Prospect Info: Grand Rapids Griffins 2013/14

[waltdetroit]

Not necessarily the best players, I think the main reason Fournier got playing time over some of the rookies that came in at the end of the season is because of his familiarity with the system, teammates and the league.

Fournier may not have as much potential, but at that time he was better than the rookies (except for dekeyser) and yes familiarity with the system helped but his experience in the AHL was greater too

 

[Wayne Crosby]

just recently got into the prospects and the junior side of hockey so my view on things might be a little inexperienced, but here's my take on what next season might look like:

Jurco - Jarnkrok - Tvrdon
Pulkkinen - Sheahan - Frk
Glendening - Ferraro - Hoggan
Grant - Aubry - Callahan

Sproul - Evans
Ouellet - Paetsch
Jensen - Almquist
Marchenko

i like the idea of pairing sproul and ouellet with a veteran to help them develop more

 

[Henkka]

I had same kind of ideas, and after seeing the camp I would try the ideas at defence:

Paetsch 6'0 L - Sproul 6'4 R
Best overall veteran maturing a young guy with the highest offensive potential.
Small guy-big guy, Left-Right, defensive-offensive.

Ouellet 6'1 L - Marchenko 6'2 R
Two overall defencemen, Left-Right, both good skaters. Were already put together.

Evans 6'4 L - Jensen 6'1 R
Big, physical stay-at-home mentoring younger and smallest offensive RH guy. Pylon with a great skater. Left-Right

Almquist 5'11 - Nicastro 6'3 R
Offensive - defensive, smallest lefty with a big righty.

These four pairs would be used at Red Wings and Griffins training camps. Good skill, size and player type balance in every pair. Then trimm the roster in 6-7 healthy guys when the season starts.

 

[Frk It]

I had same kind of ideas, and after seeing the camp I would try the ideas at defence:

Paetsch 6'0 L - Sproul 6'4 R
Best overall veteran maturing a young guy with the highest offensive potential.
Small guy-big guy, Left-Right, defensive-offensive.

Ouellet 6'1 L - Marchenko 6'2 R
Two overall defencemen, Left-Right, both good skaters. Were already put together.

Evans 6'4 L - Jensen 6'1 R
Big, physical stay-at-home mentoring younger and smallest offensive RH guy. Pylon with a great skater. Left-Right

Almquist 5'11 - Nicastro 6'3 R
Offensive - defensive, smallest lefty with a big righty.

These four pairs would be used at Red Wings and Griffins training camps. Good skill, size and player type balance in every pair. Then trimm the roster in 6-7 healthy guys when the season starts.

Those pairing look good to me, and seem to complement each other well. Thought at some point I would like to see an Ouellet-Sproul pairing

 

[ProPAIN]

Those pairing look good to me, and seem to complement each other well. Thought at some point I would like to see an Ouellet-Sproul pairing

I like Henkka's idea of mixing the rookie pro players with Paetch and Marchenko who have played against men. I wouldn't call Marchenko a vet, but he has experience playing at the top level in his league.

In the future, yes, absolutely would like to see Ouellet-Sproul, a pairing I wanted to see in the WJC, but they took Murray instead

 

[InjuredChoker]

I like Henkka's idea of mixing the rookie pro players with Paetch and Marchenko who have played against men. I wouldn't call Marchenko a vet, but he has experience playing at the top level in his league.

In the future, yes, absolutely would like to see Ouellet-Sproul, a pairing I wanted to see in the WJC, but they took Murray instead

Murray was injured.

And he is anyway, a lot better than Sproul and Ouellet.

 

[Jon Cusack]

Murray was injured.

And he is anyway, a lot better than Sproul and Ouellet.

I believe the poster meant Murphy, not Murray.

 

[ProPAIN]

Murray was injured.

And he is anyway, a lot better than Sproul and Ouellet.

I believe the poster meant Murphy, not Murray.

My bad, I was even thinking of Ryan Murphy, but typed Murray for some reason.

 

[zecke26]

Those pairing look good to me, and seem to complement each other well. Thought at some point I would like to see an Ouellet-Sproul pairing

could be the most horrendous line ever when it comes to defensive zone play. even worse than quincey-smith.

seriously, both guys have their strength in the o-zone and both need a more defensive minded linemate to reach their full potential.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

could be the most horrendous line ever when it comes to defensive zone play. even worse than quincey-smith.

seriously, both guys have their strength in the o-zone and both need a more defensive minded linemate to reach their full potential.

