I've seen him speculated as going in the late first to early second round, though I agree that Madden looked past a few guys that were probably the best players available to grab Steel. That actually makes me more optimistic that our scouts may see more of that sneaky skill/upside that they saw with Rakell, which wasn't standing out at draft time. After picking later in the draft and finding Rakell, Karlsson, Nattinen, and now Steel, I definitely see a positive trend with our scouting. Having a center in the farm that is a natural playmaker and great passer with high IQ and vision, fills a void that has been glaring in recent years.

 

I haven't seen it mentioned, but Sam comes with a tragic story that will have many Ducks fans rooting for this kid. From Sportsnet:

 

Steel’s brother Patrick, a promising Junior A player, died unexpectedly at 18 years old in 2011. He suffered heart failure in his sleep.

 

Now Steel plays to honour the memory of his older brother.

 

“Losing my brother was something that changed my life immensely,” Sam told the Edmonton Sun. “It’s something that’s always in my mind. I’m just trying to make him proud.”

 

 

I believe he wears 23 in honor of his brother.

 

 

 

 

I'm very happy with these picks, there were higher risk/reward players available that may have been more exciting, but both of these guys are perfect fits based on our identity and org needs.

[norge25 7,333]

Good stuff, B.E.

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

Steel also wins the 1st Round Award for the "Biggest Mistimed Kiss of Loved One" in round 1.

 

https://amp.twimg.com/v/39e89364-f82f-4f1a-bfae-16012eb6a98e

[norge25 7,333]

Loving this quick vid of a few Jones goals. https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/746544679861256192

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

Nice job, Blazing, solid summary of both picks. 

 

Abdelkador, eh?    Ok, I'll give it to you, that's a really good comparable, though I think Jones has a much better shot from what I've gathered.

 

Along with Backlund, I've also seen Steel compared to guys like Killorn and Cody Eakin, though as poum mentioned, I suspect he's like those guys if you threw a splash of Andy Mac in there. I don't think he was a very big reach at all, I've seen him speculated as going in the late first to early second round, though I agree that Madden looked past a few guys that were probably the best players available to grab Steel. That actually makes me more optimistic that our scouts may see more of that sneaky skill/upside that they saw with Rakell, which wasn't standing out at draft time. After picking later in the draft and finding Rakell, Karlsson, Nattinen, and now Steel, I definitely see a positive trend with our scouting. Having a center in the farm that is a natural playmaker and great passer with high IQ and vision, fills a void that has been glaring in recent years.

 

I haven't seen it mentioned, but Sam comes with a tragic story that will have many Ducks fans rooting for this kid. From Sportsnet:

 

 

I believe he wears 23 in honor of his brother.

 

 

 

 

I'm very happy with these picks, there were higher risk/reward players available that may have been more exciting, but both of these guys are perfect fits based on our identity and org needs.

 

Told you you wouldn't like the comparable haha. 

 

I had no idea about that with Steel. Only makes me root for the kid even more.

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

Day 2 Initial Snippets and Grades:

 

Josh Mahura (85th overall): Interesting choice here. Mahura looked really good his 1st year with the Red Deers, but then blew out his knee last year and missed almost all of the season. Obviously the knee injury hurt his draft stock, but he has a lot of above average offensive tools, such as puck distributing, break out passing, and keeping plays alive. He reminds me a little bit about Theodore's descriptions when he was drafted, in that he is an offensive Dman that needs to bulk up and work on the defensive side of the ring. I pegged Mahura as a late 3rd, early 4th round pick, and that is basically where he ended up. I like the upside here, though Mahura is a draft and stash type of prospect, so don't expect him to be here for a long time.

Grade: B

 

Jack Kopacka (93rd): This is more of a skilled pick here. Kopacka can do a little bit of everything on the ice in either zone, though the one negative in his game is that he is a perimeter player that shies away from contact. He's never going to blow you away and will probably top out as a bottom 6 player, but at 93, has a good enough chance of making an NHL team as anyone in his draft round. I had him as a 5th rounder, but at 93, the value is not too bad. Not a pick that will blow you away, but not a throw away pick either. If he bulks up and adds strength to his game, his ceiling could rise accordingly.

Grade: C+

 

Alex Dostie (115th): Apparently, we didn't send scouts to Europe this year. This is the one pick today that was kinda meh for me. Dostie is a small, speedy winger, who put together a fine season at Gatineau in the QMJHL (73pts in 54 games). Dostie was actually eligible to be drafted last year, but wasn't picked up or signed, so good for him putting together a nice season and landing on a club. I'll be honest, I follow prospects closely and would say I knew 2/3rd of the names called in the draft, but I had not heard of Dostie before today. Looks like scouts had him pegged at 192nd overall, so it is a huge reach for him. That said, it's the 4th round and prospects here don't have the assumption that they will make it to the NHL. We will see how he fares, for now it's a reach pick for a small center.

