F Miguel Marques - Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL (2024 NHL Draft)

[BigRangy]

There haven't been nearly enough talk about Miguel Marques this season. The metrics of his playmaking are off the charts.

Here's my Scouting Report on him.

Like a Gallagher sort of type, looks interesting. Looking forward to the next video on Yakemchuk

 

[Castle8130]

There haven't been nearly enough talk about Miguel Marques this season. The metrics of his playmaking are off the charts.

Here's my Scouting Report on him.

Screams 2nd rounder to me. Great motor, good vision, perimeter playerish, and good offensive skills. Nothing elite in his game, but very promising attributes he can build on

 

[19Simon19]

Like a Gallagher sort of type, looks interesting. Looking forward to the next video on Yakemchuk

Thanks. I made a minor mistake while planning my videos. I will release Celebrini next since I want to release my video on him before the Draft Lottery.

I'll release Yakemchuk next wednesday or friday (video is already made).

Screams 2nd rounder to me. Great motor, good vision, perimeter playerish, and good offensive skills. Nothing elite in his game, but very promising attributes he can build on

Yup I agree. He should still be available around 45-50. Heard some minor stuff Off the Ice about him too, that's apparently why he wasn't at the Top Prospect Game.

He's better than many players currently playing for Canada at the U-18. Don't know if it's related to that, but in any case, if you're interessted in him, there's no rush in selecting him too early.

 

[Castle8130]

Thanks. I made a minor mistake while planning my videos. I will release Celebrini next since I want to release my video on him before the Draft Lottery.

I'll release Yakemchuk next wednesday or friday (video is already made).


Yup I agree. He should still be available around 45-50. Heard some minor stuff Off the Ice about him too, that's apparently why he wasn't at the Top Prospect Game.

He's better than many players currently playing for Canada at the U-18. Don't know if it's related to that, but in any case, if you're interessted in him, there's no rush in selecting him too early.

You think he would’ve beat out some of the players at the u18s? I don’t think he’d beat out any of the draft eligibles like Beaudoin, Greentree, or Iginla.

 

[19Simon19]

You think he would’ve beat out some of the players at the u18s? I don’t think he’d beat out any of the draft eligibles like Beaudoin, Greentree, or Iginla.

Better than Josephson, Ritchie, Wetsch, Massé and Beaudoin IMO.

But I don't think he's well suited for a depth role like those guys.

 

[Hinterland]

Better than Josephson, Ritchie, Wetsch, Massé and Beaudoin IMO.

But I don't think he's well suited for a depth role like those guys.

Why not? He may be small but he's tough, he's intense and he's gritty. He'd add not just skill but also lots of speed, energy and intensity to the Canadian WJC18 team. I can see why they'd prefer bigger guys though.

 

[tfong]

Did this guy fall off the map? He hasn't been seen in any of the latest mock drafts it seems.

 

[MS]

I wouldn't be surprised if he loses an inch at the combine. Doesn't look 5'11 to me.

Good motor and compete level. Skating is pretty good relative to WHL players but will be very average moving up levels. Smart player.

I wouldn't be surprised if a team likes his compete/motor and he goes in the 2nd round but also wouldn't be surprised if he falls due to having the big 3 strikes against him that GMs tend to rate down - size, average skating, non-premium position. Even if he 'hits' undersized middle-6 wingers don't carry much value around the league.

 

[Hinterland]

I wouldn't be surprised if he loses an inch at the combine. Doesn't look 5'11 to me.

Good motor and compete level. Skating is pretty good relative to WHL players but will be very average moving up levels. Smart player.

I wouldn't be surprised if a team likes his compete/motor and he goes in the 2nd round but also wouldn't be surprised if he falls due to having the big 3 strikes against him that GMs tend to rate down - size, average skating, non-premium position. Even if he 'hits' undersized middle-6 wingers don't carry much value around the league.

I agree but one thing to keep in mind is that even though he's small he still does play big. He's of the firy type, loves to hit, isn't afraid to fight as well.

Of course that can be a concern as well with teams questioning his durability but my point is that it doesn't really matter if he's 5'10 or 5'11. He's gonna mix it up regardless. Just a highly competitive kid.

I actually like his skating. Very clean technique. He's not the fastest or most explosive skater but he's very mobile. Seems to have a lot of energy as well. Played heavy minutes at times but hardly ever looked physically tired.

 

[MS]

I agree but one thing to keep in mind is that even though he's small he still does play big. He's of the firy type, loves to hit, isn't afraid to fight as well.

Of course that can be a concern as well with teams questioning his durability but my point is that it doesn't really matter if he's 5'10 or 5'11. He's gonna mix it up regardless. Just a highly competitive kid.

I actually like his skating. Very clean technique. He's not the fastest or most explosive skater but he's very mobile. Seems to have a lot of energy as well. Played heavy minutes at times but hardly ever looked physically tired.

His skating is ... OK. It's the thing where it's good by WHL standards but in the NHL virtually everyone was an elite skater at lower levels. It's not terrible or a liability but it won't be a plus skill moving up levels. He'll be an average skater if he makes it.

He's had one fight in the last 2 years and he was basically jumped by the other guy so I wouldn't list that in his skill set. He's competitive and plays an involved game, absolutely.

5'10 or 5'11 does matter. It might not be singularly make-or-break but it does matter.

I like the player and like his compete but I can also see where NHL teams simply don't value smallish middle-6 winger types, especially when they don't have plus skating. It's easy to find Erik Haulas or Pius Suters for cheap to fill out your roster.

If I was simply trying to draft the player who will play the most NHL games, I'd take Marques over a guy like Carson Wetsch because Marques is a better player now and has a higher floor. But if I was an NHL GM trying to draft assets that fill needs and have value, I'd take Wetsch over Marques because if Wetsch hits he's a much more premium asset.

