Brian Ihnacak

[Form and Substance]

Anyone know why he was drafted so low? (Round #9, 259th pick) I think he was ranked in the top 40 by CSB and he's posted some great numbers at the collegiate level (30 pts in 31 games). Anyone have a take on him? I remember a lot of pre draft buzz around this kid. He might be a steal if ye ask me.

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[Big McLargehuge]

As a Penguins fan all I can say is...I have no ****ing clue but I'm glad he did

 

[Big McLargehuge]

He was drafted low because his last name sounds like a cat hacking up a hairball.

Then how did Dave Brown fall to the eight?

 

[Jeff Goldblum]

I'm ecstatic that the Pens got Ihnacak. I think most college kids who succeed, expecially at a young age, with NHL size and skills, will make the NHL. Its too early to judge, but i consider him a steal in the 9th round.

 

[Form and Substance]

Er, thanks guys, but anyone got some real insight?

 

[john g]

never having seen him play, I can only guess that he is small and plays on a bad team in a bad league

 

[Schlep Rock]

never having seen him play, I can only guess that he is small and plays on a bad team in a bad league

Bad team in a bad league?

Let's see 3 of Brown's seniors have already signed NHL deals (Danis, Ford, and Macri). I also believe Robinson might have but don't quote me on it.

Overall a team that is 15-11-2 is not a bad team.

 

[Schlep Rock]

Er, thanks guys, but anyone got some real insight?

As far as Brian goes...

Brian is a very talented player but the thing with him is to me he is lacking in every area of his game. I'm not saying he is bad by any means because he is not but there is not one level of his game (IMO) that is elite.

His skating though is his best skill. He doesn't have blazing speed but he has the ability to make the appropriate cuts on a dime to help remain elusive to defenders. He has a very above average shot but again, nothing that will blow you away. He seems too willing to shoot and a lot of his assists actually came off rebounds that he couldn't score on (I saw Brown play a few times this year).

Probably the worst part about his game is his toughness. A few times this year I saw him make errant passes because he saw a check coming his away and he wanted to avoid it. Something that with more strength (he's around 175/180 I believe) will likely improve.

Defensively, I rarely saw him do anything of substances BUT we do have to realize Brown has a pretty good blue line this year (and the best blue line recruiting class in the Nationa next year) with a blue-chip goaltender (Yann Danis) so he likely figured he didn't need to do anything on the defensive side.

 

[TMHUNH]

I would think most of the reason why he fell so low is because he was a retread, passed over in 2003. Which to add to obvious reasons also makes him a year older than a lot of the other prospects drafted.

 

[montreal]

Bad team in a bad league?

Let's see 3 of Brown's seniors have already signed NHL deals (Danis, Ford, and Macri). I also believe Robinson might have but don't quote me on it.

Overall a team that is 15-11-2 is not a bad team.

Robinson signed with Philly. He was on a tryout with Hamilton when Danis was signed, but Philly picked him up this summer.

Brown was the top team in the ECAC for most of the season, until they fell into a slump late in the year. Still finished very strong, one of their better seasons in several years.

 

[Form and Substance]

I would think most of the reason why he fell so low is because he was a retread, passed over in 2003. Which to add to obvious reasons also makes him a year older than a lot of the other prospects drafted.

He's not really a retread, he just decided not to make himself eligible for last year's draft which is yes a retread but by that same logic all NCAA players are retreads. I don't think that should affect draft status hell Heatley was drafted when he was 19 as well.

As far as Brian goes...

Brian is a very talented player but the thing with him is to me he is lacking in every area of his game. I'm not saying he is bad by any means because he is not but there is not one level of his game (IMO) that is elite.

His skating though is his best skill. He doesn't have blazing speed but he has the ability to make the appropriate cuts on a dime to help remain elusive to defenders. He has a very above average shot but again, nothing that will blow you away. He seems too willing to shoot and a lot of his assists actually came off rebounds that he couldn't score on (I saw Brown play a few times this year).

Probably the worst part about his game is his toughness. A few times this year I saw him make errant passes because he saw a check coming his away and he wanted to avoid it. Something that with more strength (he's around 175/180 I believe) will likely improve.

