Joe Wegwerth THW Close-Up:
Date of birth: 6/16/1996
Place of birth: Brewster, New York
Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 229 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014
Twitter: @wegs27
THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2014): not ranked
Other Rankings:
THW War Room Rankings (April): not ranked
Future Considerations: not ranked
Craig Button: not ranked
CS Final Rankings for North American skaters: 139
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Whether you agree with it or not, each team needs an enforcers to keep players in line. Joe Wegwerth is that player for the NTDP. Boasting a mammoth build, Wegworth isn’t a player many people want to go toe-to-toe with. He’s a bruiser and a checker. He battles everywhere around the ice and his physicality is evident every shift. He led the team with 123 PIMs this year.
If teams are going to select him, they have to realize there isn’t going to be much offensive talent – if any. Wegwerth is a skater who plays the game hard and with an edge. He isn’t naturally gifted with skill. He’s also not fleet of foot in regards to his skating. He’s your run-of-the-mill grinder with a nastiness that helps define him. Wegwerth is a guy you want in your corner.
Where Will He End Up In June:
Wegwerth will probably fall to the later rounds of the draft – either 6th or 7th.
Scout’s Honor:
“At 6-3, 230, Wegwerth is Team USA’s biggest forward. He also may be its meanest. Wegwerth led Team USA with 119 PIM this season. The nastiness can get negated sometimes by international rules, but the physicality really can’t waver. That’s something that is still necessary, even on the bigger ice surface, and Team USA can use him as a hard-nosed grind-line presence. He only seven points this year, so Wegwerth is there to make things difficult on opponents and be efficient in the shifts he gets. There are a lot of guys like Wegwerth in the NHL, which is why teams will be interested to see if that toughness can translate into solid defending and aggressiveness on the forecheck.“
Chris Peters – United States of Hockey
Statistics:
International Tournaments:
Wegwerth played for the U18’s in the WJC winning a gold medal. He also played in the Youth Olympic Games for Team USA.
Bio/Interview(s)/Links:
Interview with Lohud Hockey Blog
ETA:
3-4 years
Risk/Reward Analysis:
Risk: 1/5 Reward: 1/5
NHL Potential:
4th line grinder
Strengths:
Truculence
Big body in front of the net
Very physical
Plays strong in the dirty areas
Checking
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Skating
Softer hands
Buffer his defensive game
Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 1/10 Defensive: 4/10
NHL Player Comparison:
– NHL comparison: Chris Neil
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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph