2014-2015 Rookie Tournament and Training Camp Info

[NSH615]

Apparently there was some fire alarm issues at the start of the game this morning.

 

[Persona5]

The lack of coverage is appalling.

ITS 1 WEEK UNTIL THE FIRST PRE SEASON GAME

The NHL fails when it comes to self promotion. They should take a page from the NFL and figure out a way to keep people more involved year round. The NHL network has been nothing but replays of old games for a couple months now. Kinda sad if you ask me. NHL Live still isn't back yet with only a week to go before camp starts.

 

[NSH615]

I'm not. The Preds don't exactly get their events out in the public or to the news outlets. I saw the Titans had a bowling tournament today but did not see anything about Brent Peterson's Golf tournament. They don't use social media as effectively as they could at all. They do about as minimal work as they can on their website. It's not really a surprise there aren't many highlights anywhere of these games.

This just shows they aren't trying to grow the sport as much as they say. Otherwise they would be doing more to promote this event and others.

 

[triggrman]

Watched today's game and if Fiala or Forsberg aren't good enough to make our team then we will have our most talented team ever

Forsberg looked really good.

Diaby is freaking huge.

Fiala is more than just speed, he's dynamic, period.

 

[RomanEmpire]

Forsberg named tournament MVP.

 

[EON]

How has Williams looked?

 

[drwpreds]

Watched today's game and if Fiala or Forsberg aren't good enough to make our team then we will have our most talented team ever

Forsberg looked really good.

Diaby is freaking huge.

Fiala is more than just speed, he's dynamic, period.

Man, it is really hard not to be excited about the future with Forsberg and Fiala

 

[gela]

How has Williams looked?

Williams didn't play any games, no word as to why. Seems like a waste.

 

[Nashville Transplant]

Watched today's game and if Fiala or Forsberg aren't good enough to make our team then we will have our most talented team ever

Forsberg looked really good.

Diaby is freaking huge.

Fiala is more than just speed, he's dynamic, period.

It's got NOTHING to do with being "good enough," it's about not shattering a young player's confidence by bringing him along too quickly. This is not a contending team just yet, and the future is very bright with some exceptional NHL type prospects. Give them a chance to excel and lead, and come up to the big club when they can step in and contribute in a tangible way. Right now, it's way too early to throw these guys into the fire. Forsberg is a solid maybe, but Diaby absolutely needs time to get used to the speed of the game, and rookie games don't even come CLOSE to equaling the quality of talent in an NHL game. Fiala... well, I give him two years... he's still growing into his body. Not ready yet. (P.S. I went to both Sunday and today's games, and none of these guys actually "dominated." Played well, yeah, but head and shoulders above the rest? Nah.)

 

[WartracePred]

It's got NOTHING to do with being "good enough," it's about not shattering a young player's confidence by bringing him along too quickly. This is not a contending team just yet, and the future is very bright with some exceptional NHL type prospects. Give them a chance to excel and lead, and come up to the big club when they can step in and contribute in a tangible way. Right now, it's way too early to throw these guys into the fire. Forsberg is a solid maybe, but Diaby absolutely needs time to get used to the speed of the game, and rookie games don't even come CLOSE to equaling the quality of talent in an NHL game. Fiala... well, I give him two years... he's still growing into his body. Not ready yet. (P.S. I went to both Sunday and today's games, and none of these guys actually "dominated." Played well, yeah, but head and shoulders above the rest? Nah.)

Remember Craig Smith's rookie tourney? Seems like he had 7-8 goals in three games. He was dominant. And he skipped MIL. No one in the Preds system put up numbers remotely close to Smith's. Fiala isn't ready. Forsberg might be. I know that Smith was much older than these guys, but the numbers don't lie. Smith was a scoring machine in his rookie tourney. Fiala and Forsberg weren't.

 

[triggrman]

Forsberg is ready. Fiala, maybe not but Forsberg is and he did stand out to me. Diaby didn't do enough good or bad for me to say.

I can't judge their mental make up but Forsberg is 20, most good forwards can handle the NHL by 20.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Forsberg is ready. Fiala, maybe not but Forsberg is and he did stand out to me. Diaby didn't do enough good or bad for me to say.

I can't judge their mental make up but Forsberg is 20, most good forwards can handle the NHL by 20.

