Player Discussion: Adam Erne

[DFC]

Yea he reminds me of Lapointe just not the STevie Y connection. He plays lackadaisical for a big guy at times, but has some skill and grit.

He's a lot faster than Lapointe. Smoother. Probably better hands, but yeah, I definitely see the comparison. Lapointe had that same short, study, "heaviness" to his game. Lapointe developed a really good shot. Haven't seen enough of Erne's to compare.

 

[The Macho King]

He reminds me of a smarter Tom Wilson. Thats not good.

He was looking for a big hit all night. Which I didn't mind since we were sucking and I think he was trying to create a spark.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

If you want to create a spark, pin a team deep in the d-zone.

 

[The Macho King]

If you want to create a spark, pin a team deep in the d-zone.

Well sure, but his line wasn't exactly brimming with talent.

 

[gg720fla]

I would rather see Erne in there every game instead of Paquette, Brown or Namestnikov. He brings physicality and I think with time will show his ability to put the puck in the net. Like what I have seen of him so far!

 

[Todd1a]

What is erne's ceiling? A killorn ? A palat ? Or a jt brown ?

 

[JoVel]

What is erne's ceiling? A killorn ? A palat ? Or a jt brown ?

I'm thinking a less skilled but way more physical Killorn.

 

[DFC]

I'm thinking a less skilled but way more physical Killorn.

I don't think he's less skilled than Killorn. Skill level is roughly the same, when you shake out their individual strengths and weaknesses. If anything I'd give an edge to Erne. He has an element of finesse to go along with his PF style. If anything, playing too much a finesse style has slowed down his development.

His ceiling, just a guess, is a 50ish point power forward. Not sure he'll ever reach that, but it seems like Killorn-type numbers with a more punishing style is well within reach.

 

[Werewolf]

What is erne's ceiling? A killorn ? A palat ? Or a jt brown ?

His most probable landing spot is an Abdelkader type ... 40 - 50 points as a middle 6 PF winger. He has better tools than Killorn ... although its fair to say Killorn reached his ceiling. We have yet to find out whether Erne will reach his and play at that level consistently.

 

[FDfranklin]

Erne has way better hands than Killorn. At least from what we've seen so far.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Well sure, but his line wasn't exactly brimming with talent.

Possession is possession, takes more intelligence than raw talent. He has both, but I get what hes doing. I just wish he didn't do it and showed us that, hey, I want to be in the top six on this team.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

I don't think he's less skilled than Killorn. Skill level is roughly the same, when you shake out their individual strengths and weaknesses. If anything I'd give an edge to Erne. He has an element of finesse to go along with his PF style. If anything, playing too much a finesse style has slowed down his development.

His ceiling, just a guess, is a 50ish point power forward. Not sure he'll ever reach that, but it seems like Killorn-type numbers with a more punishing style is well within reach.

Don't know if I agree with that. Killorn is a lot more talented than people give him on this board and with the change of stick and shooting style this year, you're seeing more out of him. I also still think his best season is still 1-3 years ahead of him.

Erne, I can't figure out yet. He has produced just a bit at the AHL level and is in this weird spot where he looks like he has a future in the NHL one shift, and AHL fodder in another.

 

[The Macho King]

Possession is possession, takes more intelligence than raw talent. He has both, but I get what hes doing. I just wish he didn't do it and showed us that, hey, I want to be in the top six on this team.

It's just hard when you consider the position he's put in. He does not have any talent on his line - and it's hard for one person to drive possession (especially considering how bad our D was last night).

He was hard on the forecheck, and he went to finish his checks. Both things can lead to possession, but when your linemates are Dumont and Brown, there's only so much you can do.

 

[DFC]

Don't know if I agree with that. Killorn is a lot more talented than people give him on this board and with the change of stick and shooting style this year, you're seeing more out of him. I also still think his best season is still 1-3 years ahead of him.

Erne, I can't figure out yet. He has produced just a bit at the AHL level and is in this weird spot where he looks like he has a future in the NHL one shift, and AHL fodder in another.

By all reports though, he's been a tale of two players in the AHL. His two seasons have gone roughly the same: He comes in, starts trying to play a skilled perimeter game, gets bumped down the lineup, GETS INJURED, and then comes back on fire, playing like a power forward.

I think it goes back to when he went down for his second over-age year in junior. He got used to playing too much a skill game because he could get away with it, and didn't have to rely on power, which doesn't work out for him in the pros.

