There is no consensus on who the top of the class will be in the next NHL Draft. In the opinion of many recruits, Shane Wright is not the only horse in the race.
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• Read also: “I deserve to be the first player to be selected” – Shane Wright
If there’s a discourse that gets thrown around a lot, it’s that there is no generational talent in this auction.
“The first option would be a good player in the NHL, but we’re not talking about an exceptional option,” one recruiter from West warned. “We’re not there, we’re not close to Conor McDavid, Austin Matthews or Conor Bedard for 2023.”
Wright earned rare outstanding player status for his OHL debut at the age of 15 during the 2019-20 season with the Kingston Frontenacs. As a beginner, he earned 66 points (39 goals, 27 assists) in just 58 matches. Last season, he did not play due to the COVID-19 pandemic which paralyzed OJL’s activities.
He thinks it’s the best
On the 17th and 18th since January 5th, Wright has performed at a good pace this season without disrupting everything in his path. He had 94 points (32 goals, 62 assists) in 63 games for Kingston. Since the start of the playoffs, he scored 2 goals and added 10 assists for a total of 12 points in 10 matches.
“I think I should,” Wright replied when asked if he should be the first choice by a Sportsnet reporter. I think I’m the best player and I’ve done a lot to prove it for a long time. »
“I am a competitive guy and I want to be the first choice. I don’t want anyone to take that from me.”
Wright and the Frontenacs were at work Tuesday night, during the NHL draft lottery. The 51st player had assists in a 6-3 loss to North Bay. The Frontenacs are now down 2-1 in this second round of confrontation.
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There are always comparisons with a young player. It’s sometimes fun, but sometimes it’s pointless. In Wright’s case, Patrice Bergeron, a four-time Frank-Silk Cup winner and also a Stanley Cup winner in 2011, is often associated with the Boston Bruins.
Kent Hughes was Bergeron’s agent. Through videoconference after the lottery, the CH general manager answered a question about the links between Bergeron and Wright.
“We would be lucky to craft a player who will make an impact on CH like Patrice has an impact on the Bruins. I don’t know Shane as an individual. I look forward to meeting him at Buffalo for sum [tests physiques]. »
“I watched him play for the last few years. He plays well from 200 feet, he’s not just attacking. He has an important role defensively. We describe him as a team man.”
About Logan Cooley, Hughes described it as follows: “Logan is a great skate guy. I’ve seen him play for two years, he’s played with my son [Jack] A big part of last season [2020-2021]. He has a good sense of attack. His great strength is his speed, but also his vision of the game and his skills. »
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