2011 NHL Entry Draft Prospects: Matt Puempel
by George E. Ays on Jun 10, 2011 6:00 AM EDT
in 2011 NHL Draft
Email
Print
Next up in the Blueshirt Banter draft pick preview special is 18 year old Matt Puempel. Puempel was the 2009-10 CHL rookie of the year, posting 33 goals and 64 points in 59 games. This led to preseason discussions as someone that would be in the top of this draft, among Gabriel Landeskog, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Adam Larsson Unfortunately for Matt, he played on a terrible Peterborough team this year, and suffered a hip injury late in the year. Those two fact combined to knock Puempel down to 28th in the central scouting rankings. Nonetheless, he is a guy that should be available at 15, and presents considerable upside.
Matt Puempel is a 6'0, 190lb left wing. He finished the 2010-11 season with a line of 35-34-69 in just 55 games. His goal scoring rate trailed only Gabriel Landeskog, among the draft eligible prospects this year, and his point scoring rate only behind Ryan Strome among the WHL prospects. His power play production also rivaled the very best of the group, with 0.60 power play points per game. He's even someone that our rivals on the Island feel is the best fit for us.
Scouting reports, per usual, after the jump.
We start with thescoutingreport.org:
....Puempel still remains as one of the premier goal scorers in this crop. Puempel will likely make a living off his release and shot power/accuracy, but he improved some of the other areas of his game this season as well. It was evident that he started to take some steps to become more of a dominant player on his own and began to create a lot of his own opportunities instead of relying on a center to get him the puck. Assuming NHL teams are satisfied with his injury rehabilitation, Puempel is still very much a Top 15 type player.
Next, Scott Macumber of thehockeyguru.com, via mynhldraft:
Matt is a fantastic player, with both skill and speed, Matt moves the puck well and is able to protect the puck in his own end. Every time his time has the puck you can see Matt getting in front of the net waiting for passes, but he is also not afraid to play in the corners and behind the net. Matt has puck control abilities for beyond the tender age of 17, he is smart enough to fall back to defense if needed or any other position, he can cover his man very well and can create turnovers.
From Kirk Luedeke at Bruins Draft Watch:
The 2010 CHL Rookie of the Year has unreal hands and offensive hockey sense. He can snipe pucks from anywhere in the offensive zone and does the unexplainable- able to fire the puck from seemingly impossible angles and situations.....Where Puempel loses his shine is in the fact that he is of extremely average size, strength, skating ability and compete level. He's not poor in any of those areas, but NHL scouts look at him and keep thinking how much more dangerous and effective he could be if he just tried a little harder, had an extra step and adds the extra mass that's expected before he hits his physical peak.
As you see, Puempel has the skill, and is considered a natural goal scorer, which as many a Rangers' fan will attest, is something the team sorely lacks. With lots of mock drafts around projecting our preferred targets of Mark McNeil and Joel Armia being taken off the board by the time our pick comes around, Puempel joins a long list of guys that the Rangers will give a look. The question becomes, should be be near the top of the list? Tell us in the comments.
22 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
This guy is very interesting. Very likely to be there at 15. I still say Armia if he’s there but Matt would definitely warrant strong consideration at 15 if he’s there which I believe he will.
Armia is interesting but I hope there are other choices on the board.
More from Corey Pronman…
15. Joel Armia, Right Wing, Assat-SM-Liiga
The top prospect out of Finland this season comes in the form of a tall right winger. Joel Armia has plus puck skills and is well above-average for a 6’3", 190 lb. forward. Armia is very confident with the puck on his stick and he has good reason to be. He is able to execute above-average dekes with regularity and is very good in open ice. On more than occasion I’ve seen him execute a stick-handling move or a mid-distance pass through a tight space that left me saying “wow”. He has an above-average shot with the ability to score from notable distances with the tool’s accuracy and power. While the frame and his natural offensive tools are a great package, there are quite a few areas of concern with Armia. While he is a tall player, Armia still has a ways to fill out and loses a fair amount of battles that a man his size shouldn’t. His hockey sense is decent in regards to his positional play in all zones, however his decision-making with the puck is poor and he too often tries to force the big play with cross-seam passes, deking in dangerous locations, or will chuck the puck at the net with no traffic. His stride is good, but Armia’s feet are heavy and the skating tool grades as fringe, but likely could get up a notch with attention to that area. Armia’s intangibles and more specifically his consistency are also a question mark. He has one of the best upsides of any forward in the class, but there’s a fair amount that he needs to work on.
