Your team's make it or break it prospects

[habsjosh2k2]

Who would you say are your team's make it or break it prospects for this coming season?

For the Habs, i would say it is definitely Andrei Kostitsyn and Corey Locke's last chance to show something this season.

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[Blind Gardien]

Who would you say are your team's make it or break it prospects for this coming season?

For the Habs, i would say it is definitely Andrei Kostitsyn and Corey Locke's last chance to show something this season.

Dunno about Kostitsyn... I think he's pretty much "made it" already, and even if he doesn't quite live up to some of our expectations for some reason, he'll still get more chances.

Locke is the kind of guy who really is make-or-break IMHO. Along with his fellow Bulldogs coming off their entry-level deals... guys like Jonathan Ferland, Cory Urquhart, Duncan Milroy. Yann Danis. J.P.Cote. This is probably getting close to their last chance this year in our organization, unless they don't mind kicking around in Hamilton again past this year (although at some point you'd think some would rather try somewhere else instead after their 4th year).

 

[rodmunch]

Apparantly to some, Hugh Jessiman is going to have a make-or-break season.

This is the third year in a row now

 

[Sinurgy]

For the Coyotes it would probably be David Lenevue. Unless they land a clear cut goalie, he will have a shot at training camp and if he doesn't make it this year, I think the Yotes will deal him elsewhere. The guy has been inexplicably in the doghouse for the past year so I'm a little skeptical that he'll get a fair shot but we'll see.

 

[Langway]

For the Caps, Tomas Fleischmann and Jakub Klepis. They'll both have to pass through waivers this year (AFAIK) now that they're off of their entry-level deals so if they stumble then one or both could be waived or traded for a pick or waiver-exempt prospect. That could happen as early as late in training camp. Or, if there's no interest around the league, they'll wind up back in Hershey once again. But both have proven themselves at the AHL level and now it's time for them to pick it up a notch.

Another young player, though no longer a prospect, that's on the bubble for the Caps is Steve Eminger. He hasn't realized his potential and might be guy whose development is sparked by a fresh start with a new team. If he struggles early on in camp or during the beginning of the season, he could end up a healthy scratch once again or wind up being traded.

 

[Gillam_09]

Anthony Stewart... guy was really hyped but injuries have plagued him so far throughout his career... hopefully he will rebound

 

[habsjosh2k2]

Dunno about Kostitsyn... I think he's pretty much "made it" already, and even if he doesn't quite live up to some of our expectations for some reason, he'll still get more chances.

Locke is the kind of guy who really is make-or-break IMHO. Along with his fellow Bulldogs coming off their entry-level deals... guys like Jonathan Ferland, Cory Urquhart, Duncan Milroy. Yann Danis. J.P.Cote. This is probably getting close to their last chance this year in our organization, unless they don't mind kicking around in Hamilton again past this year (although at some point you'd think some would rather try somewhere else instead after their 4th year).

I agree with you about Cote, last year i thought he was a shoe in to get the last defenceman spot, but this year, i think he may have fallen off the depth chart to the likes of O'Byrne and Valentenko, and with our good young crop of defensive propects, i think this year is his last chance to established himself into our roster.

I think Yann Danis missed his chance last year, if it wasn't for Aebischer last season, he would have started the season in Montreal as the back-up. This year, he'll probably be the back-up in Hamilton. With Price and Halak, there is a very slim chance Danis makes the NHL as a Hab.

As for Ferland, i think he is NHL ready, however, he'll have to prove it at the training camp. He'll have to beat out players such as Chipchura, Milroy and Locke for the final forward spots.

 

[Redwingsfan]

cant really think of anyone for the wings. kopecky fits under that category, but he is not really a prospect anymore. he has only played 27 games, but he is 25.

 

[Ruckus007]

For the Sabres, Dan Paille would sorta qualify. I think he'll certainly have an NHL career and he's played very well at times with Buffalo but the Sabres are fairly stocked in wingers with about his skill set at about his level of development so if he doesn't stand out over some of his contemporaries I think he might not be long for the organization.

 

[Blades of Glory]

San Jose had five major prospects break out last season in Michalek, Carle, Vlasic, Clowe, and Pavelski. Steve Bernier broke out in 2005-06, but he broke his foot last season and never recovered. It remains to be seen if he can get back to the dominating level he was at when he came up for good in the 2006 season.

Watch for Devin Setoguchi to possibly make the Sharks out of training camp this season. He's coming off a fantastic season with Prince George, and could be put with Thornton and Cheechoo to re-unite Michalek, Marleau, and Bernier, San Jose's second line in 2005-06 that outproduced many first lines after they were put together.

 

[davemess]

I dont think the Penguins really have anybody..... Filewich, Stone and Kennedy all have something of a chance to make the team but they wont be discarded if they dont.

