Prospect Info: 2022 Rookie Camp

[AngelDuck]

Pastujov is terrible. I’m cool packaging him and a 2nd for something decent

 

[70sSanO]

This tournament means nothing in what lies ahead. I thought I heard we were 11-0-3 since 2016 prior to this year.

Boy that has sure translated well to the big team.

John

 

[Leonardo87]

It’s a likely explanation. I think the discussion is whether that is ok, or if it is instead a sign that they’ll pull a Comtois at some point.

Is it possible management told them to take a step back and give the other prospects more opportunities?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Is it possible management told them to take a step back and give the other prospects more opportunities?

I shared something like this after the 2nd game, either McTavish or the org had McTavish throttle down. In this game, it seemed as though McTavish was trying to set Perreault up all the time. McTavish didn't look like he tried to take the game over in all three games. Instead, we can see him directing the team while on the ice before a faceoff or on the PP.

 

[KelVarnsen]

If that is the case. No way Mac should have even played in the tourney.

 

[Goose of Reason]

Yeah, the team absolutely would not have said "here's the C, now don't try." He had a crummy 3 meaningless exhibition games. It happens.

 

[bsu]

If that is the case. No way Mac should have even played in the tourney.

Exactly, the excuses are running wild at this point. Why would management tell a young player to coast when they could just let him wait for training camp if they didn't want him to be playing. Like critically think there can't be a person on this forum that really thinks the Ducks told a young player trying to make the team to play in a random 3 game tournament but take it easy.

 

[Hinterland]

Would it be fair for me to say that it is very much situational in that both McTavish and Zellweger know they are going to Preseason so they held back a little whereas a lot of other players are just fighting for a spot?

McTavish yes. Before the tournament started I questioned McTavish taking part based on his status (not gonna get returned to Hamilton if healthy), his recent overloaded schedule and him getting hurt in the same tournament a year ago.

Now of course I'm selfish and want to see McTavish play. So if I, despite that, have to question him taking part it's not unlikely McTavish actually felt the same. I think his lone goal was not to get hurt. If his scores 10 goals in that tournament before getting hurt he might still get returned to juniors if it's a longer term injury. Even if it's shorter term like last year it would still likely cost him his spot in the opening night lineup. Remember he wasn't expected to play game 1 last year because of his injury. He only slid in because others got sick. I think Jones it was and maybe somebody else. Would have to look it up. Anyway, even 10 goals in that tournament wouldn't have helped him but what does help is if he's healthy for the main camp and preseason games. The Ducks know he can play vs random kids. They need to find out what he can do vs the best pro's after having no time to rest or work out in quite a while.

The Zellweger situation is different. His chances to make the Ducks are trending towards zero. I don't think it would have made sense for him to hold anything back in this tournament and I don't think he did. He was engaged. Sometimes he was actually good, sometimes he got exposed but the effort was always there. With McTavish I'm not so sure.

 

[Static]

Exactly, the excuses are running wild at this point. Why would management tell a young player to coast when they could just let him wait for training camp if they didn't want him to be playing. Like critically think there can't be a person on this forum that really thinks the Ducks told a young player trying to make the team to play in a random 3 game tournament but take it easy.

While I don't think this is exactly how it happened, I do think there is plausibility in that scenario. For one, in Stephens article McTavish lists a bunch of off-ice details he gave the ducks management team as reasons why he wanted to play in the WJC. He wanted to learn and be around those players. Second, mctavish was injured in this tournament last year, one that kind of didn't go away until he went back to junior.

So while I sincerely doubt the ducks' brass told him "don't try", there are reasonable grounds to suspect that McTavish at this tournament wasn't all about the on-ice games and that he most likely wasn't emptying the tank.

He still didn't entertain me and I was annoyed by that as well.

 

[bsu]

Here's the truth: He wasn't very impressive and underwhelmed overall but it's a 3 game sample size, let's hope he looks better moving forward. Stop with the whole "he's not trying" "management told him to coast" shit it's ridiculous.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

While I don't think this is exactly how it happened, I do think there is plausibility in that scenario. For one, in Stephens article McTavish lists a bunch of off-ice details he gave the ducks management team as reasons why he wanted to play in the WJC. He wanted to learn and be around those players. Second, mctavish was injured in this tournament last year, one that kind of didn't go away until he went back to junior.

So while I sincerely doubt the ducks' brass told him "don't try", there are reasonable grounds to suspect that McTavish at this tournament wasn't all about the on-ice games and that he most likely wasn't emptying the tank.

He still didn't entertain me and I was annoyed by that as well.

Sort of contradicts the "he just really loves to play hockey" narrative though.