Ranking Explanation: Armia has the highest Projected Peak GVT in the draft class according to Iain Fyffe’s projections, but yet I have him all the way down at 15. One reason for that is due to how Armia got his offense, more specifically his goals. He relied on his shot tool, and by exceeding the percentages from mid-range shooting distances. While he is a good shooter, in a short season sample if a fair amount of your offense is coming from finishing ability, the unreliability in shooting percentage being persistent over a long sample is a cause for concern. His skill set is very good and he has that kind of potential to be a several wins above replacement forward, but there are many concerns/questions about his game about if he can get there. In matching up against Mayfield, I had him against a toolsy player as well. Their possession game was a slight edge for Armia, as even though Armia has significant better puck skills, he’s not a good thinker and when you mix in Mayfield’s refined defensive game and decent puck-moving ability they both control the game flow at about an equal level. Armia is a significantly worse skater and physically, but a better shooter and it came to a push here. While I was about to give Mayfield the edge based on market values, I went with Armia because of 1) The clear separation in counting numbers performance , 2) Armia has such great upside, and while Mayfield does too Armia has the potential to be an All-star. I can’t say that about Mayfield with the same certainty barring a major development boost and 3) The position market values have a lesser effect for above-average players when the defenseman is a defense-reliant player for the majority of his value as that transitions to the NHL slower during the pre-UFA years.
Aucune clause de Mouvement
by Blueshirt in Paris on Jun 10, 2011 6:48 AM EDT up reply actions
No thanks, not at 15.
Here is some more on him from Corey Pronman
Matt Puempel is one of the better goal-scoring prospects in this draft class, but one who after the shot/finishing tool has a lot of aspects that need to be fine-tuned. He has terrific mechanics and accuracy on a shot that is above-average and flashes plus potential. The word “quick release” is sometimes overused in scouting circles, but with Puempel his release is something that separates him from other goal-scorers and his ability to get quality shots off in motion and without having to set his feet is a very desirable trait. He anticipates the play well coming out of his own zone and finding gaps in the offensive zone to slide into scoring position. His puck skills are solid with the ability to handle the puck well in tight and he displays solid passing ability. Puempel’s skating tool grades as below-average with average speed when he gets going in a straight line. While he does show decent balance and grit on the puck, he has to put on a fair amount of strength to continue playing his style of game at the next level. He has the hockey sense to play a decent defensive game, but like most young players, that aspect of his game isn’t as consistent as one would like it to be.
Aucune clause de Mouvement
by Blueshirt in Paris on Jun 10, 2011 6:44 AM EDT reply actions
FYI, Corey has him rated at 33
Aucune clause de Mouvement
by Blueshirt in Paris on Jun 10, 2011 6:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Armia or Jurco would probably be the safer pick at RW, but that -30 something rating is the last thing a team with a stingy D and an elite goalie would have to worry about. Plus it has more to do with being on a bad team than him just being terrible.
Hell on Ice/In Lou We Trust/Twitter
Talking toilet, you may call me Jane.
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jun 10, 2011 6:57 AM EDT reply actions
Yeah, given he likely led lthe team in ice time ( or was close), the minus doesn’t bother me much. I personally like Armia much better, but I don’t think he makes it to 15. I reviewed Jurco also, I think Puempel is probably a safer choice, not necessarily the better one.
Blueshirt Banter - Where Rangers' Fans Matter
Tracking the Rangers - Numbers don't lie. They just don't agree with you.
Twitter: RangerSmurf
by George E. Ays on Jun 10, 2011 8:22 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Don’t like Jurco at all, does not fit with our system.
Agree that Armia would be a better choice, that would be us swinging for the fences
Aucune clause de Mouvement
by Blueshirt in Paris on Jun 10, 2011 8:28 AM EDT up reply actions
You also wouldn’t like the fact that he’s a Devils fan as well.
Hell on Ice/In Lou We Trust/Twitter
Talking toilet, you may call me Jane.
by Kevin Sellathamby on Jun 10, 2011 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Eh that doesn’t bother me. These guys all grow up with fandom elsewhere, for the most part
Blueshirt Banter - Where Rangers' Fans Matter
Tracking the Rangers - Numbers don't lie. They just don't agree with you.
Twitter: RangerSmurf
by George E. Ays on Jun 10, 2011 10:14 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Q: Why do people love Puempel?
A: He’s pretty good, and he’s been in the past 3 versions of the NHL video games, so he’s a recognizable name.
Blue Seat Blogs
Twitter: @Blue Seat Blogs
Just a note about people commenting about “doesn’t fit the system”:
Systems change. They change with coaches, they change with players, they change with trades, they change with free agents. We saw a change in systems twice over the past three years when Torts took over, and when Torts adjusted the system to fit his players.
You don’t draft for a system, you draft the best player available to fit your needs. Rangers took Kreider because they needed a forward who can score. They drafted McIlrath because they needed his type of snarl. They draft character guys who won’t be an issue.
They did not draft for the “system”.
Blue Seat Blogs
Twitter: @Blue Seat Blogs
I’ll assume this was directed at me….
