C Mathew Barzal - Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL (2015, 16th, NYI)

[R S]

Who's Seattle's goalie ?

I think they will enter camp with Brandon Glover, Daniel Cotton, Michael Salmon and that 17 year old Danny Mumaugh.

Glover is ok, but I don't see him being anything better than a mediocre starter for them and he's the oldest goalie they have. Will be interesting to see which of the other 3 wins the backup job.

 

[S E P H]

I think they will enter camp with Brandon Glover, Daniel Cotton, Michael Salmon and that 17 year old Danny Mumaugh.

Glover is ok, but I don't see him being anything better than a mediocre starter for them and he's the oldest goalie they have. Will be interesting to see which of the other 3 wins the backup job.

Yeah, not a fan of any of those guys. I would be surprised if Cotton or Salmon make the starter over Glover who is (as you said it) average at best. Don't know anything about Mumaugh.

I know Seattle was looking for a playoff spot until the end of last season, but not trading Pickard was a bit of a mistake.

 

[Thebeastoftheeast]

Something Nate M should of done in Baie-Comeau...

Baie-Comeau was and still is a joke franchise in the Q- who have they developed for the NHL? Joel Perrault?

 

[shello]

A few things I did notice from him this year was he's not very good at faceoffs (could be fixed though, see him more of a winger anyway), when he doesn't have the puck he seams like he doesn't care and floats around. Another thing is he turns the puck over a lot. His game however reminds me of Kovalchuk.

 

[HabLover]

Seattle also has a potential first rounder in the 2013 draft Shea Theodore. Him and Barzal on the powerplay will be completely deadly. I am a huge WHL fan and really think losing Barzal to NCAA will be a huge loss for the league. If you are reading this Barzal, sign in Seattle!!!!!hahaha

I dont think Seattle will have too much of a problem getting Barzal to sign. Sure they have had a few tough years but they are only a few hours from Vancouver(home) and over the years have been a pretty good franchise. I mean really they might only have Barzal for 2 years if he turns out as good as RNH. For that reason alone he will not go the US College route.

 

[BigBlue11]

Seattles first pick in 2011 Ryan Gropp(6th overall) still hasnt signed with Seattle either and is going to play Junior A in Penticton and the speculation is he will be playing NCAA(horrible mistake because he has a late birthday and could get 3 full years in WHL before he is eligable for NHL draft). But i guess some players just arent cut out for Major Junior.[/QUOTE]

bitter?

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Not bitter, just telling the truth.

 

[jfb392]

Thought I'd bump this.

After doing some research, it looks like he thoroughly impressed at the Thunderbirds rookie camp, but was left off of the training camp roster as he still has not signed with the team.
He's expected to play with the Vancouver NE Chiefs of the BCMML this season.
It also looks like he played at least one pre-season game with the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL.

 

[puckfan13]

So basically he's giving Seattle a year and saying you better get your sh.t together or I'm going to college?

 

[jfb392]

So basically he's giving Seattle a year and saying you better get your sh.t together or I'm going to college?

That's what it looks like right now, but I haven't seen anything confirming it.
I mean, all he'll be missing out on right now are some pre-season games.
If he's still not signed by December or January when most top kids are called up from midget, that will be pretty telling.

 

[puckfan13]

Not bitter, just telling the truth.

Being a late birthday and not playing in the WHL didn't exactly hurt Colin Wilson's draft stock...

 

[1Gold Standard]

What's Barzal's status as of today, is he playing WHL this year? Can't seem to find any up to date info on the kid.

found it. He's only eligible to play 5 games this year. Wasn't sure if he got an exemption to play all year. Ok...folks carry on!

 

[R S]

What's Barzal's status as of today, is he playing WHL this year? Can't seem to find any up to date info on the kid.

found it. He's only eligible to play 5 games this year. Wasn't sure if he got an exemption to play all year. Ok...folks carry on!

Not many exceptions handed out in the WHL.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Has there ever been an exception in the WHL? I can't think of one

 

[1Gold Standard]

Not many exceptions handed out in the WHL.

