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In my own discussion of Gaines before, I stated that his draft year resume is adequate, with what's not there carrying a larger weight. In his defence, not much has changed; his plus/minus in the U18 Canadian Championships (31 in 30 games) was the highest on the team, his PDO was well below normal, and he did miss time due to injury. He continued that past three games though, with more individual statistics and a positive team effect.
In fact, his upside is so high that even when I'm in a desperate draft for a goalie, I don't mind investing the max for a player with upside like this.
Yes, it's all in the last month though, and that's really what excites me about this pick. Over the past four years, Gaines has grown into a very reliable prospect. He wasn't good as a rookie, but has been consistently good since. In a draft context, that's the definition of a "rookie" that's capable of getting better and staying around for a while.
He doesn't possess elite puck skills, but has a reliable skill-set that makes him a strong overall player. That's enough to keep him there.
In saying that, I see him as more of a mid-rounder in this year's draft and that's fine. If I'm picking a goalie, I want to have a close look at the one they're taking in Round 1. If I'm using a second round pick on a potential legitimate #1 goalie, I don't want to invest too much in a player that's going to play a bottom pairing role at best.
For what it's worth, Sean Walker is still ranked ahead of him. He's a year younger, but I can't see where he was better than Gaines last year. Both have a small upside and may develop into a solid NHLer, but it's clear that Gaines has more tools in his toolbox at the moment.
Is it a risky pick? Maybe, but for the purposes of this pick, I think it's worth it.
By The Numbers:
C.J. Gaines has finished in the Top 15 in points among all draft eligible goaltenders in his age bracket for the past four years.
C.J. Gaines has never been a weaker regular season contributor.
Gaines' last two seasons include a whole lot more goals against. In fact, it's the case that the goal totals are almost entirely an anomaly.
Stats from ehf-euro.com
My Take:
For those of you who've watched C.J. play before, you know he's an incredibly smart and durable netminder who will move the puck around. His style of play is slightly boring and will not lead to many highlight-reel saves, but the excellent goaltending technique that he uses to keep the Kings in the game over the past two years will help him get by.
If he can get more bounces and miss more rebounds, he'll be even more comfortable. If he starts making a couple more 30-save performances, teams will begin taking notice. He's unlikely to outproduce any draft-eligible netminders, but it's possible that he takes over the #2 spot for the Kings in the near future.
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Potential Remedies:
As mentioned above, there's an unknown in Gaines' Draft Year resume. On one hand, it's not the strongest and he only ranks 19th among draft-eligible netminders over the past four years in points. On the other hand, his Goals-Against and Save-Percentage over the past three years have been very good.
That being said, the only thing that jumps out is the missed time from a concussion. But considering that he only missed six games, it's not an unexpected absence. The Kings lost an effective player for a good portion of the season, but they're not going to pay someone who can't play hockey.
Realistically, this would be the best time to invest in a potential goalie for the future, but with the Kings' GM Mike Futa also admitting they're only looking at short-term solutions, perhaps they'll instead focus on a front line player to plug a hole right now.
Beyond the reason he was taken #7 overall in 2012, the difference between the pick and #20 is likely due to my belief in the development path of C.J. Gaines. I think he'll develop into a legit NHL starting goalie for the Los Angeles Kings, but that'll take some time. He'll need a bit more work before he's ready to take over the #2 spot in the crease for this team.
C.J. Gaines is my pick for the Kings at #21. I think he's a good enough player to reward the pick.
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There will be many questions as to why I didn't rank C.J. Gaines higher. One question that's not difficult to answer is the fact that he only finished in the Top 15 in points once over the past four seasons. However, in that case, it's fair to ask if those statistics are a result of playing in a very weak Western Hockey League.
As for the other questions, it's true that Gaines didn't play as much this past year, but that was more than offset by the time he missed with a concussion, so that's not a major concern. The relative weakness of the WHL is a legitimate one, but the fact that he didn't take a step back in goal was a good thing.
This pick is one that has some risk, but I think it's a reasonable one.
My Pick:
(first round, #21) Jason Dickinson, C, Guelph Storm (OHL)
One of the most physically dominating players available at the #21 spot.
Stats from ehf-euro.com
Jason Dickinson is an absolute beast.
Imagine a smaller, skilled version of Dennis Seidenberg. Dickinson won't fill the big man's wingspan, but what he does have in terms of size and skill, he absolutely destroys with his size and will overpower most players in his path.
