13-14 Prospects Thread Version XX: Connor Brown - 55GP 110P

[91Stammer*]

Been a lot of discussion/criticism bout the Gauthier pick all season….wondering if Manth hadn't been selected just before him whether we would have still selected him or gone w/ Mantha….

Anyways, a lot of the debate has been in/around him being a "safe" pick, i.e.) not a huge upside but having a great chance to be bottoming out at a 4th line centre etc….

People suggest that we aren't going for a more highly skilled boom/bust players as much.

For all that's being said, we've got just those types of highly skilled players in Conor Brown & Andreas Johnson, 2 player who once they're out of junior/Sweden will really elevate the overall skill of the Marlies team & our prospect pool.

Obviously telling that for every Sondre Olden or Mikhael Stefanovich, there's a Lievo, a Brown or a Johnson, prospects that are exceeding expectations (for now) & making our scouts look pretty smart atm...

It's gonna be pretty neat watching these guys develop & there will always be so-called experts (& I'm certainly not one) who wish to say otherwise, but I think we have a really well-rounded group of prospects.

The complaint always was for the first round picks. We can't say 3rd and later round picks a high risk picks, because they are always boom or bust type players. You can't get anything for sure in those rounds.

 

[Ace88*]

Been a lot of discussion/criticism bout the Gauthier pick all season….wondering if Manth hadn't been selected just before him whether we would have still selected him or gone w/ Mantha….

Anyways, a lot of the debate has been in/around him being a "safe" pick, i.e.) not a huge upside but having a great chance to be bottoming out at a 4th line centre etc….

People suggest that we aren't going for a more highly skilled boom/bust players as much.

For all that's being said, we've got just those types of highly skilled players in Conor Brown & Andreas Johnson, 2 player who once they're out of junior/Sweden will really elevate the overall skill of the Marlies team & our prospect pool.

Obviously telling that for every Sondre Olden or Mikhael Stefanovich, there's a Lievo, a Brown or a Johnson, prospects that are exceeding expectations (for now) & making our scouts look pretty smart atm...

It's gonna be pretty neat watching these guys develop & there will always be so-called experts (& I'm certainly not one) who wish to say otherwise, but I think we have a really well-rounded group of prospects.

I wouldn't call our prospect pool well rounded. There's a lot of blue-collar pail-and-shovel players but there's a serious lack of high end skill. Brown is not high end skill. If Barbashev isn't taken by the time we pick Nonis would be a total idiot to not take him (unless Kempe was still on the board)

 

[67Cup]

Of course Brown is high end skill. The question about him is not skill, but size, strength and, to a lesser degree, speed.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Been a lot of discussion/criticism bout the Gauthier pick all season….wondering if Manth hadn't been selected just before him whether we would have still selected him or gone w/ Mantha….

Anyways, a lot of the debate has been in/around him being a "safe" pick, i.e.) not a huge upside but having a great chance to be bottoming out at a 4th line centre etc….

People suggest that we aren't going for a more highly skilled boom/bust players as much.

For all that's being said, we've got just those types of highly skilled players in Conor Brown & Andreas Johnson, 2 player who once they're out of junior/Sweden will really elevate the overall skill of the Marlies team & our prospect pool.

Obviously telling that for every Sondre Olden or Mikhael Stefanovich, there's a Lievo, a Brown or a Johnson, prospects that are exceeding expectations (for now) & making our scouts look pretty smart atm...

It's gonna be pretty neat watching these guys develop & there will always be so-called experts (& I'm certainly not one) who wish to say otherwise, but I think we have a really well-rounded group of prospects.

Gauthier based on his play this year, and the underwhelming nature of his offence at all levels of play. QMJHL or Worlds, Subway series and his just average defence for all his fanfare, is looking like a real questionable pick. For all of Burke's faults, drafting has been one of his solid attributes.

Gauthier may be a trade chip one day, this is where his value to our team. I am totally underwhelmed by him. As for the other guys we picked in the same draft, love them, great value. Just wish we did better at #21, obcourse as a 18 year old this may change next year, if it doesn't I would be worried we drafted someone that is hopefully as good as Jamie Mcclement in the first rd.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Edit Subway series last year.

 

[Ace88*]

Gauthier based on his play this year, and the underwhelming nature of his offence at all levels of play. QMJHL or Worlds, Subway series and his just average defence for all his fanfare, is looking like a real questionable pick. For all of Burke's faults, drafting has been one of his solid attributes.