Why is that? I know it's going back a long way, but didn't Theo Flurry play all year in the Dub as a 15/16 year old? Not the 5 game rule.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Fleury played with Moose Jaw as a 16 year old

 

[jfb392]

I know that Mark Pysyk played 14 games as a 15 year old, but that was probably an exception because the OK's were an expansion team that year.
There are some kids that play six or seven instead of five, but that's probably because of injuries, scheduling, etc.

He's the only one I can think of off the top of my head that got a big exception, though.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Needham played 13 games for Kamloops as a 15 yr old, that was due to injury exception (or whatever it's called).

Going way back to the 80's I remember the year Brown and Hawgood both played as 15 year olds. They were with the team for the entire year but I have no idea what the age rules were back then, if there were any at all.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

for the 15 year olds, they can play 5 games i believe it is during the season. HOWEVER, once their minor hockey season ends, and their season is over, they can come up and play in as many Dub games as they want. Thats why you see alot of these 15 year olds that have played 10-20 games or so.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

That's what it looks like right now, but I haven't seen anything confirming it.
I mean, all he'll be missing out on right now are some pre-season games.
If he's still not signed by December or January when most top kids are called up from midget, that will be pretty telling.

and then what? do you get the domi/mackinnon situations in the whl - where the team will just trade him? or will it be like w/ toews where a deal couldn't be worked out and barzal will have to go to the us?

 

[1Gold Standard]

for the 15 year olds, they can play 5 games i believe it is during the season. HOWEVER, once their minor hockey season ends, and their season is over, they can come up and play in as many Dub games as they want. Thats why you see alot of these 15 year olds that have played 10-20 games or so.

As far as Barzal is concerned, by the time his minor hockey season ends, he'll be 16, so he won't really be a 15 year old playing in the DUB. Minor detail I know, but I'm a sucker for details.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

ya but its still his "15 year old season". That doesnt mean anything what you just wrote because like I said, once his season ends, regardless if he is 15 or 16, he can play as many games as the TBirds want. But that is the least of Seattle's worries, they need to find a way to end the debate and get this guy signed. He will be a franchise changer and hopefully it will be a domino effect and will get Seattle's 2011 1st rounder Ryan Gropp signed too(currently playing junior A on Penticton Vees). Gropp is the real deal. And also this Gambrell guy('96). He has verbally committed to Denver University once he graduates high school but apparently ripped it up at Seattle training camp with Barzal. If Seattle can get Barzal, Gropp and Gambrell signed for the 2013/14 season, they will be a MAJOR force in the league for a few years. It would be nice to see someone else other than Portland Winterhawks have some luck with signing these top prospects!!!

 

[R S]

Yeah, Sam Reinhart played with Kootenay in the postseason in 2010-2011 and was FANTASTIC as a 15 year old.

 

[jfb392]

and then what? do you get the domi/mackinnon situations in the whl - where the team will just trade him? or will it be like w/ toews where a deal couldn't be worked out and barzal will have to go to the us?

No way of knowing right now.
Unlike the two other leagues though, AFAIK, teams don't get compensation if they fail to sign their first rounders.

And here's something:

2011 WHL Bantam Draft 1st overall pick Matthew Barzal will dress for the Express this weekend as an Affiliate Player. Barzal is a pick of the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Barzal did get some National exposure earlier this summer when he played in the All State All Canadians Camp. If you aren't sure what that is, i'm sure you will remember the commercials for the event leading up to it that aired on TSN. Taylor Hall and John Tavares were guest coaches. And the final aired on TSN.

That event brings together some of the top bantam aged players in Canada.

Barzal is a Burnaby native that appears to be weighing his options when it comes to deciding if he wants to go to the College route or the Major Junior route. The showcase this weekend is an event that is designed for a player like Barzal who will strut his stuff in front of plenty of college scouts.

http://expressvoice.blogspot.ca/2012/09/things-to-know-for-season-opener.html

The Express will face the Victoria Grizzlies tonight at 4PM PST/7PM EST in the BCHL Showcase.
It's available on FAST if you want to see him.

 

[HabLover]

8 pts in 2 games in BCMML. Leads league in scoring after first weekend.