“Just Wait and See”

St-Francois de Madawaska, New Brunswick’s Josh Nadeau is currently tearing up the BCHL, but it would appear everyone is taking a just wait and see approach when it comes to the diminutive scoring sensation.

With the new era of hockey being all about skill and hockey sense, why is Nadeau’s strongest attributes being ignored or overlooked by NHL scouts or are they?

The real question hockey pundits should be asking is why has he been left off two NHL Central Scouting Ranking Lists so far this season?

Is he not good enough?

Do NHL scouts want to see more?

What else does the quiet humble kid have to do to get noticed or gain notoriety?

Don’t worry, this is nothing new for Josh Nadeau, he has been proving people wrong his entire life, but his omission from the list still doesn’t make sense, unless one realizes the entire hockey world is taking the just wait and see approach.

Obviously, more and more undrafted success stories are being written each year. The importance of hard work and playing the game the right way night in, night out never looses value, but what’s the common thread amongst all of these stories?

98% of undrafted players posses perceived shortcomings when it comes to certain aspects of their game.

Skating ability and size are at the forefront of every single one of these stories.

One has to come to the realization even though it might be nonsensical to think that all scouts and NHL franchises are taking the same approach when it comes to Josh Nadeau, but perhaps they are.

NHL scouts know damn well who Josh Nadeau is and you can bet your ass they know who is brother is for that matter as well. They know damn well Josh and Bradley are tearing it up out west, but many want to see how Josh does with the Black Bears next year and beyond before they perhaps draft or sign him.

You see all the scouts know how good he is, maybe they don’t want to take a risk or put themselves out there.

Perhaps they are playing it cautiously because they don’t want to get burned, but if they were drill down and look at the past they can project the future when it comes to his overall prowess.

Every player has their own unique path and journey in the game and making comparisons are often unfair, but Josh Nadeau and Conor Garland are very similar when it comes to their approach to the game. Clearly Garland dominated the QMJHL and CHL, but the knock on him was always his size and skating ability. Remember he was passed over in his draft year as well and look where he is now!

Nadeau is confronted with the same perceived deficiencies to his game. You see Josh Nadeau will continue to prove people wrong at every level, he’s just wired that way. Under the quiet soft spoken demeanour lives a fierce gritty competitor.

The shy kid from rural NB has faced criticism about his size, strength and skating ability throughout his entire career, but no one has ever questioned his passion, heart and hockey IQ. No one has ever questioned the intangibles he brings to the game.

Simply put Josh Nadeau is a hockey playing “chameleon” when it comes to producing points.

Nadeau is on a different planet when it comes to processing the game of hockey and putting points on the board. As witnessed in his first foray into the Junior ranks the ultra-play maker has added sniper to his arsenal.

You don’t score 30 goals in the BCHL as a rookie without having a tremendous release. Don’t believe me, take a look at the tape, take a look at his goals, his release is deceptive and highly accurate, but if you would have seen him play at 15 you would have said the same thing.

You see some scouts might be taking “the wait and see” approach, but the ones that have followed his career will realize that it’s not a risk to draft him, it’s a quality investment.

Josh Nadeau will always have the ability to put points on the board.

He will always improvise, adapt and overcome any adversity or perceived deficiencies in order to excel.

He might not be on the NHL Central Scouting Mid Term Report, but you can guarantee he’s on a number of NHL teams scouting lists and if he’s not that’s find to, because he will prove them wrong as well. Don’t believe me, just wait and see!