Sonny Milano

Viqsi

"that chick from Ohio"
Oct 5, 2007
53,660
30,952
40N 83W (approx)
One word: Ownership

Ah, yes, the classic "We haven't actually fired EVERYbody who was associated with the taint of horrible failure, therefore We Still Suck And Will Always Suck" theory. I'd say that one never gets old, but the truth is it was old and annoying when it was first introduced and it hasn't gotten any better.
 

Tulipunaruusu*

Registered User
Apr 27, 2014
2,193
2
Now Mac2 hires another egomaniac who hires his scouting guy to be the GM.

The thing I wonder about John 'JD' Davidson is how could he turn away the chance of general managering himself given how high status job it is and instead take more of a ceremonial/facade role and hire someone else for the job. Of course he might be more intelligent than these workaholics he hires.

I also think it is bit unfair to brand Jarmo Kekäläinen only as a scouting expert as he has been twice and for years the director of sports/GM of the (then) top ice hockey team organization in Finland in 1990's and 2010's with Helsinki-based HIFK and Jokerit.
 

Viqsi

"that chick from Ohio"
Oct 5, 2007
53,660
30,952
40N 83W (approx)
The thing I wonder about John 'JD' Davidson is how could he turn away the chance of general managering himself given how high status job it is and instead take more of a ceremonial/facade role and hire someone else for the job.

Yeah, you'd think a real egomaniac would just make himself the GM rather than bother to hire someone else. Heck, he might even try and make himself the coach at one point if he's really that much of a self-aggrandizing headcase.

I wonder if there's any examples of that we can point to that might be relevant w/r/t evaluating the current front office. Hmm. ;)
 

Viqsi

"that chick from Ohio"
Oct 5, 2007
53,660
30,952
40N 83W (approx)
No no no. Stop talking about the extensions given to management in a thread dedicated to discussing Sonny Milano. Thank you.
But how else can we assert that he's clearly doomed? I mean, one obviously causes the other; that's why they're being discussed here. That's just common sense, right?
 

Monk

Registered User
Feb 5, 2008
7,496
5,393
For some reason, the overwhelming majority here thinks Milano is a bust/going to bust. But in this case Viqsi was just joking.

I haven't gotten that impression, at all. Many are disappointed with his slow progression. There are also something like 11 people posting on here right now, so an overwhelming majority, if true, isn't even necessarily indicative of much of anything.
 

Skinnyjimmy08

WorldTraveler
Mar 30, 2012
22,483
11,943
I thought he was quite good in those few games last year on a line with Wennberg and Saad

some people actually consider him a bust already?

31 points in 54 games as a 19 year old rookie in the AHL last year is pretty damn good if you ask me
 

BluejacketNut

Registered User
Sep 23, 2006
6,275
211
www.erazzphoto.com
I thought he was quite good in those few games last year on a line with Wennberg and Saad

some people actually consider him a bust already?

31 points in 54 games as a 19 year old rookie in the AHL last year is pretty damn good if you ask me

Well, not really for a 1st round pick 3+ years into his development. Maybe if he was a 2nd or 3rd rounder, but not for a 1st
 

Skinnyjimmy08

WorldTraveler
Mar 30, 2012
22,483
11,943
Well, not really for a 1st round pick 3+ years into his development. Maybe if he was a 2nd or 3rd rounder, but not for a 1st

68 points in 50 games on a bad Plymouth team as a rookie in OHL after his draft are pretty damn good numbers on that team. And then 5 points in 10 games in AHL at end of season...

and then last season as a real young player in the AHL getting 31 points in 54 games is impressive. Most players at 19 are unable to play in AHL and have to be sent back to junior. But he was able to due to being drafted out of USHL.

IMO his development numbers are impressive so far.

I realize when you compare him to some others from his draft that played in NHL last year(Reinhart, Drai, Fabbri, Pastrnak, Ehlers, etc) it looks like he hasn't done as well, but when you compare him to the many others that had to play junior/NCAA/etc once again and hasn't played any pro(Dal Colle, Perlini, Tuch, Schmalz, Scherbak, etc etc etc), his development looks extremely good IMO. That pro experience he had last year was huge for his development
 
Last edited:

Hello Johnny

Registered User
Apr 13, 2007
13,208
1,141
Also, "3+ years into his development" is an exaggeration. He was drafted in 2014, so he's entering his third developmental year. .57 PPG in the AHL as a 19 year old doesn't exactly scream "bust" to me. Did he tear the league up? Is he a premier prospect? No and no. But he was always going to be a project and he took some baby steps last year. Can't complain about that.
 

Skinnyjimmy08

WorldTraveler
Mar 30, 2012
22,483
11,943
Also, "3+ years into his development" is an exaggeration. He was drafted in 2014, so he's entering his third developmental year.

ya its only been just over 2 years, not over 3. CBJ was lucky to be able to have him in AHL last year. Majority of kids wouldn't have been able to do that. Most teams would have killed to have had prospects in AHL at that age
 

CBJx614

Registered User
May 25, 2012
14,846
6,450
C-137
I'm not in any way saying he's a bust, just that he is very much a boom/bust type of prospect IMO.
 

