DEEP DIVE: A In-Depth Look at Anaheim’s Rookie Class

We are now 23 games into the season, and have a pretty good idea of how each team’s season is looking, and today we are going to dive headfirst into the Anaheim Outlaws’ rookie class, and see how they are producing and developing.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Head GM Ace landed some gems with this rookie haul, when you take into consideration development and activity, since most of their rookies are playing on the 4th line and there’s only so much many points you can produce with 6-8 minutes of ice time per game, so without further adieu let’s take a look!

C- Stan Din’Desque
Draft Selection: #1 Overall
Stats: 2 G, 1 A, 3 Pts, -3, 102.1 PDO
TPE: 259
- The number one overall pick has struggled out of the gate, accumulating only 3 points while playing on the 4th line, but he’s been heavily invested in practice, racking up 259 TPE, with a stout 102.1 PDO, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to say its only a matter of time before he breaks out in a big way, but most importantly he’s well on track to be an anchor for this team in the future. An anonymous scout had this to say: ”Anyone doubting his potential will be sorely incorrect in the near future, Din’desque has all the intangibles and work ethic to be a top line center sooner rather than later.

LW- High Haschidi
Draft Selection: #15 Overall
Stats: 2 G, 5 A, 7 Pts, -4, 100.3 PDO
TPE: 270
- Haschidi has been the Outlaws top rookie TPE earner, with 270, 12 more than the next earner (Hagan and Din’Desque). With a solid 100.3 PDO, he is another solid rookie contributor with 7 points total. Haschidi didn’t have much hype coming into the draft, and remains a silent assassin, but it’s only a matter of time before the whole league takes notice as he continues to rack up practice hours and becomes a key part of this team going forward.

LW- Daniel Merica Jr.
Draft Selection: #22 Overall
Stats: 2 G, 3 A, 5 Pts, -2, 103.7 PDO
TPE: 238
- One of the more controversial players entering the draft, Merica Jr. was mercilessly mocked by the SMJHL draft commentators and GMs alike when Ace made the call at #22, citing his lack of defensive ability as a serious liability. It’s safe to say he has played well above expectations, with a hearty 103.7 PDO, and after a rough start offensively, has seen his production start to tick upwards despite seeing very limited ice time. At 238 TPE he’s bringing up the rear for Anaheim’s rookies, but he’s yet to miss a practice and has been investing all his time into improving his defensive capabilities and it’s showing. If he continues to develop at this rate, expect to see him flourish next season with increased ice time. For now, he’s proving to be a solid contributor on the 4th line and anything but a liability.

D- Jonathan Hagan
Draft Selection: #37 Overall
Stats: 2 G, 8 A, 10 Pts, -7, 33 SB, 99.1 PDO
TPE: 259
- Perhaps the steal of the draft up to this point, the Outlaws saw something no one else did when it came to Defenseman Jonathan Hagan, who slipped to 37th overall. Hagan has been a key contributor for this team, racking up 10 points, and while his -7 needs some work, he has 33 shots blocked and another 24 hits- he’s playing very physically and showcasing his future as a top tier two-way defenseman. At 259 TPE, he’s shattered the expectations any “expert” had pre-draft, and it’s safe to say many teams regret not grabbing Hagan.


Overall Analysis:
- You’ll be hard pressed to find a more active group of rookies, all four of these players have been outstanding from a development standpoint, with Haschidi, Hagan and Merica well above expectations. I don’t expect their current production rate to improve a whole lot, but looking into the future they could be scary good.

Word Count: 744

@"Simply Incorrect" GRADED! +5 TPE