Strome could be in Leafs’ draft sights
Erie Otters centre has the size and skill that will likely see him go top five in the June draft
When Erie Otters coach Kris Knoblauch asks his team a question about hockey, one player always seems to have the answer: Dylan Strome.
“I’ve never met anyone that knows as much as him,” says Knoblauch. “If you were to ask anything about the NHL or the OHL he would have an answer.
“I could pose a question about the other team’s power play — who’s on it, what percentage they’re running. If the room is stumped, he’s the guy with the answer. We might just be talking about in the NHL, who’s the leading scorer, or who’s the fourth-line left winger for the Penguins. He would have the answer. He just enjoys hockey.” The good news for whatever NHL team drafts Strome — projected on some lists to go No. 4, right where the Maple Leafs sit — is that his on-ice hockey IQ eclipses his off-ice hockey IQ.
“He’s better on the ice,” said Knoblauch. “He knows where his teammates are. He knows how to expose another team’s weakness. He’s not a one-dimensional player. He can score goals or set them up. He scored a lot of goals this year. I didn’t expect that from a 17-year-old coming in. We didn’t see him as a goal-scorer but more of a playmaker.”
It’s an exceptionally deep draft, one in which comparisons to greats are frequent and the phrase “In any other year (pick a name) would go first” is oft-repeated.
The Edmonton Oilers could end up with the next Wayne Gretzky or Sidney Crosby (Connor McDavid), the Buffalo Sabres could get the next Mario Lemieux or Mike Modano (Jack Eichel) and the Arizona Coyotes could land a Scott Niedermayer-Chris Pronger mix (Noah Hanifin).
That would lead the Leafs with Strome, rated the fourth-best skater by NHL Central Scouting and compared favourably to Joe Thornton.
Thornton is six-foot-four and 220 pounds, a prototypical No. 1 centre. He had 41 goals and 122 points for the Soo Greyhounds before getting picked first overall by the Boston Bruins in 1997.
Strome is six-foot-three and185 pounds. As far as centres go, he takes more important faceoffs for the Erie Otters than his more celebrated teammate, McDavid. Strome went from being a 39-point scorer in his rookie season to leading the OHL in scoring (45 goals, 129 points.)
The Independent Scouting Service, which rates Strome third overall, one spot ahead of Hanifin, calls Strome’s vision “first rate” and says he has a “lethal wrist shot.”
His downside, however, is his skating; it’s not at the elite level.
The question the Leafs would have if they draft him is whether he’d make the NHL right away. Team president Brendan Shanahan said on Saturday at the draft lottery he is open to the idea of the top pick making the team but his preferred strategy is to wait. William Nylander, the team’s top pick from 2014, spent the year between Sweden and the AHL’s Marlies. Frederick Gauthier, the team’s top pick from 2013, has spent the past two years in the QMJHL.
Since the Leaf rebuild is going to take some time, there’d be no reason to rush Strome into the lineup.
“The real goal is to have a long career,” Strome said Saturday. “Whether (it starts) when I’m 18 or when I’m 22, I’m going to fight my way to be in the NHL.”
What’s remarkable about Strome is that his game emerged in the shadow of McDavid. All eyes have been on McDavid since he gained exceptional status to play for the Otters in the OHL at 15.
Strome, from a Mississauga family of hockey-playing brothers that includes Ryan currently with the New York Islanders, led the Otters for seven weeks when McDavid was out with a hand injury and represented Canada at the world junior hockey tournament.
“That’s when he played his best hockey,” Knoblauch said of Strome. “On any other OHL team, he would be their No. 1 centre. We just happened to have Connor McDavid.”
“On any other OHL team, (Strome) would be their No. 1 centre. We just happened to have Connor McDavid.” OTTERS COACH KRIS KNOBLAUCH
Strome has 11 points in nine playoff games for the Otters, who begin the Western Conference final against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Thursday. McDavid leads OHL playoff scoring with 23 points.
Strome also bears no bitterness at the attention his famous teammate has been getting.
“I think it was good for Dylan to watch Connor go through this, to see how well he handles all the interviews and the fan attention,” said Knoblauch. “It’s been good for Connor, too. He always had someone to rely on. They help each other.”