13-14 Prospects Thread Version XIX: Leafs in the WJC.

[Johny Drama]

Brendan Gallagher type would be awesome, though gallagher is fearless.

Maybe more like camalleri

 

[Mikeyg]

So let me get this straight.. you talk about skills and IQ as being so important, right after saying that you don't like the Gauthier pick... when his defensive SKILLS and hockey IQ were exactly the reason why he was picked?

I dont see offensive potential in fred, thats the difference, defensive skills can be taught (kadri), but this system is stocked with bottom 6 players, he is essentially a poor mans bergeon which means 3rd line center, with the emergence of holland, it isnt even likely that fred would even get an opportunity for 3c or 4c for at least 4-5 years imo anyways with bozak kadri and holland/jmac in front of him, I dont like the pick at all and there realistically isnt a tonne to get excited for with him, ya great every1 loves defensive 3c's but I mean imo if you really wanted to develop one theres no reason why you couldnt do that with a later round pick. Picking a defence first centermen in the first round is a tough sell imo

 

[Smif]

Gauthier is eligible next year as well isn't he? I love having Leaf players on the team.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

The defense flat out sucks. Literally have like 2 good players and 6 scrubs.

The forwards are big, slow and unskilled.

WTF did they expect to happen? This is on the big ice, you need speed, skill, and talent. Not a bunch of Komiserek/Clarkson types.

I am going to reserve my judgement due to it's Sutter. Sutter has a great track record of knowing what it takes to win this tourney. On the surface it looks like we could have brought more offence. But I can see some logic to what he is trying to achieve. Team build as opposed to collecting the 22 most talented prospects. But I don't disagree with you. If we don't win gold, there will be a lot of second guessing.

 

[Backhandshelf81]

I dont see offensive potential in fred, thats the difference, defensive skills can be taught (kadri), but this system is stocked with bottom 6 players, he is essentially a poor mans bergeon which means 3rd line center, with the emergence of holland, it isnt even likely that fred would even get an opportunity for 3c or 4c for at least 4-5 years imo anyways with bozak kadri and holland/jmac in front of him, I dont like the pick at all and there realistically isnt a tonne to get excited for with him, ya great every1 loves defensive 3c's but I mean imo if you really wanted to develop one theres no reason why you couldnt do that with a later round pick. Picking a defence first centermen in the first round is a tough sell imo

Yup.

I've watched him a ton of times now and to me it seems his upside is Jay McClement, perhaps with slightly better skating, not that that's hard to be a better skater than McClment

 

[William Nylander*]

I dont see offensive potential in fred, thats the difference, defensive skills can be taught (kadri), but this system is stocked with bottom 6 players, he is essentially a poor mans bergeon which means 3rd line center, with the emergence of holland, it isnt even likely that fred would even get an opportunity for 3c or 4c for at least 4-5 years imo anyways with bozak kadri and holland/jmac in front of him, I dont like the pick at all and there realistically isnt a tonne to get excited for with him, ya great every1 loves defensive 3c's but I mean imo if you really wanted to develop one theres no reason why you couldnt do that with a later round pick. Picking a defence first centermen in the first round is a tough sell imo

Tell that to the Flyers and Sean Couturier

 

[Mikeyg]

Tell that to the Flyers and Sean Couturier

I feel sorry for him too, but its tough getting top 6 prospects in top 6 roles before they establish themselves in the bottom 6 first

 

[Mikeyg]

Yup.

I've watched him a ton of times now and to me it seems his upside is Jay McClement, perhaps with slightly better skating, not that that's hard to be a better skater than McClment

ya, not great imo but oh well

 

[Duffman955]

I am going to reserve my judgement due to it's Sutter. Sutter has a great track record of knowing what it takes to win this tourney. On the surface it looks like we could have brought more offence. But I can see some logic to what he is trying to achieve. Team build as opposed to collecting the 22 most talented prospects. But I don't disagree with you. If we don't win gold, there will be a lot of second guessing.

The team is slow, untalented and outclassed defensively by nearly every other team.

Awful defense mixed with slow unreliable forwards, easy to see why this team is trash.

We are CANADA. Our teams should scare the living **** out of every other team and be the team everyone else wants to be. Not some pathetic piece of crap we have now.

 

[theIceWookie]

Rupert and Verhaeghe both with 2 points in the London/Niagra game last night.

Good to see Verhaeghe putting some points back on the board. He's been a little quiet lately.

From what I have seen, Johnson has the hands, IQ and shot of a top 6 NHL player.

His skating and size however will hold him back big time. Small players need to be quicker than he is. Luckily skating is something he can improve with Underhill.

His skating and size will be an obstacle, no different than any other obstacle many others face. It seriously irks me when people lay out the "size!" argument for why a player won't succeed. It's such a stupid blanket statement. There is so much more than size to players games. In fact I'm pretty fairly certain that just as many 6 foot 4 plus guys as sub 5 foot 10 players do.