"Dicky" had his rookie season end after only 39 games due to an injury, but he showed in the playoffs that he has the potential to be a top-six center in the NHL.
Let's start with his skating ability. He's a big kid, but he has great speed and agility for a guy his size, especially considering that he plays at a high pace.
The questions that come with that skill level are his stickhandling and hockey IQ. He's a good skater, but not an especially refined one, which is not a surprise. His hockey IQ and overall hockey smarts are still pretty raw. He does show the ability to read the play, but he still struggles with defensive zone turnovers.
Dickinson also has the potential to be a power forward, with big power-play potential. He's a big body who moves well, and he has soft hands.
When you watch him play, there are some clear weaknesses. He's not very strong with the puck, especially when he has to make plays in tight quarters and under heavy pressure. He also struggles with smaller players, and he isn't particularly effective at keeping the puck in the offensive zone. His shot is more of a thunderbolt than a finesse weapon, and it is one-dimensional.
It's not clear what role he would play at the NHL level, and how he would fit in with the Kings. Would he be a third-line center who could provide some secondary scoring or an offensive depth player? He's not going to be used in a checking role. He's got a very high ceiling, but there are concerns about whether or not he can stick at this level.
My Pick:
A strong, mobile puck mover who can get the puck into the offensive zone in a hurry.
Stats from canucks.nhl.com
There was some question if Stefan Elliott would be available in the fourth round at #106, but he was there for the taking, and the Kings didn't hesitate to take him.
Stefan Elliott is a talented defenseman who has the potential to be a #2 defenseman at the NHL level, and the Kings need to find a partner for Drew Doughty sooner rather than later.
Elliott is an excellent skater, who can use his speed to open up ice and extend the transition. He has good passing skills, and is a solid stickhandler, which should help him in creating offense. He can win battles on the boards, but there are questions about his defensive play.
There are some concerns about his lack of size and the fact that he hasn't been called up to the AHL yet. He could be an excellent defensive partner for Drew Doughty in the near future, but there are questions about whether or not he will ever be able to earn a regular roster spot in the NHL.
He needs to add some muscle to his frame in order to survive in the NHL, but he's still a talented puck mover with some upside. He's certainly not an unmotivated prospect, and he seems ready for the NHL.
My Pick:
Tobias Rieder, RW, HV71 (SHL)
Rieder is a great offensive player, who can set up shop in front of the net, or drive to the net himself. He's not the biggest player in the world, but he makes up for that with his explosiveness, speed and agility.
Stats from fisking.com
The one area where Rieder struggles is his skating. He's not particularly fluid, and his top-end speed is only mediocre. That's okay, though, as he moves extremely well in tight quarters and is very quick on his edges.
In terms of offense, Rieder has a dynamic playmaker's mindset. He loves to skate the puck into the offensive zone, and he's not afraid to go to the tough areas to make plays. He can create open ice with his speed and agility. Rieder has the potential to be a 30-40 point scorer at the NHL level, with potential to be more if he adds muscle and gets stronger.
It was surprising to see Rieder fall out of the second round and into the fourth round, and it was even more surprising to see him fall this far in the third round. Rieder has tremendous offensive upside, and he's someone who will be able to help a Kings team that is going to be looking for offensive help down the middle.
My Pick:
Cody Glass, C, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Cody Glass is an excellent offensive player with a ton of offensive upside, who is very intelligent with the puck on his stick. He has the speed and ability to get open in the offensive zone, and he is very difficult to defend one-on-one.
There are a lot of concerns about Glass' overall game. He's got decent size and strength, but he needs to get stronger if he's going to survive in the NHL. He also needs to add some bulk to his frame. He's got some outstanding skills, but the question is whether or not he'll be able to put it all together at the NHL level.
Although Glass is an excellent offensive player, he's not the type of player who will dominate when he doesn't have the puck. In fact, he can often be a non-factor when he doesn't have the puck. That said, he can be a huge factor when he is using his speed and elusiveness to move around the ice.
After a great start to the season, Glass' season has been plagued by injury, and he's been unable to carry his impressive play over into the playoffs. Even with that, he still managed to put up 28 points in just 20 games this season. He also has a very good shot, which he shows off with a powerful wrist shot, which he uses to create openings.
If he does make the Kings, it will be interesting to see how he does. Glass is not going to be an outstanding defensive player,