Wes Clark

[Smif]

Genius.

Smartest guy in the room.

 

[1specter]

Your thoughts on Wes Clark now.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Clark appears to have made a couple nice bets on Minten and Cowan.

I'd really love to see these kids be a huge success. I just hope their attitude is good. Last thing the Leafs need is more spoiled rich kids with their hands out.

Dubas hired Mann.

Earlier in this thread I suggested him as someone the Leafs could have looked at. I also think Jim Benning would make a good choice. Both these guys have longer and better track records.

They also have more front office experience that Treliving could use.

We'll see what happens when Minten and Cowan hit the NHL. Until then the only thing we can do is hold our breath and hope for the best. Whether these guys will be a success or not is anyone's guess.

Except for Wes Clark who obviously knows, for fact, that every single player he drafts is gonna be a star.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

He's made some exceptional picks.

Of course, let's see how they develop in the coming seasons but he's done a terrific job so far. I'd love to see him get a full haul of draft picks even though it's unlikely due to the phase Toronto is in right now.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Which drafts were Wes Clark ?

edit

looks like 2022.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/the-maple-leafs-head-into-the-nhl-draft-with-a-new-scouting-director-what-will/article_badcb55e-fc54-56b1-aad8-4bbe913ed7bc.html

The 2022 draft will be Clark’s first calling the shots, after having been an assistant under the now departed John Lilley, who moved on to the New York Rangers.
“His (Clark’s) process was different in terms of wanting the scouts to supplement all of their live viewings with more evidence-building, with video,”

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Last 4 drafts.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Man, who did the 2011 draft ? That's bad.

Source: Toronto Maple Leafs Draft History at hockeydb.com

Wes Clark is...elite...I think.

Off to a great start I'd say.

 

[Martin Skoula]

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Man, who did the 2011 draft ? That's bad.

Source: Toronto Maple Leafs Draft History at hockeydb.com


Off to a great start I'd say.

Biggs is a crazy pick. “Guaranteed 3rd line floor”, they just forgot to mention that it was a guaranteed 3rd line floor.. in the ECHL.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I think Clark started cooking from Knies draft onward but I would like to give him a few more chances to hit some homers.

Hopefully we liquidate a couple guys to get him some more ammo for the draft.

 

[Menzinger]

Biggs is a crazy pick. “Guaranteed 3rd line floor”, they just forgot to mention that it was a guaranteed 3rd line floor.. in the ECHL.

Anytime someone starts mentioning a "floor" of an 17 or 18 year old I immediately now start to think 'bust'

 

[darrylsittler27]

He hasn't had many picks but Knies and Minten in the second and Greb in the 5th plus Hildeby. That Cowan pick looks a steal at 28th.

 

[trellaine201]

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Man, who did the 2011 draft ? That's bad.

Source: Toronto Maple Leafs Draft History at hockeydb.com


Off to a great start I'd say.

2011 wasn’t Burkie the GM lmao. I remember the big hard on he had for Biggs.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

He's got some picks to work with at least.

We have a ...

We have a 1st rnd pick

No second rnd pick

3rd rnd pick from NYI

4th rnd pick

5th rnd pick

5th rnd pick from chic

5th rnd pick from Vancouver

6th r d pick

7th rnd pick

7th rnd pick from Ottawa

 

[Thornbury]

He's got some picks to work with at least.


We have a 1st rnd pick

No second rnd pick

3rd rnd pick from NYI

4th rnd pick

5th rnd pick

5th rnd pick from chic

5th rnd pick from Vancouver

6th r d pick

7th rnd pick

7th rnd pick from Ottawa

That's better than we've had in past years, and a lot better than our sad pick collection next year.

 

[nuck]

I think Clark started cooking from Knies draft onward but I would like to give him a few more chances to hit some homers.

Hopefully we liquidate a couple guys to get him some more ammo for the draft.

Lilley was still the guy in 2021. I don't know if Clark is a genius because only the Cowan pick is blowing up. I am betting he never saw Grebenkin play and all the rest are blurry question marks at this point. The Director of amateur scouting gets to see a lot of top 30 prospects but not much after that. He can push a type, but the real value with later picks is the team he has below him and how he handles them. It takes a long time for that to show.

I posted before about how he was was pushing SDA for the Panthers second round pick in 2018 but the Leafs "stole" him at 76 and the guy turned out to be a bust. In fairness the Panthers 2nd round turned out to be an even worse bust but he wasn't a savant then and probably isn't now. I have seen him talk a few times and I think he is a smart guy. I like him more than Lilley.

 

[ULF_55]

I think he meant the Leafs haven't spent theirs 1sts on bigger players in a while (when they have had the 1sts) A Leaf trend, not necessarily a Clark trend.

I'm not sure about Cowan's size. People do tend to grow to match their feet but not always and at 18+ he is running out of time for that big growth spurt. In the pictures he has kind of narrow shoulders and a head the size of a grapefruit so he could just have big feet. Like a reverse Pronger

If he gets another inch or so I would be happy but with scouting comments like constant motor, digs in the corners, wins puck battles he doesn't need much more size to be effective, just strength. His combine measurements were 5 10.5 and 170lbs with really low body fat and tops in pro agility. I am betting he is effective whether he grows taller or not. Really need that scoring to be more than a hot playoff though.

Not sure sure I follow the "hot playoffs " comment?

I thought you were talking about Cowan.

League and playoffs MVP Cowan?

 

[nuck]

Not sure sure I follow the "hot playoffs " comment?

I thought you were talking about Cowan.

League and playoffs MVP Cowan?

The post you are quoting was from last July. The first 50 posts were resurrected from the old thread. But he was definitely able to bring a lot more than the one hot playoff I'm not too caught up with Memorial Cup results being an indicator of player growth so I think his next milestone will be what he looks like when he shows up in training camp. A year post draft how strong will he be compared to a group of mostly NHL sized players? That's what will allow him to translate his best game to the Show.