Jeff Tambellini signs with the LA Kings-Official

[HabLover]

He's been out to LA for Prospects Camp. Incredible shot! Best I have ever seen

What a waste for Tambellini going to Michigan. He should have played in the WHL at 16 - 19 and probably would have played in the AHL last year and would be further along in his development right now. Top prospects are wasting there time in the NCAA at 20 or 21 yrs of and instead turning pro. A guy like Cogliano will be around maybe 2 yrs max, perhaps just one if he signs w/Edmonton next year and plays in the OHL for a year. Just a waste of time IMO, as he could be in his 3rd year in major junior instead of wasting a year or two in junior A.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I really like Tambellini. I'm a big fan of Canada's three western Junior A leagues, they are the best Junior A leagues in North America. Tambellini was able to dominate the BCHL and was the national junior A player of the year in 2002.

I love the kid's speed and shot. A couple of concerns: watching him play for Canada at the 2004 WJC, his speed got him a lot of scoring chances, but the finish wasn't there. He missed a ton of quality chances, the sort of chances that I saw other players (Carter, Getzlaf, Bergeron, Crosby, Stewart, Dawes) have consistently buried. The other is consistency. He seemed to be really streaky in college, would put up tons of points in rapid fashion, but went through prolonged dry stretches that you wouldn't expect from a player with his speed and shot. I think the kid could be a Geoff Courtnall type: scores in bunches. (Courtnall scored 30 goals in six straight seasons and seven times overall).

I hope Tambellini does well. He's a BCHL alum, and I'm a big fan of his father, too, both as a player and as an executive. Much more skill than his father, though.

 

[RyanStock]

I really like Tambellini. I'm a big fan of Canada's three western Junior A leagues, they are the best Junior A leagues in North America. Tambellini was able to dominate the BCHL and was the national junior A player of the year in 2002.

I love the kid's speed and shot. A couple of concerns: watching him play for Canada at the 2004 WJC, his speed got him a lot of scoring chances, but the finish wasn't there. He missed a ton of quality chances, the sort of chances that I saw other players (Carter, Getzlaf, Bergeron, Crosby, Stewart, Dawes) have consistently buried. The other is consistency. He seemed to be really streaky in college, would put up tons of points in rapid fashion, but went through prolonged dry stretches that you wouldn't expect from a player with his speed and shot. I think the kid could be a Geoff Courtnall type: scores in bunches. (Courtnall scored 30 goals in six straight seasons and seven times overall).

I hope Tambellini does well. He's a BCHL alum, and I'm a big fan of his father, too, both as a player and as an executive. Much more skill than his father, though.

I got to think his 2003-2004 wrist injury has contributed to his inconsistency.

 

[William H Bonney]

What a waste for Tambellini going to Michigan. He should have played in the WHL at 16 - 19 and probably would have played in the AHL last year and would be further along in his development right now. Top prospects are wasting there time in the NCAA at 20 or 21 yrs of and instead turning pro. A guy like Cogliano will be around maybe 2 yrs max, perhaps just one if he signs w/Edmonton next year and plays in the OHL for a year. Just a waste of time IMO, as he could be in his 3rd year in major junior instead of wasting a year or two in junior A.

He could have played in the AHL last year, he just decided against it. Tambellini is a very good prospect, but calling him a "top prospect" is pushing it.

 

[William H Bonney]

It also doesnt have Grebeshkov who was our #1 prospect priorally and had 2nd most pts in the AHL and still has unlimited potential it also left out Whitney

No offense, but Grebeshkov is far from the Kings top prospect....Right now, I'd take D. Brown, T. Gleason, and A. Kopitar before Grebs without thinking twice about it.

