Pierre McGuire wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 07:41 am
I’ll take Fiddler all day. Not my first choice but I think the Blues would have serious interest
He’s not just the last guy in that group that I’d want, there’s probably 6 guys “below” him that group that I would prefer(starting with Brustzewicz and Tretheway).
Fiddler has absolutely no hockey sense. I don’t know why you think he’s somehow a Bluesy pick, but I don’t see any aspect of his game that our scouts would like. He is practically the antithesis of what we have tended to target over the last 15 years.
What is it about him that has him ranked so highly by some?
Just curious. He’s one of the more polarizing names I see come up.
His tool box.
He’s massive, he can skate and he has a bomb of a shot. If he can learn how to actually play the game, he could be a stud. But I am not banking on that given the boneheaded decisions I’ve seen him make in my viewing of him(on both sides of the puck). I see Shawn Belle when I watch him, not Rob Blake.
That’s the concern with Fiddler for sure. Good tools, very questionable toolbox.
That said, hockey sense can sometimes be hard to evaluate and I don’t think his coach, Dave Cameron, is very good. I’ll hold open the possibility that the poor decision making from Fiddler could at least partially be the result of poor coaching and he could thrive under a different coach.
But I’d absolutely pass on him at 19. Shawn Belle is probably a pretty decent comp unfortunately. I recall watching Belle a lot one season with the Iowa Stars. The way he’d skate the blueline and his backwards crossovers were sublime. But when it came to actually making hockey decisions…yikes. A dump to the corner was about all he could manage.
Pierre McGuire wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 07:41 am
I’ll take Fiddler all day. Not my first choice but I think the Blues would have serious interest
He’s not just the last guy in that group that I’d want, there’s probably 6 guys “below” him that group that I would prefer(starting with Brustzewicz and Tretheway).
Fiddler has absolutely no hockey sense. I don’t know why you think he’s somehow a Bluesy pick, but I don’t see any aspect of his game that our scouts would like. He is practically the antithesis of what we have tended to target over the last 15 years.
What is it about him that has him ranked so highly by some?
Just curious. He’s one of the more polarizing names I see come up.
His tool box.
He’s massive, he can skate and he has a bomb of a shot. If he can learn how to actually play the game, he could be a stud. But I am not banking on that given the boneheaded decisions I’ve seen him make in my viewing of him(on both sides of the puck). I see Shawn Belle when I watch him, not Rob Blake.
Ooof, Shawn Belle. I watched him lots in the WHL. He did one thing well...skate fast in a straight line. All other skills were below average.
Bret Hedican.. could skate like lightning down the boards to below the goal line and.... nothing
Hedican at least made a nice career for himself as a defensive Dman(17 seasons; 1039 games played).
Belle was just a bust.
Even though Hedican was nowhere near a #1 d-man, don't forget he also won a Cup as technically the Canes #1 d-man (ATOI) in 2006.
Pierre McGuire wrote: ↑14 Jun 2025 07:41 am
I’ll take Fiddler all day. Not my first choice but I think the Blues would have serious interest
He’s not just the last guy in that group that I’d want, there’s probably 6 guys “below” him that group that I would prefer(starting with Brustzewicz and Tretheway).
Fiddler has absolutely no hockey sense. I don’t know why you think he’s somehow a Bluesy pick, but I don’t see any aspect of his game that our scouts would like. He is practically the antithesis of what we have tended to target over the last 15 years.
What is it about him that has him ranked so highly by some?
Just curious. He’s one of the more polarizing names I see come up.
His tool box.
He’s massive, he can skate and he has a bomb of a shot. If he can learn how to actually play the game, he could be a stud. But I am not banking on that given the boneheaded decisions I’ve seen him make in my viewing of him(on both sides of the puck). I see Shawn Belle when I watch him, not Rob Blake.
Ooof, Shawn Belle. I watched him lots in the WHL. He did one thing well...skate fast in a straight line. All other skills were below average.
Bret Hedican.. could skate like lightning down the boards to below the goal line and.... nothing
Nothing? Hedican had over 1000 games and just about 300 points. He was averaging nearly a point every third game for a long career. The organization has a track record of effing up defense position picks. My advice for this organization, Forget about drafting for defense, you do better with your trades. Exception for Petro but come on Bret Sonne and another looked like guys that were cut from the movie Goon their skating was so bad.
