Prospects Who Have Drastically Improved From Last Season (So Far)

Hockeyisl1fe

Registered User
Dec 8, 2016
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Isn't this his +1 though? He was drafted in 2016, in last year's draft so this is his draft + 1.
Yeah, if you go by on years. It's his +2 season since he was drafted though. 2015-16 was his draft year/season, 2016-17 +1 and this is his +2. I think it it's more clear that way.
 
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42

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Sep 8, 2013
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Yeah, if you go by on years. It's his +2 season since he was drafted though. 2015-16 was his draft year/season, 2016-17 +1 and this is his +2. I think it it's more clear that way.
I see. I've always thought counting from the draft year is most helpful. That way you know how long it took a player after being drafted to play in the NHL.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
36,198
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Early, but...

Adam Ruzicka
16-17 - .75 PPG
17-18 - 1.71 PPG
 

Hockeyisl1fe

Registered User
Dec 8, 2016
2,368
793
I see. I've always thought counting from the draft year is most helpful. That way you know how long it took a player after being drafted to play in the NHL.
Well yeah, it's down to which everyone prefers I guess; counting by actual years or seasons. It's confusing sometimes when players are only referred as being +something since drafted, because it can mean two things. He is in his +2 draft season, but +1 draft year.
 

DaveG

Noted Jerk
Apr 7, 2003
51,016
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Winston-Salem NC
I see. I've always thought counting from the draft year is most helpful. That way you know how long it took a player after being drafted to play in the NHL.
The way it's calculated is by when the season ends when referring to draft +1, +2., etc. So while we're still in calendar year 2017 and he was drafted in 2016, his season ends in 2018 which makes this his draft +2.
 

Breakfast of Champs

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
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Mika Cyr.

He is a 99' who wasn't drafted last season, likely wasn't on many team's radar even due to his low production and size at 5'9.

This year he is a completely new player. I watched him in pre season and thought to myself ''wow this kid can really go end to end whenever he feels like it'', but it was just pre-season and should be taken with a grain of salt.

Now he's the top scorer in the Q. Only early, but if he can keep it up he should be one to watch this season.
 

Dominance

99-66-4-9-87/97
Sep 30, 2017
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One year ago, Samuel Blais was just a 6th rounder that nobody believed in. Now, he's a top AHL player that almost every Blues fan will say deserves to be in the Blues' top-9. The guy just keeps steadily improving. While he isn't the most skilled guy, his hockey IQ is arguably the highest in the prospect pool, and maybe even on the team itself.

Honestly, he deserves an NHL spot more than Thompson from what I saw of preseason.
What kind of player is he? Playmaker? I’ve not seen much or any of him.
 

Teemu

Caffeine Free Since 1919
Dec 3, 2002
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Joni Tuulola (defenseman) has 10 points in 12 Liiga games this year after only getting 8 in 54 last year.
 
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ColdSteel2

Registered User
Aug 27, 2010
34,759
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Nick Schmaltz, yes, he played in the NHL last year but man, his skating has improved quite a bit. This is the 2nd time since he was drafted that he's taken a major step forward. Something about him.
 
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bigbabybuda

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Feb 19, 2014
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Canada
Brayden Point was great last year and always thought he had good potential but he has looked like an all-star so far. Best player on TB through 3 games and ice time is only going up.

My friends in Chicago are all saying how well Schmaltz is playing.
 
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Bluesnatic27

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Aug 5, 2011
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What kind of player is he? Playmaker? I’ve not seen much or any of him.
He's a playmaker, although his statline in the AHL last year would say differently.

He's a very interesting prospect because if you were to watch him, you would probably be confused as to why I speak so highly of him. He isn't very fast, his shot is nothing special, his agility isn't notable, and he doesn't play a heavy hitting game. In fact, I wouldn't disagree with anyone if they said he seems like a player who doesn't excel in any physical way, whether it be skill or otherwise. But what makes Blais stand out is his ability to read plays and his ability to know exactly where to put the puck. It's almost as if his stick is a magnet because he will always find a way to get the puck wherever he is on the ice.

I think the best way to describe Blais would be his play in last year's preseason. Some Blues fans last year would comment on how poor he seemed to play, or how unnoticeable he would be, but then would be dumbfounded to see his name on the scoresheet most of the time. It happened to quite a few.

