Prospect Info: 2019-2020 Prospect Info and Discussion

[bleedgreen]

I think he’s starting from a spot only mildly higher than a Saarela. He’s got a good nose for the net and he’s quick, got great hands but he’s very slight. The AHL will be very different for him when he gets there. Can he fight for loose pucks? Will someone like Rod trust him along the boards? Does he make good decisions with the puck on all the 50/50 plays?

It’s really hard to tell off what we’ve seen, to me at the wjc’s it seemed clear he was given the green light to just go create at pretty much all costs.

I don’t get any more excited about him than I do anyone else, while more of these types make it right now than before we have a coach that doesn’t really like this type unless they’re productive from pretty early on and can make
him happy defensively.

Kooks has played very well this year, has become a top playmaker in the AHL while being pretty responsible defensively but I feel he’s no closer to making it than he ever has been. Bokk is way more shooter than Kooks but how much better will he be overall? I’d put them in the same boat as of today, we won’t know more until he’s in the AHL.

 

[NotOpie]

So a guy that doesn't get talked about a lot is Blake Murray. But he's got a nice scoring line with 28 goals and 62 points in 58 games. While that doesn't seem exceptional, he's apparently centering the 3rd line for Sudbury, which to me, makes it a little more impressive. He's a big kid with a pretty good scorer's touch. I'll be keeping my eye on him....especially with a July birthday.

 

[Finster8]

Suzuki with two more assists, Saginaw 5-2 over Kingston. Putting them 2nd in the Western Conference. Quick update!!

 

[Finster8]

Suzuki adds two more goals in a 8-2 victory over Hamilton. Since joining Saginaw in GP-20 G-13 A-19 Pt-32.

 

[mouser]

Out of memory: he became college player during the year (?) after his draft, and thusly Canes should hold his rights until August 15 the year his class is scheduled to graduate. The age shouldn't factor into it for the college players by the CBA.

I would very hard assume David Cotton goes by this. The fact that we still have his rights (until August 15) should pretty much confirm it. We would have lost them already if it didn't go by this.

Hactually... they might be thinking this. He's past his fourth July 1st after the Draft, so they probably think he can drop out now and become Draft-related UFA on 30 day notice. But they are wrong: he missed the deadline to do that when he entered the calendar year that his class is scheduled to graduate as still a college student.

I’m curious myself what Lafontaine’s exact status is. Assuming he’s still considered a bona fide college student (I.e. didn’t lose that tag during his transfer year in the BCHL) then the key determiner is whether he’s on schedule to graduate this year (or come within 5% of the required credits)?

If Yes, then this is considered his senior season and his rights are held through Aug 15th.

If No, then the Canes rights would extend another year till Aug 15th 2021. If you look at the draft rights section of the CBA it notes that a players senior (graduating) season can change and is not automatically based on the player’s expected graduation class upon original enrollment. Note: if this is the category that Lafontaine falls into then he would have the option to leave school now and become a UFA this June 1st, or 30 days after notifying the league he left school—whichever is later—as it would be 4 years since his draft and not his graduating season.

 

[Lempo]

Liiga shut down their operation today, the season is done and no championship will be awarded. All the players were pretty adamant that there's no sense to play the final round of the regular season today.

Our prospects will probably life to fight another day.

 

[GoldiFox]

This upcoming Draft will be interesting with every league being shut down. No Euro/CHL Playoffs to consider and no U18 tournament,

Take the case of Yaroslav Askarov who hasn't played but a few games since December's WJC:



Maybe the Canes gamble on another Russian goalie if he falls to #19? Preseason Askarov was a top-5 lock.

 

[emptyNedder]

Too much time, so looking at former prospects.

Nic Roy was turning into quite the player for Vegas. In the last game played he was on the ice for 18 minutes, 75% against Draisaitl/Nugent-Hopkins/Yamamoto. It was one the few games Draisatl was kept off the score sheet. Roy scored on the power play—a great screen where the puck grazed him. The only blemish was that he won 38% of face-offs.

 

[MinJaBen]

Too much time, so looking at former prospects.

Nic Roy was turning into quite the player for Vegas. In the last game played he was on the ice for 18 minutes, 75% against Draisaitl/Nugent-Hopkins/Yamamoto. It was one the few games Draisatl was kept off the score sheet. Roy scored on the power play—a great screen where the puck grazed him. The only blemish was that he won 38% of face-offs.

Roy is in a good situation there. While originally a team built for speed, they’ve transitioned into a team that doesn’t focus on that as much with Stone, Patches, and their new coach. As they move away from his weakness, it becomes a team where his other skills can be allowed to shine. Happy for him.

