Double Standards
There’s a double standard that exists within the game of hockey. It happens at every level to a certain extent. The diminutive skilled player that can skate like the wind and make plays game in game out still isn’t valued. Organizations and hockey people can say they value them all day long, but when push comes to shove, some in the hockey world want nothing to do with “small players.”
They won’t touch them, they won’t draft them, they won’t even consider them until someone has the guts enough to prove it to them or convince them or the player shows them.
The “it doesn’t matter what size you are” argument doesn’t hold water in some organizations. To be brutally honest it’s probably that way all the way up through the ranks.
If you scout the rinks across North America, you will find some “smallish” player dominating I guarantee it and that “diminutive skilled player was never really given a chance, never really given a fair shake. It’s total bull shit if you think about it, but that’s the reality of the situation right now at a lot of different levels.
“Give me big and tall physical players and I’m sure they will wear down their opponent.”
Ok I get it, I’ve heard all the hockey talk and banter, but seriously there’s always the exceptions to the rule.
More and more of “those” types of players are excelling at the junior ranks, going on to the USports, or the NCAA ranks and parlaying that into a professional career across the hockey world. You see it’s the “what have you done lately” mentality. The organizations that finally give those players an opportunity look like geniuses.
“Oh, those little players need more time to develop, or they’re late bloomers.”
What a crock of shit lame take that is!
Don’t worry all the analytics types have their programs calculating all of the numbers, height, weight and projections. Never have I seen their computers measure a kid’s heart, character and determination. You see the intangibles a player possesses still matter and perhaps they are the most important aspect in the entire process.
The names and examples are endless. “They will never make it.”
“They haven’t got a chance in hell to make it, they’re just too damn small.”
Josh Nadeau just signed with the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League which is great to see, because that kid has fought against those “double standards” his entire career and you want to know something he will have the “too small to have an impact” the rest of the way. I’ve written about the Nadeau’s ever since I saw them play for the first time when they were 15 years old. It was clear even back then that they possessed the intangibles it took to play pro hockey, they just had keep fighting against hockey’s dreaded double standards. Speaking of double standards, what about the 5’11 defencemen? Well, perhaps that’s hockey’s worst double standard or harshest reality.
Click below to read articles on Josh Nadeau
Is Josh Nadeau the next Conor Garland? – The Quick Shift
Nadeau Deserves A Long Look – The Quick Shift
“Just Wait and See” – The Quick Shift
Josh Nadeau is Heading to Orono – The Quick Shift
The Nadeau Show – The Quick Shift
“Just Another 5’11 Defenceman”
“Just another 5’11 defenceman.” You would be surprised how many times; I’ve heard that around the rink or thought about that over the last several years. It’s like 5’11 defenders left or right shots grow on trees. Obviously, you could say that about any player playing any position given their height.
Why is 5’11 the height that gets criticized so much? Well, it’s not 6 feet, right. Do people say the same thing about a player that might be 6’2 or 6’4 and above, one would think not. If it’s not said out loud, it’s definitely implied when scouts and other hockey pundits initially look at rosters before their first eye test or evaluation. Right or wrong it happens and don’t even get me started about goaltenders, because that shit happens all of the time. It’s like if the kid isn’t over 6’2 or 6’3 they don’t even exist.
What sets players apart, what makes them unique, that’s the real question that they are implying when they those kinds of statements are uttered. Bias has an uncanny ability to seep into things, especially in the game of hockey, it’s almost inevitable especially in the lower ranks. Nevertheless, when you’re around the game for a long time you try to look past those things and really drill down.
At the end of the day, unfortunately the height of the player does matter to a lot of people and organizations across the hockey world, that’s the harsh reality of the situation.
I’ll never forget attending my first Gatorade Challenge. That’s where all the Atlantic Canadian provinces sent U15 teams to play against two separate teams from Quebec as a final QMJHL draft evaluation. I had never witnessed so many similar players that were on the teams from Quebec. They were like robots; they all skated incredibly well and did all of the little things right. Obviously, the bonafide superstars stood out, but they were all so similar how would one study, evaluate and project that many players that were all the same? You see that’s the task, that’s what it’s all about, differentiation, knowing the lookfors and knowing what separates player A from player B.