If I were to compare him to an NHL player, he reminds me of Paul Stastny in a way. Blais is a winger, mind you, but both are effective in how they read the environment, not by how skilled they are. I don't think Blais will become a top-6 guy, at least not for awhile. But he should be a good NHLer well into the future.
 

tsujimoto74

Moderator
May 28, 2012
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Rasmus Asplund is probably the early leader in this category for Buffalo. 19 points in 39 games last year in the SHL, 6 in 7 so far this year. Really well-rounded player, too, who brings a lot to the table besides offense.
 
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Dominance

99-66-4-9-87/97
Sep 30, 2017
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The Land of Hockey
last night was the first time I'd seen DeBrincat in the NHL, his skating looked much better than billed
Was his skating ever a problem? Hard to imagine he could be ranked highly with poor skating and a lack of size.

Now that I’m considering it, skating is actually what has held DeBrincat and Yamamoto back in the little times I have seen them. Both of them currently have a tendency to hesitate to use their speed when boxed in - leading to them being easily knocked off the puck, or crushed, in Debrincat’s case several times last game.

I think that this is a problem that will be easily fixed by experience, which is why I think both teams would be smart to bring their ultra-skilled little guys along as slowly as possible. I know this may be a controversial opinion, but from what I’ve seen, both players are having a negative effect on their teams currently. You can lose your shit over their skill as much as you want, commentators, but that doesn’t make up for how easily their lines lose possession of the puck when they’re on the ice. Even though neither is getting any greatly worthwhile exposure and I have only watched pieces of each’s games, I can think of multitudes of instances where the pair’s lack of size led to turnovers on the cycle or in zone entries.
 

Randy Randerson

Registered User
Jul 28, 2016
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Hamilton
Was his skating ever a problem? Hard to imagine he could be ranked highly with poor skating and a lack of size.

Now that I’m considering it, skating is actually what has held DeBrincat and Yamamoto back in the little times I have seen them. Both of them currently have a tendency to hesitate to use their speed when boxed in - leading to them being easily knocked off the puck, or crushed, in Debrincat’s case several times last game.

I think that this is a problem that will be easily fixed by experience, which is why I think both teams would be smart to bring their ultra-skilled little guys along as slowly as possible. I know this may be a controversial opinion, but from what I’ve seen, both players are having a negative effect on their teams currently. You can lose your **** over their skill as much as you want, commentators, but that doesn’t make up for how easily their lines lose possession of the puck when they’re on the ice. Even though neither is getting any greatly worthwhile exposure and I have only watched pieces of each’s games, I can think of multitudes of instances where the pair’s lack of size led to turnovers on the cycle or in zone entries.

what I had heard was more that the skating wasn't elite like you'd expect for a guy of his size, more than an actual weakness. I think Yamamoto is a bit better of a skater at the same point - his edges and lateral movement are pretty impressive

DeBrincat looked pretty good last night though, other than that one instance where he came out of the corner without looking and got blasted by Borgman (listed at 212, Babcock called him 230 last week though and his instagram pics make that look believable - tank)

either way, I was impressed more than I thought I would be
 
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howkie

Registered User
Dec 13, 2014
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Yeah, weren’t people on the edge of writing him off as an AHL scrub earlier this year?
know I got flack for saying Milano and Kapanen were on same tier, guess I was wrong to, Milano is now better than Kaps.
 

Bjornar Moxnes

Stem Rødt og Felix Unger Sörum
Oct 16, 2016
11,490
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Troms og Finnmark
Matthew Phillips has 18 points in 7 games in the WHL. If he keeps this up and grows a bit he could very well be Calgary's next Gaudreau. Unlike Gaudreau though, Phillips gets engaged more on the boards.
 

TheBradyBunch

Registered User
Dec 17, 2008
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This guy should get sent back ASAP.

He's not good enough to be up right now and this won't be good for his development.
Appreciate your concern but it's very undue. Formenton is practicing with and learning from the best in the world - playing 58 OHL games instead of 64 isn't going to hurt him. Nino played a whole season on one of the worst lines ever and he turned out fine, so if a week or two at the NHL level is going to ruin Formenton he probably isn't built for professional hockey.
 

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