Patty Ice
Straight to the Banc
What is awesome is that he posts on these boards. He responded to my comment that he was picking names out of a hat
Prospect Info: Sharks Prospect Info/Discussion Thread XIV
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What is awesome is that he posts on these boards. He responded to my comment that he was picking names out of a hat
Makoshark
Registered User
This was a good article with a lot of interesting takes on our farm. Worth the hassle to sign up for a trail. I've always liked what Pronman has to say as a lot of his projections are accurate.
I like this list a lot, but Shortridge at 9 was a definite eyebrow-raiser for me.
Patty Ice
Straight to the Banc
Honestly, at that point the pool is pretty much shuffle as you like. The one of two major disagreements I have with the list is that Kniazev should be in True's spot (he should be in the shuffle) and having McGrew out of the ranked portion. Other than that, there is not much to disagree with. His assessments are on point.
Used As A Shield
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matt trick
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The only thing preventing our pool from being average is a future top 6 center. I see Checkovich and Sasha as middle six wings, Ferraro, Merkeley, and Kniazev as middle pairing dman, and we’re loaded with potentials NHL depth. We’re no rangers, but I wouldn’t be surprised if 5-7 years from now, a re-ranking places the sharks around 16-20. SJ is so much better at development than pretty much everyone.
Do we need a future #1 C and top 6 wing to compliment Meier, Kane, and Labanc? Absolutely! That said for the next four years, we need to sign Labanc and a Dillon replacement. Aside from Burns, every one of our core players is 30 or younger. A reckoning is coming four years from now, but if we can get a cup during the Burns-EK-Couture-Hertl-Meier era, I really don’t care.
Do we need a future #1 C and top 6 wing to compliment Meier, Kane, and Labanc? Absolutely! That said for the next four years, we need to sign Labanc and a Dillon replacement. Aside from Burns, every one of our core players is 30 or younger. A reckoning is coming four years from now, but if we can get a cup during the Burns-EK-Couture-Hertl-Meier era, I really don’t care.
I feel like there are 2 potential breaking points. In 3 years, can we resign Hertl, and for how much. And in 5 years, how is Couture playing.
On defense, yes Burns is aging, but that clearly is not affecting his play, and we have enough prospects that someone should step up, and be able to make up for his aging on an ELC, or first bridge deal as we transition from Burns-EK-Vlasic to EK-Merkley-Ferraro or Knyazev, Roy, DeSimone or whoever.
If the Hertl contract doesn't hurt too much, then you are dealing with Meier's $10M QO or extension, and what can be done to replace Couture on that budget.
In terms of age, at forward, Kane's contract goes to 34, which shouldn't be an issue, and 8 year extensions for Hertl and Meier take them to 36 and 34, which is fine. Obviously Hertl goes for the next 11 years, with maybe a year or two more than you would like, but he wouldn't be a burden for a long time, and it wouldn't be outrageous to give him full length.
Basically, my point is, if Burns continues to contribute at his current pace or resisting aging, and Hertl gets resigned, the only potential disaster point is Couture's contract, which should be good for at least 5 years, and he is coming off a career year.
I realize I didn't address Vlasic directly, but similarly to Burns, we have young guys to patch in as he ages, and his game is not speed game.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
considering where they've been listed in the last few years, 20 is damn fine. And I'm mostly fine with their rankings, though I would probably put Gregor higher than 19th and in the Legit/Chance bubble category. The skill is there, it's mostly a question of whether he can make himself into an energy/two-way 3rd liner type once he realizes his offence isn't getting him to the bigs alone.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
I like McGrew maybe in the mid-teens, but I can see the case for not having him in the legit/bubble range. He has lost a year of development, so he is essentially a season behind the curve, but I have yet to see an extended run out of him that makes me a believer. He has the occasional flashes, but in watching him for several full games I have tended to come way thinking somewhere in between "he was alright" and "he was pretty good." I want dominance. I want player-of-the-game performance. I want a hat trick that nets you your 50th goal of the season, or taking over a series beyond expectation. I want a crystallizing moment where I can look at him and go "yeah, he can go somewhere"
If he goes out and murders the league as an over-age guy this year, then it should be in there. But he really is going to have to put Spokane on his back and deliver, especially with Anderson-Dolan probably headed to LA.
