2019 Development Camp Roster

[dogthateats]

 

[Jacob]

You notice Legare’s grip / wrist strength with how he’s able to get good shots off in heavy traffic, when his stick seems to be tied up or if a pass is way out of his wheel house.

 

[Burn]

Funny how this board completely ignores Bobby Brink's rather lengthly list of skating issues. For his sake, I hope his hockey IQ keeps him above water at the higher levels as his feet are going to be his achilles heel.

When did you see him? Brink dominated with his skating when playing for Minnetonka. Last season his skating took a hit because he was playing at a new weight. Once he gets his core and legs stronger... Some issues will go away.

With that being said he still dominated last year. Then rushed off to play for the US and looked great again. Recchi and Francis had skating issues too.

 

[Burn]

But Mark Eaton wasn't really very good...

He wasn't? Maybe not a star but as a role playing defenseman he was great.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

That makes sense, maybe they sign him if he has a good season there then? Looking at the history of what NHLers New Brunswick has churned out, I'm not exactly considering him a NHL prospect anymore.

I find it weird that article calls U Sports the "NCAA of Canada", but I don't recall any NHLers of significance that came out of U Sports.

It wasn't super rare...decades ago. Joel Ward is the only real one of note I can think of from the past 20-25 years or so, though...and that's not exactly a fresh example.

The fact of the matter is that if Lauzon is healthy enough and looks decent enough, the kid is going to get a minor league contract from somebody. UNB is a free education that he earned from his time in the Q, so it makes total sense for that to be the fall-back and not necessarily the route he sees as his way to get back into hockey. There's no reason for a kid his age, with his history, to view Europe as an appealing option at this stage of his life and he's ineligible for the NCAA, so...it's likely nothing more than a back-up plan. I don't get the sense that there's any danger of him choosing UNB over Wheeling if he truly is healthy enough.

 

[td_ice]

Spooner looked great last night, but considering he is 23 playing with a bunch of 18, 19 and 20 year olds, it isn't a huge surprise. But nonetheless, he looked good. Very impressed with the Finns, they can all skate. Almari looks smooth and polished. Head up all the time, good skater, good vision. Micheal Kim impressed. Legare looked great. He looked very much like our Daniel Sprong replacement. Very similar. Great shot. Let's hope this one pans out better for us.

 

[HandshakeLine]

He wasn't? Maybe not a star but as a role playing defenseman he was great.

I gotta respectfully disagree, man. I think he stood out more as good in the context of the mid-2000s when we were still seeing a lot of Mike Rathje types in the league, but if you took a prime Mark Eaton and put him on this squad, he'd basically be Ruhwedel. Solid positional defenseman, better than Scuderi, but absolutely no offensive instincts or transition game.

But I'll take nothing away from the fact that he had a long and successful career in the NHL, and remains (as far as I know) the only NHL player to ever come from the state of Delaware.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Spooner looked great last night, but considering he is 23 playing with a bunch of 18, 19 and 20 year olds, it isn't a huge surprise. But nonetheless, he looked good. Very impressed with the Finns, they can all skate. Almari looks smooth and polished. Head up all the time, good skater, good vision. Micheal Kim impressed. Legare looked great. He looked very much like our Daniel Sprong replacement. Very similar. Great shot. Let's hope this one pans out better for us.

Great to hear about Legare. And his wheels looked good, TD?

 

[td_ice]

Great to hear about Legare. And his wheels looked good, TD?

Uhhh, I would say he needs a little work with his skating. It was decent, but needs to improve. But, and I think Legare mentioned this himself, that he needs to work on his explosiveness, first few strides. I can see that.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Uhhh, I would say he needs a little work with his skating. It was decent, but needs to improve. But, and I think Legare mentioned this himself, that he needs to work on his explosiveness, first few strides. I can see that.

But not Robitaille bad, right?

 

[td_ice]

But not Robitaille bad, right?

Haha....no, not at all.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Haha....no, not at all.

I'm just trying to keep hope alive, in my own little way, TD.

 

[td_ice]

Kept an eye on camp invitee Josh Williams. Wasn't impressed. Really needs to get stronger. Especially his core. No power in his skating.

 

[Gumbercules]

It wasn't super rare...decades ago. Joel Ward is the only real one of note I can think of from the past 20-25 years or so, though...and that's not exactly a fresh example.

The fact of the matter is that if Lauzon is healthy enough and looks decent enough, the kid is going to get a minor league contract from somebody. UNB is a free education that he earned from his time in the Q, so it makes total sense for that to be the fall-back and not necessarily the route he sees as his way to get back into hockey. There's no reason for a kid his age, with his history, to view Europe as an appealing option at this stage of his life and he's ineligible for the NCAA, so...it's likely nothing more than a back-up plan. I don't get the sense that there's any danger of him choosing UNB over Wheeling if he truly is healthy enough.

