Is Vancouver Giants' Cameron Schmidt the most polarizing player in the NHL Draft?
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Pundits' predictions of how early diminutive Vancouver Giants speedster Cameron Schmidt might be selected in this weekend's NHL Draft vary wildly, but he doesn't seem phased by the plethora of possibilities.
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'Putting in the work after is what matters,' the 18-year-old winger from Prince George said. 'That is what I'm looking forward to.
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'I understand how it can work out for guys my size. I know what to expect. I know that I could fall in the draft. I'm not too worried. But anything could happen.'
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Schmidt scored 40 goals last season for the Giants, making him one of a mere three draft eligibles in the WHL to reach that mark. Schmidt is also 5-foot-7 and a half inches tall — at that size you want to be exact — and 160 pounds.
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How much teams override the first sentence with the second one will be clear this weekend at the draft proceedings in Los Angeles.
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TSN's Craig Button has touting Schmidt since last season — 'He lacks height. Nothing else,' Button told Postmedia this year — and slotted him at No. 19 in his latest rankings for this weekend.
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That's the high-water prognostication. From there, it's the likes of Elite Prospects pegging him for No. 22 and Sportsnet's Jason Bukala ranking Schmidt at No. 30. It works its way to TSN's Bob McKenzie tabbing him for No. 47 and FloHockey's Chris Peters having him at No. 58.
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We've heard lots of the stories the past few years about NHL teams giving more opportunities to smaller players, with the latest shining examples of that including Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield (5-8, 170 pounds) and Carolina Hurricanes centre Logan Stankoven (5-8, 165 pounds).
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Also true is the fact that only three players under 5-10 were picked in last year's seven-round draft, and they were all chosen in the fifth round or later. But if you redid the 2021 draft today, Stankoven would probably be a top-15 choice rather than going in the No. 47 slot he was actually picked at.
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NHL teams undoubtedly wonder about Schmidt's play in his own zone. That's a standard question regarding smaller players. For what it's worth, he wasn't a regular penalty killer for Giants coach Manny Viveiros last season. There were some stints where Viveiros had him on the ice late in games with a one-goal lead.
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Schmidt wears his emotion on his sleeve. There were instances where his frustration on the ice in a game was crystal clear. There were instances that led to ill-timed penalties. That's not usual for young players.
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He can clearly bring instant offence. Schmidt might be the most dynamic player that Giants have ever had. He's at least in that conversation with guys like Gilbert Brule and Bowen Byram.
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Schmidt is at top speed in a blink. He's so fast that you'd wish the WHL would keep track of breakaways. They don't, but Giants play-by-play man Nathan Kanter guesses that Schmidt had at least 30 this past season.
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The WHL does pick a highlight of the night every game day, and Schmidt was one of six players to receive that accolade four times. Medicine Hat Tigers winger Gavin McKenna, Spokane Chiefs winger Shea Van Olm and Edmonton Oil Kings centre Gracyn Sawchyn led the way with five apiece, and McKenna and Van Olm both benefitted in that regard from extended playoff runs.
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'Just the way I play, the speed I have, and the smarts I play with,' Schmidt said. 'The speed I have and the ability to escape out of situations … I'm able to find ways to play the game that way. I think it will translate to the next level.'
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