Radim Mrtka is the first towering right-handed blueliner prospect who comes to mind. But there’s a good chance someone’s snagging him before the Detroit Red Wings get a chance to pick at the upcoming NHL Draft.
Luckily for the Wings, if they’re in the market for a towering RHD, Mrtka ain’t the only option. If Steve Yzerman don’t mind reaching for a prospect, Blake Fiddler could be on his radar. And I wouldn’t call Fiddler a Radim Mrtka knock-off, either.
No, he doesn’t boast the same size, but it wouldn’t shock me if Fiddler ended up standing at 6’6 by the time he’s done growing. And even if he didn’t grow another inch, he’s still about half a head taller than most pro hockey players, currently clocking in at 6’4, 209 lbs.
Right now, the 26th-ranked player in the draft, per Tankathon, looks like he’ll go off the board at 26th overall to the Nashville Predators. That said, it’d be a reach and a half if Yzerman took someone like Fiddler.
At least in the short term. But, considering how long it takes most prospects to develop, I wouldn’t be thinking short-term.
Blake Fiddler’s proven he can play, so take him if he’s the best option on the blue line
While I’m talking Fiddler up, don’t think for a single second I’d take him over prospects like Jackson Smith or Cameron Reid. Even if I’d like to have an imposing RHD in my organization, Smith looks like the real deal and Reid’s someone I’m not counting out.
But if someone else scoops them up first and if Radim Mrtka’s no longer on the table? I’d consider him alongside prospects like Kashawn Aitcheson. 13th overall or not, I’m considering, so go ahead and mark that down.
One reason is that he’s given the Edmonton Oil Kings respectable production, with 33 points and 10 goals in 64 games. He also put up four points and two goals in nine games with the US U-18 Team, and he had an incredible four points and one goal in five contests at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Blake Fiddler’s a player you stash away and let him grow and develop
The formula’s simple here if the Red Wings took someone like Fiddler. Give him all the time he needs to grow into his game, and let him organically rise to the big club when ready. Might be a simple, no-nonsense approach, I ain’t gonna lie. But Fiddler’s one of those raw players who’ll reward you if you handle his growth right.
That might sound like a cliche in the hockey universe, as what I just said can apply to a lot of prospects, especially those drafted in Round 2 or later. But someone like Fiddler’s got the sky-high ceiling, the size, and he’s sneaking in more productivity to be a well-rounded player once he reaches the NHL level.
You can’t always say that about players drafted in the second round or later. Most of them come with big ‘ifs’ regarding their development. But that won’t be the case with Fiddler. And, if drafted, he’d be a high-priority prospect to keep tabs on.
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