 

[MHNet]

Red is going to rail against his players turning pro.Everytime one of Michigan's prized players leaves,Red flips out.College hockey is nice but it's not the NHL

Every situation is different. Some players go about it more professionally than others. When Jeff Jillson left, he pretty much announce it right after the season ended that he was pursuing the pros. Komisarek left and Red wished him well. If I remember correctly, he partly left to help out his family (pay for his sister's college, things like that... good intentions). Everyone expected Al Montoya to leave... no surprise. But when Cammalleri left, though... he told everyone he was coming back for his senior year, then went into stealth mode, didn't tell anyone he joined Anthony Aquino's lawsuit against the OHL so he could play in the league, then used that as leverage against the Kings to sign him or else he'd become an unrestricted free agent and made the announcement out of the blue without warning.

Tambellini article in the Ann Arbor News today states that he left for the money. It says two weeks ago Tamby was 100% sure he was returning to Michigan this fall. There was no concern he was leaving. Then the Kings backed up a dump truck of money, Jeff did the math, and if he signed this year he could make more money than waiting to sign next year. Disappointing to lose a great player like him so late in summer when there's no time to replace him, but Michigan will roll on.

I don't think Michigan fans or Red are so much angry that players will leave early to advance their career. That's expected these days. It's just the method some of them go about it that irks them. Some are more straight forward than others, and these 11th hour moves when you have no time to replace them are frustrating.

 

[Funkymoses]

What a waste for Tambellini going to Michigan. He should have played in the WHL at 16 - 19 and probably would have played in the AHL last year and would be further along in his development right now. Top prospects are wasting there time in the NCAA at 20 or 21 yrs of and instead turning pro. A guy like Cogliano will be around maybe 2 yrs max, perhaps just one if he signs w/Edmonton next year and plays in the OHL for a year. Just a waste of time IMO, as he could be in his 3rd year in major junior instead of wasting a year or two in junior A.

This is an idiotic post. Tambellini went to Michigan, was drafted in the first round, ended up a Hobey finalist, and signed for big bucks. He'll be in the NHL this year or next. What a horrible decision he made.

 

[AnThGrt]

No offense, but Grebeshkov is far from the Kings top prospect....Right now, I'd take D. Brown, T. Gleason, and A. Kopitar before Grebs without thinking twice about it.

I would take all those before him to but read before you write i wrote priorally meaning he used to be our #1 ya it helps to read a post before u comment on it

 

[Vatican Roulette]

I hate summer.

thats ok, Michigan still has Johnson coming next year...wait a sec...

 

[Habs33]

is he a #1 line forward?

what class of prospects would you put him in?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Hopefully this will mean more ice time for Cogliano.

 

[jfont]

No offense, but Grebeshkov is far from the Kings top prospect....Right now, I'd take D. Brown, T. Gleason, and A. Kopitar before Grebs without thinking twice about it.

totally agree with this post...well, i haven't seen kopitar play but from what i read, he's ahead of grebs.

 

[UvBnDatsyuked]

What a waste for Tambellini going to Michigan. He should have played in the WHL at 16 - 19 and probably would have played in the AHL last year and would be further along in his development right now. Top prospects are wasting there time in the NCAA at 20 or 21 yrs of and instead turning pro. A guy like Cogliano will be around maybe 2 yrs max, perhaps just one if he signs w/Edmonton next year and plays in the OHL for a year. Just a waste of time IMO, as he could be in his 3rd year in major junior instead of wasting a year or two in junior A.

Decisions are made for reasons other than playing in the top league. Jr A without a doubt is the best competition compared to D1, USHL, etc

But when a player looks at the whole picture there are other factors that come to play.

A Hockey enviroment with only on ice practices, off ice training, video, weights, etc and no games Monday through Thursday for most college programs is a big draw for some players.

One of the thing that amazes me is the amount of past NHL players whose sons are choosing the D1 route rather than the fathers path of Jr A

I'm sure the fathers had some input and suggestions when it came time for these players to make their choices Parise,Nystrom,Tambellini,Goulet,Walter


Good article http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCM/is_6_31/ai_98565880#continue