Hurricanes Grab Justin Shugg With 105th Overall Pick
by Bob Wage on Jun 27, 2010 9:49 PM EDT
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Los Angeles, CA. The Carolina Hurricanes might have fallen into the steal of the draft on Saturday when they scooped up Windsor Spitfire forward Justin Shugg in the 4rth round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Shugg was the second leading scorer on the Memorial Cup winning team behind first overall pick Taylor Hall.
While the Canes were busy addressing an organizational need on the blueline during the second and third rounds, when the fourth round came around they could barely believe that Shugg was still available.
"We certainly had him higher on our list than where he went," said Tony MacDonald, Director of Hurricanes Amateur Scouting. The high scoring winger said that some teams told him that he would probably go in the second round.
Shugg considers himself to be "a winner" and so far has proven that point with results as he has won two consecutive Memorial Cups with the Spitfires. He had 39 goals and 40 assists in his most recent regular season and contributed 5 goals and 13 assists in 18 playoff games.
Windsor Coach and former Hurricane Bob Boughner is looking for big things from Shugg next season and the forward said he hopes not to disappoint.
"I just hope not to prove him wrong and the Carolina Hurricanes wrong in the next couple of years."
For more information about Justin, check out this bio by the CSS here. (They had him ranked as the 53rd best player in the draft.)
Following is his post draft interview with the media.
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Anybody who could stand out on the Spitfires is worth a serious look. Did I hear he might be the team Captain next year? Unbelievable that he fell so far. Considering some of the odd picks in the first round especially. Hope these guys know that the order is not everything.
It's gonna be a long summer. [But a helluva weekend!]
Twitter @HMof2
by Carolyn Christians on Jun 27, 2010 10:28 PM EDT reply actions
Shugg
Could easily argue that Shugg should have been the third-rounder and Levi the fourth round pick, but it all worked out.
The prospect wonks at HockeyFutures were very okay with this pick when it went down, and I’ve seen some eyewitness accounts of his play that are assuring us that we will love, love, love this player.
Heart and soul attitude. Prolific scorer, and yet considers himself to be more of a playmaker. Likes to come down the left side, but shoots right.
We will see this pick in a Canes jersey when his time comes.
Every word of that is true. I can see why they’d take Levi in the third, because they’ve seen the kid for years and know how high his ceiling is. But Shugg in the 3rd would still have been too low for what he brings to the table.
At the very worst, he’s going to be a 3rd line winger that the fans will absolutely adore. I don’t think he’s going to be the Spits captain next year (from what I hear, it will be Cantin…the Spits like to give the C to guys who will play through their overage year), but he will most likely get an A. And he will be their franchise forward.
Shugg Vs. LaRose
Shugg sounds like the kind of player who is LaRose plus more skill. I really dislike having to keep pounding the LaRose drum because I really, really, really like and admire LaRose; but that is how things are looking to me. Shugg seems, however, at least two years away at minimum which is not a bad thing at all for the Hurricanes organization.
If Shugg does develop as expected, does that mean Tlusty or Bowman are traded? With Boychuk, Bowman, and Tlusty at LW (and I also believe Dalpe will end up there, in the top 6); Skinner, Osala, Staal at RW; someone needs to go to among the prospect ranks to make room for Shugg.
This is something to consider, but I’m mainly mentioning this to get under AD’s skin. He keeps trying to trade one of my favorite Canes (LaRose). :)
Triple Gold Juice - It's Potent and Guaranteed to Help You Score!
by PackPride17 on Jun 29, 2010 12:05 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Tlusty and Bowman
There is no question that the Hurricanes are stacking up the talent pool at forward; and after the usual suspects get traded, the focus will then turn to players such as Tlusty and Bowman to determine if they have earned their roster spot. The usual suspects for trade will be veterans with lower upper end achievement potential and higher salaries: Samsonov (if not bought out outright), Kostopoulos, Cole, and LaRose.
Shugg is getting pretty rave reviews and seems to be the kind of player who will ultimately earn a roster spot; but from whom is the question. The young Canes kids are highly motivated and highly competitive; so they are not going to back down from the challenge. I haven’t begun adding Shugg to the lines; but already in my lines, I see LaRose in a battle for the third or fourth lines; and particularly so if Skinner plays this year.
I seriously doubt that Shugg is a factor for next year’s lineup. More of a crowding problem a season or two down the line.
Most likely it’s juniors for him again next year. But, yes, I’d put Tlusty on the trade bubble if Shugg turns out to be the LW we hope he is.
I will mention that I saw an interview with him where he expressed a preference for the left wing (he’s a right shot), which lets him operate off-wing. But, he also mentioned he could play right wing.
However, it’s crowded over on that side, too.
Shugg
I didn’t mean to suggest that Shugg is likely to make the team in 2010-2011. I think he is at least two years away and could be three or four years away. Also, I assume that in the 2011 draft the Hurricanes will focus attention in the first two rounds on the power forward issue; and that will influence who is on the trade bubble down the road.
I agree that we’re about to see a rolling lineup over the next few seasons. Only way to maintain a fixed salary budget. Fresh (read entry level contracts) talent and timely trades.
I don't see any logic in assuming a trade..
