Prospect Info: 2014 Development Camp

[Major Might]

Wow Mark Stone's team even won the cooking challenge at dev camp, this kids the complete package.

This kid just oozes hockey IQ.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Lazar played on the same line as Puempel in the 3 on 3 and did very little himself to establish himself as one of our best prospects, let alone be NHL ready.

Should we set off the alarm bells for Lazar too?

What 3 on 3 are you speaking of?

 

[saskriders]

Does anyone have a box score from the game

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Does anyone have a box score from the game

4-1

Stone scored 2. Guptill scored another and Dunn scored first if I ain't mistaken.

Rutkowski scored lone goal for white.

 

[saskriders]

Assists?

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Assists?

I ain't sure. I'll let you know if I find anything.

 

[koreaboy]

I remember you or someone else saying this about Zibanejad a few seasons ago.

Nope. Wasn't me. Every time I watched zbad at camps, he always had lots of jump, and an excellent shot.

I find it pretty unbelievable how off the rails some people have gotten on this thread. I make a reasoned observation about how I think a prospect has played at a camp and some on here go absolutely bananas. It's ridiculous.

Puempel has never shown me at any of these that he stands out or that he has the makings of an impact player at the NHL level. I hope I'm dead wrong in thinking he will never be able to be a difference maker for us. I am hoping his good season in the AHL last year means he's finally taken a step forward. This week, I haven't seen that translate into a player who you look at amongst a group of 18-22 year olds and say, "wow. Now there's a player".

 

[koreaboy]

I've been posting with Koreaboy for quite a few years on various forums. I don't always agree with him, not even close, but he's been pretty good with prospect evaluations over the years. Does that mean Puempel will be a bust, of course not, but that's not what he said. He said he could be leaning that way as he wasn't impressed with his level of competition at this camp.

Nothing wrong with that, let's wait and see how Puempel does in the NHL camp. If he has a good showing maybe Koreaboy will say he misjudged him.

Great to see you again doc. We certainly do go way back, don't we!!!

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Everyone time I've watched puempel play he's never jumped out at me. He doesn't have explosive speed or sick hands and is not a big hitter. But at the end of the game he seems to get on the scoresheet. Not noticing him is not necessarily a bad thing. Only thing to worry about is his defensive game. Which he is by all accounts working very hard on. If he can play sound defnece he will be fine. He can score goals.

 

[koreaboy]

Puempel looked really poor yesterday. All of the other AHL/NHL players were noticeable but he didn't do anything all game. Maybe he got word that he might be traded and wanted to downplay his ability to the Chicago scouts. Either way I was unimpressed.

I guess like all the other posters here he knows that he already made it to the NHL since he scored 30G last year, so why put in an effort. That sounds like the right attitude for this team.

Now this is kind of what I'm getting at. Set aside his 30 goal season in the A last year. This week, he's been put into a pool of players, many of whom are just joining the organization, some of whom were playing college, or even high school hockey last year and are here just on invites. The organization has spent three years trying to develop him and make him better. Our brain trust is watching closely, local fans are there in droves watching him closely. He knows this is another opportunity to show everyone he's a player, he knows he's more accomplished than most of the players around him, it should make him pretty confident, and how does he respond? By being pretty mediocre and not very noticeable.

It doesn't mean we run him out of town on a rail and declare him a bust, but it should be a source of concern that with all that going for him, he isn't a player that we can look at this week and say he's clearly a step ahead. Does it speak to his character and work ethic that he hasn't elevated here? His talent level? I don't know. Maybe he ate some bad sushi this week and was crapping through the eye of a needle before the game. Who knows?

All I observed, again, third camp of watching him closely several times, was that Matt Puempel didn't demonstrate skating, hands, shot, physicality, game impact, etc. that makes me think we've got a really good prospect here.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

You can't just disregard the 30 g last year.

 

[koreaboy]

I'm not. I've never said we need to get rid if him. I've just said this has to be a big year for the kid. He needs to start demonstrating that he can actually play for us at some point and be a useful player. He needs to do that by ripping up the A, earning callups, and them when he gets here, at least showing flashes of something that makes us think he might be ready. I hope it happens and I hope he gets the chance to do that.

But he didn't help himself by being a pretty mediocre player this week playing amongst high school, college, and mostly younger players who he should be clearly ahead of.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Wasn't one of those three camps where he was coming off hip surgery and didn't participate in any real drills or scrimmages? Or is this his fourth?

 

[sebas85]

All I observed, again, third camp of watching him closely several times, was that Matt Puempel didn't demonstrate skating, hands, shot, physicality, game impact, etc. that makes me think we've got a really good prospect here.

"His ability to look for openings offensively and his shot -- it's a heavy, major-league shot -- those are just God-given talents that aren't teachable to some people." - Luke Richardson

 

[pepty]

Maybe its time to put the Puempel discussion aside and concentrate on the other players as this seems to be so contentious that it has derailed the thread.

 

[Benjamin]

How about that Puempel?

