Post by atrain24 on Jul 4, 2016 1:01:20 GMT
With the 29th and 34th overall picks in the 2016 TSSHL Entry Draft, the Mighty Ducks selected two of the Western Hockey League’s most talented players in Sam Steel and Tyler Benson. While they belong to the same team for the first time with the Mighty Ducks franchise, they have been inexorably linked since their Bantam years.
Both Benson and Steel developed as minor hockey players in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League, where they dominated. In their WHL draft year of 2012-13, 15-year old Steel scored 52 goals and 104 points in only 31 games (3.35 ppg), outdone only by the 15-year old Benson, who exploded for 57 goals and 146 points in 33 games (4.42ppg).
After beating him in the scoring race, Benson would also one-up Steel by winning the Alberta and Western Canada championship and being drafted 1st overall by Vancouver in the WHL’s Bantam draft. Steel would go 2nd to the Regina Pats in that draft.
In the years following their WHL draft selections, both have represented Canada internationally, even being teammates on the Canada Black team at WU17 level, and have had some success in the WHL. While neither have replicated their Bantam success at this level, both have been stellar for their teams, with a slight edge to Steel (124pts in 133 games for 0.93ppg) over Benson (73pts in 92 games for 0.79ppg).
Both were very highly touted prospects for the 2016 NHL Entry draft, with Benson ranked 17th and Steel ranked 20th in ISS’s initial rankings released in October of 2015. Though both took a tumble outside of the ISS top 30 by season’s end, Steel finally got one up on Benson by being selected ahead of him in the NHL Entry Draft as the final selection of the first round, 30th overall. Benson would go two picks later to the Edmonton Oilers.
In Sam Steel, the Mighty Ducks have drafted a silky smooth passer with high hockey IQ. Strong on faceoffs, he is a pesky forechecker whose only drawback seems to be a need to get bigger and stronger to be more effective in the defensive zone. In Tyler Benson, Anaheim gets a character forward, captain of his junior team with a good nose for the net and quick hands. Though he struggled with injuries these past two years, Benson has a solid build who should be able to withstand the rigors of the NHL game. Both should, at the very least, develop into solid middle six forwards, with Steel perhaps having the potential to be a top line player.
When reached for comment, GM Deblois of the Mighty Ducks pointed out the similarities between Brandon Saad and his two prized prospects, as all three were highly touted prospects before their first year of major junior, all failed to live up to what may have been unfairly high expectations in their draft years and all tumbled down the draft board. If he is right about this the Mighty Ducks have added a couple of fine young players to their flock.
Both Benson and Steel developed as minor hockey players in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League, where they dominated. In their WHL draft year of 2012-13, 15-year old Steel scored 52 goals and 104 points in only 31 games (3.35 ppg), outdone only by the 15-year old Benson, who exploded for 57 goals and 146 points in 33 games (4.42ppg).
After beating him in the scoring race, Benson would also one-up Steel by winning the Alberta and Western Canada championship and being drafted 1st overall by Vancouver in the WHL’s Bantam draft. Steel would go 2nd to the Regina Pats in that draft.
In the years following their WHL draft selections, both have represented Canada internationally, even being teammates on the Canada Black team at WU17 level, and have had some success in the WHL. While neither have replicated their Bantam success at this level, both have been stellar for their teams, with a slight edge to Steel (124pts in 133 games for 0.93ppg) over Benson (73pts in 92 games for 0.79ppg).
Both were very highly touted prospects for the 2016 NHL Entry draft, with Benson ranked 17th and Steel ranked 20th in ISS’s initial rankings released in October of 2015. Though both took a tumble outside of the ISS top 30 by season’s end, Steel finally got one up on Benson by being selected ahead of him in the NHL Entry Draft as the final selection of the first round, 30th overall. Benson would go two picks later to the Edmonton Oilers.
In Sam Steel, the Mighty Ducks have drafted a silky smooth passer with high hockey IQ. Strong on faceoffs, he is a pesky forechecker whose only drawback seems to be a need to get bigger and stronger to be more effective in the defensive zone. In Tyler Benson, Anaheim gets a character forward, captain of his junior team with a good nose for the net and quick hands. Though he struggled with injuries these past two years, Benson has a solid build who should be able to withstand the rigors of the NHL game. Both should, at the very least, develop into solid middle six forwards, with Steel perhaps having the potential to be a top line player.
When reached for comment, GM Deblois of the Mighty Ducks pointed out the similarities between Brandon Saad and his two prized prospects, as all three were highly touted prospects before their first year of major junior, all failed to live up to what may have been unfairly high expectations in their draft years and all tumbled down the draft board. If he is right about this the Mighty Ducks have added a couple of fine young players to their flock.