I get that we needed to make a move based on the Fisher news, but this really makes me question even more signing all 3 of the UFA's we got. Seems so excessive now. I really think there could be a surprising cut/trade in the preseason. There's just not room otherwise.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

Remember Craig Smith's rookie tourney? Seems like he had 7-8 goals in three games. He was dominant. And he skipped MIL. No one in the Preds system put up numbers remotely close to Smith's. Fiala isn't ready. Forsberg might be. I know that Smith was much older than these guys, but the numbers don't lie. Smith was a scoring machine in his rookie tourney. Fiala and Forsberg weren't.

Craig Smith ,comparatively was also older than Forsberg and Fiala

 

[triggrman]

Yeah, Smith was a college player but also remember he followed that camp up with a 14 goal rookie season.

Radulov was 20 when he broke into the NHL and he handled it fine. Mentally Forsberg seems way more mature than Radulov.

Right now, I'm not making a case for Fiala, just Forsberg.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

would be cool to see The Swiss Missile get the first 7 games doe.. esp if we sustain an injury in camp which could happen

 

[triggrman]

One more quick add.

Holy crap that Ford Ice Center is nice.....

 

[LetsGetThis]

Maybe I just spend more time than most on social media, but I think they did a pretty good job putting the events out there. They aren't the best at responding to questions when asked,but I saw the events posted several different times.

 

[NSH615]

Maybe I just spend more time than most on social media, but I think they did a pretty good job putting the events out there. They aren't the best at responding to questions when asked,but I saw the events posted several different times.

But Social Media is basically the only way they are trying to get the word out about these events. I think that is the problem. I got 1 email with the schedule and then saw the social media updates. If they really wanted to get the word out they would do more than facebook/twitter. Basically they are being as cheap as possible when it comes to advertising their events.

 

[LetsGetThis]

I heard the commercials for it on the radio a couple of weeks in advance and saw a billboard for it. That's all in addition to the social media and multiple emails.

 

[TootooTrain]

Any pics of Neal or Ribs in a preds jersey yet?

 

[jntarheels]

Any pics of Neal or Ribs in a preds jersey yet?

I don't think there is any pictures published yet in the Gold home jerseys. This video feature of Neal and Clune delivering season tickets is the only thing i have seen with either of them in the gold.
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=630793

There are a couple pictures of Neal in a Pred's practice jersey if that works for you...

and here is an overall shot with the two of them standing next to each other in practice jerseys, as well.

 

[Nashville Transplant]

Remember Craig Smith's rookie tourney? Seems like he had 7-8 goals in three games. He was dominant. And he skipped MIL. No one in the Preds system put up numbers remotely close to Smith's. Fiala isn't ready. Forsberg might be. I know that Smith was much older than these guys, but the numbers don't lie. Smith was a scoring machine in his rookie tourney. Fiala and Forsberg weren't.

Hey, I agree with you... I don't think the team's braintrust, however brainy they may be, is going to want to put kids on this team that are not going to make a significant contribution. We all saw Jarnkrok look very good at the end of last year, and Forsberg has shown he can be elite in the AHL, so those guys get to try to earn a spot, but I think everyone gets to earn their ice time and their level of trust. The guys on the hot seat are really guys like Wilson, Stalberg and Bourque -- guys who NEED to show they can be effective players in Laviolette's world. I couldn't be more excited for hockey to start...

 

[triggrman]

Fully agree, I will add Roy and Clune

 

[Nashville Transplant]

Fully agree, I will add Roy and Clune

I know people on here think I just gratuitously defend Clune because we have some history, but honestly, he brings something to the team that no one else has (I mean, Triston Grant? Really?) --- there's a level of character and leadership, and some underlying skill that the fans are either oblivious to, or just want to skate 12 Forsbergs and 6 Webers all the time thinking that's the winning combination.

Roy will be interesting. I'm not sold, but plenty of the players are. I hope he and Ribiero pan out. Jokinen, I remain wildly skeptical on, but I think that has to do with the fact that early in his career he was billed as a superstar-in-the-making, and save for a couple of seasons has always been a disappointment.

All that being said, it would be hard to imagine any of the vets being supplanted within the first 15-20 games of the season, based on experience, salary, and Laviolette needing to get off to a solid start. Hell, three and out last year

 

[triggrman]

I actually think Roy might be really good in Laviolette's system, now that I have thought about it more, especially if he is committed like he says he is. Jokinen was a panic signing, IMHO.

To me it comes down to 4 of Jokinen, Stalberg, Cullen, Forsberg and Borque.

Bourque will benefit from Hornqvist leaving as he plays that role well. Cullen is a locker room leader and has a relationship with Laviolette, the rest, I don't know.