Gauthier may be a trade chip one day, this is where his value to our team. I am totally underwhelmed by him. As for the other guys we picked in the same draft, love them, great value. Just wish we did better at #21, obcourse as a 18 year old this may change next year, if it doesn't I would be worried we drafted someone that is hopefully as good as Jamie Mcclement in the first rd.

Wow i disagree. Burke's emphasis on drafting pluggers and sandpaper has left our system hamstrung for real skill and talent. For Burke's few faults, one of them was most certainly drafting. He wasn't terrible at it, and it's still kind of early to really tell, but a lot of his picks aren't looking amazing compared to about 15-20 other teams.

 

[Ed Belfour]

I would not say our prospect pool is well rounded at all. The whole "we lack high end skill" thing is not just a cliche really. Who do we really have in our system that you can confidently say could end up in the top 6 and be an impact player offensively? Josh Leivo? Huge maybe. Spencer Abbott? Well he's 25, where is he? For the most part, every single other one of our offensive prospects is aiming for a 3rd or 4th line role if we are lucky and everything goes right. That's simply poor.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Wow i disagree. Burke's emphasis on drafting pluggers and sandpaper has left our system hamstrung for real skill and talent. For Burke's few faults, one of them was most certainly drafting. He wasn't terrible at it, and it's still kind of early to really tell, but a lot of his picks aren't looking amazing compared to about 15-20 other teams.

Gauthier doesn't strike me as a Burke pick, perhaps more Nonis. Regardless, this pick has been a ligtening rod this year for second guessing.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I would not say our prospect pool is well rounded at all. The whole "we lack high end skill" thing is not just a cliche really. Who do we really have in our system that you can confidently say could end up in the top 6 and be an impact player offensively? Josh Leivo? Huge maybe. Spencer Abbott? Well he's 25, where is he? For the most part, every single other one of our offensive prospects is aiming for a 3rd or 4th line role if we are lucky and everything goes right. That's simply poor.

So a good prospect pool is determined by how many high end skilled forwards there are?? That's one mere component of it ... Quality bottom 6 talent is still important and you're really overlooking the quality defensemen that are in the Leaf's system that are showing some good promise.

Are the Leafs lacking some top end skill in their system? Sure ... But does that mean that the entire system sucks? Absolutely not

 

[Ace88*]

Lol well Gauthier is most certainly a Nonis pick. Burke was nowhere near MLSE when the 2013 draft occurred. And i mean that pick made a little bit of sense at the time given our system lacked centres, and i was glad then and still glad now we didn't take Shink. It's easy to look back and criticize the pick right now but really there were no world beaters to select. Theodore maybe? Klimchuk? I've a feeling Nonis and co were really hoping for Mantha.

 

[Cor]

I would not say our prospect pool is well rounded at all. The whole "we lack high end skill" thing is not just a cliche really. Who do we really have in our system that you can confidently say could end up in the top 6 and be an impact player offensively? Josh Leivo? Huge maybe. Spencer Abbott? Well he's 25, where is he? For the most part, every single other one of our offensive prospects is aiming for a 3rd or 4th line role if we are lucky and everything goes right. That's simply poor.

Connor Brown, Andreas Johnson, Josh Leivo, Fredrik Gauthier.

Our strength isn't top 6 talent, nor does it need to be. Nazem Kadri (23), Tyler Bozak (27), Phil Kessel (26), James van Reimsdyk (24) Are all very young and will be here for a long time. Joffery Lupul is only 30, and David Clarkson is only 29, and are still young in their own right.

The parts of our forward lineup that will be interchangeable (our third and 4th lines) is our strength in forward prospects.

Jerry D'Amigo, Carter Ashton, Sam Carrick, Ryan Rupert, Greg McKegg, Brad Ross, Tyler Biggs, David Broll, Jaime Devane, Teemu Hartikainen, Carter Verhaeghe are all prospects that will undoubtedly, or very likely will be able to play 3rd or 4th line minutes in the NHL.

We have seen the start of it, with Ashton replacing McLaren. Next Season, D'Amigo will likely replace Mason Raymond. Broll/Devane/Hartikainen will replace Colton Orr once his contract is up. Sam Carrick is an easy replacement for McClement in the near future, and by the looks of him this year, could easily replace him next season.

You look at our weakest position in our organization, and it is our strongest position in our system. That is defense.

Stuart Percy, Matt Finn, Petter Granberg, Andrew MacWilliam, and Tom Nilsson are all guys that will be at least bottom pairing d-man, and 4 of the 5 in my mind will be second pairing guys. Percy and Finn I think could eventually play as a #2 guy, like a Carl Gunnersson does.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Our strength isn't top 6 talent, nor does it need to be. Nazem Kadri (23), Tyler Bozak (27), Phil Kessel (26), James van Reimsdyk (24) Are all very young and will be here for a long time. Joffery Lupul is only 30, and David Clarkson is only 29, and are still young in their own right.

