2014-2015 Hartford Wolf Pack/Greenville Road Warriors Thread Part IV

[Emptyvoid]

Bodie is going to have to seriously bulk up to consistently survive in the NHL. As some posters have said, I wouldn't surprised if he has to start using PED to put on the necessary muscle.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Pack lost 4-2. Scored the first two then the Bears scored the next four.

Goals by Lindberg and Miller. Fast with two assists and Bodies got one assist.

 

[NYR Viper]

I was at the game. The second goal was very weak by Desjardins. Took the air out of the team.

Quick synopsis:

McIlrath was the best defenseman on the ice. He is a defensive dman. He has multiple occasions where he absolutely man handled other players. Whether it was people trying to hit him or him hitting other people. He uses his stick very well and is a good PKer.

Miller and Fast were the most noticeable forwards pretty easily. Miller's strength is very evident. Fast is NHL ready right now. Quick. Smart. Solid offensively and defensively. He created the Packs second goal by beating a defenseman with a it of a change of pace outside and centering the puck. Really nice play.

Lindberg looks very good on both ends of the ice. Offensively his shot he had was beautiful. Defensively he is strong and knows his positioning very well. I would say that if he isn't NHL ready right now, he will be very soon. You have to really watch him play to understand his understated play.

Tommy Hughes was impressive. More impressive than from what I remember. Solid. Calm: physical. RD who was playing both sides throughout the game. He finished his checks when available but he was very solid in his own end. Good breakout passes. I see the Girardi comparisons. Solid positionally and understated game.

Hrivik is very good along the boards. Strong and knows the offensive side. Will his offensive game show is the question.

The Bourques were very good. Quickness is amazing in both. Ryan looks like the better overall player and is far more physical.

Kristo showed flashes. He needs to show consistency.

I specifically watched McIlrath every shift. For the people who say he isn't progressing, ********. You obviously don't watch him. He is preocresaong nicely. He looked like Brayden Coburn.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

I was at the game. The second goal was very weak by Desjardins. Took the air out of the team.

Quick synopsis:

McIlrath was the best defenseman on the ice. He is a defensive dman. He has multiple occasions where he absolutely man handled other players. Whether it was people trying to hit him or him hitting other people. He uses his stick very well and is a good PKer.

Miller and Fast were the most noticeable forwards pretty easily. Miller's strength is very evident. Fast is NHL ready right now. Quick. Smart. Solid offensively and defensively. He created the Packs second goal by beating a defenseman with a it of a change of pace outside and centering the puck. Really nice play.

Lindberg looks very good on both ends of the ice. Offensively his shot he had was beautiful. Defensively he is strong and knows his positioning very well. I would say that if he isn't NHL ready right now, he will be very soon. You have to really watch him play to understand his understated play.

Tommy Hughes was impressive. More impressive than from what I remember. Solid. Calm: physical. RD who was playing both sides throughout the game. He finished his checks when available but he was very solid in his own end. Good breakout passes. I see the Girardi comparisons. Solid positionally and understated game.

Hrivik is very good along the boards. Strong and knows the offensive side. Will his offensive game show is the question.

The Bourques were very good. Quickness is amazing in both. Ryan looks like the better overall player and is far more physical.

Kristo showed flashes. He needs to show consistency.

I specifically watched McIlrath every shift. For the people who say he isn't progressing, ********. You obviously don't watch him. He is preocresaong nicely. He looked like Brayden Coburn.

Sigh. Wish we had more players who were preocresaong nicely.

 

[Zil]

Sigh. Wish we had more players who were preocresaong nicely.

What language is this word supposed to be from?

 

[eco's bones]

I was at the game. The second goal was very weak by Desjardins. Took the air out of the team.

Quick synopsis:

McIlrath was the best defenseman on the ice. He is a defensive dman. He has multiple occasions where he absolutely man handled other players. Whether it was people trying to hit him or him hitting other people. He uses his stick very well and is a good PKer.

Miller and Fast were the most noticeable forwards pretty easily. Miller's strength is very evident. Fast is NHL ready right now. Quick. Smart. Solid offensively and defensively. He created the Packs second goal by beating a defenseman with a it of a change of pace outside and centering the puck. Really nice play.

Lindberg looks very good on both ends of the ice. Offensively his shot he had was beautiful. Defensively he is strong and knows his positioning very well. I would say that if he isn't NHL ready right now, he will be very soon. You have to really watch him play to understand his understated play.

