LW Cole Eiserman - USNTDP U18 (2024 draft)

[Lafleurs Guy]

You keep saying this and I'm fully in agreement - he needs the right environment, coach, organization, early mentors...

Upside is someone who figures out a more complete game and can be a very poor man's Ovie or a better version of what Laine became. Which is to say a very effective player.

Downside/midrange is probably a lot of NHL games, but bouncing from franchise to franchise scoring goals and points but never really contributing to a winning environment and frustrating half the league because of the Delta between potential and reality. Maybe a Dany Heatley style player. Everyone gets excited when the deadline trade is made and is happy to see him moved on at the next deadline.

It’s going to be interesting watching him over the next few years. I’d love to see him under MSL in Montreal. I think he’d do really well there.

If (as some suggested) he winds up in New Jersey, he could be great with Hughes. But if he winds up somewhere where he’s the only offensive talent? I think he’ll drown.

In the right place, he could easily be a 50+ goal guy.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Maybe you missed “obviously there are risks” in the very paragraph you quoted.

But the tools - shot, size, skating, passing… that’s all average or better.

The question is the toolbox.

Once again… everyone acknowledges this. Hence the risk.

However, you’re drafting him for what you think he can be, not what he is now. The point is that even now, with a terribly flawed game, he’s STILL able to break the scoring record. The potential for an elite player is there for sure.

I think so much is going to depend on where he goes. He’s not the kind of player I’d want to start a rebuild with, but on the right team with the right coach, he could be amazing. The potential is there.

Again though, I don't agree that he has potential to be great in a lot of areas, and maybe you misunderstood my post. That might be my fault that I didn't explain it better.

I don't think the fact that he's a great goal-scorer gives him extremely high potential in other areas. Typically, being a great goal-scorer does, but sometimes there are players who are completely one-trick ponies. I don't actually see significant talent in most of those areas named. I explained how I viewed his skillset. I am not seeing where he turns into this Matthews or Pastrnak level goal scorer. I don't have a great comparison, but I think you're looking at like a better version of Brandon Pirri if the pick works out. I would not at all assume there's significant potential other than scoring goals.

Of course, he could improve in those areas, but so could the guy whose going to be drafted 7th round.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Again though, I don't agree that he has potential to be great in a lot of areas, and maybe you misunderstood my post. That might be my fault that I didn't explain it better.

I don't think the fact that he's a great goal-scorer gives him extremely high potential in other areas. Typically, being a great goal-scorer does, but sometimes there are players who are completely one-trick ponies. I don't actually see significant talent in most of those areas named. I explained how I viewed his skillset. I am not seeing where he turns into this Matthews or Pastrnak level goal scorer. I don't have a great comparison, but I think you're looking at like a better version of Brandon Pirri if the pick works out. I would not at all assume there's significant potential other than scoring goals.

Of course, he could improve in those areas, but so could the guy whose going to be drafted 7th round.

He will never be a Selke nominee. His potential lies in his offensive abilities, particularly goal scoring.

Totally agree with you that he’s never going to be a multi dimensional player but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have huge offensive upside. That shot is really something special. I’ve heard the name Hoffman invoked a few times… this guy has a much better shot than that.

He needs to improve in most other areas. The question is if he has the capacity to do so. Those other areas are teachable. The right coach can teach that stuff to a degree where a player isn’t a liability.

Can Eiserman learn? Is he coachable? He certainly has the physical tools to do it. The red flag is ego. Is he going to be willing to listen? End of the day, I think it greatly matters where he ends up. In the right environment, I think he can thrive.