Red Wings Prospect Tracker - Part VIII

[Mathletic]

Babcock in Val d'Or again tonight. On friday there's some ceremony going on for a friend of his at McGill University in Montreal. He decided to arrive a few days earlier to catch some of Mantha's games.

... goal 1 for Mantha tonight. Standing in front of the net, jumps on the rebound. Looks like he actually scored with only 1 hand on his stick.

... great play on the PK by Mantha stealing the puck in the d-zone, goes on a 2-on-1 the other way with Marcotte. Then force a penalty on the other side. May have been Marcotte drawing it though, couldn't see clearly.

 

[SimplySolace]

Mantha puts them up 1-0.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Perfect. Blashill gets Babcock's job, Babcock gets Holland's job, Holland gets "promoted"

What about promoting a guy that you would have to argue this is his worst season in nearly 20 years, for a guy with no front office expertise is great? I mean we at least want somebody with some front office experience, I get letting Babs try to run a front office if you're Edmonton or Calgary maybe even Vancouver who is bottoming hard.

Hate to break this to everyone, coming out of the big lockout Holland said we are going to have to rebuild the farm talent, hold on to more picks and go through rougher times more than likely. But that patience and homegrown talent were going to be paramount. He hasn't exactly let us down there. Fire him or wish him out at your own risk, we have nobody that is going to come in and be half as good. This made more sense when at least Nill was around, kind of like the Babs with Blashill now. If Blashill was hired away though tomorrow (not going to happen Holland won't grant permission) then we would be insane to let Babcock go, especially with Lavy now off the market.

By the way probably the most attractive Assistant GM in Hextall went off the market today.

Yeah it's really weird. I think he's really getting more involved this year than any others because of that. Maybe he's checking out the future and seeing if it's worth waiting around for. He almost sounds like a GM recently with the way he's been traveling and scouting. Maybe he's done it before, but I never remember him being so vocal about it.

He spent a lot of time doing it during the lockout. I think he enjoys getting fresh looks at how others play the game and yes it gets him familiar with our players. Even then he admitted to being surprised at just how well the guys handled the jump in a lot of cases, like he started liking Sheahan a lot more during the lockout on these trips and last year in the playoffs, but he was open about he didn't know he would be that good. With that in mind, maybe he is willing to let some of these guys surprise him and he has lowered the bar a little in terms of transition in his mind.

When we are out early, he has the time to do it and I am sure we pay for it. He and his wife probably plan trips for after the Cup finals and his kids have gotten older. I also think guys do this more than most know, I used to see Poile at the odd game in Milwaukee in the middle of the year if the Preds had a couple days off in season and the Admirals were playing, I even saw Trotz with him once in season. So it happens more than we think, it is just with social media we hear about it more now as well.

 

[ricky0034]

Mantha with 21 goals in the Playoffs this year

I was bored and did a little stat checking on the various CHL websites and:

QMJHL Playoff data only goes back to 2011 on their site for some reason,noone but Mantha with more than 16 goals in those 4 Playoffs

the last time anyone had 21 goals in the Playoffs in the OHL was 2002

the last time anyone had 21 goals in the Playoffs in the WHL was 1999

 

[Mathletic]

Mantha with 21 goals in the Playoffs this year

I was bored and did a little stat checking on the various CHL websites and:

QMJHL Playoff data only goes back to 2011 on their site for some reason,noone but Mantha with more than 16 goals in those 4 Playoffs

the last time anyone had 21 goals in the Playoffs in the OHL was 2002

the last time anyone had 21 goals in the Playoffs in the WHL was 1999

You have to click the previous seasons 1969-2010 caption under Final report 2013-2014 in the stats section

they changed stats provider along the way

http://www.lhjmq-records.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php?seasonSubType=archives_0910&page=72463467&typ=reg

 

[StormSurge9]

Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist in a 10-1 thumping in game 4. Bertuzzi was playing third line minutes and very minimal PP time. He's produced no matter where he has been in the lineup though. Sits at a PPG in the playoffs (10G + 7A in 17 games).