In comparison to Killorn, I think Killorn has the better shot, but Erne looks to me like the better skater, and I do think Erne has better hands in tight. I feel like, as long as he plays a power game, he'll be an NHLer with production really similar to Killorn's.

Werewolf or Crunchrulz can speak on this a lot better than I can, obviously, but it really feels like there's a pattern with Erne, where he falls out of favor whenever he gets away from his size-and-strength based game.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

I mean, if he can turn into a 30-50 point winger, most teams would be overjoyed with that out of a second rounder.

 

[DFC]

I mean, if he can turn into a 30-50 point winger, most teams would be overjoyed with that out of a second rounder.

IMO, that's exactly what we're gonna get. He would have been a first rounder in most years though.

 

[Rschmitz]

Still remember when he dominated training camp and was our best player, then went on to juniors and was over 2 points per game with a plethora of goals. I thought we were getting something really special at that point. That was the year he injured Drouin

 

[Rschmitz]

If he hadn't fallen off severely later that year, idk, how would you justify keeping that off the roster.

Hopefully he remembers what got him drafted

 

[Outl4w]

His most probable landing spot is an Abdelkader type ... 40 - 50 points as a middle 6 PF winger. He has better tools than Killorn ... although its fair to say Killorn reached his ceiling. We have yet to find out whether Erne will reach his and play at that level consistently.

Abdelkader is a 20- 30 point player who had one good season being carried by Zetterberg and Datsyuk. Ask any Detroit fan. Abby is a 3rd liner at best on a under-talented team during a rebuild. Don't mention that comparison again and jinx Erne.

 

[PaulGG]

He will a have a good chance to break into the lineup on 3 or 4 line for next years team especially if we lose a forward to expansion. Not sure what his strengths are because I have seen so little of him. He has shown he likes to hit and be scrappy like Paquette but I would hope for him to be an offensive threat on the 3 line and beat out Namy. He doesn't look very quick or fast but that is based upon just a few games.

 

[DFC]

He will a have a good chance to break into the lineup on 3 or 4 line for next years team especially if we lose a forward to expansion. Not sure what his strengths are because I have seen so little of him. He has shown he likes to hit and be scrappy like Paquette but I would hope for him to be an offensive threat on the 3 line and beat out Namy. He doesn't look very quick or fast but that is based upon just a few games.

Looks fast for his size, to me. Not Johnson or Drouin, but I mean, he's twice as wide as either of them.

He has a lot of offensive tools. This is a guy who was probably too good for junior his last year down there. Not the way Drouin was too good for junior, but in a way that nonetheless might have stalled his (Erne's) development. He put up big scoring numbers and was dominant in his last playoffs with Quebec.

I think it's okay to be excited about this player. He might not pan out, but if that happens, it'll most likely be because he gets away from his power forward game. If he sticks to his fast, heavy game, he has all the tools to be just what the doctor ordered for us.

And other teams are going to haaaaaaaate him. We need a guy other teams hate who's actually GOOD.

 

[Bolt 45]

Wow, I'm not sure what some people think they're seeing. I don't follow our pipeline too closely, so maybe my expectations are a bit lower, but Erne looks good to me. I've been impressed both times he's been called up. He's not overmatched at this level. The only question mark I see is his finishing ability, as I haven't really seen him shoot it enough to guage his potential as a scoring threat. Other than that, I'd say he has at least a tad more natural ability than Killorn, particularly as it concerns skating and stick handling. Hockey IQ seems good, too, although I could see a minor gripe about effort/focus levels over a full sixty minutes. He plays like he's already earned his spot at times.

Ultimately, for me, it boils down to this: Would he be an upgrade on at least one of our four lines? I mean, quite frankly, you'd have to be blind to say no.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Thats not the point, though. Taking a talent like his and burying him on the fourth line consistently does his development no favors.

 

[The Macho King]

Thats not the point, though. Taking a talent like his and burying him on the fourth line consistently does his development no favors.

But that's the Cooper way (tm).

 

[Bolt 45]

Thats not the point, though. Taking a talent like his and burying him on the fourth line consistently does his development no favors.

Presumably he's up right now just to get a feel for things. Besides, last night is pretty much how Coop can be expected to manage that (for better or for worse), so getting penciled in on the fourth line doesn't necessarily mean de facto fourth-liner. Not to mention, the situation changes when Stammer and Cally come back. I definitely don't see him as Top-6 in our lineup yet, and if no moves get made between now and October, he's not a lock on the third line either. So... what? Bury him in Syracuse until the right slot opens up? I say ice the best lineup we can and juggle lines it until it works, because the line juggling's going to happen anyway.