NHL Scouts’ Quotes Part 5
April 14, 2020
By Grant McCagg
Kaidan Guhle D Prince Albert WHL 2002-01-18 6-2.25 186
2019-20 Stats – 64GP 11 29 40Pts Shoots Left
Quebec-based crossover scout Feb. 2020 – He’s got a little more puck game than Schneider. I don’t know that he’s a genius, but he’s really competitive, and he’s still in a growth spurt. Guhle’s still growing, and he plays hard. I don’t think he’s a real genius, though.
Ontario-based crossover scout Apr. 2020 – He looks like a four to me. I have Guhle ahead of Schneider. His offence tips it for me. Plays with an edge if needed. He has it in him. I think Schneider has a little bit more of a natural edge, but it’s not like this guy doesn’t have any. Guhle’s ahead because of the skill/offence. He’s a 3 1/2. I think he’s a four all day long. He’s going to play no matter what.
Quebec-based crossover scout Apr. 2020 – I liked him the last time I saw him. His game looked like it got a little bit more mature. A little more settled with the puck, his reads were better – a lot of stepping up and gap control…a lot of little things just were better. And this kid’s got a lot of room for growth, too.
He’s not as agile as Drysdale…but he’s got jump for a 6-3 kid…he’s a good skater. He’s not strong yet, but he’s going to be a powerful kid. I’m not sure I see him as a power play guy…maybe second unit. He’s going to be a penalty killer though, too. He’s got the good stick. when guys turn their back at all, if there is any puck fumble, he’s right in on them, he finishes checks. He’s got an edge to him. A guy like him is going to have quite a bit of value in a draft year where there aren’t many defencemen
Braden Schneider – D Brandon WHL 2001-09-20 6-2.25 202
2019-20 Stats – 60GP 7 35 42Pts Shoots Right
Quebec-based crossover scout Feb. 2020 – He is what he is; he’s a man. And his puck game is not great. He’s a good defender, but when he has puck possession under pressure, it’s not great. He doesn’t really have the puck carrying option. Passing options are limited; he just sort of gets rid of it… that’s a little concerning. I like him though; he’s hard, he’s big, moves well. I’m afraid with Schneider…he’s a four in your projection but he may be a five. Picking a dman with top-five potential is not great.
Ontario-based crossover scout Apr. 2020 – You likely have to take him a little higher than you would really want to considering his lack of offensive upside, but to get that type of player, simply put, you’ve got to take him earlier than normal. I think he does a lot of good things. I think his offence is sneaky better than people think. There’s lots there…the natural edge that he plays with, and then the defending. That’s the type of guy at playoff time, a lot of teams are searching for.
Quebec-based crossover scout Apr. 2020 – When you’re drafting as a scout, you want to draft players with upside. I don’t see him being better than a third-pairing defenceman. Which is great if you are taking him in the second round, but not in the first round. I just didn’t see it. I only saw him a couple of times in his league, but he gives me the whole impression of a bottom-pairing defenceman. Average puck skills. That team overachieved too. Those young guys overachieved. I like Schneider, but he’s not going to be a point producer; let’s get that out of the way. I don’t care what his points were this year. By committee he did okay; he gets put in a lot of offensive situations because they don’t have anybody else. He’s on the power play there…like ‘fu**…come on…that’s not what he is. He can be a penalty killer and a #5 at best. On a good team he’s a five. He’s a man right now; he’s pretty much maxed out when it comes to growth potential. So that’s where I see it.
Guhle’s a better skater. He’s got a game where he can carry pucks too when he has to…I’m not saying he gets far but he can at least escape it…while I don’t see Schneider doing that. He’s a strong skater, but he’s not especially fast. When a guy like that gets pressure on him who has no escape option, that’s when they start turning pucks over, and that’s where guys like him scare me a little bit. That’s why I don’t see the second-pairing upside. He might, but I think on a good team he’s a five. I’m not picking what I think is a number 5 in the top 20. He’s full grown, he’s maxed out. He is what he is. I’m a little stuck on him as far as upside goes. If it’s in the second round…yeah..I like him. I’m not sure he moves well enough to be a bonafide shutdown defenceman, there’s no elite quality. He’s big, he’s got a little bit of an edge to him, but there’s no skill attribute where I go “Whoo”.