Post-Game Talk: 2017 Vancouver Canucks Development Camp

[GetFocht]

Another guy who opened my eyes at development camp was MacEwan.....what do the Canucks have here?....I know Canucks Army turned two-thumbs down on the signing as just another overager with inflated numbers from the Q...called it basically a waste of a contract spot.

But this guy has impressive wheels for a 20-year old kid who's 6'4" and a natural centre on top of that...and looks to have the speed and skill to shift to the wing if necessary. I know signing overagers like MacEwan seems to rarely turn out, but could he be the exception?

Hard to believe he won't be a lock to make it in Utica.. and never hurts to have another big centre in the pipeline.

Molino-MacEwen-Virtanen should be the top line for Utica next season.

 

[VanJack]

In short, no.

There's been absolutely nothing to indicate he'll fair any better than any of the other overagers. I would disregard him until he starts laying waste to his competition.

Canucks have signed quite a few UFA's over the years--Tanev, Archibald, McEneny, and more recently Chatfield, Carcone and Molino.....they've been valuable additions to Utica at least, and Tanev was a home run.....seems to me, you can never be too sure.

 

[iceburg]

Molino-MacEwen-Virtanen should be the top line for Utica next season.

Boeser and Goldobin will likely spend some time in Utica as will Megna.

 

[Disappointed EP40]

Canucks have signed quite a few UFA's over the years--Tanev, Archibald, McEneny, and more recently Chatfield, Carcone and Molino.....they've been valuable additions to Utica at least, and Tanev was a home run.....seems to me, you can never be too sure.

One of those things is not like the other. And that list is actually much longer when you included overagers drafted.

As I said, it's highly improbable so best to not consider it until/if he does some serious damage against actual competition. (I watched the scrimmage and I would have expected him to stand out more with his age advantage.)

 

[DL44]

The fact that multiple non-Canucks fans are listing him as a predicted Calder candidate should tell you all you need. He bleeds character and works his ass off, if you're basing this off of a half assed prospects camp then I don't know what to tell you.

First sentence means nothing to me. Agree about the character, haven't seen the "works his ass off" part yet... and No, it's not based off his half assed prospects camp. (didn't help tho)

I think Boeser is the real deal.

hope so

what is it that you are seeing, or not seeing, that's giving you doubts about Boeser?

It's mostly a first impressions thing. He was extremely disappointing in his first World Juniors after his draft... he couldn't keep up and worked his way from the top line to the bottom with his ineffectiveness.
He followed that up by catching fire once he returned to the NCAA - none of which i saw till the Frozen Four.. where once again was wildly unimpressed with his skating. My expectations were not met based on his late season reviews. He produced, but I remained a skeptic (also because of what i think of the quality of competition in the NCAA)

So I stated at the time i didn't like what I saw, but was would look forward to really evaluating him vs his elite peers at the 2017 World Jr's... obviously didn't get that opportunity since he was injured. And then injury was a partial reason for his depressed output.. as well as losing some high caliber teammates..

Then his late season cup of tea... Loved the goals... but this is where I did not see the 'works his ass off' player some were selling him as... But that's actually a good a thing... he cruises and floats in and out of areas and finds soft spots. Cleary has IQ.
But he had a lot of invisible and ineffective shifts in between those goals. He lost little foot races to the puck in his zone resulting in extended dzone time....
So i remain a skeptic.

Pettersson was probably our first skilled prospect that actually DELIVERED at one of these summer evaluations since.. what... Nedved?

I look forward to seeing an extended 20-30 NHL game sample to see what we really got in Boeser.

 

[GetFocht]

Boeser and Goldobin will likely spend some time in Utica as will Megna.

Highly doubt that Goldobin or Boeser will be in the AHL. Goldobin has already proved he can score at that level and Canucks will want to develop him in the NHL. Boeser has a very hot start last season and will likely be placed on the starting roster.

 

[denkiteki]

Molino-MacEwen-Virtanen should be the top line for Utica next season.

