Helene St. James Wings eyeing Bouchard

[Winger98]

We are going to have to develop this guy. If it is Bouchard, that is the project, I hope we get him into power skating and improving his flexibility a little in terms of targeting those areas for improvement. Again just so I am not misunderstood, Bouchard would represent a blue-chip prospect to me. Something we as a fanbase can be excited about, I am not going to go completely off the deep end, I just really like some of the other options. If they want to go size, I just pray they go Dobson over him is all.

Slightly off-topic, but do we ever hear of the Wings bringing in a skating coach or sending their prospects to a specialist? We always get the article talking about them keeping tabs on the kids, making suggestions, etc. but I don't recall a lot of things where the Wings proactively shove prospects at something/someone to work on something.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Slightly off-topic, but do we ever hear of the Wings bringing in a skating coach or sending their prospects to a specialist? We always get the article talking about them keeping tabs on the kids, making suggestions, etc. but I don't recall a lot of things where the Wings proactively shove prospects at something/someone to work on something.

They cover it some in the development camps. I think they should probably be trying to do more.

I would like a full-time person employed just to coach this organizationally. I think it is that important to where the game is going. They should have someone that deals with all three levels of the pro organization and goes around seeing our prospects and helping. To me that would be a good investment.

They should see the value, it might be the only reason Ouellet didn't become a top 4 d-man and if Evgeny Svechnikov does bust, it will be because of skating in my opinion. It is too important not to be treating this seriously. Some won't make gains, but this is something I want to have organizationally in terms of a skating coach and program.

 

[Frk It]

Slightly off-topic, but do we ever hear of the Wings bringing in a skating coach or sending their prospects to a specialist? We always get the article talking about them keeping tabs on the kids, making suggestions, etc. but I don't recall a lot of things where the Wings proactively shove prospects at something/someone to work on something.

The Athletic recently wrote an article on how Tampa Bay and Toronto use the same skating coach, and they raved about the development she made with Brayden Point.

I’m sure they find people for the kids to work with on their own, I think I remember hearing about Frk working with a power skating coach a few summers ago, and he did actually improve his skating a lot.

But this lady (Barb Underhill) seems legit, we should be giving her a call. She’s based in Toronto, not too far away.

The woman behind some of the NHL's fastest teams

 

[Winger98]

They cover it some in the development camps. I think they should probably be trying to do more.

I would like a full-time person employed just to coach this organizationally. I think it is that important to where the game is going. They should have someone that deals with all three levels of the pro organization and goes around seeing our prospects and helping. To me that would be a good investment.

They should see the value, it might be the only reason Ouellet didn't become a top 4 d-man and if Evgeny Svechnikov does bust, it will be because of skating in my opinion. It is too important not to be treating this seriously. Some won't make gains, but this is something I want to have organizationally in terms of a skating coach and program.

Yeah, I know I've seen them talk about drills and what not in camp, but I don't know why we don't hear about the Wings setting these kids up with people during the summer. I think you can add Gevini Smith, Sadowy, and Holmstrom as guys who could (or could have) benefited in a huge way from having their skating worked on.

The Wings don't seem to have invested enough money in off-the-ice staff in general, though. Which is just weird and misguided to me. It's a place they can exploit their ability to spend and they're not doing it. I'd rather see a few million less spent on the roster at this point and that money shifted over to stuff like specialized coaches, assistants in the front office, better analytics, more scouts, etc.

The Athletic recently wrote an article on how Tampa Bay and Toronto use the same skating coach, and they raved about the development she made with Brayden Point.

I’m sure they find people for the kids to work with on their own, I think I remember hearing about Frk working with a power skating coach a few summers ago, and he did actually improve his skating a lot.

But this lady (Barb Underhill) seems legit, we should be giving her a call. She’s based in Toronto, not too far away.

The woman behind some of the NHL's fastest teams

I think that was just Frk going out and making it happen, though. I don't know why they don't use their money and just hire someone like Underhill full time. It's not like the Wings can use it on free agents any more. Use the benefits of a wealthier owner to bulk up the training staff, the scouting department, etc.

