Prospect Info: 2018-19 Prospects Thread (CHL, NCAA, Junior A, Europe)

[Goulet17]

Akil Thomas scouting video up on Colorado Avalanche site. Joins McLeod and Wilde. Very brief videos this year.

 

[Murzu]

Sith? You mean cooler jedis?

Booo

 

[Foppberg]

f*** Star Wars.

 

[Murzu]

**** Star Wars.

Double boo

 

[McMetal]

Akil Thomas scouting video up on Colorado Avalanche site. Joins McLeod and Wilde. Very brief videos this year.

Those are even less informative than usual this year. "He's a center, fast skater, great hands" and literally nothing else. In the past, at least Hepple has given like 20 seconds worth of cursory talk about the player. This year, maybe 10 seconds.

 

[Balthazar]

Those are even less informative than usual this year. "He's a center, fast skater, great hands" and literally nothing else. In the past, at least Hepple has given like 20 seconds worth of cursory talk about the player. This year, maybe 10 seconds.

IIRC he spent more time speaking about the guys that really interested him. When he spoke about Makar it was pretty obvious that he liked him more than the others.

 

[cgf]

Booo

Double boo

I knew that sooner or later something like this would have to happen, but alas Foppberg speaks the truth here.

 

[Avalanche]

IIRC he spent more time speaking about the guys that really interested him. When he spoke about Makar it was pretty obvious that he liked him more than the others.

You could always tell which prospects Hepple loved because he would end up looking like the heavy breathing cat by the end of the vid

 

[cgf]

Maybe that's why they're doing shorter videos this time around...

 

[LieutenantDangle]

I knew that sooner or later something like this would have to happen, but alas Foppberg speaks the truth here.

View media item 2357

 

[cgf]

Literally the best things that have ever come about from the star wars universe:

 

[Legionnaire11]

Can you guys give me some insight into Avs players who made their NHL debut last season? Specifically what type of player they are, if they have an NHL future and what role they project as in the long-term. Thanks!

Andrei Mironov
Dominic Toninato
Alex Kerfoot

 

[Murzu]

I'm still mad that Stars took Heiskanen from us. Heiskanen - Z - Girard would be awesome LD depth, we'd have EJ and Barrie as established top four RDs and we'd still have Meloche and Timmins as RD prospects.

I always think about this when I see Heiskanens name somewhere. Can't help it. /Rant

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Can you guys give me some insight into Avs players who made their NHL debut last season? Specifically what type of player they are, if they have an NHL future and what role they project as in the long-term. Thanks!

Andrei Mironov
Dominic Toninato
Alex Kerfoot

Mironov - Cya later guy! He wont be back in the NHL. Doesn't have an NHL skillset.

Toninato - Gritty player, solid defensive game and good on Face-offs. Doesn't seem to have much(If any) offensive upside at all but has the work ethic, skating, and defensive play to be a quality bottom 6(Most likely 4th liner) Center in the next couple of years. I expect him to be the Avs 4C eventually.

Kerfoot - A complete wild card I would say. Shows some really good playmaking ability, is a good skater and a solid stick handler in tight. But he's very reluctant to shoot which makes him a very predictable player. Undersized and gets pushed around because of this a bit. He had 43 points as a rookie so cant really argue that Top 6 upside exists. But to me I think he's going to top out as one of those tweeners who needs quality offensive minutes to be successful, but isn't really deserving of those minutes. If he's in your Top 6 then you probably wont find a tonne of success as a team. Avs used him mostly as a 4th liner last year with 2nd unit PP time and it worked ok, perhaps this is how he gets used long term. Though I dont see him having a future with the Avs beyond 1, maybe 2 more years.

 

[cgf]

I've got nothing to add on Kerfoot, but I actually think that despite being the most mechanical athlete I have ever seen...outside of those 7'3"+ white guys in the NBA who lack the coordination to even tie their own shoes...Mironov could've eeked out an NHL career if he was willing to spend a year in the AHL re-adjust his game for the smaller ice. He had some stretches in the AHL where his toughness & defensive instincts really showed themselves and he started to look competent with the puck, like the Gudas knock off I always hoped he'd become.

Toni may not have much scoring potential, but I liked the potential cycle game he showed. Could help the 4th line at least establish ozone time when their forechecking is successful when he's called into action...though I do still have more hope in Beaudin becoming our internal 4C option moving forward, since he actually has some offensive instincts to go with his big body, defensive intelligence, and cycle game.

 

[klozge]

Literally the best things that have ever come about from the star wars universe:

...

Don't forget the Seagulls.

 

[Goulet17]

I'm still mad that Stars took Heiskanen from us. Heiskanen - Z - Girard would be awesome LD depth, we'd have EJ and Barrie as established top four RDs and we'd still have Meloche and Timmins as RD prospects.

I always think about this when I see Heiskanens name somewhere. Can't help it. /Rant

RHDs are more valuable in the league and I have a great deal of faith in Makar as a prospect. I think he has a better offensive ceiling than Heiskanen and is more likely to reach his ceiling in that regard.

A team is better off having stronger RHD prospects than LHDs, because every team in the league is seemingly looking for an RHD, at least from my perspective.

 

[Avalanche]

I know it's early but are any of our guys locks for WJC spots?

I'm guessing Kaut is. Is Annunen a guy that will start for Finland?

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

I know it's early but are any of our guys locks for WJC spots?

I'm guessing Kaut is. Is Annunen a guy that will start for Finland?

The Finnish starter will most likely be U-P Luukkonen or Lassi Lehtinen. 18yo starting goalies are rare at the WJC for the top teams.

 

[UncleRisto]

The Finnish starter will most likely be U-P Luukkonen or Lassi Lehtinen. 18yo starting goalies are rare at the WJC for the top teams.

It's going to be interesting to see how the goalie situation shapes out there during the games. UPL really posted some crappy numbers last time around, and Lehtinen clearly had the better season between the two. For now it's still likely UPL for past experience but I don't know...

 

[Postanin CB Ting]

Any chance one of Makar, Meloche, or Timmins can/has played on the left side?
Good problem to have, but I could see them all being nhl ready a year from now with 1, maybe 2 RD spots available.

Edit
They wouldn't roll 3 rookie D the same year I doubt anyway. Wonder who will be the last of the 3 to get nhl time.

 

[RockLobster]

Any chance one of Makar, Meloche, or Timmins can/has played on the left side?
Good problem to have, but I could see them all being nhl ready a year from now with 1, maybe 2 RD spots available.

I personally don't think handedness (in relation to which side the players play on) is as big a deal to the team/org/coach/player as it is to fans. Now, do some play better on one particular side? Sure. But I don't know...I just have always thought that it wasn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Postanin CB Ting]

I personally don't think handedness (in relation to which side the players play on) is as big a deal to the team/org/coach/player as it is to fans. Now, do some play better on one particular side? Sure. But I don't know...I just have always thought that it wasn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.

I agree with you, I would rather play the opposite side myself, especially in the offensive zone. Ever since Babcock and team Canada made such a big deal of it I sometimes think too much about handedness

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Any chance one of Makar, Meloche, or Timmins can/has played on the left side?
Good problem to have, but I could see them all being nhl ready a year from now with 1, maybe 2 RD spots available.

Edit
They wouldn't roll 3 rookie D the same year I doubt anyway. Wonder who will be the last of the 3 to get nhl time.

Makar has been quoted saying he prefers to play on the left side. Whether he said this because he knew the avs were short on ld is not known, however he did say it in an interview.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Literally the best things that have ever come about from the star wars universe:

We already knew you had poor taste but this just further confirms it