Maybe ‘system’ was a poor choice of words though I still think to some degree the Rangers, with or without Torts, with or without adding a few players, can’t change all that much due to the types of players they have. This is not a run and gun team…maybe one line can pull that off with some high-end acquisitions. I guess a better word would be ‘identity’.
When I read:
Jurco has the ability to be an above-average goal scorer in regards to his shot and finishing ability, but he needs to find ways to get more opportunities in the high percentage areas. His effort level is wavering as he shows good effort on the forecheck and when he has the puck, but outside of the offensive blue line he looks disinterested.
I don’t see this as a player we should target.
Aucune clause de Mouvement
by Blueshirt in Paris on Jun 10, 2011 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Was a general comment, you’re not the only one who says it. But yes, your comment reminded me that I’ve heard it before.
This entire draft is filled with guys like Jurco/Jensen/Puempel…guys that will be projects. If they aren’t going to be projects, they will be gone long before the Rangers get to the podium. This is a high risk/high reward draft. It has the potential to be great, or the potential to be like 1999.
Blue Seat Blogs
Twitter: @Blue Seat Blogs
by Dave Shapiro on Jun 10, 2011 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions
I kinda see this draft as there really is only one ‘sure thing’ that has great potential and that’s RNH. The rest of the top are either projects (more risk) with high potential and the others are less risk with less potential.
Take McNeil for example, I think he is a low risk type of player, you know what you are going to get and should wind up with if you pick him to a good degree but there really isnt a huge upside to him. Contrast that that to a Grimaldi or a Armia.
Depending on how the picks ahead of us go we should be faced with one of those projects or a low risk player. If we are going for project, and I don’t have objections to that, there are better projects than Jurco and co. If you are looking for a home run you need to swing for the fences.
Aucune clause de Mouvement
by Blueshirt in Paris on Jun 10, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions
As long as he's not a defensemen
They all are great choices to draft at 15
"Don't look now, but there's one too many people in this room and I think it's you." Groucho Marx
In Prust We Trust
"Kovalev would work with Tortorella like a kitty would work in a microwave.
A lot of smoke and desperate clawing at the door. It wouldn’t work. It would just be a big, hot mess." -Dig Deep
Follow me @8kpower
by Kevin Power on Jun 10, 2011 9:43 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
couldnt agree more
Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!
by Archie Barberio on Jun 10, 2011 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions
I doubt Sather will draft another D man, since they just traded for one(Erixon)
this guy sounds ok. any draft prospect with a touch of scoring ability should be considered
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
I rather go Armia, but any skilled forward will work at this point :)
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
i have a question..
Sorry if this has been answered on a different thread, but out of the prospects that are anywhere near the Rangers grasp, who is (or appears to be) the most NHL- ready?
My opinion on the subject
It’s really hard to determine. A prospect for us isn’t going to be as “NHL-ready” as a prospect for Ottawa. I mean, not many (if any) people thought that Jeff Skinner was NHL-ready last year, and you saw what happened with skill and opportunity.
I don’t see the Rangers immediately injecting anyone in the lineup unless they have an absolute lights-out camp. So that probably means the guys with top-end skill with other (re: motivational) issues, so a guy like Niklas Jensen or Tomas Jurco are two guys I think would have a real shot out of the gate.
Blueshirt Banter - Where Rangers' Fans Matter
Tracking the Rangers - Numbers don't lie. They just don't agree with you.
Twitter: RangerSmurf
by George E. Ays on Jun 10, 2011 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Blueshirt Banter
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Rangers Schedule
Next 5 Games
New Jersey
|
Sun 05/27 | TBA |
Last 5 Games
|
@
New Jersey
|
Fri 05/25 | OT - L 2 - 3 |
|
New Jersey
|
Wed 05/23 | L 3 - 5 |
|
@
New Jersey
|
Mon 05/21 | L 1 - 4 |
|
@
New Jersey
|
Sat 05/19 | W 3 - 0 |
|
New Jersey
|
Wed 05/16 | L 2 - 3 |
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 New York Rangers
- Stanley Cup Final: 5 keys for New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings
- Friday’s Three Stars: Devils head to Final; Brodeur, Kovalchuk the difference in Game 6
- Devils eliminate Rangers in Game 6, ending fear of the past, setting course for the future
- Adam Henrique sends New Jersey Devils to Stanley Cup Final with OT goal vs. Rangers (VIDEO)
Latest stories and headlines from NHL.com
- Former Oilers Stoll, Greene grateful for 2nd chance when well-rested LA Kings face New Jersey
- Shinnimin named CHL's Player of the Year
- Capitals send left-wing Bourque to Bruins for centre Hamill
- Rangers look to get past hurt of loss to Devils
- Top-seeded Rangers have reasons for optimism after disappointing loss to Devils in East finals