Especially if the Wings want not only a big team, but a fast team. Nature will provide a guy with the first half of that, but the second half can be tweeked a bit on the development end.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Yeah, I know I've seen them talk about drills and what not in camp, but I don't know why we don't hear about the Wings setting these kids up with people during the summer. I think you can add Gevini Smith, Sadowy, and Holmstrom as guys who could (or could have) benefited in a huge way from having their skating worked on.

The Wings don't seem to have invested enough money in off-the-ice staff in general, though. Which is just weird and misguided to me. It's a place they can exploit their ability to spend and they're not doing it. I'd rather see a few million less spent on the roster at this point and that money shifted over to stuff like specialized coaches, assistants in the front office, better analytics, more scouts, etc.



I think that was just Frk going out and making it happen, though. I don't know why they don't use their money and just hire someone like Underhill full time. It's not like the Wings can use it on free agents any more. Use the benefits of a wealthier owner to bulk up the training staff, the scouting department, etc.

Especially if the Wings want not only a big team, but a fast team. Nature will provide a guy with the first half of that, but the second half can be tweeked a bit on the development end.

Really the reason they cannot openly do it is the CBA. But if you hire someone that specializes in it, they can do it during the official allowable times. They can setup programs.

Some of this is on the player, they have to find somebody in the off-season there are rules about that. It isn't like the Wings can tell the guys, hey you're going to our June or July skating camp. But I think you could really see a benefit of regular corrections and a strict oversight by someone with just this specific task. I think in 20 years this will be the same as a goalie coach, the league just hasn't got there yet, but they will. I hope the Wings are ahead of the curve when it happens.

We need to invest off-ice in my opinion. I am not sure Chris Ilitch is up for that, I thought that was subtle that Holland got to answer expanding his staff, it seemed almost like a question he fed the reporter because he wanted to answer it in his wrap up presser.

 

[RedWingzz]

i believe bouchard has the least chance of any of the dmen to produce offense at the NHL level. He cant create offense with his skating unlike the other 3, he plays a slow game. That is the opposite of where the current NHL is heading. Hes also much worse defensively than Dobson (that goes for boqvist and hughes too). I just don't have as much faith in him to produce offense as i do the others. We need a real dynamic player on the back end, im not sure bouchard is the guy.

I still like him because hes got a ton of potential though. He's a great prospect.

Can't create offense with his skating?



Half of these highlights are created by his skating. I honestly don't understand the knock on his skating. No he doesn't skate like Ehlers or Arvidsson, but his skating is fine. Watch the video. You specifically see his wheels at the 4:00 minute mark. Rushes into the offensive zone and burns the D, only to fly behind the net and set up a goal.

If you prefere a defenceman in this draft that can create plays with his skating, then you should be on board with Hughes over Dobson. I think Hughes may be the most dynamic of the 4.

 

[Sadekuuro]

Interesting. I kinda figured they'd target Hughes all the way. I like all four of these guys and don't have a strong preference yet myself.

 

[WingsOverAvs]

Hughes' size concerns me

 

[Bench]

HSJ providing some first rate smokescreen as the Wings draft a goalie at #6.

 

[jkutswings]

HSJ providing some first rate smokescreen as the Wings draft a goalie at #6.

So you're telling me that THIS guy...

... Might get drafted by THIS guy?

 

[Ezekial]

KH used to have sick flow.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I just found this video (insomnia is the best). Not sure if it's been posted before, but I hadn't seen it, and I like it better than the others. It focuses a little less on Bouchard's point shot and puts more of a spotlight on how good his passing is. The clips are a bit longer, too, so you can see more of how it developed and how Bouchard positioned himself.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

KH used to have sick flow.

Don't you know, everything about Ken Holland used to be better, his wife even got old, the audacity... He should be the exception to how life and rules are setup to operate, you know on a different plan than the rest of us still rocking the mad flow and overcoming every challenge that ever happens, perfection!

 

[NickH8]

I just found this video (insomnia is the best). Not sure if it's been posted before, but I hadn't seen it, and I like it better than the others. It focuses a little less on Bouchard's point shot and puts more of a spotlight on how good his passing is. The clips are a bit longer, too, so you can see more of how it developed and how Bouchard positioned himself.

That commentator is very annoying.

 

[Frk It]

I would imagine they want a big point shot to pair with Rasmussen lining up in front of the net.