Grade: C-

 

Tyler Soy (205th overall): Saucy! My favorite pick of Day 2 for the Ducks. Anytime you land a member of the Canadian World Juniors team, you have definitely made a good pick. Soy is a smart player because he has to be. The biggest knack on him is his small frame and lack of strength on the puck when confronted in dirty areas. But that being said, Soy makes up for it by oozing intelligence wherever he goes. Part of the reason he was able to put up over a PPG in the WHL this year for Victoria was that he has a great ability to read defenses and knows when to pass or when to shoot. This is a great value pick. Scouts had him in the 130's, but personally I had him in the late 3rd, early 4th round. If Soy doesn't work out, no worries. But like Kase, the Ducks picked up a guy who I'm betting has a greater chance of making the NHL than not. There is very high upside here if he puts on some weight and muscle. Soy is a long, long, long term project; probably won't see him until 2019-2020. But he has plenty of time with Steel and Nattinen on the cusp and Getzlaf and Kesler here for the present.

Grade: A

 

 

Recap:

 

Max Jones: B-

 

Sam Steel: B

 

Josh Mahura: B

 

Jack Kopacka: C+

 

Alex Dostie: C-

 

Tyler Soy: A

 

Not so Expert Overall Grade for 2016 Draft: B

 

I think this could be classified as a solid, albeit, unspectacular draft. No real waste picks here, nor do I think they hit a grand slam this year. But it sure beats trading Fowler for a low ball deal, and if Jones, Steel, and one of the 4 day 2 guys make it to the league, then I don't think there will be many complaints. 

[AustinDuck27 14,084]

^^^ Soy was an overage player, I assume that's why his stock fell to the 7th round.

 

I haven't seen him play, but all the descriptions of Kopacka are giving me a Kerdiles vibe.

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

^^^ Soy was an overage player, I assume that's why his stock fell to the 7th round.

 

I haven't seen him play, but all the descriptions of Kopacka are giving me a Kerdiles vibe.

 

Probably. Overagers are ok if they show enough to like. Nobody is obviously going to take an overager in round 1 or 2, but after that, I say why not?

 

Kind of like with the MLB draft. Everybody loves taking prep kids and high schoolers, but sometimes, the juniors and seniors in college become more polished than they were in high school/freshman year.

[Thom-74 961]

I see Max Jones as a guy who will improve his linemate's stats, he'll make it rain analytics-wise. I also think 15-20 goals isn't a terrible ceiling for all the other things he could bring as a skater. I'd say, less Perry, more Steve Ott/ Chris Neil and if we're lucky Owen Nolan/ Claude Lemieux.

 

Ritchie doesn't have the same mean streak, so Jones isn't a redundancy. If we find the right center, I could see them both being part of something like that LeClair-Lindros-Renberg line that Philadelphia had in the 90's.

[JackPolo 1,187]

I see Max Jones as a guy who will improve his linemate's stats, he'll make it rain analytics-wise. I also think 15-20 goals isn't a terrible ceiling for all the other things he could bring as a skater. I'd say, less Perry, more Steve Ott/ Chris Neil and if we're lucky Owen Nolan/ Claude Lemieux.

Ritchie doesn't have the same mean streak, so Jones isn't a redundancy. If we find the right center, I could see them both being part of something like that LeClair-Lindros-Renberg line that Philadelphia had in the 90's.

So they'll be the... Flying V-gion of Doom??

Ok, I'll see myself out now.

[RobD360 1,744]

Nice write up BE. Good format which provided an exceptional summary across the board giving the reader a good glimpse. Pretty Professional.

[codyBRUZ 797]

Max Jones aiming for roster spot. Ambitious kid.

[foxtrot1128 119]

Max Jones aiming for roster spot. Ambitious kid.

If he can prove himself, all the best luck to him. It's always refreshing to see young guys in the lineup who can contribute.

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

Max Jones aiming for roster spot. Ambitious kid.

 

For his sake, I hope he doesn't get it. 

 

Carlyle would only play him every 3 games and then stick him on the 4th line for 6 minutes a night and expect a fight out of him.

[codyBRUZ 797]

For his sake, I hope he doesn't get it.

Carlyle would only play him every 3 games and then stick him on the 4th line for 6 minutes a night and expect a fight out of him.

If he really impesses management I'm cool with pre season and a couple of season games let him strive for it and unless he takes the league by storm send him back down to the OHL and let him take the Ryan route and make sure he's completely filled out, fit and confident to crack the NHL roster.

He might be in his 20's but if development is done right he has all the tools to be a special player

[poum 9,978]

For his sake, I hope he doesn't get it.

Carlyle would only play him every 3 games and then stick him on the 4th line for 6 minutes a night and expect a fight out of him.

Carlyle also had Fowler become a fulltime defenseman in the NHL on his draft year out of the OHL. At the time the team had a specific need on defense. And what a coincidence, the current team has a LW need this upcoming season.

Not saying he will make the team. At the same time, what I have read of Max, he sounds right up Carlyles alley.

All in all, I really like that this kid is as motivated to make the NHL as Ritche is about is 4x4's from In N Out.

[BlazingEtem 4,315]

If anyone is wondering how these 2 are doing as of tonight:

Steel: 20pts in 10 games for Regina

Jones: 15(!) points in 6 games for London

 

[liquid13 2,249]

On 10/24/2016 at 1:41 AM, BlazingEtem said:

If anyone is wondering how these 2 are doing as of tonight:

Steel: 20pts in 10 games for Regina

Jones: 15(!) points in 6 games for London

 

Jones in particular looks great.  Kid is showing some real offensive ability, to go along with his grit and skating.

Steel is still a wildcard. He has a very high hockey IQ and several tools that are above average, but nothing that really stands out. I'm like cerebral players like him, but i think it will be a few years before we know what we really have. He's the real sleeper in our system right now.