Prospect Info: 2014/15 San Antonio Rampage Thread

[gudzilla]

This sucks.

Our so called future/depth really is overrated. I mean potentially we got lots of 3rd/4th liners coming up. But top 6 players or top 4 dmen? Only maybe Grimaldi/Matheson

mccoshen seems to become a 2nd pairing defenseman

you gotta keep in mind that we have drafted so high that our first rounders are already established promising yo ung NHL players, barkov/ekblad have already become "real", and our hype around prospects usually involves them. we're exiting the rebuild, so the depth for top6/4 players aren't as good as earlier, but there's still potential coming through.

huberdeau/bjugstad/gudbranson/barkov/ekblad/kulikov/pirri/trocheck etc are all too old/experienced to be prospects, but fits a very young good team

 

[SoupyFIN]

Other than Trocheck with his limited time in the AHL, the only guy who put up close to a point a game was Butler. Shore was close to a point a game, but he was moved for what looks to be a fine ECHL hockey prospect. Shore can't even make it on the fourth line in Calgary, so it's probably a testament to Tallons continued inclination to draft low risk/medium reward players that at best can be 3rd or 4th line borderline NHL talent once the draft gets past the top 10. Nick is the only bluechip so far, and it's still early in his NHL career.

I see people penciling in Howden for 4th duty next year. Todays NHL teams that roll four lines, need players that can score to supplement the top two lines. Didn't see that from the majority of the bottom two lines. I don't see that with Howden either, a poor ROI in the first round so far in his career. Many think Hawryluk will be a fine 3rd or 4th line guy.........maybe, but it's too early to tell.

So for anyone who thinks we have tradeable offensive talent, it's time to face reality. Our NHL talent depth is on the blue line, and this is where I see trades being made in the future along with draft picks if possible. I wouldn't even waste the time looking at UFA forwards this year unless they can be picked up for a song and supplement scoring on the 3rd or 4th line. I've had enough of overpriced marginal talent that play like guys that will probably produce at a level similar to what we have in the AHL.

Where does this leave us next year? Let's just say everyone on the first two lines needs to continue to play as they did down the stretch. Even with the addition of a new top six guy, we won't even challenge if the rest of the team doesn't take it up a notch from where they played at the end of the year.

I don't know why anyone would be screaming for Kessel/Sharp/Eberle/Hall/etc. if we thought that we had offensive talent in our system.

 

[MintyFresh88]

Lots of over-reacting going on in here in my opinion.

I look at the AHL as a place for prospects to find their game and emerge as solid pro players with every day NHL upside. I think you can argue that quite a few guys accomplished that this season:

Brickley: came out of nowhere and put together an amazing season (based on his career up to this point). I don't think anyone really considered this guy as a prospect with NHL potential, until now.

Grimaldi: first full pro season (along with Brickley) and he put up pretty solid numbers. spent some time with the Panthers..looks like he's on an upward development path.

Brittain: Given a chance to start some games down the stretch and played pretty solid from all accounts. 4-2-1, 1.76, .943. We need a serious goaltending prospect in the system and it appears like he's on a good path to potentially having some NHL upside.

Howden: Injury problems again, unfortunately. I still think he has NHL potential and could feature on the 4th line next season.

Rau and Matheson: Not sure what everyone expected from them right away..they just finished college seasons and came in to get a taste of pro hockey in preparation for next season. Just because they didn't come in, light it up and take them on a deep playoff run doesn't mean they aren't solid prospects.

Despite the first round sweep, it's hard to be overly critical....as a whole, the team had a pretty solid year. I think maybe all the talk and hype of a long playoff run ended up being detrimental and probably put unecessary pressure on them. It's all a learning process/experience though, they'll all be better and more prepared after this.

 

[ShootIt]

Lots of over-reacting going on in here in my opinion.

I look at the AHL as a place for prospects to find their game and emerge as solid pro players with every day NHL upside. I think you can argue that quite a few guys accomplished that this season:

Brickley: came out of nowhere and put together an amazing season (based on his career up to this point). I don't think anyone really considered this guy as a prospect with NHL potential, until now.

Grimaldi: first full pro season (along with Brickley) and he put up pretty solid numbers. spent some time with the Panthers..looks like he's on an upward development path.

Brittain: Given a chance to start some games down the stretch and played pretty solid from all accounts. 4-2-1, 1.76, .943. We need a serious goaltending prospect in the system and it appears like he's on a good path to potentially having some NHL upside.