Crede777

Deputized
Dec 16, 2009
14,611
4,124
My bad, thought it was longer. He just hasnt impressed me much in the limit times ive seen him.

He doesn't bring much else besides offense. So if he's not producing (or at least creating chances) then he isn't very impressive.

That said, my opinion of him is higher than it was 6 months ago. 6 months ago, I would have included him in a package as if he were a late 1st. Now, I think he's shown progression with regards to using his speed and skill against larger opponents. And he's deceptively decent at protecting the puck and playing in traffic.

He still needs work. He's very much boom/bust and there are questions about how his ability will translate to the NHL level. But I like what I've seen this summer and think that he's taking his development seriously. Hard work and coachability are both integral to his not busting and were questioned in the past with his decision to go to the OHL and his slumps in the AHL.

If he's a one trick pony with no interest in taking development seriously, he will bust. If he works hard and listens to the coaches, he might still bust but I at least like his chances of success a lot more. At the very least, I don't think he's above rebounds.
 
Last edited:

CBJWerenski8

Formerly CBJWennberg10 (RIP Kivi)
Jun 13, 2009
42,085
24,009
My only issue with Milano so far in his progression is he is still looking for highlight home run plays. For example, I watched part of our preseason game against Boston and we had possession in their zone and for some reason he skated the puck out of the zone instead of cycling it or shooting it. That's stuff you do in juniors, not the pros. He needs to take his chances to display his skill instead of searching for the chances.
 

CBJFan827

I hate you Brad Marchand
Jul 19, 2006
1,646
325
My only issue with Milano so far in his progression is he is still looking for highlight home run plays. For example, I watched part of our preseason game against Boston and we had possession in their zone and for some reason he skated the puck out of the zone instead of cycling it or shooting it. That's stuff you do in juniors, not the pros. He needs to take his chances to display his skill instead of searching for the chances.

I agree. The majority of last year in Cleveland, he was trying to make pretty plays instead of good plays. He was more likely to try to stick handle around a defender rather than pass to a teammate, which was frustrating to watch as a fan.

In the playoffs, he started back checking and using his speed in bringing the puck up the ice, which I appreciated. I'm skeptical, but there's hope.

Admittedly, part of my bias is also rooted in being at that draft, desperately wanting Honka or Kapanen, then having to listen to Philadelphia sports fans (who are just the worst) go on and on about him.
 

JKinCLE

killing time @ work
Jul 10, 2012
1,428
476
Cleveland, Ohio
yeah, but what about that spin-o-rama top shelf backhander??!!1!?


In all seriousness, I still have high hopes for Sonny. This is the year for him to dominate the AHL. He definitely has areas to improve no doubt, but that's the greatest part about the CBJ not needing him to be ready yet. I'm confident another year in the A, paired with a few games w/ the CBJ will do wonders for his 200 ft. game.

That being said, Sonny will bring the offense. Dude is freakishly fast and has elite hands.
 

Skinnyjimmy08

WorldTraveler
Mar 30, 2012
22,483
11,943
yeah, but what about that spin-o-rama top shelf backhander??!!1!?


In all seriousness, I still have high hopes for Sonny. This is the year for him to dominate the AHL. He definitely has areas to improve no doubt, but that's the greatest part about the CBJ not needing him to be ready yet. I'm confident another year in the A, paired with a few games w/ the CBJ will do wonders for his 200 ft. game.

That being said, Sonny will bring the offense. Dude is freakishly fast and has elite hands.

That's why I like Milano with CBJ. Imo, CBJ has a ton of sandpaper and not an overabundance of skill. They have Hartnell, Dubi, Jenner, Foligno and others that play hard and hit and all that... I like the idea CBJ now has Bjorky and Milano waiting in the wings to hopefully put up the points.
 

Old Guy

Just waitin' on my medication.
Aug 30, 2015
1,847
1,645
...I still have high hopes for Sonny. This is the year for him to dominate the AHL.

Never really thought about this until I read this just now. I would think a guy like Milano will benefit from the coaching change in Cleveland. That is not a knock on Jared Bednar at all. Quite the opposite.

Milano got almost an entire year (except CBJ time) listening to a guy that played/coached in the minors. Bednar should have left him with how to work at getting better. Now he will have significant time listening to John Madden, who won Stanley Cups, played in big games, was an All-Star. He also has coached at the NHL level (asst.). Madden knows what it takes to play the game at the highest level.

I would think for a guy like Milano, he should benefit from that.
 

Tulipunaruusu*

Registered User
Apr 27, 2014
2,193
2
Madden was very fast - perhaps he'll teach Milano how else to use his speed.

Indeed. In 2004 John Madden signed a lockout contract with HIFK on 29th of November, arrived in Finland on December first, played three games and around nine am, eleventh day of the same December, on a game day IFK found out John Madden had left Helsinki for good.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->