 

[Redwingsfan]

San Jose had five major prospects break out last season in Michalek, Carle, Vlasic, Clowe, and Pavelski. Steve Bernier broke out in 2005-06, but he broke his foot last season and never recovered. It remains to be seen if he can get back to the dominating level he was at when he came up for good in the 2006 season.

Watch for Devin Setoguchi to possibly make the Sharks out of training camp this season. He's coming off a fantastic season with Prince George, and could be put with Thornton and Cheechoo to re-unite Michalek, Marleau, and Bernier, San Jose's second line in 2005-06 that outproduced many first lines after they were put together.

i thought setoguchi had a bad season. at least based on hype and expectations. i could be wrong.

 

[VanW27]

San Jose had five major prospects break out last season in Michalek, Carle, Vlasic, Clowe, and Pavelski. Steve Bernier broke out in 2005-06, but he broke his foot last season and never recovered. It remains to be seen if he can get back to the dominating level he was at when he came up for good in the 2006 season.

Watch for Devin Setoguchi to possibly make the Sharks out of training camp this season. He's coming off a fantastic season with Prince George, and could be put with Thornton and Cheechoo to re-unite Michalek, Marleau, and Bernier, San Jose's second line in 2005-06 that outproduced many first lines after they were put together.

???


For the leafs Jeremy Williams has to be one, despite his unbelievable pace of back to back NHL seasons at a 1goal/game pace he really missed his oppurtunity last season when he would have got to play a good number of games and try to establish himself but he was injured. Now with the number of 3rd and 4th liners the leafs have under contract he is gonna be in tough to make the big club and will need to pass thru waivers to be sent down.

 

[NeonDion]

Brent Krahn, Eric Nystrom, Brandon Prust, Tomi Maki, Andrei Taratuhkin for the flames

 

[Blades of Glory]

i thought setoguchi had a bad season. at least based on hype and expectations. i could be wrong.

I don't know, but I do know that he was fantastic last season after coming back from injury.

65 points in 55 games, 11 goals and 10 assists in 15 playoff games.

 

[Chainshot]

For the Sabres, Dan Paille would sorta qualify. I think he'll certainly have an NHL career and he's played very well at times with Buffalo but the Sabres are fairly stocked in wingers with about his skill set at about his level of development so if he doesn't stand out over some of his contemporaries I think he might not be long for the organization.

True. It would be interesting to see if they experiment with him at center at all come training camp, but it does seem like plenty of players have passed or are close to passing him developmentally.

 

[JiriHrdina]

Brent Krahn, Eric Nystrom, Brandon Prust, Tomi Maki, Andrei Taratuhkin for the flames

Don't agree about Prust. If he ends up back on the farm there are still lots of things to work on and he could still end up being the team's plans.

 

[Slink]

For the Leafs it's Jeremy Williams and Steffan Kronwall. If they don't finish the year on the Leafs they're playing somewhere else next year.

 

[Fortius]

Brent Krahn, Eric Nystrom, Brandon Prust, Tomi Maki, Andrei Taratuhkin for the flames

The only thing holding Taratuhkin back last year was family visa problems I believe.... I think Sutter is pretty high on him.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Kind of two categories for Minnesota:

Matt Foy, Eric Reitz are probably the only two I can see that are make it or break it but...

Benoit Pouliot, Shawn Belle, Clayton Stoner, Roman Voloshenko all need to have great years or else...well it'll all be an uphill battle for them.

 

[Draiskull]

Pouliot, J.F.Jacques and Schremp for EDM I would think. Pouliot will be given plenty of oppertunity to solidify a spot for himself. Schremp will be given a fair chance to put up some numbers in AHL and get called up. Less then a ppg in AHL will mean bye bye for him.

M.Greene is another guy <not really a prospect anymore> whose year will be seen as a make or break one for the oilers. same with Grebeshkov.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

For the Avs it seems as if this is Johnny Boychuk's last chance to either dominate the A or make the NHL team. Either way, if he doesn't develop by leaps and bounds this season he is gone.

 

[The Kingslayer]

For the Avs it seems as if this is Johnny Boychuk's last chance to either dominate the A or make the NHL team. Either way, if he doesn't develop by leaps and bounds this season he is gone.

I agree. Seems like hes been in the system for ages.

 

[BelovedIsles]

Only prospect that fits this criteria, IMO, for the Isles is Jeremy Colliton.

He had a stand-out rookie campaign for Bridgeport in the '05/'06 season. Then returned last year hobbled from the get go, injuries plagued him through out, despite this fact he still put up adequate numbers in limited games.

This is his final year of entry-level status, assuming he's healthy it's time for him to re-inforce his solid rookie showing and prime him self for a bottom-six NHL job in '08.

 

[ELab2]

Most of the Flyer's promising young kids have another year of leeway. Ruzicka needs to show that he can play with some balls and some heart. I doubt thats going to happen and I expect him to be traded or go back to Europe after this season.

It's also about time Nitty shows what he's really capable of. He'll be in a defined backup role this season and he's got to show he can perform in that role if he ever expects to be a true #1.