Derek Ryan is a more recent player to come out of U Sports (although he had a stint in Europe after school). Most UNB players do go pro however. Phil Maillet and Jordan Murray are a couple of recent grads from UNB that are having solid AHL careers and could play themselves into an NHL contract if they keep improving (still unlikely). If Lauzon gets an AHL deal I suspect he'd back out of UNB, but leaving for a minor league contract below the AHL would be surprising.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Spooner looked great last night, but considering he is 23 playing with a bunch of 18, 19 and 20 year olds, it isn't a huge surprise. But nonetheless, he looked good. Very impressed with the Finns, they can all skate. Almari looks smooth and polished. Head up all the time, good skater, good vision. Micheal Kim impressed. Legare looked great. He looked very much like our Daniel Sprong replacement. Very similar. Great shot. Let's hope this one pans out better for us.

Is Legare better capable of playing like ZAR than Sprong was, though?

 

[Peat]

Is Legare better capable of playing like ZAR than Sprong was, though?

Yes. He's a grafter, he's willing to throw his weight around, and he spends plenty of time in dirty areas. You could actually lazily call him a ZAR-Sprong hybrid based on current progress.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I'm not sure that defenseman Zachary Lauzon is ready to turn pro after all of the time he spent injured. His skating could improve, and he wasn't as strong on the puck as he could have been had he not been away from the game for over a year. He could benefit from a year at the University of New Brunswick to regain some of his strength.

That was exactly my take on him. Probably better for him to go to college and bulk up some before going pro, from a play and a health standpoint.

 

[wej20]

That was exactly my take on him. Probably better for him to go to college and bulk up some before going pro, from a play and a health standpoint.

He definitely needs to play, that's the single most important thing so I'd say a season or two of college would be best for him.

 

[td_ice]

Is Legare better capable of playing like ZAR than Sprong was, though?

Not sure that anyone can match the elite level of "almost-ness" that ZAR can bring.

 

[Burn]

I gotta respectfully disagree, man. I think he stood out more as good in the context of the mid-2000s when we were still seeing a lot of Mike Rathje types in the league, but if you took a prime Mark Eaton and put him on this squad, he'd basically be Ruhwedel. Solid positional defenseman, better than Scuderi, but absolutely no offensive instincts or transition game.

But I'll take nothing away from the fact that he had a long and successful career in the NHL, and remains (as far as I know) the only NHL player to ever come from the state of Delaware.

Well that 10 years ago. The modern version of Eaton would be mobile and be able to skate pucks out of the zone. Maybe a B or C grade Doumolin would be a better assessment.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Well that 10 years ago. The modern version of Eaton would be mobile and be able to skate pucks out of the zone. Maybe a B or C grade Doumolin would be a better assessment.

The modern version of Eaton is Ruhwedel. I'm really not sure what else to add to that.

 

[Burn]

The modern version of Eaton is Ruhwedel. I'm really not sure what else to add to that.

No hes not. Theyre note even close.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Spooner looked great last night, but considering he is 23 playing with a bunch of 18, 19 and 20 year olds, it isn't a huge surprise. But nonetheless, he looked good. Very impressed with the Finns, they can all skate. Almari looks smooth and polished. Head up all the time, good skater, good vision. Micheal Kim impressed. Legare looked great. He looked very much like our Daniel Sprong replacement. Very similar. Great shot. Let's hope this one pans out better for us.

Is Legare better capable of playing like ZAR than Sprong was, though?

As long as he can play "Mike Vellucci hockey", he will be fine.

 

[HandshakeLine]

No hes not. Theyre note even close.

Mark Eaton was a moderately successful bottom pairing defender who played above his position in the deadpuck era because we had an awful defense and it was an era where anyone that wasn't Hal Gill had a shot at making the team.

I'm not sure how they're not close. Hell, Ruhwedel might be even better in a vacuum, given Eaton's stunning offensive ineptness.

 

[Burn]

Mark Eaton was a moderately successful bottom pairing defender who played above his position in the deadpuck era because we had an awful defense and it was an era where anyone that wasn't Hal Gill had a shot at making the team.

I'm not sure how they're not close. Hell, Ruhwedel might be even better in a vacuum, given Eaton's stunning offensive ineptness.

Thats a broad generalization about a player. It mentions nothing about each players skill set or values. In that case I see what you're saying but disagree. One is a boarderline player and the other played a key defensive role for a cup team. Just like Scuds, Gill and Lovejoy. Role players doing role player things well to help teams win.

Reilly can skate and is 6'2". A modern era defensive defenseman. Put him in a system with some structure, add a cleaner pro game and he can have value on a rookie contract.