The talent pool for NHL teams to choose from is getting younger and younger every year and Mark Scheifele is a perfect example of that.
Scheifele wasn’t the first player taken in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He wasn’t the second or third player taken either. He wasn’t picked until the Winnipeg Jets stepped up and took him seventh overall—and even that was considered surprisingly high in comparison to Scheifele’s pre-draft ranking.
Clearly the Jets saw something in Scheifele and so far he’s proving them right. The preseason obviously doesn’t compare to the regular season, but you can’t ignore the four goals and eight points in just five games for the 18-year-old. At the very least, Scheifele proved he can play with men, even if many of those men are only AHL-calibre players.
This was a big step for Scheifele, considering one of his apparent weaknesses is a slim body that isn't supposed to have the strength to play against men much older and stronger.
However, Scheifele dispelled any notion that his lack of bulk would be an issue during the preseason. As a result, he’ll now have a chance to ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Adam Graham
NHL Predictions 2012: Will Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele Be the Next Jeff Skinner?
October 8th, 2011 by Adam Graham Leave a reply »
Advertisement