Not likely... at least not to start the season. Goldobin likely will be in the top line and if Chaput/Megna both are in Utica, one of them will likely center the top line like the initial plan was last year. Molino might be an option for the first line but he'll have a lot of competition. Based on last year's production, its much more likely you see something like Megna/Chaput/Goldobin as the top line or Archibald/Chaput/Goldobin (most likely case). Then have Megna be 2C with maybe Molino and maybe Virtanen. That leaves other center options as Cassels, MacEwen (tho he probably will play the wing), Hamilton (could play wing), and anyone else we might sign (i'm sure a few 'nucks fan are hoping for Kerfoot who likely would slot in the top 6).

Based on Utica's history, its pretty unlikely a rookie is on the top line. Valk i guess might be an exception if you count him as a rookie but he was a much older rookie than MacEwen (and only a "rookie" by definition since he didn't make the team the 2 seasons before) and he didn't start last season there either.

 

[WTG]

It's mostly a first impressions thing. He was extremely disappointing in his first World Juniors after his draft... he couldn't keep up and worked his way from the top line to the bottom with his ineffectiveness.
He followed that up by catching fire once he returned to the NCAA - none of which i saw till the Frozen Four.. where once again was wildly unimpressed with his skating. My expectations were not met based on his late season reviews. He produced, but I remained a skeptic (also because of what i think of the quality of competition in the NCAA)

So I stated at the time i didn't like what I saw, but was would look forward to really evaluating him vs his elite peers at the 2017 World Jr's... obviously didn't get that opportunity since he was injured. And then injury was a partial reason for his depressed output.. as well as losing some high caliber teammates..

Then his late season cup of tea... Loved the goals... but this is where I did not see the 'works his ass off' player some were selling him as... But that's actually a good a thing... he cruises and floats in and out of areas and finds soft spots. Cleary has IQ.
But he had a lot of invisible and ineffective shifts in between those goals. He lost little foot races to the puck in his zone resulting in extended dzone time....
So i remain a skeptic.

Pettersson was probably our first skilled prospect that actually DELIVERED at one of these summer evaluations since.. what... Nedved?

I look forward to seeing an extended 20-30 NHL game sample to see what we really got in Boeser.

You are putting too much stock in the World Juniors and not enough into his NCAA seasons.

Also, I don't know who told you Boeser is a "work hiss butt off type of player", certainly wasn't me. I have remained consistent in saying he's a Vrbata type player. A player who isn't the quickest isn't the first to pucks, but is always in the right position to shoot the puck and can really fire it. Also, you disregard the small sample size of the NHL games but emphasize the small sample size of the World Juniors and it's importance of NHL potential. That makes logically no sense.

In terms of QoC I'd actually say that the NCAA is much better then the World Juniors too. College hockey is much more structured as expected when you are playing with older players, also they have a lot of chemistry and understanding of the systems, which helps a ton in team play. NCAA is much tougher then you are giving it credit for, and the NCHC is really tough, it's a league with like 3 teams that can win a national championship any given year.

 

[iceburg]

Highly doubt that Goldobin or Boeser will be in the AHL. Goldobin has already proved he can score at that level and Canucks will want to develop him in the NHL. Boeser has a very hot start last season and will likely be placed on the starting roster.

I don't think they will spend much time there but, since neither requires waivers, I suspect they will be the sacrificial two until injuries open up roster spots. Think about it, even if the team carries 14 forwards, if there are no injuries, who gets sent down?

Sedin, Seind, Eriksson
Baertschi Horvat Rodin
Sutter Gagner,Granlund
Gaunce Burmistrov Dorsette

Megna, Boucher

If one of Boeser and Goldobin are on the roster and there are no injuries, at least one of the above will have to get waived. Now Megan wouldn't be an issue but I really don't think they want to waive Boucher if the alternative is to send Boeser/Goldobin down at zero risk. Injuries will ultimately come and they will be on the roster but, if asset management is a priority, they should be the first to be sent down unless they strongly outperform others.

 

[DL44]

You are putting too much stock in the World Juniors and not enough into his NCAA seasons.