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Maybe its time to put the Puempel discussion aside and concentrate on the other players as this seems to be so contentious that it has derailed the thread.

I'd be very interested to know a bit more about Claesson. By the reports on here, he played well with Ceci and was part of a good NHL-like shutdown pair. Now, was it mainly because of Ceci, or does this kid have a legitimate shot at the NHL (someday) in his own right?

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I'd be very interested to know a bit more about Claesson. By the reports on here, he played well with Ceci and was part of a good NHL-like shutdown pair. Now, was it mainly because of Ceci, or does this kid have a legitimate shot at the NHL (someday) in his own right?

I think he does. He has the tools and he has the character. Seen him play a few times. He's the guy you never notice. Which for a stay at home defensman is what you want. When hes on the ice it seems like everything functions a lot more smoothly. I don't think he will be a top 2 guy. Definitely top 4 though. For guys with high character the sky is really the limit. Because they identify their limitations and minimize them. Like lazar. Right now. I do not like lazars offense. I think he can still score some. But he needs work. And he will recognize that and work on it. Those are the players you always see an improvement in year after year.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

I think Claesson compares in many ways to Niklas Hjalmarsson. Used to think he was a good bet to be a decent 5-6 guy but he's improved so much since his draft that I see a future defensive minded top 4 guy.

 

[Xspyrit]

Actually I was pretty sure you were Puempel or were his mom.

In any case, it was pretty harsh the way you jumped the guy. We're just giving opinions here, no need to get mad.

lol he wasn't mad and harsh, it's just the "internet misguiding communication" acting up again. Another poster called Korea a fool...

Anyway, just another storm in a glass of water, nothing really happened here let's move on. We all know a scrimmage like this doesn't mean anything. Sometimes prospects want to showcase something, sometimes they are just here to learn and are not trying to impress anyone. I think people mix up the names of the camps, this is a development camp.

That being said, Puempel is like a rich's man Bobby Butler, but a version that could stick in the NHL. I had some kind of prophetic vision about Puempel before we drafted him, so don't worry he'll be important for the Sens (not sure why maybe he just scores an important goal ala Conacher). He's like the only player that I KNEW we were going to draft, and I have no insider info. There must be a reason... lol anyway

But don't expect Puemps to be an electric flashy player ala Ovechkin or Gaborik. More something between Butler and Heatley

 

[Johnny Hanson]

lol he wasn't mad and harsh, it's just the "internet misguiding communication" acting up again. Another poster called Korea a fool...

Anyway, just another storm in a glass of water, nothing really happened here let's move on. We all know a scrimmage like this doesn't mean anything. Sometimes prospects want to showcase something, sometimes they are just here to learn and are not trying to impress anyone. I think people mix up the names of the camps, this is a development camp.

That being said, Puempel is like a rich's man Bobby Butler, but a version that could stick in the NHL. I had some kind of prophetic vision about Puempel before we drafted him, so don't worry he'll be important for the Sens (not sure why maybe he just scores an important goal ala Conacher). He's like the only player that I KNEW we were going to draft, and I have no insider info. There must be a reason... lol anyway

But don't expect Puemps to be an electric flashy player ala Ovechkin or Gaborik. More something between Butler and Heatley

No I said he's making himself look like a fool and I stand by that. Disregarding a 30 goal rookie campaign and making outrageous claims like he might be a bust because of a poor scrimmage in July is foolish. It's why scouts don't scout practices. They go to games instead.

Moving right along though, I'm excited at the progression of claesson. I watched him live 5 times this year and he's extremely steady. I have no doubts he'll be an nhler, at what capacity remains to be seen.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

We can't call someone a fool if they are being foolish?

 

[Slack]

How about that Puempel?

 

[ATdaisuki]

maybe lazar an puempel had bad scrimmages because they were up against ceci and claesson. ceci is an nhl quality defenseman, and claesson is a top shutdown defenseman in the entire ahl.

one game after not playing for a while. the rust settles in. playing with people you've never really played with, and against really solid defensive players makes it difficult. how many players stood out for the team lazar and puempel were on?

also, mark stone might have a future in sports broadcasting.

 

[koreaboy]

No I said he's making himself look like a fool and I stand by that. Disregarding a 30 goal rookie campaign and making outrageous claims like he might be a bust because of a poor scrimmage in July is foolish. It's why scouts don't scout practices. They go to games instead.

Moving right along though, I'm excited at the progression of claesson. I watched him live 5 times this year and he's extremely steady. I have no doubts he'll be an nhler, at what capacity remains to be seen.

I have watched this kid closely, up close and personal, over a number of camps now. I haven't called him a "bust" based on a casual observation of one scrimmage. I have kept close eye on him as a first round pick, hoping to see evidence of someone who can standout and be an impact player. Playing against his peers, and now against players who SHOULD be beneath him for the most part, I haven't seen it. I respect the season he had last year and I hope he has a big year. I'm not calling for his head. I'm just expressing the entirely reasonable opinion, and one shared by many, that he might not pan out.