Prospect Info: Prospect Ranking 2021 #3

[Mobiandi]

#1 Matt Coronato 37.5%
#2 Jakob Pelletier 53.3%

Click to read more...

 

[DomBarr]

Wolf should have been #2 so he has to be 3.

 

[Dack]

The AHL numbers don't show it so far but Connor Zary is very good.

 

[TheHudlinator]

Wolf should be 1 and I'll vote for him until the end of time if I have to

 

[DCDM]

Wolf again

 

[Anglesmith]

Danger Doggo

 

[InfinityIggy]

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Poirier is the right answer here but he’s not on the list so I went Zary.

 

[Mobiandi]

Poirier is the right answer here but he’s not on the list so I went Zary.

Will add Poirier next!

 

[DFF]

The AHL numbers don't show it so far but Connor Zary is very good.

He better picks it up fast

because if you don’t score in the AHL, there is zero chance you can score in the NHL

 

[Dack]

He better picks it up fast

because if you don’t score in the AHL, there is zero chance you can score in the NHL

It's been 6 games... He had 7 points in 9 games in the AHL last year while not playing on the powerplay until like game 5 or 6 when he was put onto PP2. I highly doubt he got worse over the last calendar year.

I think situation is likely having a much bigger impact than actual talent level.

 

[DFF]

It's been 6 games... He had 7 points in 9 games in the AHL last year while not playing on the powerplay until like game 5 or 6 when he was put onto PP2. I highly doubt he got worse over the last calendar year.

I think situation is likely having a much bigger impact than actual talent level.

yeah, I get that. All I am saying is he needs to get going. Good players create good situations. Unless you are sam Bennett

 

[DCDM]

He better picks it up fast

because if you don’t score in the AHL, there is zero chance you can score in the NHL

Technically lots of players have succeeded in the NHL without scoring a single point in the AHL.

(They didn't play any AHL games, but don't let that distract you from the fact that I'm right.)

 

[DFF]

Technically lots of players have succeeded in the NHL without scoring a single point in the AHL.

(They didn't play any AHL games, but don't let that distract you from the fact that I'm right.)

Lol I get it . McDavid had zero point in the AHL lol

 

[Dack]

yeah, I get that. All I am saying is he needs to get going. Good players create good situations. Unless you are sam Bennett

I don't buy that at all. If you take a good player and bury them with terrible linemates and hardly any opportunity they're going to struggle. Draisaitl played 6 career AHL games and had 2 points, he's massively improved as a player throughout his career in no small part because of the talent he's had the opportunity to play with. Tom Wilson was a meh NHL 4th liner until the Capitals began playing him in the top 6 and giving him powerplay time.

Zary's most common linemate so far this season is Justin Kirkland. Kirkland has 6 points in 15 games, 4 of which have come on the powerplay. You shouldn't be asking a 20 year old coming back from injury to make that work.

I maintain that a spot should have been made for him in the top 6 and he should have bumped Froese from PP1 as soon as he was ready to come back. While I think it's important for an AHL program to have success they shouldn't be prioritizing ice time for 28 year old career AHLers over 20 year old 1st rounders (and yes I get the "ease him back" thing but I don't see how a spot on a top powerplay unit is going to be at all strenuous when it involves less movement than 5v5 play and he's played on it his whole career).

Essentially
1. Give him good linemates, they were basically forced to do this last game with Phillips and Ruzicka gone, I believe he played with MEP (meh) and Pospisil (pretty good) but with 2/3 of the top line missing I was hoping they'd try him with Pelletier and see if they can build chemistry.

2. Make him a staple on powerplay 1. It doesn't matter how he scores points, just getting the puck on his stick and having some success will build confidence.

 

[Mobiandi]

Wolf wins
Prospect Info: - Prospect Ranking #4 2021

 

[DFF]

I don't buy that at all. If you take a good player and bury them with terrible linemates and hardly any opportunity they're going to struggle. Draisaitl played 6 career AHL games and had 2 points, he's massively improved as a player throughout his career in no small part because of the talent he's had the opportunity to play with. Tom Wilson was a meh NHL 4th liner until the Capitals began playing him in the top 6 and giving him powerplay time.

Zary's most common linemate so far this season is Justin Kirkland. Kirkland has 6 points in 15 games, 4 of which have come on the powerplay. You shouldn't be asking a 20 year old coming back from injury to make that work.

I maintain that a spot should have been made for him in the top 6 and he should have bumped Froese from PP1 as soon as he was ready to come back. While I think it's important for an AHL program to have success they shouldn't be prioritizing ice time for 28 year old career AHLers over 20 year old 1st rounders (and yes I get the "ease him back" thing but I don't see how a spot on a top powerplay unit is going to be at all strenuous when it involves less movement than 5v5 play and he's played on it his whole career).

Essentially
1. Give him good linemates, they were basically forced to do this last game with Phillips and Ruzicka gone, I believe he played with MEP (meh) and Pospisil (pretty good) but with 2/3 of the top line missing I was hoping they'd try him with Pelletier and see if they can build chemistry.

2. Make him a staple on powerplay 1. It doesn't matter how he scores points, just getting the puck on his stick and having some success will build confidence.

I agreed that can’t produce much playing with scrubs.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I don't buy that at all. If you take a good player and bury them with terrible linemates and hardly any opportunity they're going to struggle. Draisaitl played 6 career AHL games and had 2 points, he's massively improved as a player throughout his career in no small part because of the talent he's had the opportunity to play with. Tom Wilson was a meh NHL 4th liner until the Capitals began playing him in the top 6 and giving him powerplay time.

Zary's most common linemate so far this season is Justin Kirkland. Kirkland has 6 points in 15 games, 4 of which have come on the powerplay. You shouldn't be asking a 20 year old coming back from injury to make that work.

I maintain that a spot should have been made for him in the top 6 and he should have bumped Froese from PP1 as soon as he was ready to come back. While I think it's important for an AHL program to have success they shouldn't be prioritizing ice time for 28 year old career AHLers over 20 year old 1st rounders (and yes I get the "ease him back" thing but I don't see how a spot on a top powerplay unit is going to be at all strenuous when it involves less movement than 5v5 play and he's played on it his whole career).

Essentially
1. Give him good linemates, they were basically forced to do this last game with Phillips and Ruzicka gone, I believe he played with MEP (meh) and Pospisil (pretty good) but with 2/3 of the top line missing I was hoping they'd try him with Pelletier and see if they can build chemistry.

2. Make him a staple on powerplay 1. It doesn't matter how he scores points, just getting the puck on his stick and having some success will build confidence.

All valid, but I'm not panicking just yet. It might be as simple as trying to get the Junior player accustomed to how few and far scoring opportunities are in the pro leagues, and getting him mentally prepared for what lies ahead in the NHL when he won't be on PP1 or even PP2 off the bat. If Ryan Lomberg could carve out an NHL career originally playing on AHL 4th lines, I think Zary can too. As fans we tend to get antsy when prospects don't produce but teams are often not concerned, because it helps the prospects develop strategies for producing beyond the Ol' Monahan Tap-in

Often the challenge for first year pros isn't even the hockey part, it's adjusting to living on their own in a shady town, and working on individual areas like power skating and strength.