Frankly I waited far too long. I wanted to make this thread the day after the 2013 draft ended. I'm at the point where I like the prospect side of hockey more so than the NHL.
Me too, it's like the hockey world's version of Christmas. Free gifts!
I study prospects years ahead, mostly in the WHL but I used to do it on a global basis when I was able to get out to more games and more markets. A family tends to tie you down more now.
It's also the area where few bother to ***** about your opinion, since many other hockey fans don't follow junior aged kids as much. All that *****ing saps your interest in a hurry.
We need to keep the cupboards stocked. Need to constantly be bringing in people. We have a SEVERE problem of no puck movers in Manch. We need some guys that can start filling in the pipelines. Defensive D would be nice too but we have Gravel and Dean really doesn't do well outside of him drafting and developing defensive-defenseman.
I'm not as certain as you are about our severe lack of puckmovers. Granted you are watching these kids live, something I can't do, but I also think you are assessing them to harshly, to early. Miller is a puckmover, so is Forbort to a degree. These guys have all of 17 pro games, if that, under their belt. Give them time. I'd really give Miller a full AHL season before judging him to harshly. Forbort's a bit older and bigger, really should have a shorter window, but 17 games is to short.
Besides, we do have Leslie, and I know you don't like him but until such time as the Kings walk away from him, you have to factor in Ebert. Sixteen points in 21 games and a +17 rating is solid numbers, especially compared to last season. The kid has the tools, it's all a matter of the toolbox being found.
And that's excluding Paul Ladue in college, who I think is the real sleeper puckmover in the system and I wouldn't be shocked to see him in Manchester for 2015-2016, which is the earliest any one we draft in 2014 would likely reach the AHL anyways.
As long as we have Muzzin, Voynov, Doughty and A-Mart around, the need for puckmovers is greatly reduced.
Jones HAS grabbed the reigns and it's very clear to me. The problem is he got called up and Scrivens pulled a miracle out of his ass.[/QUOTE]
Scrivens didn't pull a miracle out of his ass, he's a legit NHL goalie. Those are unreal numbers, but the fact we are winning with Scrivens isn't a shock to me.
if Jones has grabbed the reigns he needs to keep them. His only hope as far as making the NHL with LA is that he continues to play well and Scrivens elects to look elsewhere for more games. I think LA will try to keep Scrivens, he's a great guy, can start or be the backup, and will hold a team up if the starter goes down, which he did in Toronto when Reimer got hurt as well as now with Quick out.