Ouellet is much better defensively than you just gave him credit for. Ouellet strength is his 200' play, generally he is underrated on the offensive side of the puck, but he is already a two-way D-man and not an offensive D. Remember he is the guy that Canada always preferred taking Yakupov.

 

[zecke26]

Ouellet is much better defensively than you just gave him credit for. Ouellet strength is his 200' play, generally he is underrated on the offensive side of the puck, but he is already a two-way D-man and not an offensive D. Remember he is the guy that Canada always preferred taking Yakupov.

and he is the guy who looked bad at the WJC in the d-zone. i remember so many mistakes and guys skating past him. to be fair, the whole canadian team looked shaky on defense and he wasn't the worst.

on the other hand he looked pretty good in the o zone. his hockey sense was impressive.

 

[Run the Jewels]

I had same kind of ideas, and after seeing the camp I would try the ideas at defence:

Paetsch 6'0 L - Sproul 6'4 R
Best overall veteran maturing a young guy with the highest offensive potential.
Small guy-big guy, Left-Right, defensive-offensive.

Ouellet 6'1 L - Marchenko 6'2 R
Two overall defencemen, Left-Right, both good skaters. Were already put together.

Evans 6'4 L - Jensen 6'1 R
Big, physical stay-at-home mentoring younger and smallest offensive RH guy. Pylon with a great skater. Left-Right

Almquist 5'11 - Nicastro 6'3 R
Offensive - defensive, smallest lefty with a big righty.

These four pairs would be used at Red Wings and Griffins training camps. Good skill, size and player type balance in every pair. Then trimm the roster in 6-7 healthy guys when the season starts.

I have been slow to acknowledge Nedomlel's potential but he may be making a case for playing in GR. Like Mrazek he may get buried in Toledo at the start of the season but he could quickly work his way onto the Griffins roster.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

and he is the guy who looked bad at the WJC in the d-zone. i remember so many mistakes and guys skating past him. to be fair, the whole canadian team looked shaky on defense and he wasn't the worst.

on the other hand he looked pretty good in the o zone. his hockey sense was impressive.

Ouellet is our best defensive defenseman in the pool.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

and he is the guy who looked bad at the WJC in the d-zone. i remember so many mistakes and guys skating past him. to be fair, the whole canadian team looked shaky on defense and he wasn't the worst.

on the other hand he looked pretty good in the o zone. his hockey sense was impressive.

He was also playing on a bum wheel. Really him and Harrington were the only ones that looked competent in their own end for a lot of that tournament. Rielly was decent, but I hated his positioning a ton.

I think the ankle caused some problems in Ouellet's transition game, he isn't an exceptional skater, but he lost his first couple steps for that tournament, so that is worth noting. But his positioning was spot on as usual, he just couldn't explode in his first couple strides, it made something he does well in terms of turning away from guys or separating to make a good first pass tougher on him.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I had same kind of ideas, and after seeing the camp I would try the ideas at defence:

Paetsch 6'0 L - Sproul 6'4 R
Best overall veteran maturing a young guy with the highest offensive potential.
Small guy-big guy, Left-Right, defensive-offensive.

Ouellet 6'1 L - Marchenko 6'2 R
Two overall defencemen, Left-Right, both good skaters. Were already put together.

Evans 6'4 L - Jensen 6'1 R
Big, physical stay-at-home mentoring younger and smallest offensive RH guy. Pylon with a great skater. Left-Right

Almquist 5'11 - Nicastro 6'3 R
Offensive - defensive, smallest lefty with a big righty.

These four pairs would be used at Red Wings and Griffins training camps. Good skill, size and player type balance in every pair. Then trimm the roster in 6-7 healthy guys when the season starts.

We seriously need to tack a D-man onto one of the trades we make while dumping a forward. It should land us a better package when we do it.

But Almqvist, Nicastro, Nedomlel, and Fournier have some problems with the crush of talent. Not all of these guys are going to get a chance and we should probably move one or two.

 

[Frk It]

I have been slow to acknowledge Nedomlel's potential but he may be making a case for playing in GR. Like Mrazek he may get buried in Toledo at the start of the season but he could quickly work his way onto the Griffins roster.

