John Baiocco THW Close-Up:
Date of birth: June 6th, 1995
Place of birth: Harding, NJ
Ht: 5’8″ Wt: 154
Shoots: Right
Position: Right Wing
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2013 1st year eligible
Twitter: @ASAPhockey12
THW The Next Ones Ranking (January 2013): NR
Other Rankings (If available)
· THW War Room Rankings (April): Not Ranked
· ISS: Not Ranked
· Future Considerations: Not Ranked
· Craig Button: Not Ranked
· CS Final Rankings: (NR among N.American skaters)
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[NHL 2013 Draft Guide – The Next Ones Draft Headquarters: Your quintessential draft resource]
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Baiocco Will Be A Steal For Someone
John Baiocco will be entering Yale University in the Fall. His high school career culminated with a season that was one for the ages. Baiocco had 36 goals and 46 assists while leading Delbarton to yet another NJSIAA Hockey Championship (fourth in four years).
Something that has to be said also is that the future draft prospect carries a heavy workout load. His work ethic and leadership are things that have to be noted. Baiocco will defend his teammates and is an excellent leader as evidenced by his growth and maturity while at Delbarton. The player relentlessly practices like it is a game situation. Rankings just cannot tell the whole story. Winners like I said before find a way to succeed. When you are fortunate enough to watch some players with such talent this often, there is that feeling. He did thrive playing in a more wide open system but can adjust to a more defensive system. Playing for the Fargo Force in the USHL will serve him very well.
Where Will He End Up in June:
The question may be more IF John Baiocco will be drafted. He is small in stature and there is no way of getting around that. His production cannot be disputed, however. I would not be surprised if he goes in the later rounds of the NHL Entry Draft. The other wrinkle is he possibly could be drafted in 2014.
Scout’s Honor:
John Baiocco possesses the rare ability to gain speed with the puck. Put the puck in the Delbarton winger’s hands and he is a game changer. Has been playing among men since he was a boy. Shined as a sophomore against kids two, three years older. Tough. Shown ability to take a hit. A leader, both on the ice and in the locker room. His on-ice vision coupled with his propensity to be in the right position at the right time, makes him an attractive prospect.
John Christian Hageny — Star Ledger/NJ School Sports
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“His quick-strike is second to none. I can’t tell you how many games he’s won for us,” Delbarton coach Bruce Shatel, 288-32-27 all-time, said. “We knew he was going to be a star from day one. It’s amazing, the numbers he’s put up.”
Bruce Shatel — Delbarton Head Coach
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What sets Baiocco apart from every other player in New Jersey is his excellent first step. He has a real explosiveness that no other player in New Jersey has. He’s an outstanding skater overall and has a pretty high hockey IQ, but he’s got an unbelievable release on his shot that makes him standout. In some ways, he looks like a right-handed Johnny Gaudreau, although I think he’s a more natural scorer. In his senior year, Delbarton’s strength was scoring. Baiocco, center Josh Melnick (Princeton) and right winger Alex Hagerty (Williams) comprised of the top line. They were a run and gun team all year and three of them combined for 222 points. Definitely the type of player that could be worth a late-round flyer.
Mark Krulish — North Jersey Media Group
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Statistics:
Bio/Interview(s)/Link(s):
International Tournaments:
- None
ETA :
4-5 years
Risk-Reward Analysis:
Risk = 3/5 Reward = 2 /5
NHL Potential:
It will take awhile but Baiocco has a chance to be a spark plug and even a “Top Six” forward on the right team. First, he will be skating with the Fargo Force of the USHL for a year. In the longer term, he will have to work hard to develop his two way game at Yale. All it takes is for some team to deem the forward a pick in this NHL Entry Draft. Someone may just take that chance on a long term project that could pay off handsomely.
Strengths:
- Shot
- Leadership
- Work Ethic
- Above average hands
- Competitiveness
- Finds offense sometimes out of almost nothing
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
- Two way presence
- Has to be the next John Baiocco, not Kyle Pamieri, etc.
- Must watch more video to develop game.
- Strength and weight training
Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive = 7.5/10 Defensive = 5/10
NHL Player(s) / Cross Training Comparison:
– The best comparison I keep seeing is to Steve Sullivan. Sullivan was an absolute dynamo when he was drafted. Small in stature but big in everything else comes to mind.
– My cross training comparison would have to be Josh Cribbs (JoshCribbs16), NFL Free Agent. Cribbs has a work ethic and ability that transcends all the doubters despite his smaller stature. There are some striking similarities between him and one, John Baiocco.
Video(s):
(Video Credit: DelbartonHockey via MSG.com)
Off The Iron (Interesting Notes):
– People seem to compare John Baiocco to guys like Kyle Palmieri and Johnny Gaudreau and yet the two words that are repeated over and over from scouts are “he’s better”.
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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph
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Our latest profile puts the spotlight on New Jersey, not too far from where the draft will be next month. Say hello to John Baiocco.