When scouts sit down and evaluate, they use all of their past knowledge and experience to project a player, but it’s difficult not to subconsciously let bias enter the equation. The “just another 5’11 player” statement has the potential to cloud the judgment of some scouts especially given the reality of the situation or the level they are watching.
Obviously, there’s a big difference between projecting a player entering major junior hockey versus the pro ranks. Would you pound the draft table or stake your livelihood on drafting a 5’11 defencemen or 5’11 anything at the NHL level?
Well, that would depend wouldn’t it. How many players in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft were 5’11 or under? I don’t know all of the numbers for that one, but the ultimate separator of players lives in the details.
By all accounts or from my highly accurate “Googling” research there’s currently 79 players in the NHL 5’11 or shorter. That’s a lot isn’t it? What sets them apart? Would you say, “Oh, just another 5’11 guy,” referring to an NHL regular? I think not!
If height is so important and significant, how the hell does a great skating 6’5 right shot defencemen fall through waivers in one Major Junior hockey league and land in the other? How does a 40 point plus offensive 6’1 defencemen clear waivers in one Major Junior league and land in the other? You can all speculate the reasons why, but what about value? The value of having players like that on your roster at the junior level is immeasurable. How much value does the 5’11 defender or the 5’11 goaltender or 5’11 forward really have? How is value measured at the NHL level? Obviously, it’s not all about the salary cap.
Who would you draft, a 6’5 defender with upside or a 5’11 defender that is incredibly versatile, valuable and does everything very well? I know who I would be picking.
Scouts like any die-hard hockey fans, draft analysts or prospects writers need to be very careful how they describe, evaluate and write about players. What about writing “Not like other 5’11 players” or adding that to their lexicon or scouting report jargon? One would think that would separate more players, wouldn’t it?
We all have bias’s, being aware of and moving past them can impact how we approach and learn from everything around us and can drastically change our perception and perspective. What about the character of the player? What about the intangibles that player brings to the game? How valuable is that?
Organizations, hockey people and scouts can say they value them all day long, but when push comes to shove, some in the hockey world want nothing to do with “small” “diminutive” or “undersized players” or whatever the hell you want to call them. Some teams and scouts won’t evaluate, project or even write reports on them. Those types of players are nowhere to be found on their draft board, and they won’t even consider them until someone has enough guts to prove it to them or try to convince them they should take a shot at them or until the player shows them. The “it doesn’t matter what size you are” argument doesn’t hold water in some organizations. Ironically that kind of sounds like, “just another 5’11 player” doesn’t it?
5’11 defenders scare the shit out of scouts and the track record for those defenders to get selected isn’t the greatest. Time will tell on the where the game will go and how much success those types of players will have.
The Bleyl Effect
Tommy Bleyl is a 5’11 right shot offensively gifted defender that is an elite level skater who is incredibly skilled and has turned in a record breaking season in his first foray in the QMJHL.
The NHL comparables get thrown out there within seconds. I have my own thoughts, opinions and projections about Bleyl and I have been very open about what I feel he needs to work on in order to get drafted and play at the next level.
Every scout will have their own thoughts on Bleyl, but at the end of the day it only takes one team to like you. Hockey’s rumour mill has Bleyl going anywhere near the bottom of the 1st round, early in the 2nd or as late as the 3rd or even the 4th round. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped the NHL scouting fraternity from flocking to Moncton.
There’s no question Bleyl has been the coming attraction for scouts all season long.
One would also speculate some team’s scouts and upper management will be “regulars” at the best restaurants and watering establishments in downtown Moncton during the playoffs. Sure, they have all been here before and made the short 10-minute trek from the Romeo LeBlanc International Airport to the Avenir Centre, but this year’s pilgrimage to the Hub City and Eastern Canadian swing during the Q playoffs will be definitely worth their while because of what Bleyl can do. I’m not going to share my scouting reports or thoughts on Bleyl, you’re going to have to read those on Neutral Zone’s platforms to get that perspective, it’s been very intriguing seeing countless NHL scouts come to Moncton to get a look at the ultra talented offensively minded defender. I will say this, my stance on Bley has somewhat changed as the season progressed, but again, you will have to read my reports on NZ’s platforms to get the full story.
The playoffs will be a massive test for Bleyl as the NHL scouting fraternity converges on Moncton to get a look at another 5’11 offensively minded defender that might just be the “next special” offensively minded 5’11 defender that could change the complexion of a franchise.
The Quick Shift 