 

[bleedgreen]

Hes a good player. They tend to find a way when given a chance. He’ll never look pretty but he can hustle and fight for position.

No different than Geekie.

 

[Bub]

Hes a good player. They tend to find a way when given a chance. He’ll never look pretty but he can hustle and fight for position.

No different than Geekie.

Saw VGK play Calgary last week. Roy looked good, like you said. But his skating is still not great. He and a Calgary D chased a breakaway opportunity, and he looked like he was dragging an anchor. Still, it's good to see him get a shot and thrive in it.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Hes a good player. They tend to find a way when given a chance. He’ll never look pretty but he can hustle and fight for position.

No different than Geekie.

I think Geekie is what made Roy so easily expendable. They’re pretty much the same player with a slight defensive edge to Roy and a goal scoring edge to Geekie.

 

[emptyNedder]

I think Geekie is what made Roy so easily expendable. They’re pretty much the same player with a slight defensive edge to Roy and a goal scoring edge to Geekie.

I like Geekie. However, I don't think management thought Geekie made Roy (and Wallmark as was mentioned elsewhere) expendable. They would have given Geekie some time earlier if they were that high on him, instead of having Gibbons play 15 games.
The SOP seems to be to add from outside and not expect much from prospects.

 

[hblueridgegal]

Will he be Checker bound next - when normalcy returns? Or, still have contractual obligations with Rogle?

 

[Lempo]

Will he be Checker bound next - when normalcy returns? Or, still have contractual obligations with Rogle?

He's signed to Canes and Loaned to Rogle. Canes got the control of him.

 

[ONO94]

So....what about David Cotton? Can the Canes sign him now even without games going on? Or is he (and the Canes) in limbo? And if they are not allowed to sign right now...will the deadline for signing college seniors be extended?

 

[Lempo]

So....what about David Cotton? Can the Canes sign him now even without games going on? Or is he (and the Canes) in limbo? And if they are not allowed to sign right now...will the deadline for signing college seniors be extended?

I don't think there is a reason why they couldn't. But the spring-time signing of a college player usually becomes with the enticement that he is signed with the on-going season as his first under the ELC and he gets to play already in the spring-time and thusly burn the first year off his ELC with those few games.

That extremely likely can't happen this spring, so there's that much less reason for him to sign instead of going UFA.

It's possible though that they may amend that in these special conditions and that the burning of a year off the ELC like he had played would be allowed on grounds that he would have played in the "normal" circumstances if he is put on the roster.

edit: to elaborate, the burning of the first year is not all beneficient to the player. Normally the lenght of ELC corresponds exactly to the qualifications (=years needed) to become RFA. But, the rules are set in different, unrelated parts of the CBA, so a college guy who has his ELC expedited this way (by playing less than 10 games) doesn't qualify for RFA status at the end of his ELC (as the short season doesn't count towards RFA), and he is in weird limbo where he can only be re-signed by his own team (similar to like if he was an unsigned draft choice).

Johnny Gaurdeau found this to his chagrim when his ELC was ending.

 

[RodTheBawd]

I like Geekie. However, I don't think management thought Geekie made Roy (and Wallmark as was mentioned elsewhere) expendable. They would have given Geekie some time earlier if they were that high on him, instead of having Gibbons play 15 games.
The SOP seems to be to add from outside and not expect much from prospects.

How does that logic work? The org wasn't higher on Geekie than they were Roy because they called Gibbons up? Roy had his cup of coffee of last year, while Geekie continued to develop and impress.

 

[emptyNedder]

How does that logic work? The org wasn't higher on Geekie than they were Roy because they called Gibbons up? Roy had his cup of coffee of last year, while Geekie continued to develop and impress.

I admit to a bias for Checkers' players—so my points do come from that perspective.

I always thought Roy would be a solid contributor—you mention a cup of coffee, it was more like a sniff of the coffee pot from another room. He averaged less than 7 minutes a game in his six games. He was playing physically (7 hits) making plays defensively (3 takeaways against 1 giveaway) and winning face-offs (53.8%). Some will argue he didn't "earn" any more time because he didn't get on the score sheet. When you consider average NHL time is 14 minutes a game, he basically didn't score in 3 games.

At this point it is a counterfactual, but my guess is if Geekie doesn't score on his first shot he is treated the saw way. Gauthier and Luostarinen were.

My point was that the organization clearly doesn't have a strong focus on developing from within, which is significantly different than a team like Tampa.

 

[RodTheBawd]

I admit to a bias for Checkers' players—so my points do come from that perspective.