Howden: Injury problems again, unfortunately. I still think he has NHL potential and could feature on the 4th line next season.

Rau and Matheson: Not sure what everyone expected from them right away..they just finished college seasons and came in to get a taste of pro hockey in preparation for next season. Just because they didn't come in, light it up and take them on a deep playoff run doesn't mean they aren't solid prospects.

Despite the first round sweep, it's hard to be overly critical....as a whole, the team had a pretty solid year. I think maybe all the talk and hype of a long playoff run ended up being detrimental and probably put unecessary pressure on them. It's all a learning process/experience though, they'll all be better and more prepared after this.

Leaning towards this.

Yea it sucks they got swept, but I'm not going to cap our prospects ceilings over one 1st round exit.

 

[Coach Nate]

Good luck in Portland, y'all.


RampageNate out.

 

[pb1300]

Good luck in Portland, y'all.


RampageNate out.

Come back next season from time to time.

 

[IM Clutcm]

Lots of over-reacting going on in here in my opinion.

I look at the AHL as a place for prospects to find their game and emerge as solid pro players with every day NHL upside. I think you can argue that quite a few guys accomplished that this season:

Brickley: came out of nowhere and put together an amazing season (based on his career up to this point). I don't think anyone really considered this guy as a prospect with NHL potential, until now.

Grimaldi: first full pro season (along with Brickley) and he put up pretty solid numbers. spent some time with the Panthers..looks like he's on an upward development path.

Brittain: Given a chance to start some games down the stretch and played pretty solid from all accounts. 4-2-1, 1.76, .943. We need a serious goaltending prospect in the system and it appears like he's on a good path to potentially having some NHL upside.

Howden: Injury problems again, unfortunately. I still think he has NHL potential and could feature on the 4th line next season.

Rau and Matheson: Not sure what everyone expected from them right away..they just finished college seasons and came in to get a taste of pro hockey in preparation for next season. Just because they didn't come in, light it up and take them on a deep playoff run doesn't mean they aren't solid prospects.

Despite the first round sweep, it's hard to be overly critical....as a whole, the team had a pretty solid year. I think maybe all the talk and hype of a long playoff run ended up being detrimental and probably put unecessary pressure on them. It's all a learning process/experience though, they'll all be better and more prepared after this.

Good post. I definitely agree.

 

[AwesomePanthers]

Disappointing playoffs after a great regular season. Sucks..

 

[Android 16]

Brickley: came out of nowhere and put together an amazing season (based on his career up to this point). I don't think anyone really considered this guy as a prospect with NHL potential, until now.

Grimaldi: first full pro season (along with Brickley) and he put up pretty solid numbers. spent some time with the Panthers..looks like he's on an upward development path.

Grimaldi's first pro season production worries me a little. How come he's not tearing up the AHL? What's the deal? Leads me to believe his size really is a factor as predicted by lot's of people. Brickley produced better than Rocco in their first years. Just doesn't sound right. I think Rocco's size is going to be an issue in the NHL. Might separate him from AHL plug and productive top-six forward. I hope he proves me wrong. RG has been pretty successful at every level and I can't remember a worse time than last night when he directly effected the outcome of a huge game in a negative way. Kid now has to face some pro-level adversity. Let's see how he deals with it.

 

[iam76]

Lots of over-reacting going on in here in my opinion.

I look at the AHL as a place for prospects to find their game and emerge as solid pro players with every day NHL upside. I think you can argue that quite a few guys accomplished that this season:

Brickley: came out of nowhere and put together an amazing season (based on his career up to this point). I don't think anyone really considered this guy as a prospect with NHL potential, until now.

Grimaldi: first full pro season (along with Brickley) and he put up pretty solid numbers. spent some time with the Panthers..looks like he's on an upward development path.

Brittain: Given a chance to start some games down the stretch and played pretty solid from all accounts. 4-2-1, 1.76, .943. We need a serious goaltending prospect in the system and it appears like he's on a good path to potentially having some NHL upside.

Howden: Injury problems again, unfortunately. I still think he has NHL potential and could feature on the 4th line next season.

Rau and Matheson: Not sure what everyone expected from them right away..they just finished college seasons and came in to get a taste of pro hockey in preparation for next season. Just because they didn't come in, light it up and take them on a deep playoff run doesn't mean they aren't solid prospects.