Our defensive prospects that are coming up look really strong. Going to have some tough decisions to make to figure out what our top 6 is going to be in 2-3 years.

 

[ricky0034]

Our defensive prospects that are coming up look really strong. Going to have some tough decisions to make to figure out what our top 6 is going to be in 2-3 years.

someone genuinely good is gonna slip through the cracks,maybe more than one someone

5 of the current top 6 still being around in five years is something that is very realistic,which doesn't exactly leave a lot of room for all these good prospects

hopefully when the Wings have to cut bait with somebody they can at least get a decent return in a trade

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

someone genuinely good is gonna slip through the cracks,maybe more than one someone

5 of the current top 6 still being around in five years is something that is very realistic,which doesn't exactly leave a lot of room for all these good prospects

hopefully when the Wings have to cut bait with somebody they can at least get a decent return in a trade

We will see, depending on how much cap-space we can work in and whether or not he is interested in an extension. I think the Wings are going to make a huge push for Vanek this year. Now we are in division and there is the belief that Minnesota is front and center, but he is the kind of guy you unload big prospects for. Buffalo also has a stacked system but they seem to be okay with that and will look to head even farther in that direction by dumping Miller and Vanek as rentals. I expect us to be very involved in the Vanek discussion.

 

[sully6one]

I expect a lot of rotating with the defensemen. Maybe Nedomlel and Nicastro start in Toledo, but I think it we may see a lot of defensemen play 55 or so games because.

 

[Henkka]

I expect a lot of rotating with the defensemen. Maybe Nedomlel and Nicastro start in Toledo, but I think it we may see a lot of defensemen play 55 or so games because.

At last season, 9 Griffins defencemen played over 25 games. 16 forwards played over 23 games. That could be the size of the used group also at becoming season.

Jurco - Järnkrok - Frk
Tvrdon - Sheahan - Pulkkinen
Hoggan - Glendening - Ferraro
Grant - Aubry - Callahan
Nestrasil - Coetzee - Parkes

Paetsch - Sproul
Ouellet - Marchenko
Almquist - Nicastro
Evans - Jensen
Nedomlel

Mrazek
Coreau

 

[ProPAIN]

At last season, 9 Griffins defencemen played over 25 games. 16 forwards played over 23 games. That could be the size of the used group also at becoming season.

Jurco - Järnkrok - Frk
Tvrdon - Sheahan - Pulkkinen
Hoggan - Glendening - Ferraro
Grant - Aubry - Callahan
Nestrasil - Coetzee - Parkes

Paetsch - Sproul
Ouellet - Marchenko
Almquist - Nicastro
Evans - Jensen
Nedomlel

Mrazek
McCollum
Coreau

That is exactly the lineup I had in mind. Except if the reports are true, they are bringing back McCollum and giving him yet another chance. I think Coreau starts in the ECHL with the other players in bold.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

That is exactly the lineup I had in mind. Except if the reports are true, they are bringing back McCollum and giving him yet another chance. I think Coreau starts in the ECHL with the other players in bold.

Not that anyone will care but also depending on what the Hawks send down and they are right with their in terms of teams with Detroit's prospect pool, the Toledo team probably shouldn't lose a hockey game. I know that is sensationalist, but they might be dressing upwards of 10 guys with NHL team contract affiliations, which is incredible to think about.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

and he is the guy who looked bad at the WJC in the d-zone. i remember so many mistakes and guys skating past him. to be fair, the whole canadian team looked shaky on defense and he wasn't the worst.

on the other hand he looked pretty good in the o zone. his hockey sense was impressive.

I know it's the HF thing to do, but you can't judge a player by just one tournament. Especially when he was hurt.

 

[Johnz96*]

At last season, 9 Griffins defencemen played over 25 games. 16 forwards played over 23 games. That could be the size of the used group also at becoming season.

Jurco - Järnkrok - Frk
Tvrdon - Sheahan - Pulkkinen
Hoggan - Glendening - Ferraro
Grant - Aubry - Callahan
Nestrasil - Coetzee - Parkes

Paetsch - Sproul
Ouellet - Marchenko
Almquist - Nicastro
Evans - Jensen
Nedomlel

Mrazek
Coreau

Because of the lockout last season was different than most

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

@JJenseman just told me his shoulder is still sore and he will need to get it checked out. #drwdc #redwings
— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) July 14, 2013

This is not the way I wanted to solve that logjam on defense...