I always thought Roy would be a solid contributor—you mention a cup of coffee, it was more like a sniff of the coffee pot from another room. He averaged less than 7 minutes a game in his six games. He was playing physically (7 hits) making plays defensively (3 takeaways against 1 giveaway) and winning face-offs (53.8%). Some will argue he didn't "earn" any more time because he didn't get on the score sheet. When you consider average NHL time is 14 minutes a game, he basically didn't score in 3 games.

At this point it is a counterfactual, but my guess is if Geekie doesn't score on his first shot he is treated the saw way. Gauthier and Luostarinen were.

My point was that the organization clearly doesn't have a strong focus on developing from within, which is significantly different than a team like Tampa.

Ok now you're really losing me, particularly with that last point. But to address Geekie... sure, he hit the scoresheet right away, but it was the things he was doing to get on the scoresheet that was key. I'm not even arguing who was/is/will be the better player, your way of getting to that conclusion just doesn't hold together.

 

[spockBokk]

I think the org very much so is working towards and currently is “building from within.” Thing is, they also want to compete for a cup. It’s a delicate balance for sure, and it seems like every year over the past few, 1-2 Checkers become full-time Canes.

There are only so many spots open with any big club and I think the org has done a very good job, so far, of turning overflow prospects (Roy, Priskie, Loustarinen) into viable NHL players that help the team in the now.

 

[bleedgreen]

I think they focus on developing. I just don’t think they care if they transition to the Canes or not. Developed prospects are worth a lot in trades and I think we know we need the assets. I think TD wants to win now, Rod isn’t the easiest coach for rookies to break in with and Waddell never shied from trading the future for a better now.

I’m personally not a fan of all that but the bottom line is winning. If it works it works.

There will be occasional moments of opportunity and that’s when the kids get a chance. I think anything short of Geekie’s ridiculous start likely ends up back in Charlotte once we’re healthy. Maybe even with his start.

 

[GoldiFox]

I think the org very much so is working towards and currently is “building from within.” Thing is, they also want to compete for a cup. It’s a delicate balance for sure, and it seems like every year over the past few, 1-2 Checkers become full-time Canes.

There are only so many spots open with any big club and I think the org has done a very good job, so far, of turning overflow prospects (Roy, Priskie, Loustarinen) into viable NHL players that help the team in the now.

It also makes the most sense with limited opportunities available to pare down the eligible candidates to ones that stylistically fit Rod's system well (for example: Geekie).

There isn't really a comparison to be made between Gibbons and Geekie's callup. From my view it seemed pretty clear they told Gibbons to be a 4th line vet who doesn't make mistakes. Polar opposite of what it looks like Rod told Geekie which was to own the area within 10 feet of the opposing crease and generate chances.

 

[bleedgreen]

It also makes the most sense with limited opportunities available to pare down the eligible candidates to ones that stylistically fit Rod's system well (for example: Geekie).

There isn't really a comparison to be made between Gibbons and Geekie's callup. From my view it seemed pretty clear they told Gibbons to be a 4th line vet who doesn't make mistakes. Polar opposite of what it looks like Rod told Geekie which was to own the area within 10 feet of the opposing crease and generate chances.

His first few shifts he was further back in the defensive zone then the D. At least twice I saw him making plays on the puck that at first glance I thought was a defenseman, when it was just Geekie supporting the D behind our net. That’s what Rod told him to do. That’s why he also trusted him as the first game went along as that’s what Rod is famous for. Giving offensive players more time if they do the defensive zone right.

Geekie is a slow footed power forward center with a big shot. I doubt Rod had to tell him to go to those areas, those are his standard areas. His only offense areas, to be honest.

Rod tells the forwards to not turn the puck over, to get it deep and to forecheck. I don’t think he tells them much more.

 

[GoldiFox]

His first few shifts he was further back in the defensive zone then the D. At least twice I saw him making plays on the puck that at first glance I thought was a defenseman, when it was just Geekie supporting the D behind our net. That’s what Rod told him to do. That’s why he also trusted him as the first game went along as that’s what Rod is famous for. Giving offensive players more time if they do the defensive zone right.

Geekie is a slow footed power forward center with a big shot. I doubt Rod had to tell him to go to those areas, those are his standard areas. His only offense areas, to be honest.

Rod tells the forwards to not turn the puck over, to get it deep and to forecheck. I don’t think he tells them much more.

If Geekie's only offensive areas happen to be the most dangerous areas of the ice that all other Canes forwards appear to be allergic too then that limitation is a-ok with me. I was in the car listening to the first period of Geekie's game so I missed his first few shifts.

From my view Gibbons was playing defensive and getting pucks deep but I can't say I remember him ever forechecking. More of a dump and change 4th liner.