Patty Ice
Straight to the Banc
Those are my thoughts as well. I mentioned in another thread, it is his inconsistency that is keeping him hidden. This coming season will be very telling if he is sent back (which I think is the likeliest scenario).
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
Not that it matters, but for this season I'll get 4 chances to watch Hamaliuk and 2 with McGrew this coming season. Not counting potential playoff matchups.
I miss having more WHL prospects.
I miss having more WHL prospects.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
Agreed. He's coming back to the WHL. There's basically no room on the Cuda and like has been said, he's a year behind developmentally thanks to his lost pre-draft season. The trick is whether he comes out and has something of a "normal" over-age season where he dominates on account of being 20 years old, or he has a Blichfeld-esque over-age season where it becomes clear that he was playing a step or two beyond the rest of the players on the ice.
Pronman's write-up makes me excited for True's future. If Pronman says True's skating is good enough for the NHL, then I'll take his word. I hope True becomes our Brian Boyle--net front powerplay guy, pker, and solid 3-4 liner.
I like hearing that all of Gambrell, Blichfield, and the Ch-twins all have above average shots. If two of these guys stick, then the Sharks seem to be in decent shape moving forward. My guess is Gambrell breaks camp and the others season with the Cuda.
The depth on d seems solid too. DeSimone and Middleton can hold down a 6th - 7th spot as cheap options and will buy time to see if the higher end guys pan out.
Anyone see Hamaliuk play? The Sharks graded him as a 1st round talent and Pronman was high on him before the draft. Dude seems exciting.
I like hearing that all of Gambrell, Blichfield, and the Ch-twins all have above average shots. If two of these guys stick, then the Sharks seem to be in decent shape moving forward. My guess is Gambrell breaks camp and the others season with the Cuda.
The depth on d seems solid too. DeSimone and Middleton can hold down a 6th - 7th spot as cheap options and will buy time to see if the higher end guys pan out.
Anyone see Hamaliuk play? The Sharks graded him as a 1st round talent and Pronman was high on him before the draft. Dude seems exciting.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
He missed a good chunk of last year. I have vague memories of seeing him once, but I wasn't really paying attention. By the time I ended up seeing the T-birds like 6 more times through the back of the regular season and the playoffs he was already hurt.
I should get a good crack at watching him a 4+ times this season though thanks to him being traded to Kelowna. (and thus being in division for my team now)
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
Sporting News absolute garbage rankings. Chmelevski not even a top 10 prospect
NHL farm system rankings: Best, worst prospect pipelines for 2019-20, from 1 to 31
Come on. He apparently can make a solid case for each and every of those 10 names to be ahead of Chmelevski.
Patty Ice
Straight to the Banc
Come on. He apparently can make a solid case for each and every of those 10 names to be ahead of Chmelevski.
Did you see his response to me on the Prospect Board? For those who had not:
The fact that he could make a case for half those names, let me know that this was someone I shouldn't have a conversation with.
hohosaregood
Banned
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Lots of Merkley talk lately on the main boards. I don't know what kind of issues he's had with the Junior teams and I don't think I care that much. The development team seems to have no concerns about his game and I'll take their word for it.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
It's not like it's a dealbreaker or anything. In the grand scheme of awful stuff he could have done, anything reported to happen is (relative) small potatoes. There's talk that he picked fights with teammates and drove at least a pair of players to ask off the team, but it's not like he assaulted anyone, or was out there breaking into houses or hustling orphans out of their charity money so he could buy coke to sell to other orphans.
But at the same time I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned by how much smoke there's been around him. Enough that there's some sort of fire there even if it's not a five-alarm blaze that's sure to burn the structure to the ground.
Is there a single player on the Sharks right now that Merkley could pick a fight with and win? Maybe Heed.
hohosaregood
Banned
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I'm not sure there's a kid in the OHL he could beat in a fight.
True, but at least most of those kids are close to his age and haven’t filled out yet. Imagine him trying to fight Kane or Vlasic.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
He could probably take Melker.
Well, he could probably try to take Melker, but he'd get one, maybe two blows in before Pete blindsides him with a folding chair and beats him down with it.
Patty Ice
Straight to the Banc
Are you kidding? He is so intimidating, he causes guys to ask to be traded. Come at him, bro!
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hohosaregood
Banned
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They seriously make him sound like a generational asshole. No kid has been this much of a shithead in the history of the OHL.
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