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***notorioustig*** · 10-22-2018, 02:53 AM

(Word Count: 2635)

After a successful season that culminated in the team losing in overtime of Game 7 in the Conference Final, the Detroit Falcons have turned their attention to preparing an impressive crop of rookies for the SHL Draft. The Falcons uncovered a number of high-profile prospects in their S43 SMJHL draft, and this group has grown and developed over the course of the year to show that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the SMJHL and beyond.

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Forwards:

Ola Wagstrom, RW/C

Height: 6’3”
Weight: 213lb
Player Type: Offensive Forward
Season Stats: 50 GP, 7 G, 4 A, 11 P, -2, 6 PIM, 13 HIT, 63 SH
Playoff Stats: 13GP, 2 G, 1 A, 3 P, +2, 0 PIM, 4 HIT, 12 SH
Notable Attributes: Scoring (80), Skating (73), Passing (70), Defense (70)
TPE: 291

A victim of Detroit’s forward depth this season, Wagstrom did not put up the type of numbers that might be expected from a player with this much talent, and make no mistake – he is seriously talented. Offense flows through this player naturally, and he excels at using his skating and passing skills to create chances for both teammates and himself. His most famous attribute, however, is his shot. Wagstrom possesses the ability to score from almost anywhere in the offensive zone due to incredibly powerful and accurate wrist and slapshots. Just as important is his ability to find open space, and this “snake in the grass” quality allows him to dodge defensive coverage and get shots off from quiet areas, provided someone can get him the puck. His one-timer is fearsome, and will be the focal point of any powerplay unit he finds his way onto during his career.

Unlike many similar offensive players, Wagstrom is very capable on the defensive side of the puck for a young winger. In particular, his strong backchecking has been known to force turnovers or at least disrupt the opposing offense. His defensive positioning is solid, if not quite consistent yet, but for a rookie forward it is certainly above average and due to improve even more going forward. Despite his large frame, Wagstrom can often struggle in puck battles, particularly along the boards where he is often pushed off the puck. It’s not in his nature to be a particularly strong physical presence, but it will be important for him to use his size as leverage to engage in these battles and win the puck, and even though he’s unlikely to have a notable hit count this is the type of physicality that is both most attainable.

While Wagstrom primarily played on the right wing this year, there is talk that he may possess the capability of moving to centre ice - another diverse quality to help him stand out among his draft peers. He took 46 faceoffs over the course of the season and won 56.52%, suggesting that there may just be a future for him at centre. With his offensive and defensive smarts, it would be unsurprising to see him make that adjustment without any trouble.

It should be expected that Wagstrom will factor into the Falcon’s top-six and powerplay units next year, and should be due for a massive spike in overall offense. His talent is undeniable and should result in him being a top selection at this year’s SHL draft. Already comfortable being a presence in the Falcon’s locker room, his coaches and teammates rave about his patience and attitude, and it seems that both of those attributes are about to be heavily rewarded.

Ceiling: Franchise offensive forward, future SHL captain
Middle-Range: Top-six offensive forward, powerplay specialist
Low-End: Middle-six offensive depth, powerplay utility

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Franz Cooper, RW

Height: 6’3”
Weight: 209lb
Player Type: Offensive Forward
Season Stats: 50 GP, 6 G, 13 A, 19 P, +2, 12 PIM, 17 HIT, 60 SH
Playoff Stats: 13GP, 2 G, 0 A, 2 P, +2, 0 PIM, 4 HIT, 16 SH
Notable Attributes: Scoring (78), Skating (72), Passing (72), Puckhandling (70)
TPE: 280

Another rookie forward that was forced down the lineup by the team’s forward depth, Cooper played almost the entirety of the season on Detroit’s fourth line. However, it could easily be argued that nobody did more offensively with less, as he put up 19 points with an average of 9:38 of ice-time per game. His 0.79 points-per-20 ranked third on the team, and suggest that he could be due for an offensive explosion with more minutes and better linemates.

In terms of his skillset, Cooper outwardly seems quite similar to teammate and fellow rookie Ola Wagstrom. However, there are some notable contrasts in their styles of play and how they accomplish their offensive production that become apparent when watching them. Where Wagstrom was a waterbug with the puck, frequently distributing and playing give-and-go’s with teammates, Cooper is much more comfortable carrying the puck for long stretches on his own. He owns a masterful ability to utilize his reach and skating ability to protect the puck, and uses this to draw in defenders before dishing the puck to teammates. While he is a strong playmaker, Cooper is also a volume shooter. He frequently tests goalies from unconventional angles and his quick release means he is a threat to score from anywhere inside the circles. His puck skills are phenomenal, and he excels when he has the puck in-tight, where he is capable of pulling small moves with the puck to change the angle before lifting it into the net.