So I am guessing that is part of the appeal with Bouched and Boqvist.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I just found this video (insomnia is the best). Not sure if it's been posted before, but I hadn't seen it, and I like it better than the others. It focuses a little less on Bouchard's point shot and puts more of a spotlight on how good his passing is. The clips are a bit longer, too, so you can see more of how it developed and how Bouchard positioned himself.

Looks good to me.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I would imagine they want a big point shot to pair with Rasmussen lining up in front of the net.

So I am guessing that is part of the appeal with Bouched and Boqvist.

Good news, Hronek has a pretty good one already on the right-side. We can just go BPA!!!

But seriously I really hope they are just going BPA in this draft. If Tkachuk falls take him, be true to their board is all I want. I don't want to hear an excuse in three years about how they had Wahlstrom or whomever above the guy they took at six since they needed a D-man. Get the best possible player, we are going to be here for a few years we need a lot of help, get what you think is the best possible guy with that pick is really all I ask.

 

[Frk It]

Good news, Hronek has a pretty good one already on the right-side. We can just go BPA!!!

But seriously I really hope they are just going BPA in this draft. If Tkachuk falls take him, be true to their board is all I want. I don't want to hear an excuse in three years about how they had Wahlstrom or whomever above the guy they took at six since they needed a D-man. Get the best possible player, we are going to be here for a few years we need a lot of help, get what you think is the best possible guy with that pick is really all I ask.

Not sure I trust too much their ability to evaluate who is BPA (if it’s true they aren’t high on Svechnikov), but yeah that’s good in theory.

I will not be mad if we take Wahlstrom. I think he will be something that resembles Boeser or Tarasenko.

But the quicker you get your C and D core figured out, the quicker your re-build will go. You can only say we will “address that next year” for so long. I mean how long has it been since Lidstrom retired again?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Not sure I trust too much their ability to evaluate who is BPA (if it’s true they aren’t high on Svechnikov), but yeah that’s good in theory.

I will not be mad if we take Wahlstrom. I think he will be something that resembles Boeser or Tarasenko.

But the quicker you get your C and D core figured out, the quicker your re-build will go. You can only say we will “address that next year” for so long. I mean how long has it been since Lidstrom retired again?

You can sprinkle in need, never do it in the top 10 in my opinion. Really not a big fan of it in the first round at all unless you have multiple picks. My point is if one of these wingers falls in their lap and he has a much higher grade, I am not listening to them whine about it in the future if it becomes an excuse. We took Bouchard because we wanted a right-handed guy with size, we need that isn't going to be a valid excuse for why Wahlstrom or somebody else is tearing apart the league.

For the record their draft board could have Bouchard at 4... I just want them to trust it in this process. I don't believe in ever not going BPA in the top 10. If you screw up a top 10 pick you are set back years, if your staff looks at you and says hey Wahlstrom is the best guy on the board right now, he is a 35 goal scorer that will love Rasmussen disrupting the middle of the ice and bury goal after goal you take that guy.

We should have it confirmed early next year, his sophomore season is the only reason we cannot pound the table while saying it, but Larkin is a legitimate top 6 center and might be a #1C. We need to find D, I get that, but I want the best guy with that #6 pick that is all. Hey if it is Hughes, Dobson or Bouchard we will cross that when we get there. But I am not closing off the wingers in this draft. I like them too much to do that.

 

[Frk It]

You can sprinkle in need, never do it in the top 10 in my opinion. Really not a big fan of it in the first round at all unless you have multiple picks. My point is if one of these wingers falls in their lap and he has a much higher grade, I am not listening to them whine about it in the future if it becomes an excuse. We took Bouchard because we wanted a right-handed guy with size, we need that isn't going to be a valid excuse for why Wahlstrom or somebody else is tearing apart the league.

For the record their draft board could have Bouchard at 4... I just want them to trust it in this process. I don't believe in ever not going BPA in the top 10. If you screw up a top 10 pick you are set back years, if your staff looks at you and says hey Wahlstrom is the best guy on the board right now, he is a 35 goal scorer that will love Rasmussen disrupting the middle of the ice and bury goal after goal you take that guy.