..of anybody, at this point! Until we’ve seen how various people develop, and how well others play, and injuries, and budget up and downs etc. So many people think they have our future all figured out, and know how good /bad everyone will be…hogwash!! with all the new draft picks, most of which will not play here for three more years, if at all, prospects in Charlotte, who might play, a little, or a lot, future free agents???, it’s a real crapshoot. ..but most of the conjecture becomes circular logic.
I'm sorry if that came off "snotty"..
I’m not trying to be rude, just pointing out we’ve ALL been jumping the gun and making assumptions. as PK said, he might have new partnership by end of summer (THIS SUMMER). After that all bets are off..budget philosophy (probably) free agent acquisitions…maybe, our collective analysis…OUT THE WINDOW…whoosh!!!!!!! our we on the same page??
Good link. Thanks.
It's gonna be a long summer. [But a helluva weekend!]
Twitter @HMof2
by Carolyn Christians on Jun 28, 2010 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions
For those that have seen him what part of his numbers do you think is his talent and ability and what part is playing for the best team in all of junior hockey? I don’t mind the fourth round pick being used on him. It’s a good value pick with a lot of potential upside. That said, when a second tier player on a good team, in this case second tier to Taylor Hall and Cam Fowler, who puts up decent numbers starts to fall it does raise some questions. Any info would be great.
I just wish JR would have given up Ray Whitney for Lent.
The “local” accounts I saw recounted that when Fowler and Hall went to their World Juniors teams, that Shugg stepped up his game and put the team on his back, keeping them on a winning path even in their absence.
There does have to be a reflection of points from the presence of star teammates, but he certainly didn’t disappear when they were not there, at least by the accounts I read.
Put this slightly above rumor category, but it’s a positive indicator.
Windsor
The problem with a dominant team like Windsor that had so many good players is that there is tendency to get lost in the analysis. My family back in Canada has season tickets to the Spitfires. Their take is that Shugg is not flashy but was probably the most consistent player on the team. He has an overall well rounded game and is definitely a team leader. In the games i saw on visits, he was always a force.
That also brings up a couple of other points. I saw about 8 regular season games and 4 of the Kitchener vs. Windsor semifinal. I could never understand all the hype about Fowler. He was OK defensively and on offense Ryan Ellis easily was more dominant. I could see why he continued to fall in the assessments. His playoff was unspectacular. My guess is that is there had been continued ranking he would had fallen further.
On the other hand Skinner really opened my eyes. He had little supporting caste and he was targetted all series by the much deeper and bigger Windsor players. Yet he literally carried Kitchener the whole 7 game series and outplayed Hall. In the end Windsor was just too deep and experienced. For those that want to poke fun at his figure skating heritage I can tell you that he played with intensity and toughness. He is not just a sniper…. he will take it hard to the net. ( btw…… many NHL legends were involved with figure skating practices to improve their skating. Gretzky, Messier are examples. Almost all power skating clinics are taught by coaches with strong figure skating backgrounds. In Canada it is not unusual to see boys at early ages have their parents enroll them in figure skating to improve their skating skills.)
Go Figure
In a couple of videos already I’ve seen him turn his skates with toes pointing outwards, 180 degrees apart, to make a move on someone right before shooting.
One, your average hockey player cannot match a move like that, so time and space is gained, even if just for micro-seconds. Crosby uses moves like this all the time to shake defenders. If you can move on the ice surface differently than others, you have a huge advantage.
Secondly, being in this position, even momentarily, allows him to move north-south, towards the net, while being oriented east-west, for maximum shot-making opportunities.
I need to see a lot more video, but this could be one reason he seemingly finds so many holes and hits them. He’s simply more square to the net at release.
He does seem to be one of those players that I am always envious of when they play against us. He throws the puck towards the net and the damn thing just somehow goes in.
Thanks Elsker and Sittler
Good info. Shugg sounds legitimate from your assessments. That said, as a fourth round pick I can’t complain with it at all. Upside potential and a hard worker.
I just wish JR would have given up Ray Whitney for Lent.
He had a lot of talent around him, yes...
But he wasn’t on the top line cherry-picking very often. Beyond that, he also blew up when his top-end teammates headed to the WJC, as others have mentioned.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Jun 28, 2010 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions
Very very few of his points came from being on a talented team. He was a 3rd liner and spent almost no time with Hall, Nemisz, Henrique, Mitchell, etc. For the first part of the year, he was on a line with Austin Watson, but Watson was just a defensive forward with offensive potential at that point, not the potential top-15 pick and offensive dynamo that he became after he was traded to Peterborough.
I’d say Shugg’s goals were 50% skill and 50% determination.
This is a good move...
but what I’m most excited about is the kid’s ability to grow a solid playoff beard.
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=69925
BTW, CSS doesn’t rank all players. Shugg was the 53rd-rated continental skater, not overall player.
Interestingly, Shugg was rated higher than Skinner in this season’s initial CSS rankings. Seems like a find.
I also read that he didn’t have a very consistent role or line position this year because of how loaded his team was. That makes his 79 points in 59 games even more impressive. And they already have a spot for him on next year’s PK unit. Playing in 89 of Windsor’s 91 games (most on the team) also shows toughness and durability.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Jun 28, 2010 11:48 AM EDT reply actions
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