Defensively, I rarely saw him do anything of substances BUT we do have to realize Brown has a pretty good blue line this year (and the best blue line recruiting class in the Nationa next year) with a blue-chip goaltender (Yann Danis) so he likely figured he didn't need to do anything on the defensive side.

Thanks for the info, but wouldn't that be all the more desirable, if he can post impressive numbers at the collegiate level and that he needs improvement in all facets of his game, wouldn't that make him supremely talented? If (and that's an if) he rounds out his game, won't he be ultra-effective? That's my take, I'd rather take a kid with upside than a kid who's already fully developed and having trouble producing in his league.

 

[TMHUNH]

He's not really a retread, he just decided not to make himself eligible for last year's draft which is yes a retread but by that same logic all NCAA players are retreads. I don't think that should affect draft status hell Heatley was drafted when he was 19 as well.

Not unless Central Scouting didn't know about it. He was ranked 162nd among NA skaters in 2003, but would have been left out completely if he had opted out, like Montoya, Booth, and others were.

 

[ttnorm]

I got to see Ihnacak a few times this year.

At the NCAA level he is very dangerous and a good skater. Even as a freshman, I thought he was Brown's highest skilled forward. Very intelligent, the puck always seems to find him in the offensive zone. Above average passer he knows how to put pressure on the defense.

I have seen some scouting reports that like his shot. I think it is average at best and think that is the weakest part of his skillset (in fairness, I only saw him a few times).

He does not have much of a physical element to his game but I wouldn't characterize him as soft. He does some of very good work creating from the corners and the half wall. Defensively, he plays his position well again with the emphasis on finesse.

For a 9th rounder, you bet he is a good pick.

 

[Canadien16]

He is an adept passer and stick handler with a lot of offensive upside, plays his D positionally and nothing more, good skater, doesnt shy away, most importantly he has the head for hockey and knows and sees the game real well. If you ask me hes a huge steal, and i guess sh*t happens when it comes to him and the 9th round? Needs to bulk up and get stronger though.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Not unless Central Scouting didn't know about it. He was ranked 162nd among NA skaters in 2003, but would have been left out completely if he had opted out, like Montoya, Booth, and others were.

He opted in as far as I knew. I had him going around 5th round last year.

I was suprised he wasn't picked.

 

[john g]

Bad team in a bad league?

Let's see 3 of Brown's seniors have already signed NHL deals (Danis, Ford, and Macri). I also believe Robinson might have but don't quote me on it.

Overall a team that is 15-11-2 is not a bad team.

Brown is not a good team and the ECAC is the 4th best D-1 division. Their record is decieving seeing how they played no one of quality outside their division except UNH once.

 

[montreal]

Brown is not a good team and the ECAC is the 4th best D-1 division. Their record is decieving seeing how they played no one of quality outside their division except UNH once.

Brown was at the top of the ECAC for most of last year. Cornell and Havard are quality teams, I don't know what you are using for a basis.

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

Brown is not a good team and the ECAC is the 4th best D-1 division. Their record is decieving seeing how they played no one of quality outside their division except UNH once.

Brown was over .500 last year and they are only going to get better.

They've had some solid signings/additions (Hurley, Baier, Seidman) and will be tough in the ECAC for the next few seasons...

 

[john g]

Brown was at the top of the ECAC for most of last year. Cornell and Havard are quality teams, I don't know what you are using for a basis.

I am using the ECAC as a basis -- it is not as much of a quality league as Hockey East, the CCHA or the WCHA. basically a barely over .500 in the 4th best division in college hockey isnt that impressive. having worked in the college athletics field for 5 years, i am a slight basis to say so

 

[Chief]

Not unless Central Scouting didn't know about it. He was ranked 162nd among NA skaters in 2003, but would have been left out completely if he had opted out, like Montoya, Booth, and others were.

Not true. Some time before this most recent draft, I asked Central Scouting whether they would remove the players who opted out from their rankings and they said they would not. They said they would leave it up to the NHL teams to know which players opted out.

I'm guessing that if players like Montoya were left off their 2003 rankings it might be because those decisions were made early on in the draft year and not opt-in deadline decisions. I don't know that for a fact but that would be my guess at justifying what they did in 2003 and what they told me in 2004.

 

[Chief]

Ihnacak also had a horrible last month of the season scoring only 2 assists (in one game) over that span. Not the best way to head into a draft.