Game 5 is Friday Night on Sportsnet (nationally I believe) for people in Canada. Guelph has the chance to clinch the OHL title.

 

[Mathletic]

Mantha scores!! on a breakaway (short-handed), scores on his own rebound on a weird bounce, crowd going nuts

... game going to OT

... BC wins it in OT

still a very good game for Mantha. Two goals but created quite a few scoring chances for his team. Was very good defensively the whole game. Will have to work on his discipline taking 2 penalties tonight. That said, can't really blame him. Refs were horrible tonight.

I think Babcock will be happy with what he saw in those 2 games.

 

[The Zermanator]

Val d'Or loses in OT.

 

[SimplySolace]

http://www.rds.ca/vidéos/drakkar-4-foreurs-3-prol-3.973280

Check out Mantha's goal at :52

 

[joe89]

Yeah it's really weird. I think he's really getting more involved this year than any others because of that. Maybe he's checking out the future and seeing if it's worth waiting around for. He almost sounds like a GM recently with the way he's been traveling and scouting. Maybe he's done it before, but I never remember him being so vocal about it.

For all these years, when the Wings' season was done, so was the Griffins'. He's been at camps and such, but that's not really the same thing. But the last two years there's been a chance to watch them while still in action.

 

[r0bert8841]

Wow that 2nd goal is pretty crazy. I can't tell if that's a fluke or just insane skill.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Wow that 2nd goal is pretty crazy. I can't tell if that's a fluke or just insane skill.

well i don't think he tried originally to score that way .

but i'll take it.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

What a crazy stat:

QMJHL playoff goals.

#1 Mantha: 22 goals.
#2 Drouin: 13 goals.

There's just nobody still around who scores goals like he does. The OHL leader is Fabbri with 13 in 15. WHL leader (Bjorkstrand) is 15 in 18.

I give Fabbri a lot of credit because he's draft-eligible, though. That's a monster performance.

 

[GBFP]

Considering Jeff Blashill a coaching prospect - Carlysle cleaning out his coaching staff but staying HC in Toronto concerns me. Could Shanahan and TO poach Blashill to be an assistant on Carlyle's staff where he could ease into the TO media spotlight and be next in line if Randy was fired mid-season (or whenever)?

 

[Some Random Guy]

Considering Jeff Blashill a coaching prospect - Carlysle cleaning out his coaching staff but staying HC in Toronto concerns me. Could Shanahan and TO poach Blashill to be an assistant on Carlyle's staff where he could ease into the TO media spotlight and be next in line if Randy was fired mid-season (or whenever)?

Luckily, it'd have to wait until next year's off season and we'll know more by then.
He has a year left on his contract and Holland won't let anyone talk to him (at least right now).

 

[InjuredChoker]

Considering Jeff Blashill a coaching prospect - Carlysle cleaning out his coaching staff but staying HC in Toronto concerns me. Could Shanahan and TO poach Blashill to be an assistant on Carlyle's staff where he could ease into the TO media spotlight and be next in line if Randy was fired mid-season (or whenever)?

doubt it.

 

[detredWINgs]

Holland won't let anyone talk to Blashill. He flat out said in his end-of-season interview that he was sick of being a development system for other teams. In other words, hes sick of everyone poaching all of his organizational understudies and watching them go on to other clubs.

 

[Run the Jewels]

What a crazy stat:

QMJHL playoff goals.

#1 Mantha: 22 goals.
#2 Drouin: 13 goals.

There's just nobody still around who scores goals like he does. The OHL leader is Fabbri with 13 in 15. WHL leader (Bjorkstrand) is 15 in 18.

I give Fabbri a lot of credit because he's draft-eligible, though. That's a monster performance.

Yeah, I seriously would be thrilled if we drafted Fabbri. I know there are size concerns but we've got plenty of size in our prospect pool and our d-men prospects are about to burst onto the scene. We need skill and adding guys like Mantha, Jurco and Fabbri would definitely address that need. Plus Fabbri is a center and we need centers.