Also, I don't know who told you Boeser is a "work hiss butt off type of player", certainly wasn't me. I have remained consistent in saying he's a Vrbata type player. A player who isn't the quickest isn't the first to pucks, but is always in the right position to shoot the puck and can really fire it. Also, you disregard the small sample size of the NHL games but emphasize the small sample size of the World Juniors and it's importance of NHL potential. That makes logically no sense.

In terms of QoC I'd actually say that the NCAA is much better then the World Juniors too. College hockey is much more structured as expected when you are playing with older players, also they have a lot of chemistry and understanding of the systems, which helps a ton in team play. NCAA is much tougher then you are giving it credit for, and the NCHC is really tough, it's a league with like 3 teams that can win a national championship any given year.

At this age and with the sample sizes of WJ and NHL, I generally ignore production.
I'm waaay more interested in how they are actually performing vs their peers.

I do disagree with you over QoC in the NCAA. Watching games between any 2 non frozen 4 team's is dreadful hockey for me. Big ice plus depth players riddled with skating issues are nails on the chalkboard for me. Same for regular season Jr hockey. But the world juniors is a different animal.. fast and transitional... with the elite of the elite U20's competing.
I put a lot of weight on how a player holds his own in those games... not on his production.

But hey.. maybe Boeser sticks.
Him and Virtanen are 2 prospects that I disagree with the masses herr about...

 

[Orca Smash]

Boeser looked fine to me and it reminds me a bit of horvat at times, people were on him for not generating early but like boeser I see things I like in his game that will eventually work in the nhl imo. Even early last year people were doing post game write ups complaining about bo and i was blown away, he was a buzzsaw all year getting in on the forcheck before anyone else trying to make plays to useless linemates.

With boeser he is very smart, he reminds me a bit of kucherov. Now it will take a miracle for him to be kucherov but play wise kucherov is not fast, but his shot and IQ are incredible.

You dont notice kucherov driving the play but he will quietly play and make something happen. I see the same with boeser, he is a winger that will play a quiet game until he finds an opening to make something happen.

With kucherov however he is putting up a point per game so those games where he is quiet without producing generally dont occur. That often leaves those style of players open for criticism.

Those are just my impressions we can revisit this as the years progresses.

As for world jr and how much stock to put in them, I get why some people place alot of value, but its just such a short tournament with one team being stacked and i have seen to many people look good at wjc turn out to struggle in the nhl and some who did not live up to expectations become great players. I am still not sure how much value to put in that tournament but i generally look at the full season more as an indicator.

 

[me2]

Boeser looked fine to me and it reminds me a bit of horvat at times, people were on him for not generating early but like boeser I see things I like in his game that will eventually work in the nhl imo. Even early last year people were doing post game write ups complaining about bo and i was blown away, he was a buzzsaw all year getting in on the forcheck before anyone else trying to make plays to useless linemates.

With boeser he is very smart, he reminds me a bit of kucherov. Now it will take a miracle for him to be kucherov but play wise kucherov is not fast, but his shot and IQ are incredible.

You dont notice kucherov driving the play but he will quietly play and make something happen. I see the same with boeser, he is a winger that will play a quiet game until he finds an opening to make something happen.

With kucherov however he is putting up a point per game so those games where he is quiet without producing generally dont occur. That often leaves those style of players open for criticism.

Those are just my impressions we can revisit this as the years progresses.

As for world jr and how much stock to put in them, I get why some people place alot of value, but its just such a short tournament with one team being stacked and i have seen to many people look good at wjc turn out to struggle in the nhl and some who did not live up to expectations become great players. I am still not sure how much value to put in that tournament but i generally look at the full season more as an indicator.

My feeling is his game will depend on his teammates. I don't think Bo is his best fit, someone like Petterssen seems ideal but those two will need a fast grinding winger. Get a line like that together and I could see that line being lethal.

 

[VanJack]

Yes, Boeser reminds me a lot of Horvat....he's the type of kid who will do what it takes to be effective at the next level.....if his skating is a marginal concern I could easily see him on a Horvat-like improvement....not concerned at all.