Johnson isn't even that small, he's the same weight as Giroux and an inch shorter.

There are 42 players that have played in the NHL this year that are the same height as Johnson. There are 32 players smaller than him. There are 92 players in the NHL who are only 1 inch taller than him (5 foot 11).

By comparison, there are 108 players in the NHL that are 6 foot 4 or taller.

Small players are a lot more common than people give the credit. Johnson isn't 5 foot 6. He's 5 foot 10, which is hardly tiny.

Dustin byfuglien did, he was later converted to D. Obviously not very comparable to Johnson, but big buff is a great story in itself.

Actually Buff was a D in Junior, then converted to RW by Chicago in 2007-2008 but preferred defense. When he was traded to Atlanta, they allowed him (whether that was a request by him, a hockey decision by management, or a combination of both I'm not sure) to switch back to defense.

 

[theIceWookie]

His skating needs work and I'm afraid he'll get boxed out around the net in the NHL, but he's a smart player, not afraid of contact, and his shot is the real deal.

Him being boxed out in the NHL level around to net could be concerning. However it really depends on how shifty he can be. If he's the type that can squirm in, he'll have no issue at the NHL level. If he's the type that just sort of plants himself, he'll struggle.

 

[theIceWookie]

The team is slow, untalented and outclassed defensively by nearly every other team.

Awful defense mixed with slow unreliable forwards, easy to see why this team is trash.

We are CANADA. Our teams should scare the living **** out of every other team and be the team everyone else wants to be. Not some pathetic piece of crap we have now.

Sweden might not be the best marker for judgement yet. They have arguably the strongest team in the tourney with a ton of returning players from last year. That adds a lot of chemistry Canada doesn't have the luxury of getting.

But they are definitely more skilled.

That said, Canada has more skill than you're giving them credit. Mantha, Laughton and Drouin make up a pretty dangerous top line. Reinhart/Horvat/McDavid is a young, inexperienced line but it's showing some serious deadly skill. Hudon has a ton of talent and offensive skill.

Plus guys like Petan, Lazar, Rychel, while likely third line guys on this team, can definitely score.

The defense is a little iffy by my estimation but it's not awful.

You're being a little doom and gloom.

 

[Raging Bull]

Do we have a complete list of all leafs affiliated players in the WJC tourney? Gotta set up my PVR soon for important games!

Canada - Frederik Gauthier (22)
Sweden - Andreas Johnson (5)
Switzerland - Fabrice Herzog (15)

 

[LaPlante94]

Canada - Frederik Gauthier (22)
Sweden - Andreas Johnson (5)
Switzerland - Fabrice Herzog (15)

I'm guessing Toninato got cut from USA?

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm guessing Toninato got cut from USA?

Never got invited to their December camp. It was a small camp with only a couple cuts though.

Hasn't had a strong start to his NCAA rookie season.

 

[leafsfuture]

OMG watching Team Canada, how does it not make you appreciate the Rielly pick. Reinhart and Dumba are NOT near his level. And its not like Rielly is a big strong, defensive Schenn type whose upside is relatively lower

 

[Duffman955]

Herzog looks pretty good. He plays almost like a power forward. Good net drive and net front presence.

 

[Pi]

OMG watching Team Canada, how does it not make you appreciate the Rielly pick. Reinhart and Dumba are NOT near his level. And its not like Rielly is a big strong, defensive Schenn type whose upside is relatively lower

We lucked out big time. Islanders pick Rielly and we`re left choosing from the 2nd tier of prospects.

 

[Duffman955]

Not only is Rielly>>>>>>Dumba and Rienhart, I would argue Finn is better as well.

 

[StuckOutHere]

We lucked out big time. Islanders pick Rielly and we`re left choosing from the 2nd tier of prospects.

We probably trade down (perhaps with Buffalo who had pick 12 and 14) or take Trouba I'd think.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Never got invited to their December camp. It was a small camp with only a couple cuts though.

Hasn't had a strong start to his NCAA rookie season.

7 points in 15 gp isn't bad for a freshman.

Go back and look what Frattin did as one.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

We probably trade down (perhaps with Buffalo who had pick 12 and 14) or take Trouba I'd think.

Never know with Leafs management.

 

[613Leafer]

We lucked out big time. Islanders pick Rielly and we`re left choosing from the 2nd tier of prospects.

Hard to say, we were apparently pretty high on Trouba as well. Lindholm is another solid pick, but I highly highly doubt we would have taken him. Definitely glad to have Rielly over Grigorenko, Forsberg, Dumba, Reinhart, etc.

 

[Duffman955]

Trouba would have been a great pick, or trade down and grab both Forseberg and Grigorenko, had we missed reilly.

 

[SprDaVE]

7 points in 15 gp isn't bad for a freshman.

Go back and look what Frattin did as one.

I didn't mean it was a bad start for a freshman. It is a weak start to be considered for Team USA though.