 

[Ennui]

Silly question perhaps, but I am entirely serious in asking it; aside from physicality, what separates Mantha and Ovechkin stylistically?

I'm in no way trying to say that Mantha has Ovy-like potential, and I am aware that Ovechkin has generally had a more North-South game, and it would seem that he plays much heavier than Mantha does. As they are both Wingers, both of large build, both offense-first players, I am curious as to what other people's opinions might be.

 

[Konnan511]

Silly question perhaps, but I am entirely serious in asking it; aside from physicality, what separates Mantha and Ovechkin stylistically?

I'm in no way trying to say that Mantha has Ovy-like potential, and I am aware that Ovechkin has generally had a more North-South game, and it would seem that he plays much heavier than Mantha does. As they are both Wingers, both of large build, both offense-first players, I am curious as to what other people's opinions might be.

Just generally speaking, OV has a harder shot and more complete offensive game while Mantha back checks better and PKs.

 

[Ennui]

Just generally speaking, OV has a harder shot and more complete offensive game while Mantha back checks better and PKs.

Thanks for the insight; ironically, it seems harder to get an accurate bead on Mantha's potential and development, and it doesn't help matters that the highlight film quality of his goals/participation found on Youtube is poor.

Huh, I was betting that people would feel that Mantha was more of a offense-focused player than Ovechkin, for better or worse, but from what I've heard recently on Mantha trying to round out his game, and from Ovechkin having issues with defensive effort this year, it's a pleasant surprise to hear that our "pure goal-scorer" is paying more attention to defense lately.

Obviously, Mantha will develop into a unique player, he's certainly not going to be Ovy 2.0, but if he grows into a player comparable to Neal, Lupul, etc. as Mathletic suggested, that would be a real windfall for the Red Wings.

 

[Henkka]

It's great to hear that they try to put that PK play also in him, because with that huge reach and long stick Mantha will be very very effective penalty killer, a total nightmare like Jordan Staal is for NHL pointmen. You can just disturb so much with that reach and stick, without any significant movement that could wear you down, like some smaller PKrs who have to move more.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Thanks for the insight; ironically, it seems harder to get an accurate bead on Mantha's potential and development, and it doesn't help matters that the highlight film quality of his goals/participation found on Youtube is poor.

Huh, I was betting that people would feel that Mantha was more of a offense-focused player than Ovechkin, for better or worse, but from what I've heard recently on Mantha trying to round out his game, and from Ovechkin having issues with defensive effort this year, it's a pleasant surprise to hear that our "pure goal-scorer" is paying more attention to defense lately.

Obviously, Mantha will develop into a unique player, he's certainly not going to be Ovy 2.0, but if he grows into a player comparable to Neal, Lupul, etc. as Mathletic suggested, that would be a real windfall for the Red Wings.

Great goalscorers are a bit like great shooters in the NBA. They have their favorite spots. This is the case with both Ovie and Stamkos. The key with those guys just like NBA guys is to take their preferred spots away from them and force them to score from different areas.

I'm going to go out on a limb and compare Mantha to Ryan Getzlaf. Similar size, both late round picks, and Mantha's all around game suggests he's closer to a Getzlaf level player than an Ovechkin.

 

[Frk It]

Great goalscorers are a bit like great shooters in the NBA. They have their favorite spots. This is the case with both Ovie and Stamkos. The key with those guys just like NBA guys is to take their preferred spots away from them and force them to score from different areas.

I'm going to go out on a limb and compare Mantha to Ryan Getzlaf. Similar size, both late round picks, and Mantha's all around game suggests he's closer to a Getzlaf level player than an Ovechkin.

Getzlaf has 425 assists and 183 goals in the NHL. Getzlaf is a playmaker.

Mantha is way more of a scorer, so I don't think they really have a similar game in that regard.

I think Mantha is more like Corey Perry/Jeff Carter/James Neal.

 

[ricky0034]

as far as people saying Mantha plays the pk don't all junior superstars do that?