 

[Static]

Sort of contradicts the "he just really loves to play hockey" narrative though.

Those narratives are all bullshit, so.

 

[Hinterland]

If that is the case. No way Mac should have even played in the tourney.

No way the Ducks told him to slow down if they wanted him to play but I agree he shouldn't have played. I said that before the tournament. What's possible is that they told him to focus on something like setting up teammates or to stay out of trouble if there's headhunting or fighting going on. It's also possible they told him they're gonna watch his TOI in order to keep him fresh. They sure didn't tell him to half ass it since it was them who wanted him to play. That most likely came from himself.

 

[Static]

Including the he's just coasting around while trying to make the NHL and not being forced to go back to juniors another year.

I think that is just the extreme of the other side though.

It's really, really hard to fake or create urgency, very few can do that. McTavish isn't one of them, he needs outside stimuli to push him. Getzlaf was much the same way in junior.

 

[Hinterland]

Here's the truth: He wasn't very impressive and underwhelmed overall but it's a 3 game sample size, let's hope he looks better moving forward. Stop with the whole "he's not trying" "management told him to coast" shit it's ridiculous.

Like it or not but of course he wasn't trying. That was easy to see. Much like me even before the tournament, he most likely didn't see a point in playing, especially after what happened last year. And if you have nothing to gain or win and don't see the point, maybe even are afraid to pick up yet another injury...of course you're not gonna look sharp or play at your best.

I agree that management would never tell him to half ass it though.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Well McTavish wasn't the worst player but he was certainly the most disappointing. I mean if it's a matter of how much hockey he's played, it's not like that's going to get any better. Preseason games are a week away.

 

[Ducks DVM]

Is it possible management told them to take a step back and give the other prospects more opportunities?

Absolutely. Although McTavish kinda dogging it makes it harder for the two guys on his line to look as good as they otherwise might have. I think they just should have been sat if that was the case. It’s not like many fans watched it.

 

[bsu]

The fact that people are saying he may be dogging it when he really wasn't is also scary

 

[Ducks DVM]

The fact that people are saying he may be dogging it when he really wasn't is also scary

I’m not talking about the lack of performance, I’m talking about quitting on plays/puck retrieval.

 

[bsu]

I’m not talking about the lack of performance, I’m talking about quitting on plays/puck retrieval.

Same.

 

[Leonardo87]

Absolutely. Although McTavish kinda dogging it makes it harder for the two guys on his line to look as good as they otherwise might have. I think they just should have been sat if that was the case. It’s not like many fans watched it.

I watched maybe one period of the entire rookie tournament, so really can’t make a fair assessment. I saw maybe a few shifts from him. The shifts I saw he wasn’t aggressive on the forecheck like he was in the WJC, and made some poor decisions with the puck, including a bad pass to no one on the PP.

The feed was awful, froze a few times, and then there was one moment when they were on a PP, the camera man had the camera stuck at center ice when the play was in the offensive zone, lol. So I just turned it off.

 

[bsu]

I watched maybe one period of the entire rookie tournament, so really can’t make a fair assessment. I saw maybe a few shifts from him. The shifts I saw he wasn’t aggressive on the forecheck like he was in the WJC, and made some poor decisions with the puck, including a bad pass to no one on the PP.

The feed was awful, froze a few times, and then there was one moment when they were on a PP, the camera man had the camera stuck at center ice when the play was in the offensive zone, lol. So I just turned it off.

You didn't miss much. Honestly, be thankful you spent your time on something else.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

I watched maybe one period of the entire rookie tournament, so really can’t make a fair assessment. I saw maybe a few shifts from him. The shifts I saw he wasn’t aggressive on the forecheck like he was in the WJC, and made some poor decisions with the puck, including a bad pass to no one on the PP.

The feed was awful, froze a few times, and then there was one moment when they were on a PP, the camera man had the camera stuck at center ice when the play was in the offensive zone, lol. So I just turned it off.

Yeah, I spot watched the first game. Fell asleep during the second game. Didn't bother with the 3rd game (was at work anyway). Sounds like we didn't miss much.

 

[Leonardo87]

Yeah, I spot watched the first game. Fell asleep during the second game. Didn't bother with the 3rd game (was at work anyway). Sounds like we didn't miss much.

First pre-season game is Sunday, hoping that one is available to watch. The prospects who remain will likely have it dialed up, fighting for a spot on the team. So should be more interesting even if the vets will be holding back.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

First pre-season game is Sunday, hoping that one is available to watch. The prospects who remain will likely have it dialed up, fighting for a spot on the team. So should be more interesting even if the vets will be holding back.

It bugs the shit out of me that this is still a thing.