Columbus Blue Jackets draft candidate at 4th overall, Berkly Catton is a highly skilled center
Berkly Catton may be undersized, but his skill and offensive ceiling make him an intriguing potential choice for the Blue Jackets at fourth overall.
Berkly Catton is the most productive offensive player available at next month's NHL Draft. Based purely on numbers, nobody else ranked inside of the top-10 comes close to his 116 points.
Catton played in all 68 games for the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League this season, scoring 54 goals and finishing fourth overall in scoring. All of this at just 17 years old.
From that perspective, he's an interesting potential choice at 4th overall in spite of his size. Catton is listed at just 5'11", and 163 pounds. But, if we're looking at just the forwards in this draft, he could wind up being the second or third best one to come out of it. And, he's a true center. This should all sound pretty good if you're a Blue Jackets fan.
Offensively, he's a dynamic player. No other way to put it. He can control the pace of the game with the puck on his stick, and find passing lanes that nobody else on the ice can see. He also has good hands, a quick release, and is an elusive player; using quick turns and footwork to get into dangerous scoring areas.
Defensively, he works hard and is a surprisingly good all-around center for a guy his size. Catton has a lot of filling out to do - but he's already shown a determined compete level defensively, and he does surprisingly well in the faceoff circle. In my opinion, these traits will make him a solid all-around player in the NHL.
The one concern I would have here is similar to what we've seen with Kent Johnson in Columbus. Will his size make him more of a winger in the NHL, or can he make the adjustment to bigger, stronger players and remain a pivot?
Whichever role he develops into, he's a player we should not overlook when watching this year's draft prospects. He's a dogged competitor, and if the Jackets do draft him, I could easily see Adam Fantilli and Berkly Catton as this team's top-two centers for the next decade, or more.
If developed correctly, those guys would give the Jackets one of the best 1-2 punches down the middle in the entire NHL. But, development is going to be key with Catton. This isn't a player who will step right into the NHL and stand out ala Fantilli. He's going to need some time.
How much time? Who would I compare him to? And, what's my final verdict? I'll answer all of those questions on the next page.
Berkly Catton is a home-run swing. His ceiling is incredibly high - and, honestly, I don't think his floor is as low as some assume.
With that comment in mind, what makes Catton a fringe top-5 or 7 pick, rather than a guy who is viewed as a potential franchise guy?
There isn't one "elite" trait here. This isn't a guy who has Connor Bedard's shot, or Kent Johnson's hands, or Connor McDavid's speed, or Adam Fantilli's size and skating. Catton is simply "really good" at all of these things.
I don't see him being a dominant, 100 point player at any point in his career. Nor do I see him potting 50 goals. But, I think he can drive a top-six line, not hurt his team defensively, and take important faceoffs while playing on both special teams units. And, he should still be able to contribute at a point-per-game or better average.
For those reasons, he may not be a "franchise altering" talent ... but I think Catton could be a 15 year pro who does his job well without a lot of praise or accolades. He's just going to need time. One (or maybe even two) more years in junior will not hurt him. He may need AHL time as well.
Keeping his confidence high while allowing him to fill out physically, and round out the finer points of his game, could bring out the most in this player. If I had to make comparisons to other NHL players, I think my favorite one would be Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - but maybe with a little bit lower offensive ceiling.
Another good one, if you've watched the game for a long time: Marc Savard. Think along those lines, a good top-six player who probably won't ever be the guy, but can definitely hold his own offensively, and be a matchup nightmare in the right situation.
As far as my verdict? Selfishly, I love this pick. I spent 18 years covering hockey from Spokane. I know the ins and outs of the organization, the building, and a lot of the fans. It would be easy for me to watch Catton develop; and I consider myself a big fan of the Chiefs. Call it a homer pick.
But make no mistake about it. This is a guy with top-5 potential in this draft, all homer picks aside. He could be the center we need to play behind Adam Fantilli.
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