Fan In Van

Draft Countdown: Colin Wilson

He’s drawn comparisons to Rod Brind’Amour for his leadership qualities and has said he tries to pattern his game after Peter Forsberg. He’s the son of former Calgary Flame Carey Wilson, who played over 500 NHL games. In addition, he led the United States WJC team in points with six goals and seven points. He plays for Boston University. He is Colin Wilson.

The Skinny: The greatest thing about Wilson’s game is his vision. He reads the ice very well for a player of his age and that has paid tremendous benefits over his young career. His hockey sense is probably top three in this year’s draft crop and a lot of teams may be tempted to take him simply for his smarts. But at 6′1” and 215 pounds, Wilson also has an NHL frame and could even crack the pros this oncoming fall. Wilson also wowed scouts and teams at the NHL Combine two weeks ago, doing 21 reps on the bench press, shattering the day’s record previously recorded by prospect John Carlson with 16.

The Statistics: (Courtesy of nhlentrydraft2008.com)

Became the fifth player in Boston University history to be named Hockey East Rookie of the Year after posting 35 points (13-22–35) in 37 games with the Terriers in 2007-08. Wilson finished second in scoring among Hockey East rookies and third in scoring on the BU Terriers.

Participated in the 2008 World Junior Championships, tying for the goal scoring lead with six (6-1–7) for Team USA.

Won gold with Team USA at the 2006 IIHF Under-18 World Championship in Sweden and tied for the tournament lead in scoring with 12 points (5-7–12) at the 2007 Under-18 World Championship in helping Team USA to a silver medal.

Had 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points in 34 games with Boston University this season.

They Said It: (Courtesy of nhlentrydraft2008.com)

“Colin is a combination of a skilled and power forward. He is very strong, has excellent hands and is a very good passer and playmaker. He makes and takes a difficult pass extremely well. He is tough and strong on the puck and is a very smart player who is aware of where teammates are at all times. He anticipates the play at both ends of the ice very well. When he gets the puck he responds instantly and knows where to put the puck. He is very reliable defensively, has incredibly quick feet and he can turn quickly while maintaining puck control.” — NHL Central Scouting’s Gary Eggleston

“Colin is a really smart player who sees the ice really well. He can really move the puck because he has what I refer to as ‘Larry Bird court-sense’. He knows where everybody is and can see plays develop in front of him. He knows where to go when he has the puck and when he doesn’t have the puck. An asset that never seems to surprise me is that he always collects the pass near him, so that the puck stays with him.” — Jack Parker, Boston University Head Coach

The Knock: The one main knock on Wilson is that his skating is not strong; he has a lack of speed and his first stride is not at an NHL level yet. Perhaps you can chalk up his lack of speed to the outstanding size he has, but Wilson’s speed will not deter many teams from drafting him. In addition, Wilson has neither the game-breaking talent of Steven Stamkos or the upside of Kyle Beach, but instead can be regarded as that prototypical “safe pick”.

The Video:

Colin Wilson is #33 in white. Skip ahead halfway and you will see a few shifts before he helps put away the Maine Black Bears in overtime.

The Verdict: Colin Wilson could possibly be a tremendous player in the NHL with his combination of size and skill, but his lack of speed leaves something to be desired. However, he brings intangibles like leadership and a team-first attitude to the table which will help offset his flaws. His NHL-sized body gives teams more reason to want to draft him if the club is looking to shore up their depth at centre. From a Canuck perspective, Wilson can be likened to a better skilled Ryan Kesler with a little more offensive upside. And for a club which has little depth down the middle, Wilson will be a coveted option for the team at draft day.