Cooper does not frequently engage in puck battles, often choosing to hang just outside and wait for a loose puck that will spring him for an offensive opportunity. With his size and puck protection ability, you would prefer to see him utilize it more in this way and support his team by regaining possession. His defensive positioning is good, but he can sometimes lose coverage to opponents who are able to muscle their way into inside positioning.

Like Wagstrom, Cooper is due for a significant improvement in minutes, powerplay opportunities, and linemates in the coming season. He has improved significantly over the course of the season, and his dedication is sure to have caught the eye of SHL scouts everywhere. It’s likely that Cooper will be a first round selection in the upcoming draft.

Ceiling: 1st line offensive winger
Mid-Range: Top-six winger with powerplay ability
Low-End: Bottom-six offensive depth

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Defensemen:

Poopity Scoop, D

Height: 7’5”
Weight: 300lb
Player Type: Two-Way Defenseman
Season Stats: 50 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 P, -3, 54 PIM, 100 HIT, 14 SH, 51 SB
Playoff Stats: 13GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 P, +4, 26 PIM, 39 HIT, 5 SH, 16 SB
Notable Attributes: Defense (79), Passing (71), Skating (70), Puckhandling (70)
TPE: 292

There’s no other way to say it – this player is a freak of nature. This lad is an absolute unit, standing 7’5” and weighing in at 300 pounds, he is an incredible physical specimen before you even begin to evaluate his hockey talent, which as it turns out, is considerable. Scoop was forced to step into a top-four role right away this season due to depth issues on the Falcon’s back-end, and he performed admirably in that role, playing almost 19 minutes per night on average and over 20 by the time playoffs arrived.

Where Scoop excels most is defensively, using his massive wingspan to shut down the opposing offense before they really even have a chance to get started. As well, his size allows him to comfortably win almost any puck battle he’s involved in. Needless to say, when Scoop throws his weight around, the effects are devastating. He frequently breaks cycles simply by bowling an opposing player over, and is very rarely far enough out of position that he can’t disrupt the play. He has developed a reputation already as a prolific shot blocker, and is likely to progress into a defensive pillar.

For his size, Scoop’s skating is excellent. Relative to human-sized people, it’s still quite good, but not incredible. His top gear is strong and allows him to keep up with all but the fastest of forwards. However, his acceleration is poor and when caught flat-footed he can sometimes struggle to recover. It seems crazy to say this, but Scoop has also not finished filling out – his strength comes almost entirely from momentum rather than muscle strength, and as he continues to work out and eat entire villages for protein, he’ll become better able to manhandle even the largest SHL players in puck battles.

Scoop’s passing ability is very good, and this led him to an offensive explosion during the playoffs. However, his passing and vision is, at least for now, where his offensive game ends. He possesses a weak and ineffective shot from the point and uses it rarely (only 19 shots in 63 regular season and playoff games combined). To be a more well-rounded offensive threat, Scoop will need to develop his shot significantly.

Despite the holes in his game, Scoop has the makings of a phenom. His defensive impact has the potential to be elite, and he displays the making of an above-average puck-moving skillset as well. He will almost assuredly be a top pick in the SHL draft, where it’s likely that team’s will fall over themselves to roll the dice on what seems to be almost limitless potential.

Ceiling: Two-way, #1 defenseman capable of eating significant minutes
Mid-range: #2/3 defenseman, elite penalty killer
Low-end: Top-four anchor, penalty killer

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Chuck Crutchfield, D

Height: 6’3”
Weight: 209lb
Player Type: Offensive Defenseman
Season Stats: 50 GP, 9 G, 15 A, 24 P, +5, 10 PIM, 15 HIT, 42 SH, 33 SB
Playoff Stats: 13GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 P, +3, 0 PIM, 4 HIT, 21 SH, 9 SB
Notable Attributes: Defense (80), Scoring (70), Puckhandling (70), Skating (64)
TPE: 250

The Falcons’ first pick in the previous draft, Crutchfield comes with a significant family pedigree, and when watching him play it is easy to see that he has the natural smarts for the game that have been honed by growing up around SHL players as a young boy. His calling card at the SHL level will always be his intelligence on the ice, as he is seemingly never out of position both offensively and defensively.

Crutchfield is, first and foremost, an offensive defenseman, and looks most comfortable when the puck is on his stick. He is a sublime puckhandler and uses this skill to lead the rush and overload the other team on odd-man rushes. Furthermore, he can frequently be seen taking the puck deep into the offensive zone and making aggressive offensive plays to the net. He possesses a hard, accurate point shot that has the potential to be on the forefront of the Falcon’s powerplay, and he uses it effectively to get pucks through traffic and create chaos in front of the net.

