Josh Daley
Forward
Waywayseecappo Wolverines (MJHL)
6'0", 185 pounds
Pittsburgh, PA
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM
-------------------------------------------------------------
2008-09 Owatonna Express NAHL 18 4 3 7 6
2009-10 Battlefords N. Stars SJHL 55 23 27 50 23
2010-11 Battlefords N. Stars SJHL 6 0 3 3 4
2010-11 Dauphin Kings MJHL 32 17 12 29 12
2010-11 Waywayseepappo Wlvrnes MJHL 20 14 4 18 14
After a fantastic career at Bishop Canevin High School (89 goals, 71 assists in 76 games) and piling up even more points with his AAA team, Daley had quite a decision to make, with a ton of high-end junior offers.
He had offers from 4 other NAHL teams but decided on Owatonna because of it's closeness to many major NCAA Division 1 hockey schools. Josh also has offers on the table from Saginaw in the Ontario Hockey League, and Waterloo and Des Moines in the United States Hockey League.OHL? I'm sure as time goes on, I'll learn to despise the Canadian major junior leagues, but for now, I'm pretty wide-eyed about the fact that a future Penn State hockey player got a look. Oh wait, there's more:
Bishop Canevin's Josh Daley has been compared to the Pittsburgh Penguins' Jordan Staal.
He has the same kind of height as the Penguins' third line center (6-foot-3) and the same kind of build (as of now, he is at 170 pounds).
On the ice, Daley also has the undeniable reach with the stick that other hockey players wish they had.
And Shjon Podein, who won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001, has watched Daley play. Podein, who is Daley's advisor, believes the 17-year-old can be in the NHL by his early-20s.An endorsement from Shjon Podein (recently named the head coach at Minnesota's St. Louis Park High School)? Comparisons to Jordan Staal? Scouted by the Canadiens (not in the article, but that's what I hear)? What? I'm sure some Wisconsin fan is reading this and laughing at me. But considering that our entire NHL exposure to this point has amounted to a couple exhibition games thanks to a bevy of injuries and holdouts, along with a couple tryouts (all, not coincidentally, with the Penguins), this is pretty heady stuff at Penn State.
"He believes he has the talent to do it," said Daley's dad, Walt.
After just 18 games with Owatonna in 2008-2009, Daley moved up north to the Battlefords North Stars and the SJHL, where he tore off an all-star season in 2009-2010. And despite bouncing around to three different teams in two different leagues last season, he didn't lose his scoring touch in transit. But don't take my word for it - watch and love his highlight video. Or listen to Wayway's GM get a little gushy after acquiring him.
Finally, just as importantly, he likes roast beef and mashed potatoes.
I strictly attend Icers games in order to see Josh play. Unfortunately, and to my complete and utter surprise, he rarely plays. I do not know what the coach is thinking, because Josh played in one of the best hockey leagues in all of Canada and had an impressive amount of points. I am unsure whether or not the coach is saving him for next year, maybe as a "secret weapon", but this kid has raw talent, and it is not being utilized on this already superbly skilled Icers team.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised he is not already at a Division One school on a top line, because not only does he have the skill to play at that level, but he plays physical enough to play at that level as well. You'd think since the new coach committed Josh for the Division One team, that he would be playing a lot more, so I'm not 100% sure what the deal is here. Hopefully the coaching staff wakes up and lets this kid lead them to an ACHA Championship this year, and usher them into the future.
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