Boston University freshman forward Patrick Harper has 10 goals through his first three collegiate level games (albeit two of them were preseason contests). At just 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, this kid is proving that he won’t be held down by his smaller build. Even at the professional level, speed, skill and finesse these days are becoming far more important than strength and size.
Consider 2015 BU graduate Cason Hohmann. Hohmann (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) was far from the biggest player on the roster, but he was never out-hustled. He gave everything he had, every single shift, no matter the score or circumstances — these are the types of players making a splash in professional hockey today.
This is obviously not to say that larger players are less valuable than their smaller counterparts. But, in some cases, they do take longer to develop. Philadelphia Flyers prospect Samuel Morin is a 6-foot-6, 227-pound beast. He was drafted 11th overall during the 2013 NHL Entry Draft; three years later, Morin has missed the Flyers’ Opening Day roster yet again.
There are many other reasons that Morin was sent down to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers AHL affiliate, which included the emergences of standout defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov. When Morin is ready for the NHL (which could even be this year under the right circumstances), he could easily be a shutdown defenseman — though he may not meet the hype after being compared to Hall of Famer Chris Pronger.
However, for a player his size to truly be ready for the NHL, he’ll need to learn how to use his size advantageously, and how to prepare for smaller, speedier wingers like Johnny Gaudreau (5-foot-9, 157 pounds) of the Calgary Flames, who has been fighting adversity his whole career. Players like Gaudreau have had to skate faster and train harder to earn a roster spot.
“Johnny Hockey” won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey’s most valuable player in 2014 while at Boston College. As a freshman, I had the fortune of watching Gaudreau play. Many of my friends and colleagues told me that he’d be a star in the NHL — to which I confidently responded, “He’ll never make it, he’s way too small.” However, his 143 points through 160 games, his two trips to the All-Star Game and his recent $40.5-million contract have all proven me wrong.
Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has held a questionable reputation for years, as evidenced by his long list of fines and suspensions. However, the 5-foot-9 winger had a career year last season, and was a major contributor to Team Canada’s World Cup of Hockey Championship. He led the tournament in goals scored with five in six games — including the tournament-winner against Team Europe. Due to his new level of play, Marchand was rewarded with an eight-year, $49-million contract a few weeks ago, proving that he will be a leader in Boston for years to come.
Gone are the days when players should be doubted strictly because of their size. The Buffalo Sabres have done an excellent job of rebuilding their team through the draft. Some of their highest-touted prospects include BU’s own Jack Eichel, as well as defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Eichel (6-foot-2, 198 pounds) is far from small, and Ristolainen (6-foot-4, 207 pounds) is a giant. But when Sabres Director of Amateur Scouting Greg Royce spoke with NHL.com, he mentioned that, “If the choice is between a big player who can skate and has skill and a small player that can skate, has skill and is more passionate and determined, you’ll take the guy with more passion.”
The Tampa Bay Lightning struck gold when they signed undrafted free agent Tyler Johnson in March of 2011. In 266 games with the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL, Johnson totaled a staggering 282 points. In addition to his scoring prowess, he was lauded for his defensive ability, especially on the penalty kill. The main reason he went undrafted was his small size — he’s only 5-foot-8.
Johnson has made every team in the league look like fools for skipping over him in the draft. He has been a key proponent of the Lightning’s recent success, especially in the postseason, where he has 42 points (21 goals, 21 assists) in 47 games played.
Mats Zuccarello (5-foot-7) of the New York Rangers went undrafted. David Desharnais (5-foot-7) of the Montreal Canadiens went undrafted. Even Martin St. Louis (5-foot-8) – who will have his number retired by the Tampa Bay Lightning this year — went undrafted.
Most likely, the list of players that go undrafted because of their height will continue to get shorter as NHL GMs realize their true potential.