The parts of our forward lineup that will be interchangeable (our third and 4th lines) is our strength in forward prospects.

This is a good point. There are only 2 parts in that top six we need to look at upgrading. A better center than Bozak for the top line would be nice, but with the way he's playing, odds of getting an upgrade are poor regardless of the organization's draft stategy.

Clarkson is the only guy you can really look to impove upon through the draft, where it would be possible to get a more skilled player on an ELC+bridge who could just bump him down the depth chart.

 

[Northernguy10]

Of course Brown is high end skill. The question about him is not skill, but size, strength and, to a lesser degree, speed.

...I am by no means saying he will be a Patrick Kane clone but Kane is the same height as Brown, about 12 pounds heavier and not the fastest or strongest guy in the world...Just saying it's possible with his size and skill set, that's all....As with any young prospect, until they play at, at least the AHL level there's no way of knowing what you might have in a player.

 

[Ace88*]

Kessel is high end skill. Rielly is high end skill. Kadri is high end skill.

Connor Brown is most certainly not high end skill. He is talented, skilled yes, but by no means high end. He still has to rely on a strong work ethic to get things done.

 

[Ed Belfour]

So a good prospect pool is determined by how many high end skilled forwards there are?? That's one mere component of it ... Quality bottom 6 talent is still important and you're really overlooking the quality defensemen that are in the Leaf's system that are showing some good promise.

Are the Leafs lacking some top end skill in their system? Sure ... But does that mean that the entire system sucks? Absolutely not

What? You completely misunderstood. Where did I say that nonsense about a prospect pool is determined by high end skilled forwards? I said we are not overly well rounded, meaning a good mix of defenseive defenseman, all around defensemen, bottom 6 forwards and top 6 forwards. We have good guys in some places, we definitely lack top 6 prospects. I'm not overlooking anyone, I'm well aware of who we have. I never said the entire system sucks, don't put words in my mouth.

 

[HeroNtF]

Is there any reason why we cannot do a prospect rankings on our board mid season ?

It would be neat to see where people rank our prospects compaired to the beginning of season... plus its fun and gives something to do during this slow period.

 

[ChrisCall]

Is there any reason why we cannot do a prospect rankings on our board mid season ?

I'd like to see one, and with the Olympic break it's a good time.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

The complaint always was for the first round picks. We can't say 3rd and later round picks a high risk picks, because they are always boom or bust type players. You can't get anything for sure in those rounds.

You can't get anything "for sure" in any round.



People seem to have really short memories when they criticize the first round picks. There complaints come from how Gauthier is doing now, and based on the Biggs pick (hard to complain about the Percy selection so far, but some do). All I can say is people were not happy at all that we took Kadri who on the boards thought was a reach and wanted Paajarvi or Cowen, safer picks. Morgan Rielly, after missing most of his draft season, isn't what I would have called a safe pick. We had no 1sts in 2010 or 2007. 2008 we took Schenn, ok he was kind of safe, then our last pick was Tlusty, considered an offensive player, not the "safe" role player model.

 

[FreeBird]

Connor Brown, Andreas Johnson, Josh Leivo, Fredrik Gauthier.

Our strength isn't top 6 talent, nor does it need to be. Nazem Kadri (23), Tyler Bozak (27), Phil Kessel (26), James van Reimsdyk (24) Are all very young and will be here for a long time. Joffery Lupul is only 30, and David Clarkson is only 29, and are still young in their own right.

The parts of our forward lineup that will be interchangeable (our third and 4th lines) is our strength in forward prospects.

Jerry D'Amigo, Carter Ashton, Sam Carrick, Ryan Rupert, Greg McKegg, Brad Ross, Tyler Biggs, David Broll, Jaime Devane, Teemu Hartikainen, Carter Verhaeghe are all prospects that will undoubtedly, or very likely will be able to play 3rd or 4th line minutes in the NHL.

We have seen the start of it, with Ashton replacing McLaren. Next Season, D'Amigo will likely replace Mason Raymond. Broll/Devane/Hartikainen will replace Colton Orr once his contract is up. Sam Carrick is an easy replacement for McClement in the near future, and by the looks of him this year, could easily replace him next season.

You look at our weakest position in our organization, and it is our strongest position in our system. That is defense.

