I love being right. More aptly, I love being right when it involves my myopic view of the team I love, and/or its players. While I am still waiting to get a glimpse of Vilardi doing something hockey related, I am getting an eyeful of our second round pick from 2017, Jaret Anderson-Dolan. Despite the small sample size, I just might have been right about this young man.
Like most people, I work for a living at a regular job. Following the Kings is purely a passion. Needless to say, I haven't been able to travel the country watching junior or college hockey, scouting young players in person. I'm left with finding highlights posted on you tube. This is dangerous at best, and could be equated to evaluating football players solely based on their fantasy scores. That being said, if one is critical enough, it is possible to get at least a snap shot of what a player has to offer.
When the Kings drafted JAD I had no idea who he was. A little internet spin later, and I could see some of the potential Lucky and the boys had seen. Granted, he was still a baby, just seventeen, and his NHL debut still seemed a ways a way. A year later, more highlights were available. There was a difference.
In what appears to have been his final year in junior hockey, JAD looked stronger, quicker, more sure of himself, and still demonstrated the quick hands, accurate shot, and a high level of skill. If you rewind this blog back to April, you can verify some of this. I was anxious to see him play for the big club, or at least Ontario. To my pleasant surprise, I get to see the boy, er...man, play on T.V.
Due to some fairly important chores, I missed Sunday's game. When I asked about JAD, the report I got from a good friend of mine was, "unremarkable" or something to that effect. I was a bit disappointed, but it was just one game, and having not seen it myself, there may have been many small things about his play that may have gone unnoticed. Somehow, he was spared the debacle in the peg. But, Thursday night, I finally got to see him play.
Yes, I did get to see many of the things that I had hoped to see. On one shift in the first period, I got an eye full. He is quick, and in football terms, "...has a high motor." He is willing to grind in the corners and relentlessly battle for loose pucks. He is fundamentally sound and doesn't appear to struggle with the speed of the NHL. After three battles in succession, where the puck seemed to just be within millimeters of control, he finally wrestled it away from a gaggle of Habs setting up Amadio for what was a very nice finish. Later, his screen played a pivotal role in Carter's (El Jeffe) first goal.
It does remain to be seen if JAD will be a super star, or even a journeyman, but I have to say things are looking good. What might be unremarkable to one person, may simply mean solid play with few, if any, costly mistakes. As it looks tonight against the Canadiens, Stephens is attempting to put together four solid lines that are all a scoring threat with speed and quickness. JAD appears to fit in quite nicely with that plan, and I am looking forward to some fine play from this young man.
On a side note, one player that I was really excited about in the draft because he was originally quite within reach of the Kings draft pick also played last night. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (I had to look at it twice to get it right) had orriginally been slated as a low twenties, high teens pick in the draft. When he went third, I felt vindicated. His highlights really stood out. His performance last night was "unremarkable", but the Canadians in general were worse than that. It will be interesting to see how he progresses.
Oh, and Jack Cambell appears to be auditioning for the Vezina. Keep it up Jack, but remember,
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...
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