Despite the first round sweep, it's hard to be overly critical....as a whole, the team had a pretty solid year. I think maybe all the talk and hype of a long playoff run ended up being detrimental and probably put unecessary pressure on them. It's all a learning process/experience though, they'll all be better and more prepared after this.

Brickley was a 2nd round pick of ours. He was always an nhl prospect based on that alone.

 

[Coach Nate]

Sometimes, It's All About the Ride

 

[Brokin]

I don't know why anyone would be screaming for Kessel/Sharp/Eberle/Hall/etc. if we thought that we had offensive talent in our system.

Just pointing out the obvious I guess.

I have to smirk when posters point out that Trocheck should be included in any trade we make for one of those guys because he'll never make it on the wing with the Cats. IMO, you don't trade away your best offensive prospect at a lean position in the system to bring in a Sharp or Kessel. If you are going to make a trade, you make it from the blue line where our depth is, along with draft picks.

I think Eberle and Hall are beyond acquisition for the Cats unless they are willing to give up Ekblad.

 

[MintyFresh88]

Brickley was a 2nd round pick of ours. He was always an nhl prospect based on that alone.

Granted, but he hadn't really shown anything to make any of us believe that until this season.

 

[RogerRoger]

Just pointing out the obvious I guess.

I have to smirk when posters point out that Trocheck should be included in any trade we make for one of those guys because he'll never make it on the wing with the Cats. IMO, you don't trade away your best offensive prospect at a lean position in the system to bring in a Sharp or Kessel. If you are going to make a trade, you make it from the blue line where our depth is, along with draft picks.

Trocheck is a center though, and that's not a lean position.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

I think Eberle and Hall are beyond acquisition for the Cats unless they are willing to give up Ekblad.

Eberle for Ekblad?

 

[Brokin]

Eberle for Ekblad?

No, you have that backwards.

 

[Brokin]

Trocheck is a center though, and that's not a lean position.

Pirri is the only other viable choice to fill in at 1C or 2C. Do you really want to move him out of a position where he has proven to be so dynamic? Bolland, Jokinen, or Mac are poor substitutes for the first two lines at C. It's also too early in Trochecks career to write him off as a C only.

 

[FinlandPanther]

No, you have that backwards.

What? Ekblad is on his way to being one of the best in the league.

 

[Brokin]

What? Ekblad is on his way to being one of the best in the league.

Little early to be making that judgement but certainly has all the tools.

Eberle doesn't get enough credit as an elite top 6 player. The oilers will not let him go without getting back a high end prospect like Ekblad or a first lline defender in his prime.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Eberle doesn't get enough credit as an elite top 6 player. The oilers will not let him go without getting back a high end prospect like Ekblad or a first lline defender in his prime.

Eberle is soft, small and one dimensional winger. Ekblad just finished second in points by an 18 year-old defenseman ever in the nhl, two points behind Orr.

They shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentense.

 

[Brokin]

Eberle is soft, small and one dimensional winger. Ekblad just finished second in points by an 18 year-old defenseman ever in the nhl, two points behind Orr.

They shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentense.

Okay.

 

[RCDeltaFixer]

Is this guy seriously saying Eberle > Ekblad?

 

[Brokin]

Is this guy seriously saying Eberle > Ekblad?

No, I'm saying that's what we have to offer to get Eberle or Hall. Edmonton needs D or a G. Since we don't have a first pairing D man that is in his prime, I believe that's the only viable trade that they would make with us.

 

[KaylaJ]

I can't say I'm not upset, but it is more of a bummed that it is over so soon. Personally, I think some players esp Grimaldi just got gassed, it happens and is why the AHL is for prospects. Not only do they develop skills that you'll notice like goals and assists, but also learning the pressures and dealing with a long season. That's what makes it tough to switch affiliates right now, knowing what they could bring to the table next season wherever they end up. To have it taken away was really tough to remember during the handshakes and the salute (kudos to Tom Rowe, almost made me tear up lol).


Who knows, maybe I'm just talking from emotions, saw Ellis and Zanon's kids last night, adorable and makes you wonder what is next for them. Whatever happens from here on out, good luck to Panther fans and Portland fans. Will be watching from afar


PS Drew Shore is in the Flames lineup tonight.

 

[PBPantherfan]

Going to miss all the Rampage fans on this board you guys were great over these last few years.