Stuart Percy, Matt Finn, Petter Granberg, Andrew MacWilliam, and Tom Nilsson are all guys that will be at least bottom pairing d-man, and 4 of the 5 in my mind will be second pairing guys. Percy and Finn I think could eventually play as a #2 guy, like a Carl Gunnersson does.

All four couldn't get you Brandon Saad

 

[Gallagbi]

All four couldn't get you Brandon Saad

Where does he mention a proposal for Saad?

 

[Cor]

Is it a goal to trade for Brandon Saad? Is that something we are doing?

 

[HockeyNightInBelfast]

I hoped for a "well-rounded" discussion & certainly got one!

Great contributions peeps - some awesome points!

Keep 'em coming…!

 

[Joey Hoser]

Where does he mention a proposal for Saad?

Freebird has compared our prospects to Saad several times now. I have no idea what the connection is.

 

[HockeyNightInBelfast]

Connor Brown, Andreas Johnson, Josh Leivo, Fredrik Gauthier.

Our strength isn't top 6 talent, nor does it need to be. Nazem Kadri (23), Tyler Bozak (27), Phil Kessel (26), James van Reimsdyk (24) Are all very young and will be here for a long time. Joffery Lupul is only 30, and David Clarkson is only 29, and are still young in their own right.

The parts of our forward lineup that will be interchangeable (our third and 4th lines) is our strength in forward prospects.

Jerry D'Amigo, Carter Ashton, Sam Carrick, Ryan Rupert, Greg McKegg, Brad Ross, Tyler Biggs, David Broll, Jaime Devane, Teemu Hartikainen, Carter Verhaeghe are all prospects that will undoubtedly, or very likely will be able to play 3rd or 4th line minutes in the NHL.

We have seen the start of it, with Ashton replacing McLaren. Next Season, D'Amigo will likely replace Mason Raymond. Broll/Devane/Hartikainen will replace Colton Orr once his contract is up. Sam Carrick is an easy replacement for McClement in the near future, and by the looks of him this year, could easily replace him next season.

You look at our weakest position in our organization, and it is our strongest position in our system. That is defense.

Stuart Percy, Matt Finn, Petter Granberg, Andrew MacWilliam, and Tom Nilsson are all guys that will be at least bottom pairing d-man, and 4 of the 5 in my mind will be second pairing guys. Percy and Finn I think could eventually play as a #2 guy, like a Carl Gunnersson does.

Thought this was a really insightful comment in particular.

This being the case…

If Marlies defence is currently this:

Brennan / Grannberg (1st yr Pro)
Percy (1st yr pro) / MacWilliam (1st yr pro)
Yeo / Holzer

Marshall

…& next year: Finn graduates from junior, Knodel from NCAA & one of Loov &/or Nilsson comes over from Sweden, then somethings gotta give right…?

What gives…?

I'm trying to steer away from trade proposals & who this might make expendable etc by virtue of seeing what our approach might be to developing our group of solid young 'D' prospects.

It is an intriguing group, a good blend of different characters, skill-sets etc. There's something for everyone here, not forgetting of course our 2 young D-men up top in Rielly & Gardiner.

Grannberg / Percy gotta be knocking on the door by this time next year & Brennan is a "wild-card" that reminds me of Kostka or even Nathan Dempsey, but in the meantime do Nilsson & Loov stay in Sweden for another year…? Looks likely if Finn is coming to the Marlies next year & Knodel is signed. Just be a case of letting Yeo / Marshall go…?

 

[Cor]

Thought this was a really insightful comment in particular.

This being the case…

If Marlies defence is currently this:

Brennan / Grannberg (1st yr Pro)
Percy (1st yr pro) / MacWilliam (1st yr pro)
Yeo / Holzer

Marshall

…& next year: Finn graduates from junior, Knodel from NCAA & one of Loov &/or Nilsson comes over from Sweden, then somethings gotta give right…?

What gives…?

I'm trying to steer away from trade proposals & who this might make expendable etc by virtue of seeing what our approach might be to developing our group of solid young 'D' prospects.

It is an intriguing group, a good blend of different characters, skill-sets etc. There's something for everyone here, not forgetting of course our 2 young D-men up top in Rielly & Gardiner.

I think Granberg is a lock to be in the NHL next year.

Phaneuf - Gunner
Gleason - Rielly
Gardiner - Granberg
Ranger/Brennan

Percy / MacWilliam
Finn / Nilsson
Yeo / Holzer
Knodel / Loov

How I hope it turns out anyway. If Granberg doesn't make it, then you can either let Yeo go, or trade Holzer.