Tommy Hughes was impressive. More impressive than from what I remember. Solid. Calm: physical. RD who was playing both sides throughout the game. He finished his checks when available but he was very solid in his own end. Good breakout passes. I see the Girardi comparisons. Solid positionally and understated game.

Hrivik is very good along the boards. Strong and knows the offensive side. Will his offensive game show is the question.

The Bourques were very good. Quickness is amazing in both. Ryan looks like the better overall player and is far more physical.

Kristo showed flashes. He needs to show consistency.

I specifically watched McIlrath every shift. For the people who say he isn't progressing, ********. You obviously don't watch him. He is preocresaong nicely. He looked like Brayden Coburn.

A lot of interesting information. Personally I think McIlrath would be playing for some NHL teams if he belonged to them. The Rangers are solid on the right side with Girardi, Boyle and Klein. No room at the moment and I'm not sure how AV views him. I wouldn't be surprised if the right deal came along that the Rangers move him. I think they'd want something tangible back--they won't dump him. He continues to make progress. Even when he finally makes it he should continue to improve as he moves towards his mid and late 20's.

Hughes sounds interesting. I know Beacon likes him a lot. He's young and has an excellent build to play a physical brand of hockey.

There's been a few games this year where Hrivik has had 0 shots on goal. Overall he has only 10 shots on goal in 11 games played. Is he always playing a regular shift? IMO he'll never be an offensive threat at the NHL level if he's not going to be much of a threat at the AHL level. A boards and corner player with good size. Tanner Glass without nearly the physical element.

 

[NYR Viper]

A lot of interesting information. Personally I think McIlrath would be playing for some NHL teams if he belonged to them. The Rangers are solid on the right side with Girardi, Boyle and Klein. No room at the moment and I'm not sure how AV views him. I wouldn't be surprised if the right deal came along that the Rangers move him. I think they'd want something tangible back--they won't dump him. He continues to make progress. Even when he finally makes it he should continue to improve as he moves towards his mid and late 20's.

Hughes sounds interesting. I know Beacon likes him a lot. He's young and has an excellent build to play a physical brand of hockey.

There's been a few games this year where Hrivik has had 0 shots on goal. Overall he has only 10 shots on goal in 11 games played. Is he always playing a regular shift? IMO he'll never be an offensive threat at the NHL level if he's not going to be much of a threat at the AHL level. A boards and corner player with good size. Tanner Glass without nearly the physical element.

Hrivik was playing a regular shift on what I would consider the 4th line. He doesn't seem to be near the goal a lot but he wins puck battles quite a bit.

Haggerty is the guy I left out. He was playing with Fast and Miller. His shot is a weapon and he knows it. He get to where he needs to but his skating needs a bit of work. He is very strong on his skates.

He had one play where he took the puck wide and beat the defenseman and drove right through the crease. I like to see that. Take the puck to the net.

I believe Potulny is injured. He got rocked by Carrick last night in the corner. Kind of a bit of a dirty play IMO.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

What language is this word supposed to be from?

I dunno. I thought it was a particularly crazy typo in Viper's report and so I quoted it, All in good fun.

 

[eco's bones]

Hrivik was playing a regular shift on what I would consider the 4th line. He doesn't seem to be near the goal a lot but he wins puck battles quite a bit.

Haggerty is the guy I left out. He was playing with Fast and Miller. His shot is a weapon and he knows it. He get to where he needs to but his skating needs a bit of work. He is very strong on his skates.

He had one play where he took the puck wide and beat the defenseman and drove right through the crease. I like to see that. Take the puck to the net.

I believe Potulny is injured. He got rocked by Carrick last night in the corner. Kind of a bit of a dirty play IMO.

There's no real way of being sure a guy is ready until you actually see him in a number of NHL games and 8 minutes of ice time really doesn't qualify. I don't get all the anger towards McIlrath. He's not Tarasenko. He's not Fowler. The Rangers could have obviously made a better pick than they did---but he's still a legit prospect who should have a pretty decent NHL career.

Haggerty may be our most intriguing forward prospect in Hartford. He has to round out his game.

Miller is a legit star right now at the AHL level. He has youth, size, strength--seems to have the willingness but hasn't been able to solidify an NHL roster spot with the Rangers and to be honest at this point I like Hayes better. Hayes hasn't put up much as far as stats but he's always creating chances.