We should have it confirmed early next year, his sophomore season is the only reason we cannot pound the table while saying it, but Larkin is a legitimate top 6 center and might be a #1C. We need to find D, I get that, but I want the best guy with that #6 pick that is all. Hey if it is Hughes, Dobson or Bouchard we will cross that when we get there. But I am not closing off the wingers in this draft. I like them too much to do that.

I’ve seen what we’ve done with our defenseman picks in the 20-30 range and rounds 2-7. I want a defenseman in the top 10. Look at what Werenksi, Provorov, Dumba, etc. did this year.

I’d love to think we could grab Tkachuk or Wahlstrom then turn around and get a high end defenseman at 29, but what about our track record tells us that’s something we can bank on?

I’m a big Hronek fan and Cholowski has caught on for me, but I gotta see one of these kids do something in the NHL for me to really buy into that as a viable plan.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I’ve seen what we’ve done with our defenseman picks in the 20-30 range and rounds 2-7. I want a defenseman in the top 10. Look at what Werenksi, Provorov, Dumba, etc. did this year.

I’d love to think we could grab Tkachuk or Wahlstrom then turn around and get a high end defenseman at 29, but what about our track record tells us that’s something we can bank on?

I’m a big Hronek fan and Cholowski has caught on for me, but I gotta see one of these kids do something in the NHL for me to really buy into that as a viable plan.

We are going to have to hit on second round picks and low firsts if we want to be anything of substance anyway. A few have to come from even lower rounds. But Letang and Keith are important. Lidstrom to our Yzerman. There isn't a single team I can think of that hasn't. We need elite talent, take the best possible elite talent.

But for us to be a good team again, we need to start hitting on #29 or #33 or #36... There is no way we get back without that. So I get the mentality but we need a lot of help. The four wingers we talk about a lot are chalk talk weapon players. I don't dismiss them is all. I would not be super upset to see us wind up with one.

 

[Frk It]

We are going to have to hit on second round picks and low firsts if we want to be anything of substance anyway. A few have to come from even lower rounds. But Letang and Keith are important. Lidstrom to our Yzerman. There isn't a single team I can think of that hasn't. We need elite talent, take the best possible elite talent.

But for us to be a good team again, we need to start hitting on #29 or #33 or #36... There is no way we get back without that. So I get the mentality but we need a lot of help. The four wingers we talk about a lot are chalk talk weapon players. I don't dismiss them is all. I would not be super upset to see us wind up with one.

That’s very true and a good point. Wright has actually drafted some defenseman I like in the later rounds so far, so hopefully we are turning that trend around. Stockpiling picks should help too.

I’ve sold myself on these 4 defenseman slated to go top 10 at this point. I think they all bring a good skill set to the table. If we go winger my contingency plan is Tychonick or Addison with the next pick. If we don’t take your boy Hughes, then I’m going for the “Great Value” Hughes.

 

[Shaman464]

We are going to have to hit on second round picks and low firsts if we want to be anything of substance anyway. A few have to come from even lower rounds. But Letang and Keith are important. Lidstrom to our Yzerman. There isn't a single team I can think of that hasn't. We need elite talent, take the best possible elite talent.

But for us to be a good team again, we need to start hitting on #29 or #33 or #36... There is no way we get back without that. So I get the mentality but we need a lot of help. The four wingers we talk about a lot are chalk talk weapon players. I don't dismiss them is all. I would not be super upset to see us wind up with one.

Hitting on it isn't as much an issue as developing them. By random luck Detroit should have had one of their many D-men picks from the top 2 rounds hit since 2000 but so far its all busts. That tells me that they aren't able to assess and develop talent on the back end the same way teams like Nashville can.

 

[NickH8]

Hitting on it isn't as much an issue as developing them. By random luck Detroit should have had one of their many D-men picks from the top 2 rounds hit since 2000 but so far its all busts. That tells me that they aren't able to assess and develop talent on the back end the same way teams like Nashville can.

We'll see if Wright and co. do better. Definitely some intriguing picks in the later rouds recently when it comes to drafting defensemen.

 

[Shaman464]

We'll see if Wright and co. do better. Definitely some intriguing picks in the later rouds recently when it comes to drafting defensemen.

I am more worried about their head scratcher picks made in the earlier rounds.