 

[Hinterland]

His skating is ... OK. It's the thing where it's good by WHL standards but in the NHL virtually everyone was an elite skater at lower levels. It's not terrible or a liability but it won't be a plus skill moving up levels. He'll be an average skater if he makes it.

He's had one fight in the last 2 years and he was basically jumped by the other guy so I wouldn't list that in his skill set. He's competitive and plays an involved game, absolutely.

5'10 or 5'11 does matter. It might not be singularly make-or-break but it does matter.

I like the player and like his compete but I can also see where NHL teams simply don't value smallish middle-6 winger types, especially when they don't have plus skating. It's easy to find Erik Haulas or Pius Suters for cheap to fill out your roster.

If I was simply trying to draft the player who will play the most NHL games, I'd take Marques over a guy like Carson Wetsch because Marques is a better player now and has a higher floor. But if I was an NHL GM trying to draft assets that fill needs and have value, I'd take Wetsch over Marques because if Wetsch hits he's a much more premium asset.

Carson Wetsch is better than Marques at exactly nothing...his only advantage is that he's bigger. We'll see who's gonna be the better player. Too early to tell. Both are interesting prospects.

Marques is a very mobile skater with a very clean technique. So I think even though he's not the fastest or most explosive skater now I think there's certainly lots of room for improvement.

He seemed to be looking to get into fights a number of times. At the same time he's the team's most dangerous forward so he's probably asked to avoid going to the box or getting kicked out of games.

Personally I think he should go in the 2nd round but he's likely to fall to the 3rd or 4th because of his size or lack there of.

 

[MS]

Carson Wetsch is better than Marques at exactly nothing...his only advantage is that he's bigger. We'll see who's gonna be the better player. Too early to tell. Both are interesting prospects.

Marques is a very mobile skater with a very clean technique. So I think even though he's not the fastest or most explosive skater now I think there's certainly lots of room for improvement.

He seemed to be looking to get into fights a number of times. At the same time he's the team's most dangerous forward so he's probably asked to avoid going to the box or getting kicked out of games.

Personally I think he should go in the 2nd round but he's likely to fall to the 3rd or 4th because of his size or lack there of.

Wetsch is bigger, faster, more physical. If things develop properly for him, he can be a Josh Anderson sort of player in the NHL which is the sort of asset that GMs absolutely covet.

Marques is obviously a better player right now but that doesn't really matter much if you don't really project to be an NHL asset of significant value even if you make it.

 

[Hinterland]

Wetsch is bigger, faster, more physical. If things develop properly for him, he can be a Josh Anderson sort of player in the NHL which is the sort of asset that GMs absolutely covet.

Marques is obviously a better player right now but that doesn't really matter much if you don't really project to be an NHL asset of significant value even if you make it.

I disagree. Marques is plenty physical...certainly no less than Wetsch. He isn't slower than Wetsch either.

Again, it's too early for a final verdict. Both are interesting prospects and we'll see who's ultimately gonna be the better player. Personally I'd probably prefer Marques because he's more intense, has better mobility, much better vision and, most importantly, very good hands. When in doubt I always go with skill. Wetsch is a skilled player in his own right but he doesn't have Marques' hands.

I'm actually surprised Marques didn't get more of a look at Center. He's a very creative player who'd have done well down the middle. I think it's just that Centers don't have a lot of freedom in Bill Peter's system and Miguel Marques is his most dangerous forward.

 

[MS]

I disagree. Marques is plenty physical...certainly no less than Wetsch. He isn't slower than Wetsch either.

Again, it's too early for a final verdict. Both are interesting prospects and we'll see who's ultimately gonna be the better player. Personally I'd probably prefer Marques because he's more intense, has better mobility, much better vision and, most importantly, very good hands. When in doubt I always go with skill. Wetsch is a skilled player in his own right but he doesn't have Marques' hands.

Wetsch is physical in a way that projects. He's probably going to play at at least 6'2 215 as a plus skater and he's going to knock NHL players around. It's a totally different thing than being 5'10 185 and competing hard.

Again, there is just a fundamental difference between the way this board rates players and the way NHL scouts/GMs rate players. This board is looking for 'most counting stats'. NHL GMs are looking for asset value and the sorts of players you can't find easily in FA or trade and you have to overpay for if you don't draft them. And those are players with size/physicality especially at C and D.

And again, I know that Marques is more likely to be a better player than Wetsch. But I still draft Wetsch first.

 

[Hinterland]

Wetsch is physical in a way that projects. He's probably going to play at at least 6'2 215 as a plus skater and he's going to knock NHL players around. It's a totally different thing than being 5'10 185 and competing hard.

Again, there is just a fundamental difference between the way this board rates players and the way NHL scouts/GMs rate players. This board is looking for 'most counting stats'. NHL GMs are looking for asset value and the sorts of players you can't find easily in FA or trade and you have to overpay for if you don't draft them. And those are players with size/physicality especially at C and D.

And again, I know that Marques is more likely to be a better player than Wetsch. But I still draft Wetsch first.

I don't know if he's that type of player to be honest. Not every big guy enjoys the rough stuff. Wetsch does know how to use his body but I'm not convinced he's gonna be a volume hitter or powerforward in the NHL. When watching the Hitmen he didn't stick out to me as that type of player. To compare, Yakemchuk has a completely different kind of drive to his game. He's way more intense, more willing to step up for big hits etc. Much like Marques you can tell he enjoys the rough stuff and that's not the impression I got when watching Wetsch. You just know Yakemchuk is gonna be a volume hitter in the NHL as well. Wetsch? Maybe but it remains to be seen.

Miguel Marques may be smaller but to me he's way more intense, has way more drive, is way more willing to sacrifice his body than Wetsch.