I'm not high on Hrivik. He may play in the NHL one day but his chances of playing for this Rangers team going forward seem pretty slim to me. He's got all the guys on the Rangers ahead of him including a bunch of young guys and other forwards in Hartford like Miller, Lindberg, Fast and Haggerty and I'm pretty sure the Rangers like Mueller better as well. Hrivik's chances seem about as good as Ryan Bourque--who IMO is the better player though a lot smaller.

I do like Hughes. 22 years old. 6-2 225 lbs. A stay at home with a physical game who doesn't take a lot of penalties. Maybe not an exciting player but a reliable one.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Pack are down 2-1 after the first period. Lindberg with the goal assisted by Fast and Vaive.

 

[Thirty One]

2-2. Shots are 14-2 Hartford.

If you're good at math, not a good night for Skapski so far.

 

[Kakko]

huh

Didn't realize Skapski was with the Pack

(not counting today) how's he doing?

 

[nyr2k2]

huh

Didn't realize Skapski was with the Pack

(not counting today) how's he doing?

Coming in, he had 2 starts and one game in relief, and had played extremely well.

 

[Raspewtin]

Oscar Lindberg puts the Pack up 3-2.

 

[cwede]

Josh Nicholls came off Greenville's injured reserve today (Hartford signee Vinny Saponari went onto reserve) and Nicholls had 1G,1A in a 2-1 win; Jeff Malcolm stopped 45 shots

 

[bmoak]

Charlotte poached Kyle Jean, signing him to an AHL PTO. Pack recalled Kantor, presumably for Fast's spot.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

The problem with McIlrath is that he's low on the depth chart.

I've personally never had an issue with his game. If he was a 3rd or 4th round pick he'd be viewed differently. The results are the same in terms of what he has done in the CHL and AHL.

The Rangers need to admit that they are doing him a disservice by keeping him in the minors because there is no chance he ever cracks the top-4 with both Klein and Girardi locked up long term.

Trade the kid. They drafted him off emotion from a season in which they were pushed around every night. He needs a chance, but he won't get it with a Cup Contender. I think he's earned it. Staff obviously feels otherwise.

He's literally two seasons away from getting another chance to earn a top-6 spot.

He'll be 24.

Prime of his career and still a minor leaguer fighting for the chance to play 12 mins a night.

 

[nyr2k2]

The problem with McIlrath is that he's low on the depth chart.

I've personally never had an issue with his game. If he was a 3rd or 4th round pick he'd be viewed differently. The results are the same in terms of what he has done in the CHL and AHL.

The Rangers need to admit that they are doing him a disservice by keeping him in the minors because there is no chance he ever cracks the top-4 with both Klein and Girardi locked up long term.

Trade the kid. They drafted him off emotion from a season in which they were pushed around every night. He needs a chance, but he won't get it with a Cup Contender. I think he's earned it. Staff obviously feels otherwise.

He's literally two seasons away from getting another chance to earn a top-6 spot.

He'll be 24.

Prime of his career and still a minor leaguer fighting for the chance to play 12 mins a night.

I do believe the best option at this point is to move McIlrath. As you said, there's little chance that there's an opening on defense for him to truly win anytime in the near future. And given what we ask our defensemen to do in our system, he's not even a good fit. To move him now wouldn't exactly be selling high, however, leaving him to languish in the AHL for another year or more certainly won't do anything to improve his stock. It's probably best for both McIlrath and the organization to simply move on.

Regardless of whether or not he ever becomes an NHL regular, I'm sure at some point down the road he will absolutely wreck Rick Nash or Marty St. Louis or someone. Just because that's how it works.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

I do believe the best option at this point is to move McIlrath. As you said, there's little chance that there's an opening on defense for him to truly win anytime in the near future. And given what we ask our defensemen to do in our system, he's not even a good fit. To move him now wouldn't exactly be selling high, however, leaving him to languish in the AHL for another year or more certainly won't do anything to improve his stock. It's probably best for both McIlrath and the organization to simply move on.

Regardless of whether or not he ever becomes an NHL regular, I'm sure at some point down the road he will absolutely wreck Rick Nash or Marty St. Louis or someone. Just because that's how it works.

Reality sucks. Not as much because Tarasenko or Fowler but that the FO is just not high on him, at least their actions seem to say that.

Also, if Sauer never got hurt, there was noooooooo way he would ever cracked the top-4. At the time he was drafted in 2010, Girardi was coming off a brutal season, Sauer was in the minors, and Gilroy stunk.

