The NHL is constantly moving towards speed and skill. Wingers are the pinnacle of this and larger players have to raise their speed and skill to stick. Serron Noel is a beast on the ice and a beauty in the practice rink. He is primed to be a first round draft pick in 2018 and here’s why.
Serron Noel is a behemoth, standing above the majority of the first round and some of the NHL. His size is definitely the first thing that stands out about him as a prospect, but he follows it up with the growth in his game over the past year.
Something that Noel has been working on since he got to the Generals is his footwork. Noel works with FL Sports alongside coach Shelley Kettles, former figure skater and a famous skating coach for many hockey players.
Aside from the size, the next most common trait brought up about Noel is his raw talent. Noel clearly has athletic talent in his genes, as his father was a former CFL receiver. Serron’s father Dean actually vouched for his son not to follow in his footsteps as a football player due to concerns about concussions.
That raw talent is something that could benefit a team picking Noel in the latter part of the first round. NHL teams with deeper prospect pools can afford to let him develop for a few years in their system and will not feel the pressure to rush their first round pick. Here is all you need to know about Serron Noel.
The stats rundown
Height: 196 cm/6’5″
Weight: 95 kg/209 lbs
Birthdate: August 8, 2000
Position: Right Wing
Handedness: Right
Team (league): Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Rankings:
#23 by Dobber Prospects (Cam Robinson)
| GP | G | A | P |
| 62 | 28 | 25 | 53 |
Noel showed a vast improvement this past year in his second season with the Oshawa Generals. This was a great uptick after his rookie year with the Generals only saw him score eight goals and 13 assists in 63 games. On that same team is the last Canucks pick from the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Matt Brassard.
Playing for Team Canada, Noel will benefit from a strong showing at the Under-18 World Juniors. Through five games, he had two goals and collected four assists. That tournament specifically boosts and drops players with each passing year.
Lastly, we found a good mix of his highlights for you to see below.
Scouting reports
Cam Robinson, Dobber Prospects:
"A long, fluid stride generates loads of power and speed for such a big man. He’s young for this crop and still quite raw, but the potential for a goal-scoring winger with his size and strength is tantalizing."
Brock Otten, OHL Prospects:
"I’m a big fan and I’ll tell you why. Watch the Generals play and count the number of prime time scoring chances this guy creates, or is on the receiving end of. If he was able to finish off even half of those scoring chances, he’d be top 20 in scoring (easily). But the coordination, focus, and finishing ability just aren’t quite polished yet as he learns to utilize his size advantage. (…) Maybe there is a slight risk that he’s another Colton Gillies type. But there’s also a chance that he develops into a top notch power forward who can take over games. The risk/reward is worth it IMO, especially with him being ranked in the mid/late first round right now"
Ben Kerr, Last Word on Hockey:
"Coming into the season Noel was heavily criticized for his skating. He struggled during his rookie season in 2016-17, as he seemed to be a step behind the play. While the skating is still a work in progress, it has vastly improved this season. (…)Noel projects as a goal scorer. He has one of the hardest wrist shots in the entire draft, generating excellent power. His accuracy is good, and he features a quick release. Noel uses his size to get to the front of the net. His quick hands help him finish in tight, with tip-ins, scoring rebounds, or making quick moves to beat a goalie in tight. Further out, he needs some work on his one-timer. (…)"
What we think
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The NHL comparison for many scouts seems to be Blake Wheeler. The size comparison fits, but Noel would really have to peak in all parts of his development to get to the level of play that Wheeler is currently at.
However, the Wheeler comparison is a bit of a stretch for me. Although, it is possible, given Noel’s raw talent and huge amount of development this year.
In my opinion, Jordan Greenway seems to be more of a closer comparison, I know that Greenway has only played in a handful of games at the NHL level but I see a lot of similar traits in Noel.
Both can create a good net front presence and use their size to protect the puck. Additionally, Noel is quicker, stronger and can protect the puck to a greater degree. Noel will be an interesting player for Canada next year at the World Junior Championships. I’d be interested to see if he can top Jordan Greenway’s stats in that tournament.
All in all Noel seems to have a promising future. His pure size and raw talent makes it enough for him to be a sure fire late first rounder. He is one of the younger players to be drafted this June as he will only be 17 when his name gets called. He is also one of the most interesting players in this draft because he is so big but still has so much room to grow in his overall game.
Next: 2018 NHL draft prospect profile #27: Nicolas Beaudin
I think another year of major junior would be great to establish himself as a true force in the OHL. Down the road, I’m very curious where Noel will top out as an NHL player and if he will ever get to that Blake Wheeler comparison. At six-foot-five inches, why not take a late shot at this guy? I would be very surprised if he were to fall out of the second round and whichever team picks him will be selecting a great story for years to come.