It should be noted that Crutchfield is a better puck transporter than a puck mover. His passing game is solid enough, but he is much more likely to carry the puck than to make an outlet pass. This can lead to him having trouble with speedy forecheckers who are able to close on him before he picks up speed, and he could do a better job of utilizing his defensive partner. His ability to rush the puck opens a number of options for his team, and as he progresses further it will be important for him not to disregard the other plays at his disposal.

Defensively, Crutchfield is positionally strong and has a good stick that he uses to break up plays. However, he struggles to physically engage attackers and frequently loses battles along the wall and in front of the net. As well, his skating is mediocre, and he can sometimes get beaten wide even when his positioning is on point. As his physical play and skating continues to improve, his defensive play will get increasingly more effective. His skillset, even as it exists today, should allow him to successfully kill penalties, as penalty killing is rooted more strongly in positioning and play-reading than in some of the skills he is lacking in.

As it stands, Crutchfield shapes up to be a strong offensive contributor from the back-end at the SHL level. His ability to transport the puck up the ice adds a rare dynamic that will only improve as his skating continues to get better. He’s a definite candidate for a late first- or early second-round selection at the draft.

Ceiling: Top pairing defenseman, top unit powerplay and penalty kill
Mid-range: #4 defenseman, special teams contributor
Low-End: Third pairing defenseman with special teams utility

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Aaron Freakin Rome

Height: 6’2”
Weight: 215lb
Player Type: Two-Way Defenseman
Season Stats: 34 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 7 P, +7, 37 PIM, 24 HIT, 12 SH, 30 SB
Playoff Stats: 13GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 P, -2, 9 PIM, 12 HIT, 5 SH, 5 SB
Notable Attributes: Defense (72), Skating (68), Passing (64), Fighting (30)
TPE: 187

A mid-season signing by Detroit, Rome was able to step right into a depth role for the Falcons and perform admirably considering the fact that he was behind the development track of other rookies. Rome’s game is built around being solid, responsible, and reliable, and even as a rookie he was able to accomplish that goal.

Rome’s calling card is the defensive side of the puck. He displays a workmanlike effort each and every night, using his stick to direct attacking forwards away from the centre of the ice and using his body to close them off. While he doesn’t accumulate hits at the highest rate, he displayed an ability to pick his spots and deliver well-timed and punishing hits. He’s a fairly good skater and this allows him to effectively shut down opposing offenses, although he can struggle with faster and more skilled forwards on the rush.

His offensive ability is limited and not a particularly prevalent part of his overall game. Rome displays the ability to make a reliably solid, if unspectacular, breakout pass and generally makes the safe play. He rarely turns the puck over, and for that reason has the potential to become a favourite of coaches throughout his career. He is unable to contribute much in the offensive zone, as his offensive vision and shot are both sub-par. However, he shows flashes of having a solid impact both defensively and in his team’s transition game, which should lead him to being an effective player even without developing those weaknesses in his game.

Rome is not shy about mixing it up after the whistle, and was one of the league leaders in fights despite playing less than a full season. He’s cultivated a reputation for sticking up for his teammates, and his gritty style has made him a well-liked member of the locker room.

While Rome does not possess the top-end potential of some of the other Falcons prospects, he still has some of the skills and character traits that should make him an attractive option for SHL teams in the later rounds of the draft. Despite some concerns that he has not made as much progress as other developing prospects throughout the course of the season, those close to the Falcons organization are quick to note that he is an active presence in the locker room and that there is full confidence in his ability to develop into an SHL-quality defender.

Ceiling: #4 defenseman and top penalty killer
Mid-Range: Bottom pairing defenseman, penalty kill utility player
Low-End: End of roster depth player

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Note: despite being eligible for the draft, promising defensive prospect Riley Rush has chosen to retire from the sport and pursue other opportunities.

ontanis · 10-22-2018, 02:56 AM

this is great stuff!

Baelor Swift · 10-22-2018, 05:16 AM

SKRËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËËË

Coops · 10-22-2018, 07:27 AM

Love it! Looking forward to watching the draft tonight with these other awesome prospects from Detroit Falcons

SlashACM · 10-22-2018, 09:49 AM

Waaooowww great article bud

crutch · 10-22-2018, 09:57 AM

skreeeeeeeeeeee

***WannabeFinn*** · 10-22-2018, 10:08 AM

skkkkkREEEEEEEERE

*Good_Ole_Kimmy* · 10-22-2018, 10:28 AM

Tig "The Hypeman" Tigerson

JSS · 10-22-2018, 10:30 AM

hell yeah

StamkosFan · 10-22-2018, 10:34 AM

Awesome article! Falcons

This is the kind of detailed quality content that I love! We have a lot of great prospects, and I can't wait to see where we all end up! I think Waffles Man will be a sneaky late round pick too for us, he did well on Line 4 with Coops