You could also guess that maybe the issues with Zherdev, Lisin, Grachev's AHL season and Cherry's death (or the way the KHL handled him) convinced them it was just safer to avoid Tarasenko

But I agree. Move on. Everybody will benefit. Just send him to Edmonton or something.

 

[Raspewtin]

I definitely understand the argument that McIlrath deserves a shot elsewhere. The only thing that bothers me is our need for size on defense, still very much exists. And I still believe that is the reason we lost in the SCF.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

I definitely understand the argument that McIlrath deserves a shot elsewhere. The only thing that bothers me is our need for size on defense, still very much exists. And I still believe that is the reason we lost in the SCF.

Not the only reason but the biggest IMO.

The issue is where he fits, who does he replace etc. It's hard to justify taking any of the top-6 out for him.

But I like what I see in Hartford. If he plays well they can include him in a package for a guy like Sekera, but like nyr2k2 said, the last thing I want is him traded in the conference, let alone the division.

 

[cwede]

I think some folks here are losing perspective because McIlrath has been in the system so long. We cant change his draft position from years ago.
Just look at what he is now - still just 22 (yes some players make it by now but many don't stick until ~24 or older), tall, strong, tough and improving.
Speculating the depth chart is just guessing, notice that there are only 3 forwards remaining from Devils series in 2012 - Stepan, Hagelin, Kreider
There is no rush, when he's ready we'll have an asset every team needs

 

[Levitate]

Miller is a legit star right now at the AHL level. He has youth, size, strength--seems to have the willingness but hasn't been able to solidify an NHL roster spot with the Rangers and to be honest at this point I like Hayes better. Hayes hasn't put up much as far as stats but he's always creating chances.

Looks like Miller back to the wing would be the best move going forward. Maybe I'm going all in on Hayes a bit too early but he brings so much as a center if he can get his faceoffs up to snuff. Being so big with a long reach lets him disrupt a lot of passes and he hangs onto the puck very well, he just looks like the typical big playmaking center.

Miller on the wing might be better for him if it gets him skating up and down the ice instead of trying to doodle around with the puck a bit too much.

 

[Raspewtin]

Not the only reason but the biggest IMO.

The issue is where he fits, who does he replace etc. It's hard to justify taking any of the top-6 out for him.

But I like what I see in Hartford. If he plays well they can include him in a package for a guy like Sekera, but like nyr2k2 said, the last thing I want is him traded in the conference, let alone the division.

Absolutely. The Kings kept getting bodies to the front, there were cases where our guys made no attempt to move them, but usually they just couldn't. A marginal middle-six player like Dwight King was one of their friggin MVPs that series. I'd say size on defense is much more necessary than size on forward for this team.

And the RHD we have don't fill that need, none of Girardi, Klein, or Boyle. That absolutely doesn't demean them as hockey players, but we need an attribute they don't have.

BUt, also, LA and Boston are unique in how they are constructed size wise. LA was literally the worst possible matchup for this team in the NHL. The worst. Boston has also become more of a finesse team lately, as opposed to a punishing team. I maintain to this day that if we faced the Blackhawks, we'd have won the cup.

 

[Esa 10]

Move McIlrath so he can play in the NHL? Are the Rangers in the business of winning or running some kind of charity program for young players?

It's fine for the Red Wings to keep Nyquist, Tatar and Co. in the minors forever. It's fine for them to demote their youngsters back even after they dominate the AHL and win the Calder Cup. It's fine for them to send Nyquist down at the beginning of last year at 24, after he proved himself in the NHL during the lock-out season, because they wanted to increase organizational depth by signing Cleary.

However, the Rangers should move Dylan to some team that gives him an NHL spot while his trade value is low. Because it would be the nice thing to do? Is this a pro hockey team or kindergarten?

No decision needs to be made with McIlrath while he's exempt from waivers. He'll get a chance if injuries hit the right side or he dominates the AHL or someone starts playing badly for a prolonged period or they run out of cap space or when he's out of waiver options. The last scenario is the likeliest and there's absolutely nothing wrong with keeping him as AHL depth, honing his game until then.

The team knew on draft day McIlrath would take longer to develop. They said as much in interviews. He was the wrong pick the second Clarke made it, but moving him now "so the kid gets a shot" would just compound the original error. No one's making them a great offer right now. The Rangers can afford to wait at this point on McIlrath.