Comments from Shane Wright's time in the OHL are coming back to haunt him in his NHL career

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Tyler Ball
August 25, 2024 (10:18 PM)

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Today comments from Shane Wright before he was drafted by the Seattle Kraken have resurfaced and have painted him in a bad light based on where his career is.

Shane Wright was drafted into the OHL by the Kingston Frontenacs after receiving exceptional status from the league to play at 15 years old. This is a rare feat in junior hockey and had Shane Wright immediately labeled as a generational talent.

For much of his junior career he lived up to these expectations but in his draft year, things fell a bit short. In the eyes of the NHL Shane Wright had stagnated and didn't have the upside that many had seen in his earlier years.

This lack of upside led him to slip down draft rankings in his draft year leading the media to doubt his potential. During the draft process he was asked about his generational potential and continued to insist that he felt that was a distinction he deserved.

I believe that's where I should go. I believe that I'm the best player. I believe that, you know, throughout my play, throughout my entire life, it has shown that I'm the best player, and I'm a competitive guy, and I want to be that spot, and I don't want anyone to take that from me, and I believe that I'm deserving of being that number one spot, and I believe that I'm going to be the first pick

I'm still a player that I should be. I'm still a generational talent

Shane Wright would go on to be drafted 4th overall by the Seattle Kraken and has been fighting to prove himself right ever since. However, this offseason some fans are starting to use his previous comments against him.

Fans begin calling out Shane Wright for not living up to the hype he created

In the 2023-24 season, Shane Wright finally got to spend his first full season in professional hockey. He spent the majority of his time in the AHL with the Coachella Valley Firebirds where he had 47 points in 59 games.

For most prospects at the age of 20, this would be a good development track for their career. However, Shane Wright being a self-proclaimed generational talent he falls short of other generational players like Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and even Connor Bedard who all excelled in the NHL well before the age of 20. As a result of his lack of production, he is now being called out on social media by fans.

With the NHL season on the horizon, Shane Wright is expected to get his first full chance to play in the NHL with the Seattle Kraken. This season could make or break his claim as a generational talent.

Source: HockeyDB
Shane Wright Stats