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***PapaSorin*** · 06-01-2023, 09:52 PM

Though the season is only 10 games in, a favorite for steal of the draft is quickly emerging: Billy Hill. Shrouded in a cloud of negative public perception and controversy, Billy hill has risen head and shoulders above many of his peers in sheer value as a third round pick. Hear me out, Left Defender was the absolute deepest position in the draft. Not only were there more left defensemen in the draft that any other position, but there were more active players at the position than any other position in the draft thus far. Still, it appears as if Billy Hill is finding that niche and has filled it well. Here are the stats that I believe back up my conviction that Billy Hill is making people eat their words from the pre-draft scouting.

First off, Assists: Billy Hill has recorded 4 assists in just 10 games played. Now at face value, that's not an amazing stat, but when you look at his build, it's kinda nuts. His puckhandling is a 9 and both passing and offensive read both sit at 7, so he's finding points in spite of his less than desirable offensive structure.

Now, one thing he's actually built for is Hits: Billy Hill has accumulated 15 hits in 10 games. With a hitting value of 11 and checking at 13, the hits seem a hair light of where he should be, but this is a great stat for a new player.

Another massive thing for his build is Blocks: Billy Hill has made 12 blocks in 10 games. Blocking shots indicates the player's commitment to defensive play and willingness to sacrifice their body to prevent the opposing team from scoring. With a Defensive read of 13, Shot Blocking at 12 and both bravery and aggression sitting at 13, this is also an expected outcome. The thing is that he is actually living up to his potential.

Back to something that is kind of a shocker, Takeaways: Hill's 11 takeaways showcase his ability to disrupt opponents' plays and regain possession for his team. in just 10 short games, he has disrupted the opponents offensive attack in a meaningful way, despite the scoreline of his team's overall stats. On a team that has been built specifically for offense, Billy Hill is effectively anchoring the second defensive pairing for the Grizzlies.

Finally, one that may not seem like much on paper, but is more impressive than it sounds, Faceoff Win Percentage: Hill's 50% faceoff win percentage is noteworthy for a player of his experience. This one is less about Billy's stats and more about his opponent's inability to defend against the rookie. Going against some of the more experienced faceoff men in the league, Billy Hill, with his 10 TPE faceoff allocation, is finding himself to be a serviceable option at a skill that most teams are in desperate need of. This is one of those things that will show SHL and IIHF scouts that there is more beneath the surface than the stat sheet can provide.

555 words

*CptSquall* · 06-08-2023, 12:28 PM

Approved, +5 TPE to @PapaSorin

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